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“Not to worry, Mr Burns. I showed myself through,” Mr Hayman responded, “And these two beautiful ladies have been most welcoming.”
The moment he said the wordbeautiful, he looked once more at Matilda as if he expected some kind of response. Though she tried not to, she felt her cheeks beginning to blush.
“Do not fret, Mr Burns,” Matilda said, turning to the butler instead. “Once you have caught your breath, would you fetch some tea for Lady Amy and her guest, please?”
“And for yourself also, Miss Percival,” Mr Hayman insisted. “You must have refreshments with us. From what I have heard from the Duke, you more than deserve a break.”
Again, Matilda felt her cheeks blushing and she tried her hardest to hide it. Luckily for her, Lady Amy had already drawn the attention back to herself the moment that the butler bowed and removed himself from the room.
“Uncle Heath, when will you come to give me more tutoring sessions as you promised that you would?” Lady Amy insisted, her voice quite desperate. Matilda could not say that she blamed the young girl. Mr Hayman was one of the best-known teachers in the country, just as Lady Amy suggested, and had Matilda had the opportunity when she was younger, she would have most likely relished the chance to be taught by such a man.
“Oh, well, Amy flower, you have Miss Percival now. I am certain you have no more need of me,” Mr Hayman protested, and Lady Amy’s face instantly fell with disappointment. Feeling her gut churn and unwilling to be the person to stand between the girl and something that was likely very good for her, Matilda found herself quickly speaking up.
“Mr Hayman, we would be very grateful for your presence during a few of our lessons,” she said with a smile, keeping her hands carefully placed on her lap in order to appear calm and collected, remaining strictly professional.
“Well, now, how am I to deny the request of two such beautiful women?” Mr Hayman responded and against her will, Matilda’s heart skipped a beat. Even she could not deny the fact that Mr Heath Hayman was perhaps the most handsome teacher she had ever met and for such a young man, his reputation proceeded him.
Lady Amy squealed with delight and the two of them hopped into the pile of books on the table while Matilda watched silently, waiting for the refreshments to arrive. Suddenly, her throat was dry, and her tongue felt as though it was twice the size it ought to be.
Mr Hayman may well have been a wonderful teacher and yet she could not help but feel concerned at the thought of his joining them in their lessons. Though she was certain it would be good for Lady Amy to have such an intelligent man close at hand, Matilda could not help but feel alarmed for herself, especially when Mr Hayman glanced up whenever Lady Amy was not looking to offer a charming smile or even some comment that seemed to grow more and more flirtatious as the minutes passed by.
***
“Well, Matilda, I do have to hand it to you,” Helen said with a great smile in the looking glass as she helped Matilda to do her hair. “You have most definitely integrated yourself into the family exceptionally well.”
Matilda had to agree. It had been only a few weeks since she arrived at Thistledown Manor and yet somehow it felt as though she had lived there her entire life, as though she had come home to the family she had always been meant to be a part of.
“I am merely doing my job.” She shrugged, trying not to get too big-headed on the subject. She had not done anything extraordinarily special, nothing out of the ordinary that she would not have done at any of her other jobs.
“I do not know how you do it,” Helen continued, pulling Matilda’s hair back to pin it up even as she spoke. “How do you find so much to talk about of an evening to be in the Duke’s study for well over an hour?”
Matilda’s throat clenched for a moment, concerned as to what the personal maid might actually be implying. Yet there was no hint of disgust or even jealousy in the woman’s words. She merely sounded curious.
“The Duke likes an extensive rundown of Lady Amy’s daily progress,” Matilda responded. It was the truth, and yet, somehow it felt like a lie, as if there were something going on in those reporting sessions that she was even keeping from herself.
“You and the Duke have grown exceptionally close over the last few weeks,” Helen pointed out and Matilda again braced herself for some kind of accusation. If she were to admit the truth, it would be that over the last few weeks, Matilda had come to learn just how attractive the Duke was, not only in appearance but in manners. He was a pure gentleman with a great sense of humour and a kind heart and seeing the way he acted with Lady Amy made her heart swell in such a manner she had never felt before.
“We work closely for Lady Amy’s benefit,” Matilda assured the personal maid. “And besides, you and I have grown quite close over the last few weeks also.”
The two women looked at each other through the looking glass once more.
“Do you think I ought not to go?” Matilda asked when the silence had reigned between them for long enough. Her heart was pounding, and her palms were sweaty just thinking of the fact that the Duke was having a dinner party that evening and she had been invited.
Though she thought it odd at first, she had pointed out several times to herself that the Duke likely wanted someone responsible at the table to take care of Lady Amy whenever he was too busy with his guests. It was the only valid reason she could think of for him inviting her to dine with him and his friends.
“You have denied him several times and he always asks again,” Helen pointed out with a shake of her head. “You do not want to push your luck too much.”
Matilda’s stomach clenched knowing that the woman was right. She had tried to get out of it at first. She had even insisted herself that it would not be appropriate, but the Duke had persisted and reminded her that he deemed whatever was appropriate beneath his own roof.
“What can you tell me of the guests?” Matilda asked, readjusting the neckline of her favourite duck egg blue gown, the only one she had that was even close to being suitable for sharing the dining table of a duke and his guests.
“Well, Mr Hayman you already know quite well,” Helen responded, smirking at Matilda through the looking glass as if she thought that there was something going on there too. Matilda could not help but smile at that implication.
Mr Hayman had returned several times since their first meeting, having promised Lady Amy that he would, and the three of them had shared a great many wonderful lessons together. The man was a gentleman and quite handsome and with his humble background, he was far more suited to her than the Duke.
Not that I have even thought about such things!she told herself firmly, remembering once again that she was nothing more than a governess and she did not need to go looking for anything romantic or otherwise.
“Mr Timothy Gould shall be there also, I expect,” Helen continued, pinning the last of Matilda’s curls into place. Matilda had to admit that the personal maid had done an incredible job of making her look elegant, allowing only a few tendrils to fall loosely down her neck and frame her face.
