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Grace sipped at her tea, enjoying the humorous antics of the Lockhart family. It was a welcome balm after spending the past three days in bed with a chill. Her rendezvous with Calum had come with consequences. She had awakened the next day with a fever and sniffles. When Lady Lockhart learned about her illness, she had ordered Grace to bed rest. Instead of Grace caring for the children, the children visited her and read her stories.
Not only the children but Lady Lockhart cared for her as if she were her child. Her caring only added to Grace’s guilt. The lady thought Grace was an innocent governess. Instead, she was a wanton governess who desired the lady’s eldest son. At times, Lady Lockhart stared at her with a pensive, yet hopeful stare while she rested. Did the lady hold knowledge of the intimacies she had shared with Calum?
She must stop referring to him as Calum and revert to addressing him as Lord Lockhart. Especially since his absence spoke of his intentions. He never visited her to inquire about her health. Instead, he had made himself scarce. Grace learned from Cameron that Lord Lockhart had stayed in town to conduct his affairs. However, Grace understood why he stayed away. She should hold gratitude for avoiding any awkwardness, except his absence caused her heart to ache. It showed that he considered their time together a mistake, and he wanted to avoid her at all costs.
However, Cameron treated her with the opposite consideration. Whenever she wasn’t sleeping or his siblings weren’t visiting, Cameron entertained her with one amusing story after another. She found him to be a charming companion and would’ve enjoyed strolling through the gardens with him if Lady Lockhart hadn’t forced her to stay in bed. She lost count of the blushes he brought forth with his shameless flirting. Grace had never felt so admired or laughed with such abandonment while in a gentleman’s company. He soothed her battered ego without even realizing it.
At first, she thought Lady Lockhart had persuaded Cameron to spend time with her, but after the second visit, she realized he did so under his own device. He shared his plans for the future and asked for her advice. They formed a friendship in her peculiar situation, which helped to keep Calum from her thoughts. And for his friendship, Grace stopped reprimanding Cameron every time he flirted with her.
Lady Lockhart reached out to squeeze Grace’s hand. “Do you feel unwell?”
Grace smiled. “No. I believe I have made a complete recovery. Thank you for your care.”
“It was our pleasure.” Cameron winked at her.
The beginning of a blush warmed her cheeks. She looked down, unsure how to respond to his flirtation in front of his mother. His actions were in a friendly manner, but she worried how Lady Lockhart would interpret them. By avoiding his attention, she missed the cunning smile between Lady Lockhart and Cameron. Lady Lockhart nodded her approval at her son, and he sat back with a smug expression. When Grace raised her head, it was only to find their friendly smiles directed her way.
“Are we still going to the park today?” Geordie asked.
Cameron raised an eyebrow. “What is this mention of the park?”
“We get to play with our friends,” Effie answered, bouncing in her seat.
Cameron laughed at her excitement. “Friends?”
“Yes. Grace visits with her friends while we get to play,” Gayre explained.
“How unfair. You never allowed me and Calum to play in the park with friends,” Cameron teased his mother.
Lady Lockhart spread jam across her scone. “Because you two would have spread your mischief among your friends and caused chaos.”
Cameron waved his hand around the table. “And these miscreants do not behave the same?”
Grace tilted her head. “I will have you know, your brother and sisters have always minded their manners on our outings.”
Cameron quirked a brow. “I noticed you said brother, not brothers.”
Grace smiled at Finlay and Hugh. “Today will be their first venture to the park.”
Cameron leaned back in his chair. “Then I must accompany you to watch how the outing proceeds.”
Lady Lockhart pointed the knife at her son. “You will not. This time is for Grace to visit with her friends while the children release their unbound energy with other children.” She focused on Grace. “Perhaps you should invite your friends and their charges to visit Lockhart Manor instead.”
Grace laid her napkin next to her plate. “I assure you, I am perfectly fine.”
“All right, I will agree on one condition.” She paused. “You must allow Cameron to escort you to your friends and wait for his return.”
Grace smiled at Cameron. “If it will not be any trouble for you, my lord?”
“Not at all, Miss Penrose. It will give me a chance to meet your lovely friends.”
“How do you know they are lovely?” Finlay asked.
“Because any friend of Miss Penrose can only be as lovely as she is,” Cameron complimented.
Another blush swept across Grace’s cheeks. “Shall we be on our way?”
Grace wanted to escape Cameron’s flirtation. While it eased the ache of Calum’s rejection, she liked it more than she should. What did that say about her when she longed for one brother but rejoiced in the company of the other to lift her spirits?
Grace ushered the children from the table toward the hallway and directed the servants to help them with their coats. She had been on the way to gather her coat when she overheard Lady Lockhart and Cameron’s conversation. It would be rude of her to eavesdrop, but she couldn’t help herself when she heard Calum’s name. Grace pressed herself against the wall to listen.
“What do you suggest I do while waiting for Grace and the children?”
“You can pay your brother a visit at his club and deliver my message.”
Cameron chuckled. “What would you like me to relay?”
“That I demand he return home to dine with his family this evening. I have allowed him his privacy to come to his senses, but running away will not solve the matter or make it disappear. He must face what he so denies.”
“Perhaps your message is too cryptic. I do not know if my brother is wise enough to decipher it.”
Douglas cleared his throat behind Grace. “Miss Penrose?”
Grace stilled at getting caught and slowly turned around. “Yes?”
Douglas held out a letter. “A post has arrived for you.”
Grace took the letter. “Thank you.”
Douglas nodded. “The children are waiting by the carriage.”
“Lord Cameron shall accompany us.”
“I will inform him you are ready to leave.” Douglas continued inside the breakfast room.
Grace rushed upstairs, ashamed of her behavior. While the servants had never treated her differently after that embarrassing morning, it didn’t help her case by showing inappropriate behavior. However, it didn’t stop her from wondering about Lady Lockhart’s message for Calum. What did it imply?
Grace closed the bedchamber door and leaned against it, taking a deep breath. She must gather her emotions under control before she met with her friends. She could not allow them to see how much Calum unsettled her.
Lord Lockhart. Lord Lockhart. Lord Lockhart. She must remember to address him as such. Grace hoped the trick of repeating his name three times would help her achieve this.
Grace went to gather her gloves and bonnet when she remembered the letter Douglas handed her. She thought it odd Vivian would reply to her request when they were to meet today. Perhaps she needed to cancel. Grace spread the missive open.
Dear Miss Penrose,
You are a very clever miss. I never thought you would entice Lord Lockhart in such a manner. Yet the lord came to your defense with a swiftness that shocked me. Also, made me curious about how you plan to trap him.
To be honest, I never expected this sort of behavior from you. Especially considering how you come from a family who works hard for their rewards in life. Not by acting conniving in any manner.
I do hope the gossip floating around was only about a gentleman reacting in defense of his servant. A mean-spirited lady raged with jealousy because your beauty far surpassed her daughter’s.
For your sake, I hope that was the case and not your intention to secure a title like your friend Lady Courtland.
I shall be watching ...
Grace gasped, dropping the letter to the floor as if it had burned her. She thought the threats had ended once Vivian wed Lord Courtland. Lord Courtland had dispelled the rumors as false accusations. While they never discovered who sent the threatening letters, they had assumed it was an act of the past. However, this letter proved otherwise. The culprit had never disappeared but lain in wait for the perfect opportunity to cause havoc again.
A knock sounded on the door. “Grace? Are you ready? The children are on the verge of chaos if we do not leave soon.”
“I will be right there.”
Grace bent over and clutched the paper. Her gaze darted around the room, searching for a place to hide the letter. She couldn’t show the letter to her friends without raising questions about its contents. She didn’t want her friends to believe the disgraceful words and think less of her. Hopefully, if she kept her distance from Lord Lockhart, it would pacify the person into believing she didn’t set out to capture a title.
She stuffed the missive into the drawer of a nightstand. She would find another hiding place once she returned home. Grace gathered her coat and flung open the door, rushing out. She ran smack into Cameron.
He steadied her by placing his hands on her shoulders and gave them a light squeeze. “Easy now. There is no need to rush.”
“But the children?”
“They will settle down once you step foot in the carriage.” He peered at her in question, noticing her pale features. “Perhaps we should postpone this outing.”
Grace stepped back and pulled on her coat. “No!” She lowered her voice at his questioning stare. “The children have looked forward to this outing all week. Also, the fresh air will do me good.”
Grace had hoped to reassure Cameron. When he nodded his acceptance, Grace wanted to breathe a sigh of relief, but she didn’t want to draw any more attention to her odd behavior.
Cameron offered his arm to assist her down the stairs. “I will agree. However, if I notice any sign of a relapse, we will leave at once.”
Grace gave a nod of agreement. She could not argue with his kindness when she feared she would burst into tears at any second. If she confided in Cameron, he would not hesitate to inform his mother or his brother, the very man she needed to avoid. Lord Lockhart would involve himself in the threat, which would only give the culprit more ammunition to destroy her. While she didn’t want to deceive anyone, she would have to play on her illness as an excuse for her behavior.
She only hoped she could fool her friends as easily.
~~~~~
LOCKHART SETTLED IN an armchair near the fireplace. After breakfast, he had requested a private room so no one could bombard him with questions about his governess. Instead of facing Grace, he had taken a room at his club until he decided how to proceed with his pursuit of her. When she fled from the cottage, he had wanted her remaining stay to be comfortable.
Now he feared he had stepped over a line of impropriety he could never recover from. His acts of intimacy notwithstanding. However, the rumor mill spun with false accusations because he had defended Grace’s character to Lady Fyfe.
Lady Fyfe had proven herself a vindictive enemy to those who had crossed her in the past. The only person who could stop her revenge was her husband. At the moment, Lord Fyfe was visiting his estate in the Highlands. Lockhart couldn’t make his plea to Lord Fyfe until his return. In the meantime, he would keep his distance from Grace. He didn’t want to add another twist to the rumors.
Before he could continue with his pondering, Lord Courtland and Lord Somerville interrupted him. “Do you care if we join you?”
Lockhart held his hand out toward the chairs. “Please do.”
Lord Somerville nodded at the bottle of spirits on the table. “Trouble brewing?”
Lockhart grimaced. “Nothing that will not solve itself.”
Or at least he hoped it would. As long as he stayed away from Grace, he held a slim chance of his troubles disappearing. However, he must keep his predicament to himself. If he breathed a word of his attraction to Courtland, the bloke would confide in his wife, who also happened to be a friend to Grace. Also, Courtland was so in love with his wife that he would probably encourage Lockhart to pursue Grace, something he fought to resist on his own.
Courtland chuckled. “I assume the cause of your problem revolves around your governess. Why else do you imbibe so early in the day?”
“Are you still disagreeing with Miss Penrose on the children’s education?” Somerville inquired.
“Miss Penrose’s attempt at educating my siblings is no longer an issue.”
“On what grounds have you dismissed her?” Courtland demanded.
Lockhart knew Courtland would find an issue with Grace’s dismissal, and he had hoped to avoid it. However, Courtland would soon learn the news once Grace informed her friends of his dismissal. It would do no good to keep this information to himself, especially if the gentlemen could help him secure Grace another position.
“Because my siblings require a firmer hand than what Miss Penrose is capable of.”
“How so?” Somerville asked.
Lockhart sighed. “Finlay and Hugh have found themselves expelled from another school because of their latest pranks. Once they returned home, they involved their siblings and Miss Penrose in their hijinks. The lady didn’t have the sense to conduct herself in the manner of her position. Instead, she acted with the indecency of a hellion.”
Somerville attempted to defend Grace. “I do not believe Miss Penrose intended to act out of behavior on purpose.”
Lockhart scoffed. “Miss Penrose was well aware of her actions.”
Courtland lit a cigar. “What could she have done that warranted her dismissal?”
What hadn’t Grace done would be easier to explain. How could he discuss the way this slip of a lady unbalanced his sanity by just existing? How the very sight of her knocked him to his knees. How the touch of Grace’s lips had him craving a lifetime of kisses from her.
“She involved herself in a mud attack with my siblings that ended with Lady Fyfe and her daughter assaulted with mud while climbing aboard their carriage.”
Courtland whistled. “Lady Fyfe is not a lady to make an enemy of.”
Lockhart sipped at his whiskey. “No, she is not.”
Somerville leaned forward in his seat. “I still do not understand your reason for dismissing Miss Penrose. True, she made an error in judgment by participating in the children’s fun. However, a warning should be more than an effective punishment. But to dismiss her would be a shame. Why, only a few weeks ago, you praised the calming effect she held over the children. You must admit, your siblings can try the patience of a saint.”
Courtland tapped the ashes of his cigar into a tray. “This explains the whispers I overheard in town this morning. What is your plan to dispel them? Not only for Miss Penrose’s sake but for all the ladies.”
“Lord Fyfe is due to arrive back in town next week.”
Courtland nodded. “He should be able to squash his wife’s revenge. Until then, we need to offer our protection to the ladies by refuting any rumors that may arise. Have either of you heard if Miss Grant’s employer has arrived?”
Somerville shook his head. “Still no word. The last I heard, he should arrive by the holidays.”
Lord Courtland stood. “Perhaps Vivian can convince Miss Grant to stay with us at the estate until he arrives.”
Somerville rose too. “An excellent idea. If she will not, then I shall call upon the house every day until he arrives. Please send word once you speak with Lord Fyfe about his wife.”
Lockhart nodded his acceptance. Somerville left, but Courtland lingered near the door with a pierce stare. A cunning smile shifted across his face, making Lockhart uncomfortable. It was as if Courtland knew the reason for his overindulgence. That was impossible. Wasn’t it?
Courtland pointed at the bottle. “I am going to offer you a bit of advice. You might consider it unwarranted and unmindful of me to point out. However, it comes from experience.”
Lockhart arched his eyebrow but stayed silent. He respected Courtland too much. Also, he needed the gentleman’s help in protecting Grace and her friends not to allow him his opinion.
“Whatever you are attempting to escape from, your troubles will not disappear no matter how much you drink. It is best you face the unknown.” Courtland shrugged. “Who knows? You might even realize what you desire is within your grasp. Do not be a fool and let her slip away.”
Courtland sauntered away before Lockhart could deny what Courtland had implied. How did Courtland know he drank to escape his feelings for Grace? He rested his head against the back of the chair and closed his eyes. He thought he had kept his feelings for Grace hidden, but now he feared everyone would see how much she meant to him.
When had Grace settled in his heart?