me, Captain! I didn’t mean…I never should have…” With every word the northern lilt of her accent grew stronger. “I was just so happy to hear what you wanted…?.”
She looked so distraught and mortified by her behavior that Gideon forgot all about his own feelings on the matter, anxious only to protect hers. “Please, Miss Murray, I understand. And I assure you I am not offended. You took me by…surprise, that’s all.”
She scarcely seemed to hear him over her own condemnation. “I don’t know what came over me. I’ve never done anything like this before.”
Could her reaction to what she’d done involve more than regret for the impropriety? Gideon wondered if she found such close contact with him repellent. Or perhaps she realized what could have happened if he’d been a less honorable man.
Stooping to the floor, she groped for the book she’d dropped. “If you will excuse me, Captain, I must be going.”
Miss Murray made a rush for the door, clearly expecting he would move out of her way. This time Gideon held his ground. If he let her go before they had resolved this awkward incident, he feared his Christmas plans might fall by the wayside.
“Please stay a few minutes more. I beg you not to reproach yourself for…your actions. I assure you, I do not.”
When she realized he intended to stay put, Miss Murray staggered back as if she had struck an invisible wall. “You are very understanding, sir. I promise you, nothing like that will ever happen again.”
Her reassurance brought Gideon a stab of disappointment, but he did not dare let his true feelings show. “I hope this one small…lapse in self-control will not prevent us from working together to make this a merry Christmas for my young cousins.”
His appeal on behalf of the children seemed to penetrate her barrier of self-recrimination. Inhaling a deep breath and squaring her shoulders, Miss Murray met his gaze. “If that is what you wish, Captain, I can assure you it will not.”
“Very good.” A powerful wave of relief threatened to swamp Gideon, but he took pains to conceal it from Miss Murray. “Since we have barely a fortnight to lay our plans, I believe we should arrange to meet again and discuss what needs to be done.”
She gave a solemn nod. “I agree, sir. When would you like us to meet next?”
Miss Murray was more than solemn. It seemed as if she had reverted to the stern-faced governess he’d encountered when he’d first returned to Knightley Park. This woman would never think of teasing him about gothic novels. Nor would she permit herself to become so overjoyed that she would throw her arms around him. Gideon considered that a pity.
He had been inclined to suggest they sit down and start making plans immediately. Now he wasn’t so sure that would be a good idea. Perhaps they both needed time to let the memory of that impulsive embrace fade a little.
“Tomorrow evening at this time?” he suggested.Then, lest Miss Murray suspect he was anxious to spend time alone with her, he added, “I would prefer to keep all this as a surprise for the children, until the time gets closer…if you don’t mind.”
“Not at all.” She clasped the book in front of her chest like a shield. “If Dolly found out what you’re planning too soon, she would get so excited I’d be up until midnight getting her to sleep. Then we would never be able to meet. So back here tomorrow night, then. At eight o’clock?”
Her gaze flitted from him to the library door and back again.
He deduced what she wanted and stepped aside to let her pass.
“I look forward to it, Miss Murray.” As he spoke those words, Gideon realized he meant them far more than the usual hollow pleasantry.
The next day Marian tried to keep as busy as possible so she would not fall to brooding about the thoughtless indiscretion she’d committed. Of course, that meant keeping the girls busy, too, which did not sit well with Dolly.
“Why are you making
She looked so distraught and mortified by her behavior that Gideon forgot all about his own feelings on the matter, anxious only to protect hers. “Please, Miss Murray, I understand. And I assure you I am not offended. You took me by…surprise, that’s all.”
She scarcely seemed to hear him over her own condemnation. “I don’t know what came over me. I’ve never done anything like this before.”
Could her reaction to what she’d done involve more than regret for the impropriety? Gideon wondered if she found such close contact with him repellent. Or perhaps she realized what could have happened if he’d been a less honorable man.
Stooping to the floor, she groped for the book she’d dropped. “If you will excuse me, Captain, I must be going.”
Miss Murray made a rush for the door, clearly expecting he would move out of her way. This time Gideon held his ground. If he let her go before they had resolved this awkward incident, he feared his Christmas plans might fall by the wayside.
“Please stay a few minutes more. I beg you not to reproach yourself for…your actions. I assure you, I do not.”
When she realized he intended to stay put, Miss Murray staggered back as if she had struck an invisible wall. “You are very understanding, sir. I promise you, nothing like that will ever happen again.”
Her reassurance brought Gideon a stab of disappointment, but he did not dare let his true feelings show. “I hope this one small…lapse in self-control will not prevent us from working together to make this a merry Christmas for my young cousins.”
His appeal on behalf of the children seemed to penetrate her barrier of self-recrimination. Inhaling a deep breath and squaring her shoulders, Miss Murray met his gaze. “If that is what you wish, Captain, I can assure you it will not.”
“Very good.” A powerful wave of relief threatened to swamp Gideon, but he took pains to conceal it from Miss Murray. “Since we have barely a fortnight to lay our plans, I believe we should arrange to meet again and discuss what needs to be done.”
She gave a solemn nod. “I agree, sir. When would you like us to meet next?”
Miss Murray was more than solemn. It seemed as if she had reverted to the stern-faced governess he’d encountered when he’d first returned to Knightley Park. This woman would never think of teasing him about gothic novels. Nor would she permit herself to become so overjoyed that she would throw her arms around him. Gideon considered that a pity.
He had been inclined to suggest they sit down and start making plans immediately. Now he wasn’t so sure that would be a good idea. Perhaps they both needed time to let the memory of that impulsive embrace fade a little.
“Tomorrow evening at this time?” he suggested.Then, lest Miss Murray suspect he was anxious to spend time alone with her, he added, “I would prefer to keep all this as a surprise for the children, until the time gets closer…if you don’t mind.”
“Not at all.” She clasped the book in front of her chest like a shield. “If Dolly found out what you’re planning too soon, she would get so excited I’d be up until midnight getting her to sleep. Then we would never be able to meet. So back here tomorrow night, then. At eight o’clock?”
Her gaze flitted from him to the library door and back again.
He deduced what she wanted and stepped aside to let her pass.
“I look forward to it, Miss Murray.” As he spoke those words, Gideon realized he meant them far more than the usual hollow pleasantry.
The next day Marian tried to keep as busy as possible so she would not fall to brooding about the thoughtless indiscretion she’d committed. Of course, that meant keeping the girls busy, too, which did not sit well with Dolly.
“Why are you making
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