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Miss Perkins did look fetching in a long coat and bonnet of a rich blue color that teased roses to bloom in her cheeks and found the deeper russet in her hair.
“Pooh. Governesses,” said Lady Blanche. “She’s quite negligent if you ask me, allowing your children to make such a spectacle.”
West peered at the inexplicable tableau. “What are they doing?”
“I’ve no idea,” said Edgar. All he knew was that he needed to stop them from doing it. This was far too public a place for playacting.
“Shall we go and say hello?” asked Lady Blanche, with a desperate edge to her voice.
Laxton hadn’t taken the bait yet. What did Edgar have to do, grab the lady and kiss her in front of him?
“While I would love for you to meet my children, Lady Blanche,” Edgar said smoothly. “These are not the circumstances I would choose.”
Lord Laxton threw Edgar a look that could only be described as murderous. “She’s never to meet them, Banksford. Why, the idea, an innocent meeting children such as those.”
“Don’t be silly. They’re just children,” said Lady Blanche.
Laxton lowered his voice. “They’re not respectable.”
“I’d like to meet your governess,” said West.
The gossips were openly staring now, waiting to pounce. He never should have agreed to take Lady Blanche riding. But it was too late now, he’d been seen escorting her, and now his children had been seen performing in Hyde Park.
What a disaster.
“No one is meeting anyone,” he said stiffly. “If you’ll excuse me, Lady Blanche.” He bowed over her hand and made his escape.
There was a rogue governess on the loose.
Chapter 11
Damnation!
Mari had never uttered a profanity before now, but a dark and stormy duke drove her to sin.He loomed suddenly in front of her like a giant cliff emerging from a treacherous mist, waiting to dash governesses to their deaths.
“I can explain, Your Grace,” she said.
“I don’t think you can.” Banksford turned such a ferocious stare on the small crowd of onlookers that they immediately dispersed.
He studied the chalk lettering.“Tuppence for the thrill of a lifetime?”
Why, oh why, hadn’t she erased the words?
“What exactly is happening here?” he asked, looking at first her, and then the children, whose eyes were wide as saucers.
“It was an experiment,” Mari said hastily. “We were conducting an experiment in the charming of snakes... and audiences.”
He glowered at her.
“Well obviously it doesn’t work on dukes,” she said.
“Here’s an experiment to conduct,” he said. “The speed with which all three of you can climb into that carriage.” He pointed at a dashing black curricle with gold wheels. “Right. Now.”
“I’m not sure we’ll all fit,” she said.
“We’ll fit. It’s only a short ride.”
The twins had already shed their sheets and packed up the chalks and instruments.
