Page 15 of The Earl's Forbidden Governess
The rest of the morning passed in a blur of half-formed thoughts and stilted conversation. Despite her attempt to focus on Emily’s lessons, her mind kept wandering. By the time the clock struck noon, signaling the end of their study session, she felt utterly drained.
“Do… do you think your brother will join us for lunch?” she asked as she walked alongside Emily to the dining room. Emily sighed and shook her head.
“I doubt it, Miss Winslow,” she said with a sigh. “I saw him this morning and he is in a mood today. He’s locked himself in his study and warned me not to bother him.”
Catherine’s heart sank at this. Of course Edward was avoiding everyone, all to avoid her. “I see,” she said softly, then pressed a hand to her stomach.
“Actually, Lady Emily, I am not hungry either. I will see you at dinner.”
Emily nodded sympathetically, and Catherine rushed to her bedchamber. The afternoon dragged on slowly and painfully. As much as Catherine tried to distract herself with lesson plans for Emily’s studies, her mind kept circling back to Edward, and the journal. She feared she’d never be able to regain his trust and to her utter surprise, this thought was particularly disappointing.
When dinner time approached, Catherine could no longer ignore her pangs of hunger, and she made her way to the dining hall slowly. She paused in the doorway when she noticed only Emily and Mr. Harper at the table.
“Good evening, Miss Winslow,” Mr. Harper said, his tone clipped. “We can eat. His lordship will not be dining with us tonight.”
“Does he usually eat with you? Or… did he?”
The question was out before she could help it, and Mr. Harper pursed his lips. It was Emily who answered.
“He does,” she said quickly. “He says it is unorthodox, but because we are so few…”
She trailed off when she noticed Mr. Harper’s expression and returned her attention to her food.
Catherine merely nodded, her face flushing. Did Mr. Harper know what she had done? He did not show anything.
Despite the relief coursing through her, Catherine’s heart twinged. She was not quite ready to face Edward yet, but his continued absence told her exactly how much damage she had done.
As she took her seat too, an uncomfortable silence fell over the table.
“How were your lessons today, Lady Emily?” Mr. Harper asked, pointedly ignoring Catherine.
Emily immediately launched into an enthusiastic recounting of her history lesson, while Catherine pushed her food around on the plate. Her gaze drifted to the empty chair at the head of the table.
Edward should have been sitting there.
She put her fork down loudly, drawing surprised looks from both Emily and Mr. Harper.
“If you will excuse me,” she said softly, her voice cracking. “I have quite a bit of a headache. I think I will retire early this evening. Goodnight, Emily. Goodnight, Mr. Harper.”
She fled the dining room to concerned platitudes, rushing up the grand staircase. For a split second she considered going to Edward’s study.
Should she go to him? Should she try to apologize?
No, she decided almost instantly. He clearly wanted nothing more than to be left alone. And truthfully, she was not quite sure she was ready to face him yet.
Perhaps she would be the next day, she decided. After a good night’s sleep, she would have the courage to face him. She would apologize and plead with him to give her another chance.
She would talk to him, and all would be well once again, she thought as she crawled into her bed and closed her eyes.
It had to be.
Chapter 8
It was ages before Catherine finally succumbed to a fitful sleep—one in which she soon found herself traversing the library again, only this time Lord Wessex was not standing next to the bookshelf. Instead, he was seated on the chaise, with a book in his hands.
“What have you done?” he growled when he looked up to see her and Catherine hesitated. “My Lord…”
As she spoke, the chaise disappeared and then suddenly he was gripping her again. Only it wasn’t in anger, and Catherine found herself melting against him as his lips searched hers, his tongue forcing her mouth open and his hands exploring her curves, and his hardness again pressed against her.
