Callie Hutton (6 page)

“Yes, please.” Merry studied her, wondering the reason for this meeting. The woman was as pretty a
s
she was graceful. Her startling blue eyes looked out from a face that had seen a few years, but still remained youthful in its expression. Her dark brown hair
,
sprinkled with gray, g
ave
her
countenance
a mature loveliness.

The dowager sip
ped
her tea, and closed her eyes, relishing the bracing liquid. “
No doubt
you wonder why I asked to see you.”

“Yes, Your Grace.”

The older woman leaned forward, placing her cup on the table. “I’m sure you’ve discovered by now that my son, the
duke
, is a bit pompous.”

Merry choked on her tea, and coughed until tears ran down her cheeks. With all the things she’d imagined the dowager would begin this conversation with, this was not one of them.

“Well, Your Grace, he is a
duke
.” She patted her mouth with a snowy
serv
i
ette
and set it alongside her cup.

The dowager
gestured with
her hand. “Nonsense. His father was the same way. Always thinking everyone should fall at his feet and tremble with fear at his mere presence.” She glanced at
Merry
and smiled. “It took me a few years, but I brought him around.” Looking off into the distance, she
mused
. “Life among
the
ton
can be difficult. My husband and I had an arranged marriage. I must admit, at the beginning he did frighten me. I was a young girl, barely out of the schoolroom, and he was
Penrose’s age now,
four and thirty.”

The dowager brought her attention back to Merry. “We eventually fell in love. He was such a handsome man. Penrose takes after his father with the swarthy skin, dark hair, and deep brown eyes. I was the envy of so many of the young girls that year. He was considered quite the catch, you know.

“Our two sons were our greatest joy, and I was unfashionable enough to want to spend time with them. When they were young, His Grace would roll on the floor with the boys, playing games and being silly. But, when the present
duke
reached an age where my husband felt it was time to train him for his station in life, all the games and fun ceased.”

She sighed. “I’m afraid my husband did too good of a job. Penrose has become much too stiff. He needs to be shaken up a bit.”

Merry listened, unsure of Her Grace’s intentions in relating this story.

“No doubt
you’re wondering why I’m speaking thus
ly
.”
The dowager seemed to read her mind.
“I think you would bring a breath of fresh air to Penrose
Hall
. I’m not happy that my son wishes to send you on your way. I also think the
girls
would feel much more comfortable with you here.”

“What are you saying, Your Grace?”

“Why, I want you to remain with us.” She raised her hand when Merry opened her mouth to speak. “Not as charity, of course. What I am asking is if you would consider accepting a position as my
c
ompanion
.
”

Merry’s smile grew as she considered the idea. To be near the girls, continue to watch them grow into women. Something up until a few minutes ago seemed far beyond her reach. To not have the need to seek another position, possibly not as satisfying as this one had been. Then her stomach clenched, and a cloud passed overhead.
The
duke
.

“While the situation you offer is most appealing, I d
oubt very much His Grace would approve
.”

The
raised her chin
.
“I make my decisions
as to whatever staff
I chose. I retain my own funds, so Penrose has no say in how I spend it. If I
wish
to engage you as my companion
,
then that’s precisely what I will do.

“
Think,” she
urged
, “you will see the girls daily. It will be so much easier for them to adjust to the life His Grace is preparing them for with you nearby. I have not met this Miss
Jennings
, but knowing my son as I do, I can well imagine what she is like.”

Merry didn’t answer, but smiled her agreement.

“Then, if you accept, it is settled.” Her Grace rose, and moved to the bell cord. After a few minutes, a
footman
appeared and bo
wed
.

“M
axwell
, please see that Miss Chamber’s things are moved from the nursery wing and placed in the room across the hall from my
apartment
.”

The dowager returned to the chair and picked up her tea cup. “We will have
such good times
.”

Merry smiled. “I hope so, Your Grace.”

“From now on, you must call me Kitty. It is how my family and friends address me, and I hope you and I will be friends.”

Chapter Four

That afternoon
,
after returning from a visit to a tenant,
Penrose
drew
on the reins of his horse,
Tafoya,
and
rested his
hands on his thighs
. Up high like this, above his land, always gave him
a
sense of flying,
of freedom
. The weight of his title rested heavily on his shoulders today
, m
ore
so
than usual.
M
any times over the years he wanted to throw it all off, and like his brother, just go about enjoying life with no accountability
, no restrictions
.

Now he had the
added
responsibility of two young
girls
who needed guidance into womanhood. He had no doubt Miss
Jennings
would see to their training, but he needed to en
courage
his mother to take them under her wing as well
,
to provide the
gentle hand
all young girls needed. Too bad Miss Chambers was such a
poor influence on them. The
children
certainly seemed attached to her.

His chest tightened. Never in his life had he met a woman who’d gotten under his skin
as
she did. Women were supposed to be soft, gentle, and defer to men’s wishes and commands.
In return
,
ladies received security and protection from men. Those tenets had been drill
ed
into him since childhood. Then along c
ame
Miss Chambers with her soft, sensual body, creamy skin, and outlandish
impertinence
.

When she left the garden earlier, those plump lips smiling at what he thought was a joke on him, he wanted to snatch her back and kiss her senseless. Show her who was in charge,
run his hands over those delicious curves.

He gave himself a mental shake. It appeared Miss Chamber’s
quick
departure would be best for more than one reason.

Reluctantly, he returned to the stable, his time of freedom behind him. His steward was to meet with him, and then his solicitor had sent word there were papers he still needed to sign to present to the court for the girls’ guardianship.

His heart warmed
to see
Penrose Hall
r
ise
before him as he
approached
.
Built
from
stone over one hundred years
before
, t
he home he loved always
bolstered
his spirits when he returned. Now with the sun dipping below the slate roof, an ethereal glow surrounded it, creating even more of a welcome.

“Good afternoon, Your Grace
.
”
Ballard
, the stable master,
tugged on his forelock as Penrose dismounted.

He nodded at the man. “Tafoya needs more exercise. Have him ready for me in the morning
−
say seven o’clock.
I’m going to try to work in a ride each day.”

“
Will ye
be joining the others, then?
”

Penrose frowned. “What others?”

“Yore brother and the new lady.”

“
Lord
Brandon
is planning on riding in the
mornings?” Penrose smiled
and shook his hea
d as he headed to the house.
His younger brother rarely saw the light of day before noon. He came to an abrupt stop as
the rest of
the man’s words penetrated his brain. “What lady?”

Ballard
yanked the saddle off the
horse. “That new one what
’
s come with the little girls.”

“Miss Chambers?”

“If that’s her name. Don’t think y
ore
brother said.”

Penrose strode
away
. Why would the governess be going for rides in the morning with
Lord Brandon
? Of course with Miss Jennings taking over the girls’ schedule, Miss Chambers would have time for a ride.
E
ven with that
justification
, a
sens
e of foreboding swept over him.

“Have
my
brother
join
me in the library.” Penrose tugged o
ff
his gloves and handed them to the footman at the door.

He crossed to a side table and poured
brandy
into a crystal glass. Swirling the amber liquid, Penrose settled behind his desk, noting he only
had
about fifteen minutes until his steward arrived for their meeting.

“I hear I’ve been summoned by the
duke
.”
Lord Brandon
s
auntered
into the library
with the perennial smirk on his face
and headed directly for the
brandy
.

Penrose waited until his brother lounged in the chair in front of his desk, glass in hand, before he spoke. “I understand you have decided to take early morning rides.”

Brandon
’s eyebrows
rose. “I’m flattered
my comings and goings are of such interest to someone as overburdened as
Your Grace
.”

Choosing to ignore the sarcasm, Penrose took a
swallow
of his
drink
. “I’m interested enough to wonder
about the identity of
the young lady accompanying you.”

“Ah, Ballard has been talking again.”
Brandon
stretched out his long legs. “Give over, Penrose, you already know it’s Miss Chambers, so why the
games
?”

“
I merely wish to warn you,
Miss Chambers is a governess. A temporary one at that.”

“Surely you don’t begrudge the woman a mount?”
Brandon
crossed a booted foot over his other knee, swallowing the last of his brandy. He set the glass on the desk,
disregarding Penrose’s frown at the wet spot under the goblet. “As for her being short-lived, I suggest you seek out Mother
for
enlightenment
.”
Brandon
smirked and
stood
,
then
bowing slightly,
quit the room.

Mother?

Unable to spare any more time to the mystery,
Penrose
retrieved ledger
s
from the bottom
shelf of the bookcase, then
flipp
ed
through the pages as he waited for his steward.

****

“But Miss Merry always lets us go for a
walk
in the afternoon. She says it is part of our education.” Charlotte stood with her back straight, arms crossed over her chest
, a mulish expression on her face
.