“Shame her?” James echoed, quite astonished by this accusation. “I did not shame her. I applauded her.”
“You are our employer’s godson. You are a duke. You appeared, and she knows she’s not supposed to be in the library. She ismortified. You should have walked away when you realized what was happening.”
“If she isn’t supposed to be in the library, why was she there then?” he asked, now feeling defensive.
“I discovered that she does not know how to read, so I offered to teach her. It has been made very clear to me by the housekeeper that it would be impossible for me to visit her upstairs in her chambers because I am a guest, and only servants are allowed up there. So this was the only possible option. Unless you would have me teach her out in the street under a lamp?”
He raised his hands. “I meant no offense. I will apologize to her.”
“No,” she said. “Do not approach her. Do not apologize to her. Do not treat her any differently than you would otherwise. That is the worst thing you could do for her. You do not understand anything about commoners, do you?”
He wanted to defend himself and let her know that he knew a lot about commoners. He employed many of them, after all.
But then he realized that she was right. He didn’t know these people. He knew Franklin, but Franklin had been in the family’s employ since he was very young. He and James had grown up together. He was something of a confidant.
But that was an exception.
James knew next to nothing about his other employees. What about his tenants? He had never considered whether a tenant was embarrassed or proud or happy or sad. These were not considerations that had come to him.
Once again, he felt quite abashed.
What was it about this young woman that found him in such peculiar situations time and again?
She was holding a mirror up to his face, and he had to admit, he didn’t necessarily like what he saw. On the other hand, when he looked at her, even though she vexed him, even though she took him to task most severely, he liked what he saw. She was pretty to look at, though her temper was quite formidable.
“Why are you looking at me as though I were a mare at market?” she asked.
“I wasn’t,” he replied. “I was contemplating your words. I shall leave the poor maid alone.”
“Good,” she said. “Then we are in agreement. Now, if you will excuse me.”
She brushed past him, her upper arm grazing his elbow. She was about a head shorter than him, something he hadn’t noticed before.
For someone so short and of such ordinary upbringing, she was quite extraordinary and larger than life. And James knew that such a combination was most perilous to one’s peace.
