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Grace slowly opened her eyes and pierced Lockhart with a look of profound sadness he had caused. He had never intended to hurt her when he set out on their journey. He thought Lady Fyfe held compassion and would accept Grace’s apology. Lockhart wanted to help Grace secure another position, but he had only made it worse by ruining any chance she had with a reputable family. Lady Fyfe would make it her mission to smear Grace’s name. If she did, he would use his power and influence to make Lady Fyfe a pariah among their peers.
Grace swore to keep her silence after she made her apology, and she planned to keep her promise. If not, she feared she couldn’t keep her tears from falling. She was on the verge of losing what hope remained. When she thought her life could get no worse, another disaster occurred. And she was not to blame.
She wanted to rant at Vivian for convincing her to take a position in Scotland, but it wasn’t her friend’s fault. Vivian had only wanted to help them out of a difficult situation. Grace must take the blame for herself. It was her unwise decisions that had led her to this point in life. Venting at Lockhart would do no good because the gentleman held no clue how his actions affected her.
Lockhart sat forward in the seat, touching Grace on her knee. “Grace.”
Grace shifted her legs to throw off his hand. If she were to keep from falling apart, she must resist him. She struggled because his touch held the comfort she so wanted to seek. She wanted to weep on his shoulder and pretend she meant more to him than someone he sought amusement with.
He had made one colossal mistake after another since he told her to close the door to the library. Instead of keeping a distance between them, Grace had lured him under her spell of vulnerability. Now he only wanted to wrap her in his embrace and offer her the comfort she so dearly needed. All because of his foolish actions that had led her to the misery she now held in tight control.
Lockhart sat back against the cushions. He would respect her wishes and refrain from saying another word. He owed her as much. Once she calmed her emotions, he would attempt to apologize. He cringed at his mother’s reaction when she learned about his behavior. She would no doubt be waiting for them once they returned home. Douglas would make it his duty to inform his mother about how he had ordered the servants to wait on Grace. Then, once she learned about their visit to Lady Fyfe, he would have to escape to the family’s castle in the Highlands to avoid her disappointment.
They had not traveled far when the carriage rolled to a stop. Grace peered out the window before scouring Lockhart with an accusing stare.
Lockhart shrugged. “I have no clue as to why we have stopped.”
Before Grace could accuse him of anything, the door was flung open, and his brother Cameron climbed aboard. He shoved himself into the space beside Lockhart. Lockhart jerked his coat out from underneath Cameron and slid over to make room for his bumbling brother.
“I am sure glad you came along. It has turned frigid out there.” Cameron rubbed his hands together.
“The cold has never bothered you before,” Lockhart grumbled.
With his brother’s interruption, Lockhart wouldn’t be able to lift Grace’s spirits and seek her forgiveness. His brother always had the worst timing. He scowled when Cameron focused his attention on Grace, and his eyes lit with interest.
“Why, brother, sorry for the interruption. I can now understand your cold greeting. I did not realize you were entertaining or else I would have continued home on my horse.” Cameron winked at Grace.
Grace rolled her eyes at another suffering Lockhart gentleman. She struggled to deal with one. Now, with two, she never stood a chance of keeping her sanity or virtue intact. She had heard the rumors about Cameron. The servants loved to gossip, and every maid held an infatuation with the charming devil. They whispered of how he was the complete opposite of Lord Lockhart, admiring how his warm nature made the house livelier when he resided at Lockhart Manor.
“Entertaining?” Lockhart scoffed. “We are in a damn carriage. Also, you offend Miss Penrose with your slanderous observation.”
Cameron swung his head to the side, cocking his eyebrow in a silent question to Lockhart. His brother wanted to know why he accompanied the governess without a chaperone. A question his mother would reprimand him over once he reached home. A question he refused to answer truthfully. Because he had never thought about the consequences. His only wish was to spend time with Grace without his family interrupting them. In truth, he had hoped for another chance to kiss Grace again. To savor her sweetness on this tongue. However, his brother had ruined his chance. Sometimes family was more troublesome than they were worth.
Cameron leaned forward and lifted Grace’s hand off her lap without her permission. He placed a kiss across her knuckles and offered his most charming smile. “My apologies, Miss Penrose. It was never my intention to offend you. However, it is my extreme pleasure to make your acquaintance. I hear you have done wonders taming the heathens who share my blood. My mother praises your efforts in her weekly letters. I am forever grateful for the task you have undertaken.” He nodded his head toward his brother. “Now, if only you can perform a miracle with this sibling’s personality.”
Grace tugged her hand away and slid it next to her side. While she understood he was a charming flirt, his teasing nature was just the balm she needed to settle her anger. She didn’t understand if the gentle squeeze of her fingers while he complimented her was to offer his support or if it was a tactic for something more. However, she trusted neither gentleman at this point.
“I accept your apology, Lord Lockhart. However, my services will come to an end once the tutor your brother hired arrives.” Grace shifted her gaze to Lockhart. “Your brother finds my employment unacceptable for the children. He is under the impression I only encourage them to act like heathens instead of the prim and proper lords and ladies he requires of them.”
Lockhart cringed at how Grace thought his opinion of her was. When, in fact, she couldn’t be more wrong. He only led her to believe otherwise because if she continued to stay under his roof, he couldn’t hold himself responsible for acting upon his desires. He longed to lead her down a seductive path filled with every tempting pleasure imaginable. By slaking his desires, it would ruin her, an outcome he did not wish for her to endure, no matter how much he wanted her in his bed.
“A shame my brother cannot see your worth. I have only just met you, and I can see what a calming effect you might have on the children. You must hold some sort of magical ability since my brother did not respond to your words with a scathing remark.” He glanced between the two. “I believe you underestimate your ability to change his mind. I will take it upon myself to join forces with my mother to change Calum’s decision.”
Grace met Lockhart’s gaze, expecting him to object. However, the longing in his eyes unsettled Grace. She lowered her eyes before she allowed herself false hope. She must remember the divide between them. Because if she gave into the temptation, she would find herself ruined as well as unemployed.
She attempted a smile. “Good luck, Lord Lockhart.”
Cameron leaned back in his seat, confident he had achieved what his mother required of him. When he arrived home this morning, his mother had been pacing the parlor, upset to learn Calum had taken Miss Penrose to the Fyfes to apologize for the accident the previous day. Once she caught him up to speed, he’d ridden out and waited for his brother’s carriage to return on the road back to the manor. At least his presence helped to keep any presumptions at bay. Hopefully, it would overlook Calum’s actions from earlier.
Miss Penrose was a lovely creature, and he understood how his family had become so enamored with her. If his brother hadn’t shown his emotions for the miss so clearly, Cameron would find himself inclined to charm her for himself. He didn’t care for how society expected one to marry within their ranks. After all, he was the second son of a marquess, and expectations were set lower for him. He could marry a governess, and it would not matter in the slightest. However, Calum expected everyone in his family to abide by the direction of their fellow peers. He even more so. Yes, his visit home would be an enjoyable adventure.
Cameron smiled. “No need for such formality. Please call me Cameron. With your time with my family drawing near, I hope we can form a friendship. And friends call themselves by their given name, do they not?”
Another jab to entice his brother to voice his objections, but Calum remained silent. It only showed that his mother had been correct when she told him her theory. Perhaps a bit of brotherly rivalry would encourage Calum to act out of character for once in his life.
Cameron’s charm wiggled its way into Grace’s heart. Maybe his friendly nature would help Grace forget about Lord Lockhart. Or at least make it more tolerable to remain at Lockhart Manor.
She held her hand out to Cameron. “They do, Cameron. Please call me Grace.” After Cameron squeezed her fingers again, she smiled at him. “Is there a reason for your visit? Or did you miss your family and wish to involve yourself in their heathen activities?”
Cameron laughed. “Why, I returned to see what trouble I could cause. Why else?”
Grace’s tinkling laughter filled the carriage. Her shoulders relaxed, and her lips swept higher into an adorable smile that highlighted her beauty. Her eyes twinkled with amusement while Cameron charmed her. Lockhart’s mood darkened at his brother’s ability to flip Grace’s mood from anger to laughing with an abandonment he wished he could have done for her. Instead, she sat across from him, disenchanted with his behavior.
He should be thankful his brother had arrived before he ruined Grace with his selfish needs. However, it only provoked him to entice her away from his family again. Only with his next opportunity, he would make sure no audience would interfere with his seduction. Because he would seduce Grace Penrose until she smiled at him like no other person made her happier than him.
To hell with his resistance.