Page 12 of A Governess' Unbridled Passion
Time stopped, and their kiss was seemingly timeless, lending a long and delightful sensation to his body. Miss Alice had given in easily enough, yet his mind rang out with alarm bells. Had he taken advantage of her?
He was aware that he shouldn’t have taken such liberties. With every effort, he pulled away from her. They must only have been together for mere seconds, but he felt flooded with lust for her. For lust it was, and he knew it.
As he pulled away, he opened his eyes, only to see that hers were still closed, if only for a second longer. Her blue irises sparkled back at him when she opened them, showing him she had enjoyed the moment. But then her features changed, and her face flushed pink.
Getting up, he reached out a hand to help her to stand, but she didn’t take it. Following him onto her feet, she straightened the creases on her dress, and he could see she dared not look his way.
“Whatever must you think of me, Your Grace ... I ... I mean Lord Phillip,” she said in a flurry. “I am so sorry that happened …”
He raised his hand and lay a finger gently on her lips, “Shhh,” he uttered. “I am not sorry in the least. You are the most beautiful woman I have ever laid eyes upon. Do not reprimand yourself. I took advantage, and for that, I beg your forgiveness.”
“No forgiveness is needed, Lord Phillip,” she said, looking down at the floor. “Your kiss is not offensive,” she added, lifting her head to look at him. “It is soothing and …”
He stroked her cheek with his finger, and she smiled at the action. It gladdened his heart that she, too, had enjoyed the kiss, and he wished so much that they could stay alone for longer. As he pulled his hand away, Lady Beatrice came running into the nursery full of energy and laughter.
“Look, Miss Alice, look! I have a new ribbon in my hair,” Lady Beatrice sang out, but then she stopped in her tracks as she spotted the duke.
“May I see your new ribbon too, Beatrice?” he asked, hoping his query might put the child at ease.
“It is purple, my favourite colour of all, Uncle Phillip,” her little voice sang out. “Nanny said I deserved it because I work hard at my lessons. Do you agree, Miss Alice? Do I work hard?”
“I happen to know that you do,” Phillip answered for the governess. “Miss Alice has just been telling me all about your lessons.” He could see that the governess was still a little flustered, so he stepped in while she composed herself. “I came to visit you and your brother so you could show me your work. Can you do that?”
“Jacob does not have any work. Oh, I remember something; yes, he does,” Lady Beatrice called out as she ran off to point her finger at the paintings on the wall. “Miss Alice showed us how to do finger paintings yesterday. We were covered in colours, and Nanny had to bathe us to wash it all away.”
Lady Beatrice giggled at the memory, and Phillip went to put on a show of admiring the paintings as though they hung in the Louvre. He stood back and placed his hand on his chin, play-acting at deep thinking as he looked upon the messy parchments.
“I will be seeking the permission of your governess to take this painting and hang it in my study,” he said. “Will you gift it to me, Beatrice? Then Miss Alice cannot refuse me, can she?”
“I don’t know,” Lady Beatrice replied with a serious look in her pretty eyes. “Miss Alice told me that the paper we used is very expensive, so we had to put our best effort into making them. My governess may not wish to part with it. Do you want Uncle Phillip to have it, Miss Alice? I do think that he will take care of it.”
Watching the little girl take the entire situation with such seriousness was most endearing.
“If you believe that we can entrust it in the duke’s hands, then I agree, Lady Beatrice,” Miss Alice said with a teasing smile.
Lady Beatrice walked away, mulling over her decision as she approached her little brother. She leaned down to whisper in his ear, and he gurgled back with some incomprehensible noise.
“My brother agrees too. You may borrow them until Miss Alice wishes them returned,” Lady Beatrice informed him with a formal tone. “I do like you, Uncle Phillip, but I love Miss Alice and do not want her to be upset.”
Phillip glanced over at Miss Alice. He was pleased to see that she was now over her earlier embarrassment. He smiled as she pursed her lips together, trying not to laugh.
“Then borrow it, I shall,” he agreed. “And I thank you, Beatrice, for the loan of your artwork. It will look splendid upon my study wall.”
“But do not keep it for too long, or Miss Alice will be sad,” Lady Beatrice begged him.
“I will treasure it,” he promised. “And now, I must leave you to your work, for I am disturbing your learning flow.”
“Do not worry, Uncle Phillip,” Lady Beatrice piped up with a grin on her pretty face. “Miss Alice thinks I am a clever little girl, but we are never to brag about such things.”
It took all of Phillip’s expertise not to burst into laughter at Lady Beatrice’s antics. She was indeed a very clever little thing. He accepted the colourful parchment from Miss Alice, then smiled and bowed as he departed from the nursery. As he walked to his study, he had a spring in his step; he’d shared a first kiss with Miss Alice and could only hope many more would come.
Chapter 7
Later that same day, Alice was in the garden with the children. They were enjoying the sun’s warmth as they strolled around the pathways the estate gardeners had created. Betsy was ahead with the children while Alice dawdled behind, with much on her mind. The duke had kissed her, and she was attempting to untangle the confusion it had caused her.
Lady Beatrice giggled ahead of her, and Alice paused to take a red rose in her hand and smell its sweet fragrance. Not picking it from the prickly branch, she moved on to catch up with the children. Nanny was carrying young Lord Jacob, but they seemed to get far ahead as she dawdled.
What can it all mean?she mulled over, trying her best to fathom the confusion in her head.Is he truly attracted to me? But I am a governess, where can it all lead? Oh, Lord, I’m so confused.
