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She relented. “No. It is you, it has been you from the first moment you kissed me that night I was running away, but, my lord, I won’t be a mistress.” So saying, she got to her feet, stomped her foot, and said with a wag of her finger, “And you aren’t being fair to Miss Elton either!”
So saying she ran, praying at that moment that he would not follow. She needed to think. She needed to set things straight, and she needed to do it soon. This pretense had to stop. He had not said he would end his engagement, and yet, he still pursued her. It was filling her with contrary emotions.
The time had come to return to her stepmama and make amends. The time had come to untangle things—they had just dipped deeply into mire, and she had to retrieve the situation before it sank beyond her reach.
* * *
He did not follow her. He could not follow her. He felt a cad. He had offered marriage to the young Elton woman—a young woman who deserved more than his name but would never have it because his heart, his soul, his every thought belonged to Cherry. He had to find a reasonable way out of his present predicament. Marriage of convenience was the way of his lot in society, but it was a damnable ugly way…
He didn’t care that even Cherry’s name was shrouded in mystery. He didn’t care that she was governess to the twins. He loved her with everything he was, and he would have to find a way out of the Elton entanglement, because he damn well meant to make Cherry his bride!
~ Twenty ~
“FREDDY!” CHERRY CALLED him out of the library. “Conference, quickly with the twins in the schoolroom. I haven’t any time to spare.”
She didn’t wait for him to ask her any questions but ran to the stairs and then had to control herself from taking them two at a time. Speed. It was all-important that she be gone before Sky confronted her again. She wouldn’t bother packing. Faith, it would be so nice to have her real wardrobe at her disposal once again.
She found the twins playing at a board game in Francine’s room and ushered them to the schoolroom. “We need to talk. Come.”
They sensed something important was afoot and followed her in hushed silence. Freddy met them as they entered, and Cherry closed the door. “Sit, all of you.”
Freddy looked around for somewhere to plant himself, but other than a footstool he could find nothing his size. “Can’t,” he said reasonably.
She giggled and then grew serious. “I have to leave—tonight. Soon, in fact.” She put up her hands as they all began to object.
Francine threw herself at her and hugged her tightly. “Don’t go, Miss Cherry—we couldn’t bear it!”
Even Felix went to her and hugged her. “Please, Miss Cherry … I will try and not be so bad …”
“Hush … bad, indeed. You are the best children any governess could hope to have. I shan’t be gone long … I promise, but I must go immediately. There is something personal that I must attend to in London. Lord Dartford has offered to escort me safely. I can’t tell you more, other than to assure you that I love you and I need you to trust me. I am doing what needs to be done. Do you believe me when I say I will make everything right?”
“Yes … but don’t go,” Francine begged.
“Freddy will stay with you, won’t you, Freddy? You will make certain they do their lessons and play and take care of the ducklings and all the things I normally do with them … yes?”
“Yes, Miss Cherry, and I do trust you. This is just what he needs to see the light,” Freddy said with a soft smile.
Their eyes met and locked, and then she squeezed his hands. “Thank you, Freddy.”
Felix was still hugging her, and she took his hands and held them so she could bend down to look at him. “You have been wonderful to me, Felix … and I promise, whatever happens, I shall return—in fact, there isn’t a soul that can keep me from you.” She sighed heavily and added, “There is a secret that we need to keep between us. I don’t wish Sky to know that I have promised to come back. Understood?”
“A secret between us?” Felix said, his eyes lighting up.
“Yes, a secret.”
“You can rely on me, Miss Cherry!”
“I shall look after the twins, and I too am pledged to your secret,” Freddy promised.
“Then you will come back and be our governess forever?” Francine pursued.
“No, love, but I will come back.” She put a finger to Francine’s trembling lips. “You and Felix needed me, but I think now you know exactly what you have to do to grow fine and smart and good. What you need is someone who is far more learned than I to get you ready to go off to school in a couple of years. Trust me to choose the right person to fill that office, and then you can train her, when I bring her to you, and before long you will like her as much as you like me.”
The twins looked at one another, and then Francine said, “We will never love her as much as we love you—never.”
“Never mind—things have a habit of working themselves out.” She gave them another hug each. “Secret now!” Cherry turned to Freddy. “Lessons, Freddy. Make them do their letters, speak to them in French, take them on outings, and by the time I get back, it will nearly be time for you to return to Eton.”
He laughed. “Miss Cherry … I … we shall miss you terribly while you are gone.”
