When a Duke Loves a Governess (Unlikely Duchesses #3) - Olivia Drake Page 0,114
my dear, but you’ve had enough adventure for one night. You’re going back to Carlin House for a bath. Jiggs will escort you in the carriage.”
His dismissal made her more aware than ever that she didn’t know how to behave like a proper lady. Here she was, covered in soot like a climbing boy, and babbling about houses of ill repute. Though Guy was polite enough not to show it, he must certainly find her an embarrassment in front of his friend. It was disheartening to realize just how much she craved his love and esteem.
While he went to tell Jiggs, she shivered, chilled by the night air and her dismal thoughts. She turned her attention to Lord Haviland, in particular to his pale blond hair, somewhat tousled in the lamplight.
Now was hardly the best time to speak, but with her future so uncertain, this might be her only opportunity. “I must tell you something, milord. But you may think it to be very odd.”
He raised a brow in lazy interest. “Nothing could be odder than finding a dead man in my garden. But do go on.”
“It’s something Banfield said to me while I was bound and gagged in your coal cellar.”
“Had I known you were there…”
“Never mind that. He said that my unusual shade of blond hair is characteristic of a certain noble family. Your family.”
Every trace of idle humor vanished from Haviland’s face. He stared at her so hard that Tessa felt self-conscious and regretted her loose tongue. “Forgive me, sir, this was ill advised. I know my hair is covered in coal dust … and Banfield was likely just needling me, anyway. You see, he found out somehow that I was looking for my natural father.”
Heedless of her disclaimer, Haviland said rather intently, “We met at the lecture, did we not? I’m sorry, I was a trifle distracted at the time. What is your name?”
“Miss James. Tessa James.”
“Tessa James.” His eyes widened in a startled manner. A slow smile lifted one corner of his mouth, and she feared he must be laughing at her to imagine they could be related by blood. Guy had returned to join them, and Haviland said to him, “Do you recall that deathbed confession of my father’s that I mentioned to you?”
“Something about him siring a child with the governess.”
“He begged me to look for the girl, my half sister, and to do right by her. But I hit a brick wall on discovering the governess had died in an accident and no one knew what had happened to her daughter. The governess was Florence James. And her daughter’s name was Teresa.”
Guy looked from her to Haviland and back again. “Tessa, you said your mother was a maidservant, not a governess.”
“Yes, that’s what I believed.” She scoured her memory. “Mama talked about working as a servant in a fine house, and I suppose I just assumed…” Her heart pounding, she raised her hands to her cheeks and smiled wonderingly at Haviland, taking in his roguishly handsome features and the dark blue eyes full of deviltry. “Oh, milord. Could it be possible?”
He smiled back, taking her hand and grasping it firmly. “More than possible. It would seem we are brother and sister. Well, half siblings at least. Wait until my younger sister—your sister, too—finds out she has someone else to hector besides me. By the way, her name is Margaret, she’s rather tall, and if ever you wish to tease her, just call her Leggy Meggy.”
“Oh! I could never—!” Tessa said, shocked at the very thought of uttering something so rude to this unknown lady. Her sister.
She had a brother and a sister. It didn’t seem quite real.
Nevertheless, jubilation filled her. Though she had once feared to be rejected by her noble relations, Haviland appeared pleased by the discovery. And to think they’d already met on the night of the lecture. He’d been looking at Avis, while Tessa had been too entranced by Guy to take note of anything so absurd as a similarity in her hair color to Haviland’s.
They parted with a promise to talk more on the morrow. As she went off with Jiggs to the carriage, she felt enveloped in a wonderful dream. She was accustomed to making her own scrappy way in life without any relatives, though she’d often longed to have loved ones. Now she had a brother, a sister, a grandfather. It was all too bewildering to absorb.