Page 54 of Marry in Haste
Dammit, she should be more impressed than that. It was an extremely generous offer. He’d come first thing in the morning, hoping to have it all organized before he spoke to the girls. They hadn’t come down to breakfast. No surprise there.
But the teacher wasn’t responding as he’d planned. She’d appeared today without that ugly cap, her brown hair drawn back into a smooth coil at the back. Tiny curls escaped her discipline, clustering around her nape and ears, but did she fiddle with her hair, like most women of his experience? Not a bit.
She sat facing him, her countenance as bland as milk, receiving his offer as if barely interested. Of course, that could be a bargaining tactic.
“Yes, triple. Because there are now three girls—my orphaned niece, who is roughly the same age as my sisters.” Which made for three times the trouble, though he wasn’t going to admit that.
“And for triple my current salary—whatever that is; youhaven’t even asked what I earn yet—you want me to take them to London—”
“Along with my aunt, Lady Dorothea Rutherford.”
She inclined her head. “Along with your elderly aunt. And you want me to chaperone the girls—”
“Guide and control them.”
“Help prepare them for their come-out, take them shopping, supervise their wardrobe, organize a ball at your London home, accompany them to various ton occasions—”
He made an impatient gesture. “Yes, yes, all of that. The usual nonsense.”
She gave him a level, teacherly look that made him aware he was interrupting. Her gaze remained steady as she finished, “So that you can leave them and return to your ‘important government business.’”
He frowned at the hint of skepticism in her voice. “Itisimportant government business.”
She gave a perfunctory half smile. “Of course it is. And you want to be able to leave the girls behind with a clear conscience.”
“Ye— No, I’m thinking of what is best for the girls.”
Her brow rose again, an arch linking skepticism and inquiry.”To hire a stranger to look after them?”
“You’re not a stranger to them. Only to Georgiana.”
“I’m a stranger to you. You know nothing about me.”
That headmistress had indicated she’d been educated here as a girl, which meant she must be well enough born, though obviously her family had fallen on hard times since then.
“Your position here vouches for your character. As for the rest, you seem well enough educated and quite ladylike.”
“Merci du compliment.”Irony frosted her voice. Or maybe she was just demonstrating the range of her education.
That luscious mouth had thinned to a firm line. She seemed to be waiting for him to explain further, so he obliged. “I know you’re good at handling girls of that age, that you’ve held a responsible position in this seminary for some years and that my half sisters respect you. That seems to me sufficient for such a position. As to the requirements of the job,naturally as well as your wage, I’ll pay all your additional expenses: clothes, shoes, shawls, fans”—he gestured vaguely—“whatever is required.”
“I see.”
“Andthere will be a bonus each time one of the girls marries.” Dammit, he was starting to sound desperate.
A faint pucker marred her smooth forehead. “Abonus? To see themmarried?”
He nodded. “And an extra bonus if you get them all fired off in one year.”
The fine green-gray eyes glittered. The lace-clad fingers curled into fists and for a moment Cal though she was going to—what?—hit him? Nonsense. She blinked and the flash was gone, as if he’d imagined it.
“But once this desirable outcome is achieved, I’d be unemployed.”
“Yes, but in the meantime you’ll have earned yourself a handsome sum. As well, you’ll have made a lot of useful connections in the ton. I’m sure you’d have no trouble finding another position.”
“As a chaperone or governess?”
He shrugged. “Who knows what opportunities you’d find?” She could even land herself a husband. Once she was properly dressed, with those eyes and that mouth...
