Ruled by Passion

Author:Lois Menzel
Language: eng
Format: mobi
Tags: Romance, (¯`'•.¸//(*_*)\\¸.•'´¯)
ISBN: 9780449217894
Publisher: Fawcett
Published: 1990-12-24T13:00:00+00:00

* * * *

As the last carriage disappeared from view, Lady Tenbury went in search of her eldest son, determined to discuss with him a matter that had been troubling her. She found him in the library and came directly to the point. “I wish to speak with you about Miss Waverly, Tenbury.”

He had lowered the paper he was reading when his mother entered the room; now he folded it and put it aside. “Certainly, Mother. What is it?”

“I have grown fond of Miss Waverly in the short time she has been with us, and because of that fondness I feel I must speak. What is she to you?”

“She is my niece’s governess.”

“She is more than that.”

“Yes. She has become a companion to you and a friend and companion to Arelia.”

“When I left town,” Lady Tenbury persisted, “there had been no mention of a governess for Belinda. Then, before the cat could lick her ear, Belinda had a governess—a governess, I might add, who was hired in the strangest fashion.”

Anne was crossing the hall to the library, hoping to find Lady Tenbury there. As she neared the partially open door, she clearly heard the earl’s voice. “That may well be, Mother, but you must admit that regardless of the way in which she was hired, she has filled the position admirably.”

Anne turned away. Were they discussing her? Then she paused again as she heard the countess speak.

“Perhaps I must phrase my question more plainly,” her ladyship said. “What is Miss Waverly to you, personally?”

Anne considered eavesdropping to be disgraceful, but her interest in his answer kept her rooted to the spot.

“She is nothing to me personally.”

“You will never make me believe that,” his mother replied. “I saw the compassion in your eyes as you carried her upstairs the day she arrived here. I know you drove her in your carriage, and I was there when you stepped in to protect her from Lady Mason in the drawing room the other evening.”

“Very well, Mother. I should have known better than to try to deceive you, at least. You are correct; Miss Waverly was hired under unusual circumstances. She was hired by my contrivance. I have a specific reason for wanting to keep her within my control and under my protection.”

Anne’s slippered feet carried her silently away from the library and up the stairs to the privacy of her bedchamber. Why did Lord Tenbury say she was hired by his contrivance? If anyone had contrived it was she: refusing to follow the butler to the door, forcing him to make an introduction, and then asking Lord Tenbury for an interview. His last words puzzled her even more, for although she rather liked the idea of being under his protection, she did not care for his presumption that she was within his control, and she could not even begin to imagine what his reason might be.

At one point she regretted not staying to hear more, but had she done so she would have

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