he said. “She retired to live with a niece in Essex when I brought Sophy here. She was old, ornery, and negligent.”
The Norwoods were the parents of Carlin’s late wife, Tessa recalled. She found herself intensely curious about his marriage. “Was Mooney nanny to the duchess when she was a little girl?”
The brief softening of his expression evaporated. She glimpsed a hint of pain before his features became inscrutable. “Yes, though I gained the title only last year, so my wife was never duchess. But enough of these questions. It is you, Miss James, who is under review, not me.”
Tessa realized she’d committed a grave impertinence. She oughtn’t be probing into his personal life, especially if he was still grieving the loss of his beloved. “Pardon me, Your Grace,” she murmured. “I’m merely trying to understand the situation for Lady Sophy’s sake. If the Norwoods knew Mooney had grown too old, why didn’t they replace her?”
“I instructed them to do so, but they never did. They were too busy with their social life to pay much heed to Sophy’s upbringing. While abroad, I was concerned by the infrequency of their letters, but I attributed it to the inefficiency of the overseas mail. I never realized the full extent of the problem until my return.”
Veering away, Carlin stalked to the window to stare out into the sunshine. Tessa’s heart twisted in response to his bitter admission. Evidently, the duke blamed himself for the state of affairs as much as the grandparents. He was determined to mend his daughter’s conduct but kept being thwarted in his search for the right governess.
Tessa had only added to his burden.
Pricked by shame, she yearned to absolve herself by reforming Lady Sophy. Yet Tessa knew she needed to tread carefully. Never had she been more aware of her ignorance of aristocratic life. There was so much she didn’t know, including the proper age at which a child graduated from a nanny to a governess.
Tessa ventured a few steps closer. Somehow she must convince him that her skills were unique. “Your Grace, I believe there may be some truth to what Lady Victor said. Given Sophy’s unruly behavior, perhaps she does still need a nanny.”
The duke pivoted toward her. “Nonsense, she’ll turn five in a few weeks. That’s old enough to begin her schooling. Encouraging babyish conduct will only compound the problem.”
“Yet your daughter was very attached to Mooney. Lady Sophy must be sad to have lost the one person who was like a mother to her. And that may very well be affecting her behavior.”
“I won’t have that woman in my house, if that’s what you’re suggesting.”
“No, of course not,” Tessa said hastily. “Only that your daughter needs love more than schoolwork right now. And pray don’t give me that mocking stare, please. Sophy’s world has been turned upside down. Until I gain her trust, it will be difficult to teach her letters and sums. What I’m trying to say is that she needs someone who can be a blend of both nanny and governess.”
He had been listening intently, but now one corner of his mouth took on an ironic twist. “Let me guess. You see yourself in that role, Miss James.”
Like Sophy’s, his brown eyes had a golden tint in the sunlight, and his jaw was set at the same stubborn angle. For all his size and rank, the duke could be just as combative as his daughter. With both of them, it was important to stand her ground.
“Yes, I do,” she said firmly. “If you sack me, you will continue to lose governesses and Sophy’s poor behavior will become all the more entrenched. I very much doubt you’ll find any agency governess willing to demean herself by taking on the additional job of nanny. Nor will any of them get down on the floor and play circus with milady.”
He frowned slightly at that last bit. Had she said something wrong?
Perhaps he found her entire proposition to be absurd. From what Tessa had gathered, nannies and governesses came from different worlds, one from the servant class and the other from the gentry. Melding their roles simply wasn’t done. But she had to try. It was the only way to accomplish what was paramount, and that was to keep her post in this house.
The duke startled her by chuckling. “A pity women can’t stand for Parliament, Miss James. You’re as persuasive as any seasoned politician.”
“I trust that means you’ll vote for me to stay.”
“Under one condition.”