early hours of the morning and waited impatiently for their governess to rise.
This matchmaking party of hers was not going at all the way it should and he felt a pressing need to discuss it with the one person capable of setting matters right. After all, Miss Fairfax had done a remarkable job raising his children. Helping him secure a suitable wife should be easy compared to that.
After several minutes that felt much longer, Evangeline Fairfax emerged for the day. Preoccupied with inserting one last pin into her chestnut hair, she did not notice Jasper at first.
When she suddenly spotted him, the governess gave a violent start. “Mr. Chase, do you mean to make a habit of visiting the nursery at all hours?”
Jasper shrugged as if to ask why he should not. “This is the only time I can be tolerably certain of a private word with you. Given the present situation, I find it necessary. And since you are responsible for the situation, I think you ought to oblige me.”
“I suppose I should.” Once again, she took a seat beside him so they could speak softly, yet still hear one another. “What is it you wish to discuss?”
The frustration that had been building within him for the past two days eased in anticipation of unburdening himself to her. “This is not working...with Miss Webster, I mean. Her father keeps dropping broad hints about what a good idea it would be for me to marry her, but I cannot manage more than a nodding acquaintance with the lady. Whenever I come near her, I sense an impenetrable barrier between us. I cannot talk to her with the ease I talk to...you.”
Miss Fairfax seemed surprised, but she was quick to offer an explanation. “That must be because you have begun to care for Miss Webster and it makes you awkward when you try to converse with her. With me you can relax because we have known each other so long and I am not an object of your affections.”
“Perhaps.” Jasper dismissed a nagging whisper of doubt. “Though I do not believe all the difficulty is on my side. Are you certain Miss Webster does not dislike me?”
“Quite the contrary,” the governess insisted. “She had nothing but good to say when we spoke of you the other day. Perhaps you are only imagining this hostility.”
“She is not hostile. ” Jasper tried to explain what he sensed from Margaret Webster. “And not exactly frightened. Wary might be the best way to describe it, as if she thought I might pose a danger to her.”
The governess’s dark brows lowered over her large brown eyes. “Perhaps she is afraid of appearing ridiculous if she shows too much interest in you, the way a certain lady does. Or perhaps she is reluctant to endanger her heart by becoming attached to you when there is so much competition for your favors.”
“No serious competition,” Jasper scoffed, once again dismissing a qualm of doubt. He found it difficult to think of himself as a prize for which ladies would vie.
“You and I know that,” Miss Fairfax replied, “but how can Miss Webster? Perhaps you are not approaching her in the proper way.”
“What way is that?” Frustration made his question come out louder than he meant it to. “It has been a long time since I courted a lady and even then...”
“Even then...?” she prompted him to continue, an amber glint of curiosity in her eyes. “Surely you must recall what you did to engage the affections of your wife.”
“That’s what I am trying to say,” Jasper admitted. “I did not have to do anything in particular to win Susan.”
It was clear Miss Fairfax had no idea what he meant. How could she advise him properly if she did not understand?
“Before I met my wife, I was too occupied with my work to give any thought to romantic attachments. By industry and application, I had risen to become the overseer of Mr. Thorpe’s mill. One day his wife and daughter paid a visit. I was smitten on the spot, but I never thought of being so bold as to pursue the master’s
This matchmaking party of hers was not going at all the way it should and he felt a pressing need to discuss it with the one person capable of setting matters right. After all, Miss Fairfax had done a remarkable job raising his children. Helping him secure a suitable wife should be easy compared to that.
After several minutes that felt much longer, Evangeline Fairfax emerged for the day. Preoccupied with inserting one last pin into her chestnut hair, she did not notice Jasper at first.
When she suddenly spotted him, the governess gave a violent start. “Mr. Chase, do you mean to make a habit of visiting the nursery at all hours?”
Jasper shrugged as if to ask why he should not. “This is the only time I can be tolerably certain of a private word with you. Given the present situation, I find it necessary. And since you are responsible for the situation, I think you ought to oblige me.”
“I suppose I should.” Once again, she took a seat beside him so they could speak softly, yet still hear one another. “What is it you wish to discuss?”
The frustration that had been building within him for the past two days eased in anticipation of unburdening himself to her. “This is not working...with Miss Webster, I mean. Her father keeps dropping broad hints about what a good idea it would be for me to marry her, but I cannot manage more than a nodding acquaintance with the lady. Whenever I come near her, I sense an impenetrable barrier between us. I cannot talk to her with the ease I talk to...you.”
Miss Fairfax seemed surprised, but she was quick to offer an explanation. “That must be because you have begun to care for Miss Webster and it makes you awkward when you try to converse with her. With me you can relax because we have known each other so long and I am not an object of your affections.”
“Perhaps.” Jasper dismissed a nagging whisper of doubt. “Though I do not believe all the difficulty is on my side. Are you certain Miss Webster does not dislike me?”
“Quite the contrary,” the governess insisted. “She had nothing but good to say when we spoke of you the other day. Perhaps you are only imagining this hostility.”
“She is not hostile. ” Jasper tried to explain what he sensed from Margaret Webster. “And not exactly frightened. Wary might be the best way to describe it, as if she thought I might pose a danger to her.”
The governess’s dark brows lowered over her large brown eyes. “Perhaps she is afraid of appearing ridiculous if she shows too much interest in you, the way a certain lady does. Or perhaps she is reluctant to endanger her heart by becoming attached to you when there is so much competition for your favors.”
“No serious competition,” Jasper scoffed, once again dismissing a qualm of doubt. He found it difficult to think of himself as a prize for which ladies would vie.
“You and I know that,” Miss Fairfax replied, “but how can Miss Webster? Perhaps you are not approaching her in the proper way.”
“What way is that?” Frustration made his question come out louder than he meant it to. “It has been a long time since I courted a lady and even then...”
“Even then...?” she prompted him to continue, an amber glint of curiosity in her eyes. “Surely you must recall what you did to engage the affections of your wife.”
“That’s what I am trying to say,” Jasper admitted. “I did not have to do anything in particular to win Susan.”
It was clear Miss Fairfax had no idea what he meant. How could she advise him properly if she did not understand?
“Before I met my wife, I was too occupied with my work to give any thought to romantic attachments. By industry and application, I had risen to become the overseer of Mr. Thorpe’s mill. One day his wife and daughter paid a visit. I was smitten on the spot, but I never thought of being so bold as to pursue the master’s
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