Genevieve smiled. “He seems to. Of course, he argued with me initially, but he is more reasonable than he seems.”
“He doesn’t seem unreasonable to me, simply proud and in pain. Ofcoursehe would be grieving after losing his wife.”
Genevieve took another sip of water. “I do think he grieves, but I’m not so sure he grieves his wife. My understanding is they had been somewhat estranged.”
“It’s not unusual for members of their class to live apart. They do not marry for love. You may not know that it was her money they used to buy Lilacfall Abbey. Her family is quite wealthy, and she had a large dowry. He was a younger son and, if not for his fortuitous marriage, would have had to go into the army or the clergy.”
“And yet I do not have the impression he married her for her dowry. I think he loved her. I do not think she loved him back.”
Mama set her cup on the table. “When you were last here, you told me you were the governess to the little girl and the father was not your concern. Do you remember what I said?”
“Not to forget that fact.”
“Have you forgotten?”
“Not exactly.” Genevieve sat back in her chair and closed her eyes. “I have tried to keep my distance, but it’s difficult.”
“Because he is so handsome?”
“That certainly does not help, but also because he is so kind and thoughtful when I don’t expect it. Take the spectacles, for example.” She opened her eyes and stared out at the garden where she had argued with him over the spectacles. “When I first suggested them, he said the most pigheaded rubbish about Frances not needing to see. He said girls only need to be able to embroider and play the piano. As though women were only meant to be ornaments.”
“That’s not a surprising attitude, given his class. Ladies of his station are mostly ornamental.”
“I argued with him, which was like arguing with a rock, and gave the cause up as lost.”
“Ha! If I know my daughter, you would have brought it up again as soon as the opportunity presented itself.”
Genevieve smiled. “Well, I never had the chance, because yesterday the doctor came and fitted Frances with spectacles. That’s not all.”
She told her mother about Lady Emory’s handkerchiefs and the dinner together and the game of hide-and-seek—omitting the kiss, of course.
“He is making an effort to become a father to the child.” Mama reached over and touched Genevieve’s arm. “And touching your heart in the process, I see.”
Genevieve gave her mother a sharp look. “Is it that obvious?”
“To me. I doubt it would be to anyone who doesn’t know you very well. But Genevieve, you must move past these feelings. He is the son of a duke, and your employer.”
“I know, Mama. And I truly do not know what’s come over me. I’ve never felt like this for any of my other employers, and some of the fathers were decent men who cared for their children. There’s something different about Lord Emory.”
“He’s undoubtedly a hundred times more handsome than any of those men.”
“That’s true, but I do hope you don’t believe me that shallow.”
“Perhaps you mistake your empathy for his loss and grief for feelings of affection.”
Genevieve nodded, but she was no young girl who could not sort her feelings. She knew the difference between feeling sympathy and the first stirrings of caring for someone. She also knew the difference between simple admiration of a handsome face and desire for the person beneath it.
“I kissed him,” she said abruptly.
“What?”
Genevieve put her face in her hands. “I know. I shouldn’t have. I didn’t mean to.”
“What were you thinking? And how was the kiss? Did he kiss you back?” Her mother leaned forward, looking half shocked and half intrigued.
“Well, I was not thinking,” Genevieve said, raising a finger. “We were playing hide-and-seek—I told you about that—and we ended up both hiding in a closet. We were pressed together, and I don’t know what happened. One moment we were standing there, and the next we were kissing.”
“He did kiss you back, then?”
