The Earl and the Governess by Sarah Elliott

Author:Sarah Elliott
Language: eng
Format: epub, mobi, pdf
Publisher: Harlequin
Published: 2009-09-18T04:00:00+00:00

Chapter Thirteen

Isabelle heard raised voices as she descended the stairs the next morning.

‘Do be quiet.’ It was Will, shouting irritably down at someone in the hall below.

She stopped mid-step, catching herself just in time to avoid the creaky eighth stair. Carefully, she retracted her foot. She didn’t want to see him. In the first place, she was walking down the wrong staircase again, and although he didn’t seem to care, he could choose to care if he wanted. In the second place…well, avoiding him whenever possible was simply a good policy to follow. As quietly as she could, she turned around and started to shrink back upstairs.

‘Miss Thomas?’

Drat. Not quiet enough. She turned around slowly. He was looking at her, waiting for some response. To make matters worse, he wasn’t yet dressed. Not completely, anyway. He’d put on trousers and a white linen shirt, but his shirt was open at the neck and his hair was tousled. He wasn’t wearing shoes. Why couldn’t she remember to use the servants’ stairs? Then this sort of thing would never happen.

‘Yes?’ Her voice was small.

‘Where are you going?’ he asked, leaning back against the wall. He didn’t look pleased to see her.

‘To locate a book,’ she managed. ‘That is, unless you—’

‘Then why are you going back upstairs?’

She quickly invented a feeble excuse. ‘I didn’t want to bother you.’

‘Must I keep reminding you that you don’t?’

She frowned at his lordly tone. ‘I might be convinced if you didn’t seem so annoyed.’

He still looked annoyed, but he denied it. ‘Well, I’m not. Did you sleep well?’

She would have said no, but a deep, impatient male voice called up from downstairs at just that moment.

‘Would you please hurry?’

‘My brother,’ Will explained. ‘He doesn’t like mornings.’

Interesting. He’d mentioned his brother before. But it wasn’t a time to ask personal questions, not when he wasn’t wearing a jacket. ‘I mustn’t keep you.’ She started down the stairs again, hoping to dart past him. But he stepped to the side, effectively blocking her path.

‘How’s your foot?’

‘Entirely better, I think.’ He continued to stand in her way, and she felt forced to respond to his solicitous question with one of her own. ‘You are going somewhere?’

He nodded. ‘For a ride in the park, followed by a visit to my brother’s house. I shan’t be back until late.’ He fell quiet, and she had the impression that he was trying to think of something to say in order to prolong their conversation. His expression, at first so intimidating, softened slightly. ‘I was wondering if you needed anything.’

She cocked her head. ‘What do you mean?’

Explaining seemed to make him impatient again. ‘I mean, do you have everything you need here? If not, inform Mrs Wright or go shopping yourself. She can tell you where we have household accounts, so you can put whatever you like on credit. Is your room lacking?’

She shook her head, bemused. She needed so much, but she certainly wasn’t going to ask for anything. Although he was offering to help her, he seemed so grumpy about it.

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