A Yuletide Regency by unknow

Author:unknow
Language: eng
Format: mobi
Publisher: 0
Published: 2018-11-01T18:30:00+00:00

Chapter Three

The next day during the Christmas service at the chapel, Eleanor found herself in a circumstance of simultaneous pleasure and disappointment. The rambunctious children had been successfully washed and dressed in pressed clothing early enough, by some miracle of the season, that even with a fifteen-minute walk to the chapel, they arrived with several minutes to spare. Most of the adults had gone ahead, riding in a carriage, but Eleanor stayed behind to escort the children.

When she shepherded them into the second of the family pews like so many sheep, she was pleasantly surprised to have her attention drawn from the children to the handsome Julian. He stood farther down the aisle, speaking with Mr. and Mrs. Brunson. The boys giggled, drawing Eleanor’s attention back to the children. She gave them her best scolding look, perfected over the decade she’d been a governess.

The boys promptly stopped elbowing and poking each other and sat on the bench with straight backs and forced smiles they’d put on in an attempt to show their innocence. She kept her stern expression on for a few more moments, though doing so took effort, as the boys’ sudden pious behavior was so clearly for her benefit.

Little Kate toddled in last, but when Eleanor stepped into the pew, she felt Julian’s presence behind her. She glanced up and felt her middle do a little flip. Perhaps she’d get to sit beside him during the service. She couldn’t guarantee she’d be able to do her duties as governess, as her attentions would be entirely diverted by the naval captain beside her. The prospect of being physically close to him again after so long filled a tiny corner of her heart with excitement, a corner she’d thought had died long ago.

“Captain Stephens!” Thomas said, in what the boy likely believed was a whisper, but surely carried ten feet or more. “Can we sit by you?” No doubt the boys hoped to hear stories of sea battles, which would not happen under a church roof.

“Please, Captain?” Andrew echoed. “May we?” he added, correcting his brother’s grammar.

Eleanor turned to the boys with her strict governess’s expression back in place, only this time with her eyes even wider. The boys’ eyes widened to match hers, and their mouths clamped shut as they folded their arms and faced forward like good boys.

“Impressive,” Julian said. He leaned in and spoke quietly, so only she could hear. “You’re able to make them behave without saying a single word. It’s like magic.”

The compliment sent a ripple of gooseflesh along Eleanor’s arms. Silly that such a simple statement would affect her so. “I’ve had practice,” she said with a smile.

“Would my sitting with the boys help them remain quiet throughout the service? Or would it only encourage them to be noisy in the one place they oughtn’t?”

His question made her heart drop slightly. She shouldn’t have gotten excited over the prospect of sitting beside him. Yes, they would have sat in silence, but she would have

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