When a Duke Loves a Governess (Unlikely Duchesses #3) - Olivia Drake Page 0,68

soon, she oughtn’t be fostering dependency in the girl. Yet it crushed her heart to imagine pushing Sophy away as her grandparents had done.

Sophy must not have the same unhappy childhood Tessa herself had known. All children deserved to be loved unconditionally. Now more than ever, she was determined not to abandon the precious little girl.

* * *

Shortly after supper that evening, Tessa received a note from Carlin requesting her presence in his study at her earliest convenience. The brevity of the message gave her no clue as to why. Was this the moment she had feared, then? Now that he’d had time to reflect upon her lies, had he decided to dismiss her from his employ?

She fervently hoped not.

Nonetheless, she welcomed the opportunity to talk. Having not seen the duke since the robbery, she needed to tell him what she’d learned about Lord Haviland. She also wanted to discuss Lord and Lady Norwood and to ask what might be done to protect Lady Sophy from their noxious influence.

Regrettably, Sophy was still exhibiting a degree of fretfulness after the visit of her grandparents. At bedtime, she fussed and clung to Tessa. It was past nine when the girl finally dropped off to sleep and Tessa was free to go to her bedchamber to spruce herself up for the meeting.

She had decided that if Carlin meant to sack her, she would not wear a frumpy high-necked gown that served well enough in the nursery. She would primp a little in case he could be swayed to change his mind. Deep down, Tessa knew it was also her attraction to him that influenced her to want to appear at her best. He was an admirable man whose good opinion had come to matter a great deal to her.

With that in mind, she donned her finest gown, a sky-blue muslin that she’d sewn the previous year to wear to the wedding of a friend. The dress might not have been costly by noble standards, but it was the only one in her sparse wardrobe that had the low-cut neckline and puff sleeves popular with ladies of the ton. And since there was no longer any need for concealment, she would leave off the fichu she usually wore to hide her delicate gold pendant.

You are a duke, and I am a governess. And it is no use pretending otherwise.

Despite her admonition to Carlin, Tessa felt a fizz of excitement while pinning her hair into a sleek chignon. It was nighttime, they would be alone, and perhaps he could be enticed into a little indiscretion. Though it was wrong to encourage a man who would never marry her, she could not repress an errant longing for him, no matter what the cost.

For the first time, Tessa had an inkling as to how a woman could set aside her principles and engage in forbidden acts with a man. She had a burning desire to feel Carlin’s hands on her body and his flesh pressed to hers. The dread of being asked to leave his house weighed heavily on her. If she might never see him again after tonight, she mustn’t pass up what could be her last chance to be clasped in his arms.

Would she really succumb if Carlin wanted more than just a kiss?

She draped a cream-colored shawl around her shoulders. There was only one way to find out.

Chapter 13

A short while later, Tessa paused in the partially open doorway and peeked into the study. Carlin was seated at his desk and hadn’t noticed her arrival. His attention was concentrated downward on a book that lay open on the mahogany surface. As was his habit when he was working, he had removed his coat and cravat. Clad in a white linen shirt, he peered through a magnifying glass at the page before him. The light from a branched candelabrum made his hair gleam as black as a raven’s wing.

The house was very quiet. Most of the servants, she knew, would have gone to bed by now. A veil of shadow draped the palatial proportions of the room, creating a cozy aura that was enhanced by the fire burning on the hearth. The scene looked like the perfect place for a romantic tryst.

Tessa drew a deep breath to calm her jittery heartbeat. There was still time for her to turn around and make a silent retreat. It would be wiser to present herself to the duke in the morning sunshine when there were others around to