governess.”
“None of that matters. I am a duke. She should consider herself fortunate to marry me.” At her raised eyebrows, his voice became stern. “I would provide for her and her adoptive father. What more could she ask from a marriage?”
“What more, indeed.” Mallory collected her needlework from a basket in the corner, sat down across from him, drew out a blue strand of floss, then threaded her needle. “If I were you, dear brother, I’d ask her soon.” Mallory took a stitch, then met his gaze. “I’d much rather have Miss McClure as my sister-in-law, but to be quite honest, I’m not at all sure she’ll have you.”
Garret stared at the chaos in Cara’s bedroom. Two men were hefting a trunk, a maid sorted through gowns that littered the bed, and Cara stood at the wardrobe, pondering the remaining clothing. “What is going on here?” At the sound of Garret’s voice, everyone froze.
Cara turned, looking for all-the-world like a little girl caught stealing a sweet. She dropped into a quick curtsey. “Your Grace.”
“Out.” At Garret’s command, the two footmen attempted to hurry from the room laden with the trunk. “Leave that.” They lowered it to the floor and followed the maid through the doorway. Garret shut the door and turned back to Cara. “When were you going to tell me?”
“As soon as I’d packed.”
“If this has anything to do with last night—”
“It doesn’t.”
“Then why?”
Cara proceeded to the bed and picked up a pale blue dress he recognized as one Mallory had worn. “It’s personal.” She added it to a trunk and shut the lid. “I’m leaving the gowns that were altered for me and those you had made.” She faced him, a composed young woman. “I realize, as I was not able to fulfill my obligation, that you will not be able to provide a reference, but I would appreciate it if you didn’t hinder any future attempts I might make at acquiring a new position.”
He moved to stand in front of her. Only the control he’d learned over the years kept him from taking her in his arms and kissing her until she agreed not to leave him. “I am not going to allow you to exit this room until you tell me what has happened.”
“It’s not your affair, Your Grace.”
“Garret.”
She sighed and appeared to crumple onto the trunk behind her. “There’s nothing you can do, Garret. I’m not even sure I’ll be able to help.”
He sat next to her, making sure they didn’t touch. “You can start by telling me the problem.”
“You’re aware of the school I started on Drury Lane?”
“Of course.”
“Some of the children are missing.”
“Perhaps they ran away.”
“That’s what Papa and Mr. Russell thought.” She angled toward him, her lower lip moistened as she sucked it into her mouth, then released it. He struggled to focus on what she said. “They wouldn’t have left. Two of them were very close to being placed in households. And no one has seen them. Even if they decided to leave the school, they’d never leave the area. They had nowhere to go.”
“What can you do if you return?”
“I don’t know, but I have to try or I’d never forgive myself.” She gazed at him with serious eyes, and he realized with a start that these children were as important to her as the dukedom was to him.
Garret took a deep breath. “If you must return, then I will go with you.”
“Why? There’s no need. This isn’t your concern.”
“Last I knew, a duke could be concerned about anything he wanted to.” She’d never agree to marry him before she’d settled this, and until he had her safely tied to him, he wasn’t going to let her out of his sight. “Besides, London’s streets are not safe. You need someone to look after you.” Even if the cooper told the truth about speaking to no one else, Garret felt ill at ease. Her mysterious benefactor obviously knew her history and he couldn’t afford to have Cara find out just yet.
Cara smiled.
“None of that matters. I am a duke. She should consider herself fortunate to marry me.” At her raised eyebrows, his voice became stern. “I would provide for her and her adoptive father. What more could she ask from a marriage?”
“What more, indeed.” Mallory collected her needlework from a basket in the corner, sat down across from him, drew out a blue strand of floss, then threaded her needle. “If I were you, dear brother, I’d ask her soon.” Mallory took a stitch, then met his gaze. “I’d much rather have Miss McClure as my sister-in-law, but to be quite honest, I’m not at all sure she’ll have you.”
Garret stared at the chaos in Cara’s bedroom. Two men were hefting a trunk, a maid sorted through gowns that littered the bed, and Cara stood at the wardrobe, pondering the remaining clothing. “What is going on here?” At the sound of Garret’s voice, everyone froze.
Cara turned, looking for all-the-world like a little girl caught stealing a sweet. She dropped into a quick curtsey. “Your Grace.”
“Out.” At Garret’s command, the two footmen attempted to hurry from the room laden with the trunk. “Leave that.” They lowered it to the floor and followed the maid through the doorway. Garret shut the door and turned back to Cara. “When were you going to tell me?”
“As soon as I’d packed.”
“If this has anything to do with last night—”
“It doesn’t.”
“Then why?”
Cara proceeded to the bed and picked up a pale blue dress he recognized as one Mallory had worn. “It’s personal.” She added it to a trunk and shut the lid. “I’m leaving the gowns that were altered for me and those you had made.” She faced him, a composed young woman. “I realize, as I was not able to fulfill my obligation, that you will not be able to provide a reference, but I would appreciate it if you didn’t hinder any future attempts I might make at acquiring a new position.”
He moved to stand in front of her. Only the control he’d learned over the years kept him from taking her in his arms and kissing her until she agreed not to leave him. “I am not going to allow you to exit this room until you tell me what has happened.”
“It’s not your affair, Your Grace.”
“Garret.”
She sighed and appeared to crumple onto the trunk behind her. “There’s nothing you can do, Garret. I’m not even sure I’ll be able to help.”
He sat next to her, making sure they didn’t touch. “You can start by telling me the problem.”
“You’re aware of the school I started on Drury Lane?”
“Of course.”
“Some of the children are missing.”
“Perhaps they ran away.”
“That’s what Papa and Mr. Russell thought.” She angled toward him, her lower lip moistened as she sucked it into her mouth, then released it. He struggled to focus on what she said. “They wouldn’t have left. Two of them were very close to being placed in households. And no one has seen them. Even if they decided to leave the school, they’d never leave the area. They had nowhere to go.”
“What can you do if you return?”
“I don’t know, but I have to try or I’d never forgive myself.” She gazed at him with serious eyes, and he realized with a start that these children were as important to her as the dukedom was to him.
Garret took a deep breath. “If you must return, then I will go with you.”
“Why? There’s no need. This isn’t your concern.”
“Last I knew, a duke could be concerned about anything he wanted to.” She’d never agree to marry him before she’d settled this, and until he had her safely tied to him, he wasn’t going to let her out of his sight. “Besides, London’s streets are not safe. You need someone to look after you.” Even if the cooper told the truth about speaking to no one else, Garret felt ill at ease. Her mysterious benefactor obviously knew her history and he couldn’t afford to have Cara find out just yet.
Cara smiled.
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