Page 22 of A Governess' Unbridled Passion
“Silly?” Lady Davina purred the word.
“Overly ingratiating, more like,” he replied. “I want a woman who is intelligent but not obvious with it. Of course, she must have a sense of humour but not be giddy with it, as are the young ladies I have met so far. And most of all, she must be erm … feminine, clean, and erm ...”
“Seductive and sexy?” Lady Davina found the words for him again.
“Yes, by damn, those are good words, Davina. You are very observant.” He smiled, pleased that someone understood him. “Although I should not be discussing such things with my stepsister, should I?”
“Do not forget, Phillip, we are not connected by blood,” Lady Davina reminded him.
“No, but you know this lot will gossip about anything even slightly scandalous,” he pointed out.
He was already feeling a little uncomfortable with her as they discussed his sexual desires in the middle of a garden party. Glancing around the gathering, he hoped it would end the conversation with Lady Davina.
“I am going to join Eli; he seems to be doing well for himself over there,” Phillip said, glad to get away from Lady Davina because she had stuck by his side ever since their arrival.
“Eli, my friend,” he called out, approaching the group. “I see you have managed to mingle with ease.”
“Ah, there you go, ladies, The Duke of Haroth has arrived,” Mr Eli announced to them. His friend then turned to him to speak in his ear with a quieter voice. “They are all asking me about you. So, if you could kindly take them off my hands, I would appreciate it. They have squeaked and cackled in my ears for long enough.”
As Mr Eli finished speaking, he turned back to the young ladies to show them a friendly smile, as he was never one to be rude.
“Thank you, Mr Eli, for introducing us to the new duke,” one of the ladies said.
“Not at all,” Mr Eli smiled again. “I will leave you in the capable hands of His Grace.”
Phillip gave Mr Eli a crooked smile. “So kind of you, Mr Eli, especially as I came over here to assist you.” At that point, Phillip leaned into his friend’s ear to whisper, “And not to end up alone with a gaggle of geese.”
“Enjoy, Your Grace.” Mr Eli smiled, leaving Phillip with the ladies as he waved his hand and bowed his head.
It wasn’t until the carriage ride home that Phillip saw Mr Eli again. “Well, Eli, I thought you were my friend, and then you go and desert me, surrounded by the fairer sex.”
Mr Eli chuckled. “It is you who needs to choose a wife, Phillip, not me. I suspect that none of the ladies were interested in me; they merely saw me as a means of introduction to you.”
“It will be a good idea for you to attend more public functions, Phillip,” Lady Davina intervened.
“But Eli is quite correct; you do need to consider marriage seriously. We should have a meeting, you and I, so that I may take you through the qualities you will need in a duchess. After all, she will be running the mansion house, so she must be competent.”
“You are proving a good source of information, Davina,” Phillip praised her. “And I must thank you for your continual support.”
“Not at all, Phillip,” Lady Davina bowed her head a little in response.
“But you do need a woman who knows what she is doing. Especially concerning the etiquette of a high-ranking gentleman such as yourself. You have noble blood running through your veins, Phillip, and that is a high prize for any lady. It will mean that you have many to choose from. I only hope they can continue to do all that I presently do for you.”
“It seems that you will make a good wife for some English lord, Davina,” Mr Eli remarked.
“Yes, Eli, I do believe you are quite right,” Phillip agreed. “You should search for a husband for yourself, Davina. As for me, I have narrowed my options down quite well already. This is why being surrounded by so many ladies is becoming tedious.”
“And who do you have in mind, Phillip?” Lady Davina enquired, a single brow raised in question.
“It is early days yet, but I will be working hard on the matter, I assure you,” Phillip countered, and then turned to look through the window as his mind drifted.
The only face that came to mind was that of Miss Alice. Thoughts of her naked, long, slender legs caused him to smile to himself. His mind’s eye followed the line of her inner thigh. When, in his mind, he arrived at whatever delights she might have for him between the top of her legs, it caused him to cough.
Swiftly, he reprimanded himself as he continued to stare through the window. He should not be thinking such devious thoughts about a woman who, in his mind, was so innocent and captivating all at the same time.
Chapter 12
“I want to run, Miss Alice,” Lady Beatrice demanded as they strolled around the gardens of Haroth Hall.
