naturalists I’ve befriended, who have even looked at a journal published by the Linnean or the Royal Society. It is unique, no matter your sex.”
The color reappeared in her cheeks. “I see.” She opened her mouth, ready to say more, but the baroness called for Rupert’s attention again. He spared Miss Sharpe an apologetic smile, then gave his other dinner companion the courtesy of listening to what she had to say.
Rupert’s coughing fit had drawn too much attention for anyone to ignore him from that point forward. Regrettably, he could not turn again for a private word with the pretty governess. Miss Sharpe kept her head down and her concentration on her plate until dinner ended, when she slipped away at the same moment the servants cleared the last dish.
Disappointment settled upon Rupert’s shoulders, heavy enough to keep him from enjoying the rest of the evening. He had wanted to find out why the governess’s eyes lit up at the mention of scientific journals. He wanted to know what she thought of the flowers present in the duke’s gardens.
He wanted to know more about her.
Chapter 5
Alice berated herself all morning long. Silently.
The moment dinner had finished the evening before, Alice had slipped away without a word to anyone. She had filled her role, balancing the table, and she wanted nothing more than to escape without any further notice.
The children went through their lessons on literature, penmanship, and French with ease. They were advanced in those areas. Then she settled Lord James with supplies to draw out a map of his father’s estate, while she gave the girls samplers to practice their embroidery.
Pretending to read a book, Alice sat in a chair where she could easily watch them all. The duke would send Lord James to school in January, as befitting a future duke, but she would keep the girls until their mother deemed it time for them to leave the schoolroom as their eldest sister had.
Alice had only caught glimpses of Lady Josephine, who was nineteen years of age. She had sat near her mother at dinner the evening before, between two handsome men at least a decade older than she.
Lady Josephine had captivated and charmed her companions throughout dinner. She had a beauty that many Englishwomen would long for, with deep brown hair and eyes, and a petite form that spoke of grace and good breeding. It was interesting, the differences between the duke’s eldest daughter and Alice. Lady Josephine was younger but had more influence and command of a room than Alice would ever experience.
Not that Alice envied her that. In all her time learning how to disappear until someone wanted her, Alice did not think she would enjoy having people constantly on the watch for what she would say or do.
She had not even managed to hold the attention of one gentleman, nor to converse without taking offense. The memory of that horrid scene made her groan aloud.
“Is something the matter, Miss Sharpe?” Lady Isabelle, the eldest of the children in the schoolroom, sounded concerned. “Are you ill?”
Alice peered over the edge of her book, keeping her expression neutral. “I am perfectly well, thank you. I merely read something disturbing.” She turned a page in the book. “Continue your work.”
Lady Isabelle exchanged a glance with her sister, who huffed. Perhaps the two had hoped an ill governess meant a cessation of their work.
Lady Rosalind stabbed her embroidery needle rather harshly into the fabric. “I wish there was more to do than school. Mother and Father’s guests all leave today, and that was the only interesting thing about this week.”
“That and meeting our new governess,” Lady Isabelle corrected with haste. The girl would make a politician a wonderful wife someday. “But at least they are not all going.”
The younger sister paused in her work to glare across the table at Lady Isabelle. “You cannot mean to be glad about Mr. Gardiner. He might look young, but he’s as grumpy as an admiral.”
Although curious how many admirals the child had met, Alice remained silent. She listened instead. Why would the gentleman remain behind when the other members of the visiting party dispersed?
Shrugging in an almost French manner, Lady Isabelle answered without lifting her gaze from her work. “I do like looking at him, though. He can be kind, too. But I dislike when he speaks of his horrid little insects.” She shivered dramatically.
Lord James paused in his map-making to glower at both sisters. “He still won’t let me use