The Duke in Disguise by Gayle Callen Page A

there.

"I had forgotten."

He paused for an uncomfortably long moment, and she was almost about to escape when he spoke again.

"Your sister, the one who's marrying the viscount— she'll be able to take care of your mother now, won't she?"

She nodded, not bothering to hide her confusion.

In a softer voice, he said, "She would take care of you if you wanted her to."

Meriel stopped breathing as she stared up at him in silence.

"But you won't remain with her, will you? Stephen needs you."

A flash of anger took her by surprise. "Your Grace, I am offended at your presumption that I would abandon your son so easily."

And she was rather surprised at herself, that such a thought hadn't occurred to her.

But the viscount was rescuing her sister, and was being saddled with her mother. Meriel couldn't presume that he would accept sisters into his household as well.

And how could she leave Stephen? Every day the questions he asked filled her teacher's heart with joy. She loved sharing her knowledge with him. If she ever left him, she would have to make sure he was in capable hands other than her own.

Because she didn't trust his father. It all came down to that. Something was wrong in this household, and it wasn't just her worry about her physical reaction to the duke.

He cocked his head. "I didn't think you would abandon my son easily, Miss Shelby. But London is a city that lures people to remain."

"You think a city would induce me to remain, after I had given my promise elsewhere?"

"If not a city, then your family."

He was too close to her own thoughts. "No, Your Grace. I will be gone four days. That is my promise to your son."

Meriel excused herself and left him, striding angrily up through the mansion, wanting only her bed so that she could pound her pillow in frustration at the feelings she couldn't understand. Nurse Weston was just leaving Stephen's room in the nursery, and closed the door behind her.

"He had a wonderful time," the nurse said in a soft voice.

Meriel nodded.

"And did you enjoy yourself?" the nurse continued.

Meriel glanced at her with suspicion. "I watched over the children along with many governesses. I was working."

"I thought perhaps His Grace would…"

When she didn't finish, Meriel faced her and sighed. "Nurse Weston, whatever His Grace plans to do with one of the servants, it will not be with me. He has not chosen me for…for anything except as governess to his son."

Nurse Weston arched a brow. "I only seek to warn you, but His Grace most certainly is thinking about you."

This was too close to what Meriel saw in his eyes, so she only shook her head, remaining silent.

"Did you know he was waiting to escort you outside early this evening?"

"That can't be true— Stephen and I waited in the carriage for twenty minutes."

"And he was waiting in the entrance hall for twenty minutes— for you."

Meriel swallowed heavily and leaned back against the wall. "Oh, heavens. Why would he do such a thing?"

The nurse only shrugged, but her expression spoke clearly.

"Then it's a good thing I'm leaving for a few days," Meriel said. "Maybe he'll be so lonely that he'll choose someone else."

But Nurse Weston didn't look convinced.
    * * *
    After Miss Shelby had left for London, Richard thought Thanet Court seemed…quiet. He hadn't realized how much he enjoyed catching glimpses of her throughout each day. He buried himself in his subtle work to rebuild the finances of the estate, but that was difficult and tedious, when he kept having to pretend he wanted to learn what to do.

Stephen seemed unusually quiet the first day, and on the second, he reverted to the wild boy he'd been before Miss Shelby had begun to tame him. Nurse Weston came to Mrs. Theobald with her concerns, and she in turn came to Richard.

Richard stared at the housekeeper, who stood near his study door without coming fully into the room. There was a watchfulness to her that made him uneasy, and he'd been avoiding her as much as he