The Ungrateful Governness

'I protest,' Lord Graves said, also rising to bow to Jessica. 'I merely smile at your delight, ma'am. I must confess a weakness for magicians myself. Do tell us your preference, Miss Moore.'

Jessica took the offered seat. 'I suppose the trapeze artists are the most spectacular,' she said. 'But just too agonizing to watch.' She blushed at the memory of how she had not watched that final leap.

'You should have been sitting next to Sir Godfrey,' Lady Hope said. 'He talked to me the whole time and calmed my nerves wonderfully well. I declare he does not have a nerve in his body at all. And I daresay he would have preferred to sit next to you too as it was you he invited first. Foolish of me to sit between you. I would have done just as well next to Charles.'

'My dear ma'am.' Sir Godfrey looked somewhat taken aback. 'I invited both you and Miss Moore to accompany me to Astley's. And indeed, I must say that I found your very sensible conversation calmed my nerves during the trapeze act.'

'Well, is not that a foolish thing?' Lady Hope said with a laugh. 'Lord Graves, would you be so good as to escort me to the music room? I really do love harp music, and one gets to hear it so rarely.'

Lord Graves jumped to his feet and held out his arm to her. She flashed a smile at Sir Godfrey and Jessica.

'I do hope you do not think me rag-mannered to leave you to each other's company,' she said. 'But I am sure you will not mind.'

Jessica could not decide whether she was more amused or dismayed at being left thus. Lady Hope seemed to have convinced herself that she and Sir Godfrey would make a good match and was making every effort to throw them into company together. She decided on amusement when Sir Godfrey smiled comfortably at her.

'I can see that you are having the same thoughts as I, Miss Moore,' he said. 'Lady Hope has been trying to marry me off for the past five years or more. It seems that you are her latest candidate. I hope you will not be embarrassed by her attempts. I find them amusing and somewhat endearing. Shall we be friends so that we may be comfortable together even when she is at her least subtle?'

Jessica laughed. 'I thank you for your plain speaking, sir,' she said. 'And yes, of course, I had noticed and was hoping desperately that you had not. I am told, sir, that you have fascinating stories to tell about your travels if you are sufficiently assured that your audience is interested. Will you share some of them with me?'

'My dear ma'am,' he said with a smile, 'are you quite sure? I find that people who prose on about their experiences on the Continent can be dreadfully boring. Everyone seems to feel that a year or two spent abroad qualifies him to describe with perfect accuracy the national character of the Italians or the French or whoever it happens to be.'

'Yes, I am quite sure,' Jessica assured him. 'Now do tell me, sir, how do you see the national character of the Russians?'

They both laughed.

But through her laughter Jessica became aware of a prickling sensation down her spine. She knew even before she turned her head rather jerkily in the direction of the door that Lord Rutherford was there. He was standing rather indolently in the doorway, looking quite splendid, she thought, in dark blue velvet coat, silver silk knee breeches, and white linen and lace. His narrowed eyes were directed at her. She turned her head abruptly back to her companion and immediately regretted the rather gauche action. But it was too late to turn back and incline her head or smile easily.

'How would you like a description of some of the more spectacular sights of Greece?' Sir Godfrey was asking with a grin. 'And incidentally, have you seen the Elgin marbles? They are well worth a visit, though I do believe lady visitors are somewhat frowned upon. It is felt that so much naked stone might have a corrupting influence on them. You would need to be well armed with vinaigrette and eau de cologne and handkerchiefs and whatever else you ladies need to ward off the vapors.'

'Never!' Jessica said. 'I would not be so poor-spirited, sir. All I would need is a stout gentlemanly arm on which to lean. But yes, all the famous sights, please.'

They smiled at each other, and Jessica rested an elbow on her knee and her chin in her hand and prepared to focus all her attention on her companion.

'Godfrey. Miss Moore.' Lord Rutherford's voice sounded somewhat bored. He bowed stiffly from the waist. 'I hope I am not interrupting a private tete-a-tete?

'To tell the truth, you are, Charles,' Sir Godfrey said with a grin as Jessica shook her head in some embarrassment. 'I was about to mesmerize Miss Moore with an account of my travels in Greece, and you have come along to spoil all. Since you have heard it all at least twice before, I am bound to have you yawning behind your hand in no more than two minutes.'

'When have I ever displayed such bad manners?' his friend asked, drawing up a chair and seating himself. 'I shall be merely envious that I do not have a similar topic with which to entice Miss Moore's admiration.'

She blushed. He was looking at her quite intently and with a quite unreadable expression on his face. 'Have you not made the Grand Tour, my lord?' she asked.

'Alas, no,' he said. 'The Continent has rarely been free of war since I left off leading strings. My travels have all been confined to these shores, ma'am.'

Jessica turned her attention back to Sir Godfrey, who had apparently decided to talk about the less serious aspects of his travels. He kept her amused for the next half hour with comical details about the difficulties of travel and accommodations and language in the part of the world to which his tour had taken him. Other guests who joined their group added to the anecdotes. She found herself almost unaware of the silent presence of Lord Rutherford at her side.

Almost. But not quite, of course. In fact, not at all, she was forced to admit to herself at last. Much as she was growing to like Sir Godfrey Hall, amusing as his stories and those of other members of the group were, there was always Lord Rutherford. She found herself eventually wanting to leap to her feet and turn and run for air. It was hard to shake the memory of the afternoon before, the memory that had kept her awake through much of the night.

She still turned alternately hot and cold at the realization that she must have voluntarily placed her hand in his when her attention was so engrossed by the trapeze artists. And if there was some doubt about that, there was certainly none about the fact that she had hidden her face against his sleeve when she was so afraid that one of the leaping figures would fall to his death from the trapeze.

She had turned to Lord Rutherford for comfort, like a small child. He had not repulsed her-indeed, his free hand had been covering the one she clasped when she had looked to see what she was doing. How he must have been laughing at her, though. How naive and childish he must think her. Or how conniving. Would he think that she was trying to attract him? But why would he think so? He had already offered her carte blanche on two separate occasions.

And now he sat next to her, their arms almost touching, this man who had wished to be her protector, her lover. And the man whose presence could instantly interfere with her heartbeat, her power to think.

'Are you tired of sitting in the same place for so long, Miss Moore?' he was asking her now. 'Would you like me to accompany you to the music room?'

'Thank you,' she said, looking at him for the first time in half an hour, though they had sat so close during all that time. 'That would be pleasant.' But she had spoken before her mind had had time to function, she realized even as she got to her feet and laid a hand on Lord Rutherford's sleeve. The muscles of his arm were firm beneath her hand. It was the arm that had held her close on more than one occasion. She felt as if she were suffocating.

'Faith and Aubrey always make an effort to seek out the best musical talent,' he was saying conversationally. 'I am sure that this trio is worth listening to.'

'Yes,' she said. 'I was hoping not to miss it altogether.'

They stood in the doorway to the music room for a few moments while Lord Rutherford located two vacant chairs at quite the other side of the room. He guided her quietly toward them, and they sat side by side until the music came to an end fifteen minutes later. For the first time Jessica did not feel oppressed by his nearness. She sensed that he was quite engrossed by the music.

'Do you play an instrument, my lord?' she asked when the polite applause had died down and while one of the guests took the place of the pianist on the stool.

'The violin,' he said shortly. 'And you, Jess? I imagine that such an accomplished governess must have all