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“Please sit, Miss Murray. We must discuss your position in my household.”
He saw the confident light in her eyes dim a little at his rather harsh tone, yet he saw no purpose in apologizing. Perhaps a firmer tone would prove whether she could take orders and remember herself, even if she became comfortable in her employment.
With his composure back in his control, Henry prepared himself for the governess’s official evaluation.
CHAPTERFOUR
Florence could barely lift her eyes long enough to watch Lord Gray while he reseated himself behind the wide desk, which was covered in neat stacks of papers. She thought he seemed rather dismissive of both her and Agnes, despite having summoned her. She couldn’t deny the unrelenting butterflies rioting within her stomach as she stood before him.
He leaned on the desk and clasped his hands. His almost misty gray eyes landed on Agnes. Even when he spoke neutrally to the young woman, Florence could sense his affection toward her.
“Thank you, Agnes. If you wouldn’t mind leaving us for a moment, I will break my fast with you in the morning.”
Agnes hesitated, as if she had wanted to stay and listen to the discussion Florence now found herself dreading. Still, Agnes nodded dutifully and saw herself out, closing the door behind her. With each retreating step, Florence wished the girl would stay, to make her feel less under pressure to perform beneath her uncle’s intense stare.
There was another reason for wishing her to stay; Florence was most struck by Lord Gray’s amazingly good looks. He was the most handsome man she had ever seen, and that made her even more nervous and anxious not to be alone with him. Although, a small part of her felt excited by the prospect.
His black hair was precisely cut and perfectly styled to suit his strong, mature features. He was even taller than her, and his clothes were tailored exactly to fit his surprisingly strong build.
Florence feared she was about to crumble beneath those stormy eyes, and she urged herself to stay composed. She needed to make a good first impression, even if her employer seemed somewhat standoffish and was much more straightforward than she had expected.
“You must excuse me, Miss Murray, I was tirelessly busy when I hired you, but I plan to interview you properly now, if you don’t mind,” Lord Gray began calmly, as if nothing could faze his businesslike manner.
Florence felt her heart sink at his words. While she had prepared herself to endure such an interview, part of her had hoped it wouldn’t be necessary, since she had already been teaching Agnes for at least a week. She had foolishly hoped her progress with her would speak for her qualifications and suitability for the post.
“Certainly, my lord. However, please, do call me Florence.” She sat elegantly in one of the chairs across from Henry’s desk and folded her hands neatly in her lap, looking at him expectantly.
Henry regarded her silently for a moment. “Very well, then. If you insist.”
Florence waited with bated breath for him to begin the so-called interview, and she watched while her employer shuffled a stack of papers from the center of his desk.
While Florence didn’t mind the opportunity to gaze upon his handsome features, she fervently wished to put the uncomfortable situation behind her.
“Florence, I will start with a simple question. Why did you become a governess?”
Florence swallowed back her nerves discreetly and sat up straighter.
“Too be frank, my lord, I have always adored children. Their company is a pleasure to me, and I wish to help prepare them for what will one day be expected of them. I am a natural teacher, confident in my abilities to be a strong mentor.”
Florence had been confident in her answer until she noticed how his expression fell at her honest response.
“Agnes isn’t a child,” he said bluntly.
Lord Gray’s disapproval rang clearly in the air between them, and a chill ran down her neck. It almost felt like a trap.
A bubble of anxiety rose in her chest, and she did what she always did in such nerve-wracking situations. She joked. “Surely, Agnes had to start somewhere?”
But the earl’s implacable exterior didn’t falter. The butterflies rampaged inside her.Why did I say that?
Henry ignored her attempt at humor, though his eyes never left hers.
“I am curious to know, if you come from a well-to-do family, as your application letter implies, why you must provide for yourself? Why have you not married, when you presumably came out at the usual age?”
Florence stiffened at the question, for she had never expected him to ask her something so personal, and certainly, not so soon.
Truthfully, she didn’t feel the subject was appropriate. In fact, she thought it rude of Lord Gray to ask. Yet, she didn’t want to make a bad impression. It was clear she needed to convince him of her qualifications. There was no way around it.
“I don’t believe coming from a decent family and providing for oneself are mutually exclusive,” Florence replied, raising her chin slightly, trying to exude as much confidence as she could.
