That stung Patrick’s pride even more and he winced.
“Goodness. Then I shall have to do something extraordinary very soon if I am to maintain my reputation.”
“And what might that be?”
Patrick sighed and flung out both arms, having already set his brandy down.
“I cannot say as yet but have no doubt, I will find something very soon.”
* * *
Why he wasout in the gardens, Patrick was not really sure. After his conversation with Lord Hogarth, he had found himself a little restless and thus had decided to take a walk through the grounds. It was not something he did often and yet, as he walked across the grass with long, steady strides, Patrick had to admit to himself that there was something pleasant about it. The air was warm, the sky still a brilliant blue despite the lateness of the afternoon. A small smile crossed his lips as he continued to walk, thinking silently to himself that he ought to be taking full advantage of his estate at this time of year. Why, he could organize carriages so that when his guests arrived, they would be taken around the grounds and made fully aware of just how grand and expansive they were. That would, surely, encourage his guests to think well of him and to remind them of his standing as Marquess of Addenbrook, if they did not think highly enough of him already. His smile grew as the idea formed in his mind, to the point that he almost missed the young lady and the small boy playing in the grass beside the pond.
Patrick stopped and turned to face them, his hands clasped behind his back and his chest heaving with the exertion of walking so quickly. He hadn’t been trying to find Miss Trean and Henry of course, but it could do no harm to simply allow himself to watch them for a few moments.
She appears to be much too young for a governess.
His lips curved as he watched Henry laugh, then throw a stone into the water which splashed lightly, near Miss Trean. In turn, she shrieked and then stepped back, her hands held up and away from the pond. For a moment, a memory surfaced in his mind, of himself as a child, Henry’s father beside him, as they both threw stones into a pond. Sadness rose too, and he pushed it aside – Henry’s presence reminded him of his loss, of his failure, all too much. But he stood there, still watching.
“Perhaps with her here, I will not feel Henry’s presence in the house as much,” Patrick muttered to himself, his hands squeezing tightly together as he watched them. He did not know how to deal with such a young boy. To his mind, Henry did nothing but either scream or cry and Patrick had no knowledge of what he ought to do in such a situation. However, with Miss Trean, it now seemed that Henry was far more settled and that must be a relief to them all.
“Henry, stop!”
Miss Trean’s laughter rang out across the pond and Patrick found himself smiling. Realizing what he was doing, he forced the expression away from his face and turned on his heel, just as a twig snapped under his feet.
Miss Trean and Henry both turned to look towards him as one, leaving him with no other choice but to make his presence known. He watched the smile shatter from her face as he walked closer, noticed how Henry stepped closer to her, hiding his face in her skirts.
“Good afternoon, Miss Trean. I thought to take the air and came across you both.”
Miss Trean bobbed a quick curtsey although her eyes looked directly into his thereafter, surprising him a little.
“Indeed, Lord Addenbrook. We try to come out for a short walk before dinner as I believe it is beneficial for Henry to do so.”
“I see.”
Patrick allowed his gaze to rove over Miss Trean as she looked down to where Henry stood, her hand ruffling his hair gently. Miss Trean was certainly young, with fair hair pulled back into a delicate chignon and blue eyes which seemed to pierce into his very soul whenever she looked at him. She was, Patrick had to admit, a rather handsome young lady, albeit a governess.
You know not to play with such creatures.Patrick cleared his throat and pulled his eyes away. He was not inclined towards flirting with any young lady who was not of theton. Whilst Patrick enjoyed such flirtations, there was still the matter of conscience and to so treat a young lady who could not either defend herself or respond perhaps in the manner she wished would be most unfair. Besides which, Miss Trean was his nephew’s governess and, given how well that appeared to be going, Patrick did not want to injure that in any way.
“I should take Henry back inside so that he is ready for dinner.”
Miss Trean’s eyes were sharp as Patrick looked back at her and he was surprised to see the flash of color in her cheeks. There was not any sense of delight nor delighted embarrassment in her face, however. Rather, there appeared to be only anger that he would look at her in such a way.
Patrick could not understand it. Had not most companions and governesses been overlooked by society? Surely, then, she would be glad of his momentary interest in her?
“Do excuse us, my Lord.”
Without another word, Miss Trean turned her back on him and, with Henry’s small hand clasped tightly in her own, began to walk smartly up the gentle slope back towards the house.
“Wait a moment!”
Patrick’s mouth closed tight as Miss Trean turned to look back at him, one eyebrow lifting gently as though she were daring him to say something more. Patrick was a little nonplussed, not quite certainwhyhe had asked her to stop and certainly without any idea of what it was he wished to say.
“I – I will walk with you.”
It was a ridiculous thing to state, given that she was the governess and he the master of the house, but it was the only thing that he could think to come up with. If any of his servants saw him walking with her, they would wonder what he was doing walking with his nephew and his governess, since they were all very well aware that he had demanded that his nephew be kept away from him since the very moment he had arrived.
“But of course.”