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The two of them paused in silence until the chiming had finally subsided and then the Duke finally shook his head. With a smile, he insisted, "Please, come with me, Matilda."
Seeing that she was still quite reluctant, he assured her, "I am sure that Mr Burns shall be along shortly, and I assure you the door shall remain open."
"Oh, Your Grace," Matilda gasped in astonishment, looking quite embarrassed, "I did not mean any such thing. I just do not wish to impede upon your business as I know you are a very busy man."
"A few minutes will not hurt," he reassured her with a smile and a wave of his hand in the direction of the library where she had just come from.
With a bow of her head, she began to do as he had asked. Watson followed, keeping a respectable distance so not to alarm her. Yet even so, he was able to pick up on the scent of her sweet perfume.
Is that cinnamon?Watson asked himself, thinking what an odd choice it was when most women nowadays seemed to be smelling of lavender and roses. It was warm and inviting and most definitely suited her.
Upon entering the room, Matilda remained at the centre, standing with her head held high as she asked, "Do you have some concerns you wish to share with me, Your Grace?"
In all honesty, Watson was not entirely sure why he had asked her into the library. All he knew for sure was that he wished to know the woman who he had been chasing for months better.
"No concerns," the Duke responded with a shake of his head, and he gestured toward the couch beside the fireplace. "Please, sit. I merely wish to get to know you a little better before you begin your work in the morning."
Matilda looked far less nervous now, as if a part of her had worried that she might already be in trouble for something. She moved gracefully to sit upon the couch where he had gestured and Watson could not help but think on how young she appeared. At twenty-four, she was by far the youngest governess that he had ever hired.I only hope that will make all the difference where Amy is concerned,he thought, moving over to sit beside the governess at a distance.
"How are you settling in?" he asked, looking at her with continued curiosity about how such a young woman could come so highly recommended.
"It has only been a few hours, Your Grace," Matilda responded with laughter in her tone. Then as if she remembered who she was talking to, she covered her lips with her fingertips and lowered her gaze. "I feel I am settling in well, Your Grace."
Watson had already begun to smile at her amusement and now he scoffed a little. There was something about the young woman that told him she was nothing like the other governesses he had hired, something that set her apart from all others and gave her a far greater chance of success with his Amy.I hope…
"You have come highly recommended, Miss Percival," he said, then remembering her request, he added, "Matilda. I am very pleased you finally chose to accept my request for your services."
"Well, Your Grace, you were quite persistent," Matilda responded, a spark of fresh amusement in her hazel brown eyes. "I admit I was beginning to feel quite sorry for you."
She blushed at that and lowered her gaze for a moment, fingering the gold threaded inlay on the front of the book she was holding. Now that he was a little closer, Watson could see that it was not just a single fairytale but in fact a book filled with fairytales. In fact, that book housed his daughter's favourites.
"How odd," he commented under his breath and Matilda's gaze travelled back to him.
"Excuse me, Your Grace, what is odd?" she asked, a golden eyebrow raised. In the dim light of the room, lit only by oil lanterns, the woman looked mysteriously pretty and again Watson remarked upon it silently.She is most definitely unlike any governess I have ever met.
Most of the governesses he had hired were plain, strict, and usually in their late thirties or early forties. Had she turned up at his door asking for a job, having little information about her, the Duke might have sent her away because she appeared so young.
"It is just that is one of my daughter's favourite books also," the Duke announced, gesturing at the book resting in her lap.
"Then I do believe Lady Amy and I shall be firm friends." Matilda smirked at him, looking pleased. "The stories in this book are some of my favourites, too."
"Then you shall have a least one thing to bond over," Watson said. Though it was only a small thing, he could not help but hold onto the hope. "Quintin had much good to say about you from his last few weeks of visiting you."
Matilda began to blush at that and lowered her gaze, shaking her head. "I am sure that Quintin has never shared a bad word about anyone."
Watson mused over that for a moment and then shook his head. "You are right, though, it is even rarer that he will offer a good opinion of someone. You have won him over."
"Your Grace, I did not try to…" Matilda began, looking horrified. Watson quickly raised his hand to silence her, shaking his head once more, certain that she was worried she might have done something untoward.
"Do not fear, Miss Percival, Matilda," he assured her with a kindly smile. "From what Quintin has said, you are much too good to play such silly games."
Matilda looked relieved at that. "I do not wish for you to think I was biding my time for better benefits for the job in hand."
"I would never think it," Watson said, pursing his lips before he admitted, "The truth is that since my friend recommended you, I have been dead set upon having you here."
Watson was certain that he saw a shiver pass through Matilda's body then. Why that was, he could not be sure, yet it intrigued him.
"In all honesty, I cannot help but think you are my very last hope," Watson continued when she said nothing. He sighed deeply and hung his head, feeling the weight of despair and defeat beginning to land on top of him all over again. When he glanced upward once more, Matilda was looking down at him with clear concern in her eyes.
