Page 40 of The Earl's Forbidden Governess
Emily rushed out with a nod and Isabella led Edward to a small sitting room off the main hall. The moment the door closed behind them, she turned to him, her eyes intense.
“Edward, darling,” she said softly, stepping closer to him. “I have missed you. So much.”
Before he could respond, she leaned in and pressed her lips to his. It only lasted a second before Edward realized that he felt no spark, no desire and he pushed her away at once.
Catherine.
He could not help but feel as though it would betray her to kiss Isabella, as mad a thought as it was.
Edward pulled back, his mind reeling. Isabella looked up at him, her eyes shining with hope and something else... calculation?
“Isabella,” he said gently, “I…”
She pressed a finger to his lips. “Hush,” she murmured. “Don’t say anything, darling. Just... think about it. About us. About what we could be together.”
Edward simply nodded, not trusting himself to speak. He needed to leave, to think, to sort out the tumult of emotions swirling within him.
“Goodnight, Isabella,” he said finally. “Thank you again for dinner.”
As he made his way to the carriage, Edward’s mind was in chaos. The kiss with Isabella had confirmed what he had been trying to deny—there was something, something he could not quite name, between him and Catherine.
But what could he do about it? Catherine was his employee, far below his station. It could never end well.
Emily was half-asleep when he climbed into the carriage. “Did you have a nice talk with Lady Isabella?” she mumbled tiredly.
Edward forced a smile. “Yes,” he muttered. “Yes, it was… alright.”
As the carriage rolled toward Wessex Manor, Edward gazed out the window, lost in thought. He had some difficult decisions to make, some hard truths to face.
But one thing was certain—he could no longer deny the depth of his feelings for Catherine Winslow.
***
Catherine paced the length of the library, her mind whirling incessantly. The stolen letter felt like a lead weight in her pocket, a constant reminder of the danger that might be lurking within the very walls of Wessex Manor. She paused by the window, gazing out at the darkening grounds, her reflection a pale ghost in the glass.
What was she to do with this information? Should she involve Emily? The young girl was perceptive and cared deeply for her brother. But no, Catherine shook her head at the thought. Emily had already lost so much of her childhood to tragedy and fear. She deserved what little innocence she had left.
Perhaps she should continue to push Edward to investigate? But their last confrontation still stung, his dismissal of her concerns cutting deeper than she cared to admit. If she pressed the issue, she risked not only her position but also... whatever it was that existed between them.
“I could just... let it be,” Catherine murmured to herself, the words tasting bitter on her tongue. “Focus on my duties, on Emily’s education. Let whatever happens, happen.”
But even as the thought formed, she knew she could never do it. She cared too deeply for this family—for both Emily and Edward—to stand idly by while danger circled them.
How could she protect both herself and the family at the same time? It seemed she was at an impasse, with no clear path forward.
There was only one thing to do, she decided at last. She would have to watch Samuel Harper closely. Despite having stolen his letter, she decided to treat him with kindness, hoping to appeal to his better nature. Perhaps, if she could gain his trust, he might reveal something of importance.
As evening fell and the manor grew quiet, Catherine found herself growing increasingly anxious. Edward and Emily were still at Isabella’s dinner, and the silence of the house felt oppressive. She tried to distract herself with lesson plans, but her mind kept drifting to Edward in the company of the beautiful Lady Isabella Fairfax.
The sound of carriage wheels on gravel jerked her from her thoughts. Heart pounding, Catherine made her way to the entrance hall, arriving just as Edward and Emily stepped inside. Though she was visibly tired, Emily’s face was flushed withexcitement. Edward on the other hand... Catherine's heart sank as she took in his preoccupied expression, the tension in his shoulders.
“Welcome home, My Lord, Lady Emily,” she said, forcing a smile. “I trust you had a pleasant evening?”
Edward barely glanced at her. “It was fine,” he said curtly, already moving toward the stairs. “Emily, do not stay up too late. You have lessons in the morning.”
Emily waited until her brother was out of earshot before turning to Catherine, her eyes shining. “Oh, Miss Winslow, it was wonderful! Lady Isabella’s home is so beautiful, and the food was simply divine. And she was so kind and interesting…”
Catherine tried to focus on Emily's enthusiastic recounting, but her attention kept drifting to Edward's retreating form. What had happened at dinner to put him in such a mood? The preoccupied expression on his face and his silence worried her deeply.
