His Unusual Governess by Anne Herries Page B

look at Sarah and went out.
    ‘Miss Goodrum—’ Lord Myers stood looking at her uncertainly. ‘Will you honour me with a game of chess this evening? You do play chess, I hope?’
    ‘Yes, my lord. My father taught me. I played often with him.’
    ‘I thought that might be the case. Will you oblige me?’
    ‘If you wish.’
    ‘I do wish. I also want to apologise for my display of bad manners earlier. I did not intend to squash the child—and I thank you for putting things right.’
    ‘It was a misunderstanding all round, my lord. I do not think it will happen again.’
    ‘I suppose I cannot prevail on you to call me Rupert in private?’
    Sarah hesitated, then, ‘I hardly think it wise, sir. If I could add uncle I would do so, as the others do, but I cannot—and so I feel that it would not be right.’
    ‘Make it sir, then. I cannot stand to be mylorded all the time. I would even prefer Captain Myers, as I was known in my army days.’
    ‘Yes, sir. You were in the army?’ Sarah asked politely, as she set out the beautiful ivory-and-ebony chessboard with delicate carved figures. ‘I thought perhaps you might have been. My father always said it was easy to tell a military man by his bearing.’
    ‘Indeed? I think I should have liked to know your father, Sarah.’
    ‘Yes, you might. I think he might have liked you—he was very direct and to the point and honest.’
    ‘Like you, I imagine?’
    ‘I resemble my father in some ways. I cannot say all.’
    Sarah was acutely aware of her lies. She was beginning to hate them and wished that she dare tell him the truth—explain why it had seemed such a good idea and why she wanted to stay here as Francesca’s governess. Yet he would not understand. He would revile her for lying and worst of all he would dismiss her and install a new governess in her place.
    Even though she had made mistakes on her first day, Sarah felt that she was helping Francesca. She had gained the girl’s confidence and affection, too. It would hurt her if Sarah left—
    and she might become sullen, taking against Lord Myers and the new governess.
    Sarah was doing no harm. She would be careful in future to temper every opinion she gave with the counter-argument and explain why Francesca must conform to what society expected even though she might disagree privately, but she could not desert her.
    She dismissed her qualms and brought her mind to the game. Lord Myers showed his mettle by his first few moves, but she was with him.
    Sarah had learned from a chess master and she was well able to keep up her end. By the end of an hour she had beaten him twice and been beaten herself once when an early move on his part had sealed her fate almost from the beginning.
    At the end of the third game, she stood up.
    ‘I believe I should leave you now, sir. Goodnight.’
    ‘Goodnight, Sarah,’ he replied. He was on his feet, standing so close to her that she could scarcely breathe. Her heart was beating fast and she felt the heat start low in her abdomen and sweep through her. She was being drawn to him like a moth to a flame. In another moment she would be in his arms. He would kiss her and then …
    She stepped back, breaking the fine thread that had bound them.
    ‘I should go.’
    ‘Perhaps you will let me try for revenge another evening.’
    ‘Yes, of course, if you wish.’
    With that she walked to the door and went out. He made no move to stop her or call her back, though she thought she heard a muffled groan as she closed the door behind her.
    Alone in her room, Sarah closed the door, locked it and then stood with her back against it. She felt weak and knew that she had escaped by a hairsbreadth from a fate that was described as worse than death—another few seconds and he would have seduced her. She would have allowed it. She had wanted it, longed for his kiss—and what came after.
    It was those feelings she’d warned Francesca of—feelings that would lead to her downfall. Even as Miss Sarah