***
The Duke of Robinsworth filled a plate for himself and one for his daughter and sat down at the table in their private breakfast room. He’d actually ambled close to the public breakfast room, but no one was up and about yet, aside from two doddering older women who were friends of his grandmother. He wanted to avoid them at all cost. So, he’d settled for another private breakfast, despite his former affirmation that he would be joining the house-party festivities.
He’d make another attempt after he breakfasted. He might join them for archery. But, then again, everyone might fear for their lives if he even looked toward a bow and arrow. Devil take it, anything he picked up would make people fearful, depending on their perspective.
The door to his private dining room opened, and he looked up to find Wilkins, who inclined his head and said, “The new governess for Lady Anne has arrived.”
Ashley wiped his mouth and looked at Anne. The little girl’s face fell quickly and harshly. “Something wrong?” he asked of her.
“I don’t want a governess,” she said with a pout.
“If that lip pokes out any farther, someone will step on it,” Ashley said as he stood. He addressed Wilkins. “I thought the agency refused to send any more of their referrals.”
“That’s correct. But this one was brave, evidently.” He eyed Anne askance. “I interviewed her and found her qualified.”
“By all means, show her in,” Ashley said as he sat back and waited.
“She’s installing her things in her chambers,” Wilkins explained. “But I’ll bring her about and introduce her as soon as she’s ready.”
Ashley dismissed Wilkins with a nod. Then he faced his daughter. “Absolutely no frogs in this one’s bed,” he warned. “Or insects.”
“I know,” Anne sighed.
“You’ll be on your best behavior,” he continued. “And under no circumstances are you to set anyone’s hair on fire.”
Anne got a little gleam in her eye at the last, almost as though she was proud of doing it.
“Don’t even think about it.” He shook a finger in her direction. But with the look on her face, he had to bite back a grin. He reached over and ruffled her hair. She jerked back from him and straightened her locks with stiff, unhappy movements. Perhaps she was getting too old for him to tousle. Another lady he’d love to tousle came to the forefront of his thoughts. A little dark-haired lady with flashing eyes who smelled like bluebells. He would like very much to muss up her hair.
He called to a footman. The man stepped to attention. “Fetch Wilkins for me?” Ashley asked hesitantly. He wasn’t at all certain he was making a good decision. But he needed to see her. She was becoming as integral to him as breathing.
Wilkins entered the room a moment later. “Would you find Miss Thorne for me? I’d like to invite her to ride with me this morning.”
But a man stepped around Wilkins and directly into his line of sight. “Perhaps you should ask me instead, Your Grace.” He bowed slightly. His bow and salutation warred with the annoyed look on his face.
“I don’t know you, much less do I want to ride with you,” Ashley said, immediately realizing how acerbic his tone was, but he didn’t like the way the man looked at him.
“Your Grace,” Wilkins began. “This is—”
“I don’t particularly want to ride with you either, but as my sister’s guardian and the head of our family, you should at least ask for my permission before you take her off alone.” The man lifted his nose in the air. “Did you plan to make an offer for her?”
“An offer? Of marriage?” Ashley asked. Wilkins sputtered even more than Ashley did. Poor man. But in the back of Ashley’s mind, that didn’t sound like such a bad idea.
“Of marriage, yes.” He glanced around the room, taking in the startled butler and the still-pouting Anne. “Could you clear the room, Your Grace?” he asked.
“Of all the nerve,” Wilkins breathed.
“No need,” Ashley said quickly and crisply. “Deliver Anne to the new governess,” he said to Wilkins as he strode through the door. He motioned to the stranger. “Follow me, sir. I think my study is a much better place to discuss any slight I may have given you.”
“Decidedly so,” the man said as he followed Ashley down the hallway. The man was so close on his heels that Ashley didn’t even have time to formulate a plan. He breezed into his study and stalked behind his desk. He sat down and began to shuffle through a stack of correspondence while he collected his thoughts.
The man coughed loudly.
“Oh, do sit,” Ashley groused with a breezy wave of his hand.
“Thank you, Your Grace.”
“You know who I am, but I have not had the pleasure,” Ashley said.