Her wrath.
Shooting him a glare and refusing to respond to the challenging spark she saw in his eyes, she marched to the carriage. She had accomplished many things today. When she left this place, it would be knowing that she’d done her part and been useful.
If she could not doctor bodies, the next best thing to fix was a broken family.
Chapter Ten
Henrietta certainly had a way with words.
Her chastisements had plagued him, nudging him into action.
Dominic peered out the window of his office, staring at the governess and Louise sitting in the tiny squared-off garden below him. A servant brought them a tray, and it appeared that Henrietta was instructing his niece on the art of pouring tea. Louise seemed interested, her head bent in concentration, her body very still as though she absorbed each detail with her entire self.
Should he go down there and tell her he’d found a steward? Quite easily, in fact. The butler knew of one at a nearby town, and the housekeeper had seemed thrilled. How long had they been hoping for this? What kind of earl was he to have shirked duties for so long, and would the estate prosper now that he’d taken a step forward? Now that he’d committed himself...
Frowning, he turned from the window and left the room. Only time, and perhaps this new steward, would be able to give him an idea of which changes, if any, would bring prosperity again.
He crossed the hall and took a turn in the solarium. Greenery and flowers overflowed the small space. Someone had been caring for the plants in this room. He made a mental note to find out who and thank him or her.
At the edge of the solarium, he opened the door and took the cobbled path, which led directly to where Henrietta sat with her pupil. No time like the present to help himself to some of their dainty snacks and to let the fearsome governess know that she could save her lectures for his niece.
A lick of anticipation lapped up his spine. He was looking forward to tangling wills with her. Very few women in society, especially the debutantes, engaged in verbal sparring. He had a notion they were told to act vapid and smile insipidly until they’d caught a husband.
Not bothering to hide the grin he knew edged his face, he sauntered into the area where the ladies sat. Louise had just replaced the teapot on a silver gilded tray that reflected sunlight rather uncomfortably into his eyes, almost ruining his saunter. He recovered, angling toward Henrietta, who watched him knowingly.
He bowed to Louise. “Miss Stanford.”
She responded with a deep and surprisingly smooth curtsy. “Lord St. Raven. Won’t you join us for tea?”
“It would be my pleasure.” He took the seat next to Henrietta, noting the slight wiggle she made to move away from him. Ah. The thrill of the chase. Even if she was only here temporarily, she provided an escape from boredom. “Anna, another cup if you will?”
The maid curtsied and hurried away.
“Are you taking a break from the schoolroom?” he asked.
“It is ever so tedious, Dom.” Louise sent Henrietta a petulant look, but the recipient merely took a sip from her teacup. “She has been making me memorize sums and multiples. I told her that I shall not be using them. Why would I have need of that? She says if I don’t learn them, my brain will be reduced to mush.”
“Mush?” He turned, catching the governess’s lips twitching behind her cup. “Is that the medical term for the malady?”
With a methodical care, Henrietta set the cup on the tray. “The brain is a remarkable organ, and each section must be exercised daily to prevent atrophy.”
“Well, that certainly explains what has happened to mine.”
Henrietta coughed, her fingers covering her lips as though holding in an unfortunate and inappropriate laugh.
A fierce desire to make her laugh again rushed through him, but he couldn’t think of anything to say. Louise looked between the both of them, her face as confused and blank as his supposedly mushy brain. The maid set the cup on the table and retreated.
“My lord, a spot of tea?” Louise quirked her brow at him, lifting the teapot. She poured flawlessly, a lady in every way.
“Well done,” he said, taking his cup, no sugar. “Henrietta taught you how to do this?”
“My parents died when I was fifteen. I had a governess for several years before that, so yes, I am versed in the art of pouring tea,” she said.
“Did she make you do math, too?” Louise’s nose crinkled like an accordion.
Henrietta smiled quite charmingly. “Yes, any woman who may one day run a household should have solid accounting skills. There are many duties a lady must know to be effective in her home.”
“Sounds boring,” Dominic drawled, just to see Henrietta’s eyes flash at him. “Much like my meeting with the steward today.”
The flash subsided the tiniest bit. “So you’ve decided to hire one?”
“Yes, and another maid or two. The food is cold because apparently there are not enough servants. When my brother—” He caught himself, glanced at Louise, who was picking at a hole in her dress, and continued. “When everything changed, apparently several servants left for a neighboring estate and towns.”
“Very good.” Henrietta sounded too prim and self-satisfied. It made him want to get the smirk off her face by any means necessary. “Does this mean you’ll be leaving now?”
Louise’s head popped up, and Dominic held in his groan. He hadn’t said anything to Louise, but Henrietta did not know that. As if realizing her mistake, her face flushed in apology.
“But you just got here? Why must you always go to that dreadful place?”
He pulled at his cravat. “I have a home there.”
“This is your house, too.” Her voice went high, desperate. She stomped her slipper-clad foot, a scuffing noise that did little to ease the strain in Dominic. “I’m your home. Tell him, Henrietta.”
Henrietta stood and brushed the wrinkles
