Free The Governess Club: Bonnie by Ellie Macdonald

sigh as he turned to the beginning of the reader again. “You need to practice.” She was sitting against the headboard while Henry stretched out on his stomach beside her.
    “I’ve already practiced this twice, Miss Hodges. When are you getting out of bed?”
    “Well, I am making considerable improvement, so by the end of the week I should be able to sit in the morning room.”
    “The morning room?”
    He sounded so distraught. Bonnie hid a smile. “How have your afternoons been with Sir Stephen?” She tried to keep the question nonchalant. Bonnie hadn’t seen him since the day she ate the poisoned biscuit. Since the night of their shared kiss, if she were to be honest, and she did not know what to think.
    She was not silly enough to expect an honorable offer or any offer at all. A kiss did not necessitate a drastic change such as that. If that were the case, there would more marriages on the record and fewer prostitutes.
    Especially if all kisses were like the one in question. In all of her experience—which admittedly was limited to one—kisses were fraught with sensation. Good heavens, the sensations. She had been lightheaded from the sparks that kiss had sent through her body. The feel of his lips against hers—firm, warm, assured. His calloused hands against her cheeks—capable, gentle, confident.
    What had swept her away, however, was inhaling his scent and sharing his breath. His sandalwood cologne had teased its way into her nose, his breath had danced over her skin, sending tingles throughout her body.
    But when their breathing had synchronized, even for those brief moments, that was when she felt the magic of the kiss. That was what made her finally understand the starry-eyed look her mother would give her father whenever he returned.
    If anything, this experience made her want to see him more. Yes, she knew that nothing could come from this attraction; she was the governess and he was the guardian and that was that. But she did not understand why he kept away from her.
    Despite her best intentions, she could not stop that from hurting.
    Henry shrugged, the gesture shaking the bed enough to refocus her attention. “Fine.”
    Bonnie raised her brows. “Fine? That is all you have to say?”
    “We see the horses and sit in the study,” Henry elaborated with another shrug. “It is not very entertaining.”
    “I thought you liked horses.”
    “But I can’t do anything when my shoulder hurts. I can’t ride, so he’s teaching me to oil my saddle and curry Harold. And when we’re in the study, all he does is work with Mr. Renard. He tells me some things about the estate, but it’s all boring.”
    Oh dear. Bonnie sighed. “Henry, Sir Stephen is quite busy as your guardian. He has much on his plate.” Not to mention unraveling a mystery surrounding who it was who wanted to harm them. “One of the things he is responsible for is preparing you to assume the duties of the viscount. You should be grateful he is taking that responsibility seriously.”
    Henry didn’t answer directly, but began reading from his primer.
    S tephen didn’t glance up at the knock. “Come in,” he bade. It wasn’t until the scent that had been imprinted on his senses drifted towards him that he looked up. Bonnie—Miss Hodges—stood before the desk, her face pale and beaded with moisture, her shaking skirts reflecting that of her legs.
    He stood abruptly. “You shouldn’t be out of bed.” He moved around the desk, approaching her.
    “I must speak with you, sir.” Her voice was thin and breathless.
    “This was foolish,” he said with severity. He lifted her into his arms and carried her towards the door. She gave a startled shriek. “I’m returning you to your room.”
    “No, please,” she protested. “I must speak with you.”
    “We can do so in your room.”
    “Sir!”
    With a growl, Stephen turned on his heel and moved to the sofas. He carefully set her down close to the fire, ensuring she was