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They were both quite at ease in each other's company and Watson was more than a little surprised to see that his daughter was wearing her bonnet, a grand feat indeed for Miss Percival, as his daughter always complained about such things and how the ribbon always chafed her chin.
Still determined not to disturb them, but unwilling to leave them to it on such a rare occasion of peace in his household, Watson slowly and carefully removed himself from the rose maze and began to walk around the pond toward them. Miss Percival who had been sitting up with her book propped on her knees, lifted her face up over the tome and the moment that she saw him, she smiled warmly.
Instantly, Watson recognised why everybody in town appeared to be talking about her. She was indeed exceptionally beautiful. The simple white bonnet she wore could not hide the fact that her golden hair glowed in the sunshine, nor could its peak dim the glow in her hazel eyes or the glossiness of her plump rosebud lips.
At the sight of her, had he been a poet, Watson might well have burst into a verse on just how beautiful she was. Luckily for him, he was no such thing, and he was able to keep his mouth closed firmly, offering her a smile in return.
She is your daughter's governess!he reminded himself firmly, slipping a hand into the pocket of his breaches so that he could pinch himself upon the leg as somewhat of a punishment for ever allowing himself to notice.She is a governess and that is all she shall ever be!
Yet even as he thought it, his daughter noticed that he was there and hurried to her feet to come around the pond to meet him. Watson was startled as she barrelled into him and wrapped her arms around him in a grand squeeze. Miss Percival followed more slowly, keeping her distance as she dropped into a welcoming curtsy.
"Forgive me, Your Grace. I did not believe you would be home so soon," she admitted as she rose, offering him another smile while her cheeks blushed slightly with embarrassment. "Had I known, I would have moved onto our afternoon lessons early."
"Oh, please, do not let me disturb you," Watson protested, hugging his daughter back and offering Miss Percival a reassuring smile. "I finished in town earlier than I thought I might and decided to come home for some rest."
"Then you must join us, Papa!" Amy insisted, pulled back from where she still had her arms around him just enough to smirk up at him. "What better place could there be to rest than here in the sunshine?"
"As I said, I do not wish to disturb you," Watson protested, ruffling the top of his daughter's bonnet in an affectionate manner until she grumbled and grabbed the ribbon beneath her chin as if it were rubbing. She started to untie it.
"Lady Amy, I implore you to remember the promise you made me," Miss Percival reminded the young girl and Amy huffed loudly, retying the ribbon. Miss Percival turned to the Duke then and explained, "I promised that we could have a reading lesson out here if she would agree not to remove her bonnet."
Clever,Watson thought, unable to stop himself from smiling ever more warmly to the governess.
"I am pleased to see that the promise stands," he said. "I shall not keep you both. I just wished to let you know that I am home."
With that, he leaned down and pressed a kiss to Amy's forehead, narrowly missing the peak of her bonnet, before stepping out of her little embrace.
"Oh, Papa, please stay!" Amy protested, her little hands balling into fists at her sides. "You so rarely come into the gardens anymore."
Watson flinched at that, knowing his daughter was right. He spent far much more time in his stuffy, old study or even the library. In fact, he spent rather much more time in his carriage on his way to and from town nowadays than he did in his own garden.
"I am happy to stay if it is alright with Miss Percival?" Watson said, feeling hopeful when he turned his gaze up to look at the governess, reminding himself once more that he would not be the kind of nobleman who would take advantage of his position, nor would he take advantage of Miss Percival as a member of his household just because he found her greatly attractive.
He had always prided himself on keeping things strictly professional even when he heard all kinds of rumours on the grapevine of noblemen who'd had affairs with their governesses, maids and even a housekeeper or two.
"We would be pleased to have you, Your Grace," Miss Percival assured him and Watson felt his heart flutter in a way that it had not in quite some time.
"Lady Amy, would you do me the honour of escorting me around the pond?" Watson suggested, turning a smile upon his daughter. He could feel Miss Percival watching them even as his daughter took hold of his arm and began to lead him around the pond and when he glanced back over his shoulder, she was smiling warmly as if she liked to see the two of them interacting well.
Watson had to admit that this was the easiest time he had spent with his daughter in a long time. After being urged to take a book from the basket to read, he sat half-reading and half-watching the two of them as they lounged beside the pond once more.
Watson could not help but think how similar they looked in that moment, both with expressions of awe with their noses buried deep in their books, sometimes even biting their lips at almost the very same moment. Perhaps that was why the two of them got on so well, because they were kindred spirits. Watson was not sure what it was, but he was glad of it.
After some time, Miss Percival lifted her gaze from her own book as if she had sensed him watching her. Feeling slightly guilty for the fact, Watson quickly glanced back down at his book, but it appeared that he had not been swift enough.
Sitting up, Miss Percival asked, "Your Grace, forgive me, but are you in need of some help reading?"
The mischievous glint in her eye caused Watson's heart to flutter and he felt his cheeks blushing when he heard Amy chuckling to herself at the governess’ pointing out the fact he was still only a few pages into his book where they had read a couple of chapters.
"No, thank you, Miss Percival," Watson responded firmly yet kindly. "I am merely taking my time to enjoy the peace and quiet."
Miss Percival smiled as if in agreement before she tilted back her head and closed her eyes as if she were a feline bathing in the midafternoon sunshine. He watched her, unable to stop from noticing just how her flawless skin glowed in the sunlight.
He was so adamant upon watching her in fact that he barely heard the footsteps that approached through the rose garden maze until Miss Percival turned her head back down and opened her eyes to look across the pond.
"Your Grace, please forgive me!" Quintin's exclamation came moments after the man appeared from the maze. "I tried to request that the lady await you in your study, but she was quite insistent and…"
"Quintin, what is it? What is wrong?" Watson asked, hurrying to his feet, though deep down he feared that he already knew from his steward's expression what was going on.
