How to Claim a Governess’s Heart - Bridget Barton Page 0,55

finished his first thought had been to find Miss Thatcher and share the news with her. It had been near torture for him to stay in his office and work day and night for so long.

After his brother’s visit, and the foreboding warning, he had become desperate to complete his work. He had no idea what the duke had planned to thwart him, but he didn’t want to give him the chance to do so.

First, Lord John made his way down the hall and through the main door of the library. He was surprised to find the room empty. Looking out of the windows – probably for the first time in days – he realised his mistake. Already the streetlamps had been lit and, otherwise, darkness covered the streets outside.

Taking the time to look at his pocket watch, he realised he had already missed dinner. He vaguely remembered Mrs. Smith bringing and removing a dinner tray. He had been so frenzied to finished he hadn’t even looked up or spoken to her. He made a mental note to show her the appreciation he felt for all her effort over the last week and a half.

Turning on his heels, he made his way to the front parlour, where he suspected he would find Betsy and Miss Thatcher. He heard them through the doors before he saw them. Opening the doors, he beheld a sight that made his heart ache for all he had missed over the last few days.

Betsy was sitting on the long chaise longue with Miss Thatcher on one side and Mrs. Smith on the other. Using her small finger, Betsy was tracking the words in her reading book and slowly reading the story to the other two ladies.

He smiled as he watched the scene before him. Both ladies were deeply attentive to Betsy’s work, Miss Thatcher even slowly mouthing the words along with her. He couldn’t believe how smooth and clearly Betsy was reading each sentence. The last time he heard Betsy practice her reading, she struggled to sound out several of the words. How had she grown and developed so much in such a short time?

He waited until she had finished her page before clearing his throat to get their attention. All three pairs of eyes looked up at him. Betsy instantly began to wriggle out of her spot squashed between the two ladies’ skirts to run to him.

“Uncle John, did you hear me?” She asked as she skipped into his open arms.

He scooped her up into his embrace and spun her around once. She squealed with delight.

“Uncle John, I am much too old to spin around. It will be my birthday soon, you know. I will be nine years old. That is much too old to spin like a child.”

Despite her words, Betsy didn’t protest further as Lord John held her in his arms.

“We are still two months away from your birthday. I don’t know if that constitutes ‘soon’,” Lord John replied, a broad grin on his face. “And I expect as long as you will still let me, I will still pick you up and spin you like a little girl.”

“Well, I suppose you can for a little while longer,” Betsy conceded. “Where have you been? You’ve been so busy, we barely get to play.”

“You are right, I have not been very good at spending time with you these last two weeks, and I am sorry for that. I’ve missed our playtime as well.”

“Did the duke send you to your room to work? Sometimes Miss Thatcher sends me to my desk to finish my lines when I try to sneak off to play with my new doll’s house.”

Lord John chuckled. It was just like Betsy to try and find understanding in the only terms she could understand.

“Well, he didn’t send me to my room,” Lord John started.

He walked over to his chair by the fire. Sitting in it, he situated Betsy so that she stayed in his lap. She happily rested her head on his shoulder, her bright blue eyes looking up at him while he finished his explanation.

“But the duke’s arrival did remind me that I had some pressing matters that needed all of my attention until it was finished.”

“And are you finished now, sir?” Miss Thatcher asked from her place on the couch.

“I am,” Lord John beamed. “I finished just now, and my first desire was to come and share the news with you all,” he finished looking between the three ladies that