A Governess for the Brooding Duke(34)

Georgette was more convinced than ever that Lady Lyndon had been the woman in the drawing room who had, rather forcibly, made her feelings known. In truth, it made Georgette feel rather warmly towards her, and she was impressed that she could see what her nephew truly was and, furthermore, that she had no compunction in raising the matter.



Of course, it was clear that the woman could say and do no more whilst they were in church, and Georgette rather thought that the Duke had taken great advantage of such a thing. In all honesty, she did not think that she would ever look upon anything the Duke ever did without the taint of her own low feeling towards him. Whatever move he made in future, Georgette would always see it as wrong. Not only that, but she silently vowed never to make an apology for it in her own mind.



Without a thought of what the Duke might think, Georgette placed a hand on Ffion’s back and gently began to rub her.



“Have you got a handkerchief, Ffion?” Georgette asked in a most gentle tone.



As the little girl mournfully shook her head, Georgette smiled and produced a crisp white handkerchief which she had tucked into the long sleeve of her spencer jacket.



“Here, dry your eyes,” Georgette spoke in a determinedly loving tone, not only for Ffion’s benefit, but for that of the Duke himself.



In silent response, she could almost sense him tensing a little beside her. If only they were not side by side, her actions might not be accompanied by little feelings of fear.



When Georgette looked sideways towards Lady Lyndon, she could see a most curious look on the older woman’s face. For a moment, Georgette simply thought it a look of plain interest. However, when Lady Lyndon’s eyes held her own for a moment, she rather thought it was a look of admiration. Perhaps Georgette’s instincts had been true, and she really would have an ally in the lady after all.



In truth, it was rather a relief to Georgette when the sycophantic Reverend finally made his way to the pulpit and opened the service. It would undoubtedly go some way to diffusing the tension which seemed to have the curious little party in the front pew held so tightly within its grasp.



Throughout the sermon, Georgette kept a close watch on the children, holding on to Ffion’s little hand and making eye contact with Eleri and smiling whenever she could. In future, she would be sure to see that she had a child on either side of her. If church on Sunday were set to be something the girls feared rather than enjoyed as they ought to, then Georgette would see to it that she was in a position to provide physical comfort to them both. As timid and sensitive as Ffion was, Eleri was still a tiny child who no doubt held her own fears at bay whilst she watched over her sister. Georgette would do everything in her power to give each of the girls exactly what they needed.



As they sung the hymns, Ffion opening and closing her mouth in some confusion and holding her hymn book upside down, Georgette felt her heart open ever more to the girls.



Quite why two little girls who could not yet read had been handed hymn books was entirely beyond her, and she rather thought she would take the image of Ffion looking at upside down words to her grave, so touching was it.



By the time they were singing the third hymn, Georgette had found herself to have relaxed a good deal. Ffion seemed greatly recovered, and it had gone some way to soothing her own sensitivities. Still, she would never forgive the Duke for his manner if she lived into her hundredth year.



As they sang, Georgette became aware of being looked at from across the church. Standing sideways on to the Duke, she allowed her gaze to drift to her right a little in search of the observer.



Peering out from beneath the great brim of her blue bonnet, Georgette could see a woman in the opposite pew making a great study of them all. Whilst her eyes seemed now fixed upon the Duke himself, Georgette could not escape the feeling that they had, initially, been fixed upon Georgette herself. She was absolutely sure of it.



The woman was just a little older than Georgette herself at, perhaps, three and twenty years. Although Georgette could not study her too closely from across the church, she rather thought the woman to be extremely beautiful. She had a thick mane of pale blonde hair which had been curled to perfection. As Georgette silently regarded her, the woman did not shift her gaze from the Duke at all. She seemed hardly to be singing, so distracted was she.



There seemed little doubt to Georgette that the young woman was really rather interested in the Duke; quite likely in a romantic capacity. Quite how anybody could be attracted to such a man was entirely beyond her. If the young woman had seen how he had cruelly disheartened so small a child, would she look at him with so much longing in her countenance? Surely not.