The Duke of Defiance (The Untouchables #5)(9)

Jo felt a pang of disappointment. Today had been the most useful she’d felt since Matthias had died. Not that she wasn’t helpful to Nora or that she didn’t enjoy being with her and her family. But Jo was the sister, the aunt. Here, today, she’d just been Jo.

A thought came to her. “Yes, it does. However, you should probably hire a governess as well. I’m not sure Mrs. Poole would be able to add lessons to her responsibilities. Besides, you’ll want someone who can educate Evie in the ways of Society. She is an earl’s daughter after all.”

He winced. “Isn’t she a bit young to worry about that?”

Jo shook her head. “My sister plans to hire one soon, and the girls are the same age.”

“Can’t I just send Evie over to their house a few times a week?”

Jo heard the exasperation in his tone and didn’t wish to overwhelm him. “Is there a reason you don’t want to hire a governess?”

“Not a governess in particular, no. I prefer a simpler household. There are too many retainers here.” He laid his palms flat as he cocked his head to the right and then to the left. He seemed uncomfortable.

“You’re the earl. You can decide how many retainers you need. There’s no reason you can’t decrease your staff.”

“Yes. I may do that.” His gaze found hers. “But I need a governess, you say?”

“I’m afraid so.”

He exhaled as he leaned back in his chair and contemplated the ceiling for a moment. When he looked back at her, his dark eyes gleamed with intensity. “Then you shall help me.”

A jolt of surprise quickened her pulse. “Me? Wouldn’t you prefer my sister?”

He pulled a sheaf of parchment from the top drawer of his desk. “No. I’m more than satisfied with you.” It was hardly a resounding endorsement.

“I’m glad I could pass muster.”

He looked up from the paper he’d laid in front of him. “Did I misspeak again?”

“Not terribly. I’m teasing you a bit. My apologies.”

“I see. Teasing. I didn’t realize people did that here.” He kept drawing comparisons, which she supposed made sense.

“Did they in Barbados?”

“Yes.”

“You think England is so very different?” she asked.

He nodded once. “In my experience.”

And she’d be willing to wager the difference favored Barbados—in every way. “You don’t like it here.”

He shrugged, but there was a tightness in his jaw that told her he was not apathetic. “It is not where I saw myself.”

She was suddenly quite eager to learn his story. Why, she didn’t know. “You left many years ago, did you not?”

“Fifteen.”

“I heard you never meant to return.” When he didn’t respond, she realized she’d overstepped. She stood abruptly. “My apologies. I didn’t mean to intrude.”

He unfolded himself from the chair, rising to his full height, which had to be a good six or eight inches over her five feet six. He made her feel rather diminutive. It was an odd sensation after being married to Matthias for eight years. He’d had barely an inch on her.

“You aren’t being intrusive. I didn’t plan to ever live here again, no. That doesn’t mean I hadn’t planned to visit.”

“So you had?”

“Would you believe me if I said I’d never thought about it? I’d neither planned for it nor discounted it. I simply hadn’t considered it.” He shrugged. “I will say that when I left, I didn’t go with the thought that I’d never see my father or brothers again.”

She caught the barest tinge of regret in his tone. “I’m sorry for your losses.”

“I appreciate the sentiment, but let me also clarify that while I might’ve expected to see them again, I didn’t particularly want to. At least not at the time of the departure.”

His revelation surprised her. What had happened that he didn’t care for his family?

He moved around the desk and paused at the corner. “I’ll have my secretary look into governesses.”

“Would you like me to ask Nora for recommendations?”

“Will she share them? We’ll be competing for the best candidate.”

Jo laughed softly. “I suppose you will. Although, I’d argue you aren’t looking for the same person. Nora needs someone who will be able to manage multiple children. At least in the future—Christopher has a few years before he’s ready to begin studies. I do know they want the governess to teach all their children until they reach a certain age.”

“That makes sense; however, I’ll be looking for the same.”

Jo was momentarily confused. “Do you have other children?”

“Not yet. But I will marry and have more, I hope. It’s apparently up to me to provide an heir to the earldom.”

Yes, of course. Jo thought of Becky’s suggestion that he marry her. Only Jo couldn’t have children. That would absolutely preclude her from being his countess. As if he would actually consider the recommendation of a child about a woman he barely knew. Nevertheless, Jo realized the moment he’d removed his cravat, she’d begun thinking of him in a different way. And that wouldn’t do.