“I didn’t realize Miss Knight was thinking of bolting already,” the earl replied.
“Of course I’m not thinking of bolting,” she snapped.
Well, actually she was. She managed to keep a straight face—but just barely—when the earl regarded her with an ironic gaze.
“I’m glad to hear it,” he said. “Before I outline your duties, perhaps you’d care to give me some sense of your experience. Sir Dominic’s letter was lacking in details, I’m afraid.” His glance slid over her, head to toe. “You seem rather young to have done much teaching.”
“I am five and twenty, my lord, and I’ve been teaching for seven years,” she said stiffly.
“That long?”
Mentally consigning him to the devil, she folded her hands in her lap.
“Perhaps you can outline both your education and your previous teaching positions,” he added.
“Certainly, sir. I attended school for several years at Miss Kirby’s Seminary for Young Ladies in Lincoln, which has an excellent reputation for both academics and music. I teach all the usual subjects like history and geography, along with French and Italian, and I’m proficient in music, playing both the pianoforte and the harp.”
“Kade will like that, won’t he, Nick?” Grant piped up. “All he thinks about is music.”
“Unfortunately,” muttered Mr. MacDonald.
Victoria then gave the earl a thorough rundown on her past employment. Arnprior listened with a skeptical air.
“You clearly have a great deal experience teaching girls of all ages,” he said when she was finished. “But you said little about boys. How many have you taught over the years?”
“Not many, as I’m sure you’d already deduced.”
“That leads me to wonder why you think you can take on the teaching of older boys, or even young men.”
“Arnprior, you do realize that Sir Dominic would never have recommended Miss Knight for the position if he didn’t think she could do it,” Alec said in an irritated voice.
The earl flashed a humorless smile. “One would think so. Miss Knight, I understand you do not have a reference from your last employer. Why is that?”
Fortunately, Dominic had coached her on how to respond to this predictable but still nerve-wracking question. “Because I decided to leave the position. I felt it did not suit my skills.”
His expressive eyebrows lifted once more. “Really?”
“Yes, really,” she said firmly. “My pupils were too young to benefit from my experience and level of skills.”
“And are you always so particular about what positions you take?”
“Indeed I am, my lord. Which is why I’d like to—”
The door opened and a man strode into the room. Garbed in a kilt and leather vest like Mr. MacDonald and the twins—although a good deal cleaner, thank God—he was clearly a Kendrick. He was a few years older than the twins and his hair was burnished chestnut rather than flaming red. Unlike his brothers, his handsome features lacked any trace of good humor.
He stalked over, his long stride marked by a limp. As he stopped directly in front of Victoria, his striking green gaze swept over her, eyeing her with disdain.
“So you’re the new tutor,” he growled as she stared up at him. “I’ll warn you right now, lassie. You can stay the hell away from me.”
Chapter Five
Nick’s brothers were obviously colluding with Angus to make things as difficult as possible for the new governess. At this rate, they might even succeed in driving her away.
“I was not expecting you until dinnertime,” Nick said to Royal. He’d hoped to introduce his siblings in small batches.
His brother shot him an angry look. The lad was always angry these days, unfortunately.
“I’m well aware you wanted to keep me away for the day,” Royal said. “But since your benighted plans will have an impact on me as well, I have a right to be here when you interview our new teacher.”
