The Cinderella Governess by Georgie Lee

Author:Georgie Lee [Lee, Georgie]
Language: eng
Format: epub, mobi
Tags: Romance, Historical Romance
ISBN: 9780373298976
Publisher: Harlequin
Published: 2016-08-23T04:00:00+00:00

CHAPTER EIGHT

Joanna hurried down the path in the woods. In the distance, through a break in the trees, she noticed the large grey clouds gathering on the horizon. The faint scent of rain hung in the air. For the moment, the afternoon was warm and the echoes of guns sounded over the trees as the men took advantage of the fine weather to hunt. The ladies were once again rehearsing the play, while the twins were with their nurse and Catherine with her music teacher. It gave Joanna time to visit Vicar Carlson, to escape the house and the agitation of being confined with every possibility of encountering Major Preston.

After yesterday, and a restless night of trying not to think about him, she wasn’t ready to face him or the lingering questions left by his kiss. If Rachel, Grace or Isabel were here, she could chat endlessly about Major Preston the way Grace used to gush about her young man, until the enthusiasm had died and her real troubles had begun. Joanna didn’t need Grace’s kind of problems.

She stopped on the bank of the brook and opened and closed her hands. The press of his fingers against hers was as immediate as the water flowing by. He wanted her, not in Mr Selton’s licentious way, but as something more, but what she couldn’t say. Caring for him meant defying everyone, including Madame’s expectations, and it wasn’t like her to flaunt convention for a fling.

But is it more than a fling? She didn’t know, and with only one way to find out she wasn’t about to try. He was distracting her from her duties enough already. All morning, she’d barely been able to concentrate and her lax supervision had made her charges even more wild than usual. If she didn’t focus on her position, and not on a fantasy, she’d soon find herself returned to Salisbury and separated from Major Preston for good. Would he follow her if she left? She wasn’t sure and the uncertainty troubled her as much as the memory of his kiss.

She reached the brook and, holding out her arms to better balance herself, hopped across the rocks. She stepped over the loose one, for there was no Major Preston here to catch her if she stumbled, then finished her crossing and walked up the opposite bank. Isabel might rush headlong into a relationship and Grace might lose her head on a whim, but not Joanna. She was too sensible and practical, or so she’d believed until yesterday afternoon.

At last the vicarage came into view and she hurried towards it. She needed someone to talk to who could distract her, even if the one subject she most wanted to discuss couldn’t be broached. Vicar Carlson might understand her situation at Huntford Place, but she imagined he wouldn’t approve of a governess dallying with a gentlemen. Few people did.

The gate at the end of the walk hung open and she slowed as she passed it. The tangy scent of chimney smoke didn’t greet her, nor did the gentle neigh of the vicar’s horse.

Download

Copyright Disclaimer:
This site does not store any files on its server. We only index and link to content provided by other sites. Please contact the content providers to delete copyright contents if any and email us, we'll remove relevant links or contents immediately.