Page 38 of The Iron Duke's Flaming Christmas
Lenore nodded, smiling at her adoringly. They walked out of the room without a backward glance.
Selene sat down, gazing out the window, watching the snow falling from the sky. After a minute, she packed up the books. She knew that Lenore would not be returning from her tea party with Lady Gwen. The lessons were over for the day.
Her heart turned over in her chest. She knew that Lady Gwen was just trying to score points and make herself appearsmarter in Lenore’s eyes, as well as assert her control, but that didn’t make it any less frustrating.
And she had to admit it hurt that Lenore was being so hostile toward her and adoring Lady Gwen, when she had put so much work into building a relationship with the girl.
Her heart flipped again. If the duke came and talked with her, she could tell him that she was worried that his daughter was losing valuable lesson time. Lenore was already behind with her education—and she wouldn’t catch up by stuffing herself with cake.
She swallowed hard. She couldn’t tell him. He wasn’t coming to talk with her… or do anything else with her. Clearly, he had forgotten about her entirely. It was as if what had happened between them had never occurred at all.
Chapter 20
“Wait, my lady,” called Selene, as she chased Lenore down the hallway. The little girl didn’t even turn to look at her, but rather, started running faster. “Please, wait for me!”
Lenore started giggling, then made a high-pitched squeal, zigzagging around a large potted plant, almost knocking a blue and white ceramic vase off a table. She didn’t stop, clattering down the servants’ stairwell, clearly deciding that she was playing a game of tag with her governess.
Selene sagged against the wall, trying to catch her breath. She had been chasing Lenore around the house for fifteen minutes.
The little girl was refusing to sit and do her work in the library—she had rushed out of the room, declaring that she was going to find Lady Gwen so that she could play and eat cake, rather than do schoolwork. Selene was at her wit’s end. They would never even start their day’s work at this rate.
“What the deuce is going on?”
Selene turned around, her heart jumping into her mouth. The duke was standing there, his brows knotted, not lookingpleased. In the drawing room beyond, she could hear the sound of chatter, a burst of laughter, and the tinkle of the piano forte.
She knew that other people had arrived, and the duke was having some kind of morning tea party, for she had seen the carriages in the driveway, lined up in a row, like black beetles.
Her eyes raked over him. It was the first time she had seen him up close since their wonderful dance in the gardens. Her heart contracted and she felt a rush of desire, as strong as ever—if not stronger. He was so tall and handsome. And so commanding.
“I am sorry, Your Grace,” she said, reddening, trying not to picture him doing the same shocking, exhilarating things to her he had done that night in the library. “But Lady Lenore is very energetic today and is refusing to start her lessons. I am just trying to catch her.”
His frown deepened. “Well, you better find a way to get her into the library right quick, Miss Bomind.”
“I am trying, Your Grace,” she said, through gritted teeth. “But Lady Lenore is rather unsettled with having extra people in the house.”
He stared at her. There was an awkward silence. Her heart was pounding hard now at being in such close proximity to him.
It seemed unreal that they had been so intimate with each other such a short time ago—that they had shared a passion so great that she thought she had died and gone to heaven. And even putting up the Christmas decorations together seemed like a lifetime ago, as well.
Now, it was like none of it had ever happened. He was the master of the house again, remote and aloof. The Iron Duke had built up his steel fortresses again… even higher than before.
Suddenly, Lady Gwen rushed into the hallway from the drawing room. “Your Grace, I need you to accompany me on the pianoforte…” Her voice trailed away when she saw Selene. “Oh. I see you are busy with a servant.”
Selene’s face burnt. How she loathed the lady. But she wasn’t going to lose her temper again with her. There was simply no point.
“I am coming,” said the duke, smiling at the lady. “I will only be a moment.”
Lady Gwen nodded, her eyes narrowing for a moment as she looked at Selene, before returning to the drawing room. The duke turned back to Selene.
“Do you have an appropriate gown for the conservatory party?” he asked abruptly.
She was taken aback. “I… I was not expecting that I would be attending, Your Grace,” she stammered. “I would really rather not…”
“Of course you will attend,” he growled. “You are Lenore’s governess. As such, you need to watch over your charge, make sure she is not getting into mischief, and take her away when she becomes tired.”
Selene swallowed a painful lump in her throat. “I do not have a gown that is good enough for the occasion,” she replied, which was the truth, although she could always try to spruce up one of her old gowns. “So, you see…”
“I will have Mrs. Kittles bring one to you,” he interjected, his frown deepening. “It is important that you dress for the occasion.” He gazed at her steadily. “I will expect you there and will not tolerate if you do not attend. Do I make myself clear?”
