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Avery gritted his teeth and looked out of the window at the sight of the park rolling past the carriage windows. The sun was just setting and the stands of beech trees cast long, lovely shadows across the grass.
He was in no mood to appreciate natural beauty. Four days he had managed to stay away, not long enough to get his own guilt and resentment under control and not long enough, he was sure, for Laura to be feeling very kindly towards him.
His mood was not helped by Pritchett’s expression of surprise as he walked through his own front door. ‘My lord!’
‘Yes?’ Avery raised an eyebrow. ‘Why the surprise? I believe I live here.’
‘Yes, of course, my lord. It is just that her ladyship—’
Something cold ran a finger down Avery’s spine. ‘What is wrong with her?’ Was she sick after all? He would forgive her anything. Anything at all—
Pritchett took a step back. ‘Nothing, my lord, I assure you. It is only that her ladyship and Miss Alice left for London the day before yesterday. I assumed you knew, my lord, and would be joining them.’
‘Of course.’ Whatever else was happening, preserve appearances in front of the staff. One of his mother’s favourite rules. Appearances are all, never mind the hell beneath. ‘I will be joining them in London. Tomorrow.’ If they are there. Stop it. Trust her. Of course they will be there.
*
‘I feel confident we can find someone suitable from these five, don’t you?’ Laura conned the list of young women she had asked for interview the next day.
‘I think so, my lady. I particularly liked that one and that one.’ Miss Blackstock touched two of the names on the list that Laura held out to her. ‘They all have the qualifications you are looking for, and are under thirty and seem to be of a kind and cheerful disposition, but those two gave me the impression of a natural firmness.’
‘Which is what they will need to handle Alice,’ Laura agreed with a chuckle. ‘Miss Blackstock, I hope you do not feel that I am attempting to detach you from Alice. You have been s
uch a major influence on her and she loves you very much. But I am hoping that perhaps there may soon be someone else for you to look after…’
‘That is wonderful, my lady. His lordship—’
‘No, not yet, Miss Blackstock, but I hope it will not be too long. And I do not want Alice feeling that not only has her little nose been put out of joint by a new baby, but her Blackie has also been taken away from her.’
‘Of course, my lady. That seems very sensible and farsighted.’
‘Thank you.’ The carriage lurched as they rounded the corner into the square. ‘Almost home. I wish now I had not told Alice we were seeking a governess for her. When they call tomorrow and meet her I have no idea how she will react to them.’
‘Ah, well,’ Blackie said with a smile, ‘if the worse comes to the worst and she is difficult it will scare away the faint-hearted ones.’
*
Laura met Blackie’s gaze over the top of Alice’s head and raised an eyebrow. The nurse nodded the merest fraction. On the other side of the room Miss Pemberton, candidate number five, was deep in discussion with Alice over whether, as Miss Mirabelle was a French doll, Alice ought to learn some French words so she could talk to her. The young woman’s references were excellent and all from ladies Laura knew. She was quiet yet cheerful, bright-eyed, intelligent and decisive, and Alice took to her from the start.
‘Miss Pemberton.’
The woman looked up. ‘Excuse me, Alice.’ She came and took the chair next to Laura. ‘Lady Wykeham?’
‘I would like to offer you the position. Do you need time to consider the offer?’
‘No, I would be delighted to accept. Thank you very much, I greatly appreciate your confidence, Lady Wykeham.’
‘Excellent. So when would you be able to start?’
The door opened. ‘Lady Wykeham, what the blazes are you—?’ Avery stopped on the threshold apparently silenced by the sight of his usually elegant drawing room. The table was littered with dolls and their clothes, the Chinese carpet was obscured by a drift of drawing paper, the side table bore evidence to a hearty tea and Alice was bouncing with excitement.
‘Papa!’ She threw herself into his arms as Blackie and Miss Pemberton got to their feet.
‘Good afternoon, my lord,’ Laura said with a calm she was far from feeling. ‘Alice, please stop squealing, I wish to introduce Miss Pemberton to Papa. My dear, this is Miss Pemberton, who is to be Alice’s new governess. Miss Pemberton, my husband, the Earl of Wykeham.’
‘Delighted, Miss Pemberton.’ He offered his hand, she took it with a calm, well-bred manner that made Laura want to cheer. Apparently cursing earls disturbed Miss Pemberton’s composure no more than noisy six-year-olds did.
Avery was wearing his best diplomatic blank face, but she could not worry about that now, nor the butterflies fluttering in her stomach, nor the sharp pang of desire at the sight of him, windblown despite his immaculate riding gear, eyes sparking with tightly controlled temper.
