Page 14 of Escaping the Earl
She rushed past him to grab the reins of her mare. “My horse.”
“Ah, well, that’s a fine bit of horseflesh,” Rafe said as he joined her.
“Thank you. She was all I could take with me when I left home.” She hadn’t meant to say it, but it slipped out.
“And where is home?” Rafe inquired.
“It doesn’t matter. Not anymore.”
“Oh, so that’s the way of it? Very well, we all have our secrets. Now, have you decided where you are to go?”
“London.”
He offered her a grin. “Splendid. You will travel with Isla and me, then. And no, I insist upon it. Consider it your way of thanking me for saving you in such heroic fashion.”
Sabrina was too tired to argue. “Thank you, Mr. Lennox. Could we tie Celeste to the back of your coach?”
“Easily arranged. My coach is ready. Now, is that your valise?” He bent to pick up her luggage.
“Yes, thank you, but I can carry it.”
“You do remember I said I was a gentleman?” Rafe continued on walking, her valise secured under one arm. “This is what we do.”
Sabrina followed him out of the stables, leading Celeste toward his coach. The stable lad then tied Celeste to the back of the coach. Rafe handed Sabrina’s valise to the footman who was securing their luggage.
“Isla, my dear, we have a guest.” A cherubic face peered out of the open coach door, and the little girl waved at Sabrina.
“Hello, Isla,” she greeted as Rafe helped her inside. “Nice to see you again.”
Once Sabrina was settled, Rafe sat across from her. “See, Miss Talleyrand? That was not so difficult, was it?” She stared at him in confusion, so he added, “Accepting help.”
A blush reddened her cheeks. “No, my lord, it was not.”
“Rafe, please. My brother is a lord, not me.”
“Rafe. Then please, call me Sabrina.”
“Sabrina.” Rafe smiled again, and though there was the cunning of a wolf behind his smile, she did not feel threatened. Perhaps it was the adorable child next to him, but she felt she could trust him.
She spent much of the coach ride answering questions that Isla posed to her, then spoke to Rafe about all manner of topics that were very safe and quite boring.
An hour later, they reached London. When she requested to be let out on Bond Street, Rafe put a hand on the door.
“Sabrina... Let me ask you a question, and please know that it comes with no expectations of an amorous nature.”
She tensed at the mention of the wordamorous.
“Isla is in need of a governess. I’m new to this business of being a father, and I interviewed a dozen women in the last week, none of whom I would trust with my child. But something tells me you would do well with her. I will pay above the average rate for governesses, and I will advance your first wages to pay for a full wardrobe. I can’t imagine that valise holds very much. I will also not charge room and board for you or Celeste—that will be provided in addition to your wages.”
“But...” Sabrina tried to think of any reason to say no, and there simply was not one.
“Excellent. Now, we will proceed straight to my home, and then you will go out and purchase a wardrobe at once.”
Sabrina was still stunned later that evening as she returned to Rafe’s house from the modiste. She’d purchased a dozen new gowns at his insistence. Each of the gowns were serviceable and could be put on without assistance, but they were still pretty. Rafe had warned her not to return with anything drab and went so far as to threaten to burn such gowns if she did. She would have laughed, but there was a strange seriousness in his eyes as he’d replied to her giggling.
“A woman who has a profession does not have to dress so dreadfully that one forgets she is actually a person. I do not want you to blend into the bloody wallpaper. Choose colors and styles you enjoy—that is a command.”
So she had, and yes, she did feel guilty about it, but she also was truly delighted. She was a governess now. She had a profession. It was safe, and she would earn her keep and her horse’s. Sabrina was relieved and comforted by that thought.
