Free His Bewitching Jewel (A Regency Holiday Romance Book 7) by Marly Mathews Page B

could she do? She couldn’t teach them while the Duke watched her, she just couldn’t. She hated having people watch her. It made her feel like the world was closing in on her. No…she would have to figure out another way for them to spend the morning.
    Walking briskly to the window, she looked out. The skies were clear, and it looked like a bright sunny day. They could take their lessons outside, and maybe it would give her the space she needed from his critical eye.
    The beautiful autumnal colours beckoned to her. She had always loved this time of the year. It was as if everything in nature was getting ready for a long sleep. And it made her feel wonderful.
    “Lady Miranda, Lady Cordelia, why don’t you go and fetch your gloves, and your cloaks, and some baskets to collect the leaves in, and we shall take our lessons outside today. You can collect leaves for me, and show me around the grounds so we can admire the colours of autumn…and of course, we will play.”
    The girls looked at her quite stunned by what she had said. Lady Cordelia smiled shyly at her, and Lady Miranda jumped up to her feet. “Are you…are you in jest, Miss Massey?” she asked tentatively, as if what Ruby had just proposed was too good to be true.
    “No…I do not joke when it comes to how we shall spend our day, my lady.” This time, her voice barely wobbled.
    Barely.
    “Come along, Cordelia,” Lady Miranda said. “We shall fetch our cloaks, and baskets. We must not tarry. Joan will like playing in the leaves.”
    Ruby smiled, and then realized she would have to go and fetch something to cover her bare arms as well. She hurried to the door, intent upon making her way back to her rooms, when he crossed the short distance, and blocked her path.
    “Your Grace, I must away so I shall be back for the children,” she stuttered, trying to look anywhere, but at his face.
    Good God.
    How could he command her gaze in such a way? She couldn’t even look away from him, it was as if he was silently intoning her to look at him, and only him.
    “You are not quite what I envisaged, Miss Massey, and I think I like what you are turning out to be. I like it a lot,” his voice dropped, and deepened to a husky tone.
    She had to escape him. She hadn’t come here to become his latest conquest. He didn’t seem like the sort to force his attentions upon her, but every time she was around a man she liked, and she liked the Duke more than most, she fell back into the same old behaviour.
    She wanted to run.
    “I…if you would please excuse me, sir,” she said, attempting to dart around him. He looked as if he wanted to reach out for her, and had his hand out, and then, he withdrew it, as if a voice inside of him had told him to leave her be.
    “Of course, you go,” he said. “I shall be waiting for your return.”
    Dash it all.
    Was he going to shadow her every move today? Why have a governess at all? Why didn’t he just take charge of their education himself? Surely, he was capable, and he seemed as if he liked to control everything. She groaned in frustration. She wanted to rail at him, she wanted to have a row with him, but that would probably only get her sacked, and she didn’t have any thoughts of what she could do if she left this place.
    The only alternative was to go back to where she had come from. And, having been free of her mother for such a short amount of time had been strangely liberating. She didn’t think she could go back now…she cherished her independence too much.
    She walked as quickly as possible back to her bedchamber, reached for a redingote and a bonnet and gloves that would match the black dress, she wore, and then hurried back to the nursery, where, as he had promised, he waited.
    He stood with his back to her this time, as he stared out the window. He cast a lonely silhouette. He looked as if he had lost everything in the world and was quite adrift. As if he needed a guiding light…he needed something to anchor him to