Cinderella's Phantom Prince ; Beauty's Mirror by Jenni James & Rose Fairbanks

Author:Jenni James & Rose Fairbanks [James, Jenni & Fairbanks, Rose]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Serenity Brooke Press
Published: 2017-03-26T20:00:00+00:00

* * *

There was a loud clatter in the hall, causing Leo to topple his ink. The sound of running feet and a giggle rushed by next.

Leo stormed to the door and yanked it open. “Be quiet, you imp, or I’ll have you locked up!”

The giggles and movement stopped, and sniffling replaced them. The nanny appeared in a flurry of skirts. At last catching up with her charge, the servant whisked the misbehaving child away.

Returning to his study, Leo pulled the bell cord, summoning his housekeeper. The room still had remnants of the fire that nearly destroyed the south wing of the home four years ago. He welcomed the charred reminders of what he really was—a beast.

“Yes, Your Grace?”

Leo did not look up from his writing. “How many times have I told you to hire a competent nanny?”

“I am sorry. Lady Rosalyn is a very precocious child.”

“And whose fault is that? Who is not teaching her to obey?”

“Sometimes it is not the fault of the ones rearing a child. Some children have a natural inclination toward certain behaviors.”

The old lady did not need to say more. She had argued the same thing about Leo to his mother.

“What do you suggest, then? I must have peace and order.”

“Mere games are not enough to occupy her. She must have a routine and learning to keep her active mind focused. Perhaps we may find a school for her—”

“You know she cannot leave.”

“We could find a governess, but …”

“But what?”

“A governess is different from other servants. They have certain liberties in a home.”

Leo considered his housekeeper’s words. His privacy and authority in the castle had always been a chief concern before. Now, with only two months until his demise, it seemed to matter less. “Done. Place an ad.”

“Beg your pardon, but I have placed several.”

“And no one meets the qualifications?” A headache began to form.

“There have been no applicants,” the lady said without any hesitation. It was what Leo had always liked about Mrs. Potter and her husband—their honesty.

“Then you’ll have to find one another way.”

“Your Grace?”

Leo finally looked up from his work and met the lady’s eyes. “I assume being a governess in a duke’s home—even a duke rumored to be mad and beastly—is sufficient motivation for some desperate soul out there. I want her to be gently bred, of good reputation, and accomplished enough to teach Rosie. If you cannot find anyone who fits that, then make someone desperate enough to take the position.”

Mrs. Potter said nothing, but a familiar look of reproach filled her eyes. “Anything else, Your Grace?”

“No, I believe we understand each other. You’re excused.”

She shook her head as she walked to the door, but Leo knew the lady would obediently see to her tasks. Her husband was Leo’s most trusted servant and would find a way to assist his wife should they find no other woman.

He returned to his letters and the blessed peace that his earlier outburst now ensured. An hour later, he heard a guest arrive.

“I’ve come to see the duke of Erroll,” a thick Scottish accent announced.

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