AllFreeNovel
Share Us
A sudden longing to find a dagger and cut off his shirt buttons, as he’d slit through her bootlaces, gripped her mind.
He’d had a good, long look at her ankles. Shouldn’t she be allowed to see his chest? She could rip the rest of the shirt. Rend it in two.
The rhythmic pulse visible in the shadow of his throat was proof that he was merely a man. Flesh and blood, sinew and bone. Warm and strong and inviting.
She’d never had such wicked thoughts. At least not about a real, live duke. She may have imagined herself as the heroine of a few romantic novels.
To cover her confusion, she pursed her lips and gave him a disapproving look. “Must you always leap to these drastically inaccurate assumptions about me, Your Grace? I’m neither a temptress with designs on your footmen, nor a spy with designs upon your engineering plans. I’m a plain, unassuming governess.”
He grinned. “If you’re plain and unassuming, then I’m a ruddy chimney sweep. You must admit the situation could be misconstrued. First you crush my model engine, and now you’re sneaking about my private rooms, examining the model of my railway. You looked guilty.”
“I’ll admit nothing of the sort.”
“Then why are you here?” he asked, adjusting the cuffs of his shirt to cover his wrists.
“I found the children’s bookshelves to be sadly lacking in scope for the imagination. And filled with moralizing tripe.Dr. Pritchard’sCatechisms. Really, Your Grace. I expected better of you.”
“Uh...” His chin ducked toward his neck. “Who is Dr. Pritchard?”
“The most priggish, sanctimonious fool to ever set quill to paper and compose fire-and-brimstone morality lessons for children. I found his teachings written upon the blackboard in the nursery. It is small wonder the twins run away.”
“Are you lecturing me, Perkins?”
Good lord. She was lecturing a duke. That would never do. No one wanted agovernessto exhibit any backbone.
“I do apologize for my stridency, Your Grace.” She cast her gaze demurely to the carpet. “It’s only that I hold a strong belief, based on personal experience, that children respond better to encouragement than censure.”
He was silent for so long that she raised her head and encountered that steady, unnerving gaze of his.
“Never apologize for stridency, Perkins. You’ve a valid point to make. I’m ashamed to admit that I had no idea the children were being subjected to the sanctimonious Dr. Pritchard.”
A different kind of warmth seeped through her at his words. No one had ever wanted to hear her true opinions before.
He swiped a hand at the library shelves. “Take all the books you want. But leave the model engines alone.”
“I thought the children might like to play with them.”
“For the love of... they’re not toys,” he said. “The children most certainly cannot play with them. I use the model engines to visualize my designs before they are built on a larger scale.”
“But you must admit they dolooklike toys.”
He scowled down at her. “I’ll admit nothing of the sort. They’re models of a very serious and historic undertaking, I’ll have you know.”
“But they’re just so cunning and delicate.” She knew she was playing with fire but couldn’t seem to stop herself. “And those adorable little gentlemen in their teensy top hats...”
She stopped speaking because he appeared about to combust.
“Someday I’ll bring you to my foundry, Perkins. Believe me, the words adorable and teensy will never cross your impertinent lips.”
She liked the sound of someday.
It sounded longer than one week.
“I should like that.” She gave him a teasing smile. “I’m sure your engines are ever so formidable and impressive.”
Like everything else about him.
“Extremely formidable.” His gaze dropped to her lips. “And impressive.”
