Kate Pearce - Educating Elizabeth

Mary jumped to her feet and clapped her hands. "Why not ask Mr. Gallion to join us? We could quiz him about the duke and my chances of marrying him."

After his soft-voiced response to her knock, Elizabeth entered Michael's room. To her relief, he was out of bed, sitting in a chair by the window, an open book on his covered knees. The room held little furniture and reminded her of a monk's cell, but it seemed to suit Michael's personality. He reminded her of the pictures of the archangel he had been named for--a warrior saint still fighting for his beliefs. After a swift glance around, she was relieved to see he had apparently been well cared in her absence.

She sank down beside Michael, rested her forehead against his useless legs and took one of his long-fingered hands into her own. He was only a year older than her and in her youth had been her constant companion and the reluctant recipient of all her girlish confidences. For a long while, she did nothing but lean against him and enjoy the peace that emanated from his calm presence.

He had not always been so peaceful. In the first year of his return from the battlefields of Europe, wounded and distraught, he had tried to end his own existence. It had been Elizabeth who forced him to live and forced him to adapt to his new life. She remembered their endless fights and her struggle to involve her disinterested mother in his care.

She drew in a deep breath and sat up to face him. His gray eyes held none of the silver glitter of the duke's. They were as deep and serene as the oldest stone or the thickest wolf pelt. He was too pale for Elizabeth's liking and too thin, but she had learned that there was little she could do to change that, given his current existence.

He smiled down at her and brushed a lock of hair away from her nose. "Where on earth have you been? I've heard such tales from the kitchen staff I've had difficulty sleeping."

Elizabeth squeezed his fingers and tried to sound unconcerned. "I wish I had something exciting to tell you, but I'm merely carrying out another of Mr. Forester's commandments. You know the one, 'thou shalt leave thy own house and go and pay off your stepfather's debts in another.'"

Michael's fingers tightened on hers. "I hear it is the house of the Duke of Diable Delamere, surely not a safe place for a young unmarried female." He paused, but she refused to meet his gaze. "Lizzie, he is a notorious gamester and womanizer. I'm concerned for your safety."

Elizabeth finally met his searching stare. "If I told you that the duke is more of a gentleman than our stepfather will ever be, will you stop worrying?"

"But what kind of work can he offer you? I fear for your reputation."

"What reputation?" Elizabeth came up on her knees and placed her hands on his, like a supplicant. "I'm not in any danger and I'm not being forced to do anything I don't wish to do." In this, at least she could give him the truth. "Indeed, I'm glad to be away from Mr. Forester and his tricks. Can you accept that and be happy for me?"

She raised her gaze to meet Michael's and saw her hesitation mirrored there. His cold dislike for Mr. Forester and his mother far exceeded her own.

"I wish my translation work paid well enough to keep us both." He shared Elizabeth's ability with languages. "Unfortunately the income is scarcely enough to clothe and feed me, let alone you, otherwise I would leave here and wish the Forester's in hell." He paused and shot Elizabeth an innocent look. "Of course it would help if you had the decency to eat like a bird."

Elizabeth ignored his teasing and rose to her feet. She wondered what Michael would think of her much-vaunted common sense if he could see how eagerly she kissed the duke.

"I came to talk about you, Michael. Do you remember we discussed finding you a full-time companion?"

Michael's lips twitched. "There is no need to worry about wounding my delicate sensibilities. You mean a nurse, not a companion."

Elizabeth reached into her reticule and passed the sheaf of papers she had shown her mother over to Michael. "I hope this man will prove to be both. His name is Jack Llewelyn and he left the army to take care of his commanding officer. The officer recently died and Sergeant Llewelyn is looking for a new position."

She waited anxiously as he leafed through the character references but he said nothing. She gathered her resolve and said briskly, "I've engaged him for a three month trial. If you find him satisfactory, we can extend the arrangement."

Michael lifted his head and regarded her evenly. "Of course, I'm grateful. I assume that our revered parents are not going to pay for this. So how are you intending to finance it?"

"I'm paying for it." She glared back at him and lifted her chin, prepared to do battle if necessary.

"Out of your wages from the Duke of Diable Delamere?" Michael crossed his arms over his chest and sat back, his keen eyes never leaving hers.

"Yes."

Michael cocked an eyebrow at her, the harsh beauty of his face at odds with his unconvinced expression. "Well, I hope that whatever it is you are doing to earn these wages sits well on your conscience. I would hate to have to call out the Duke of Diable Delamere to avenge your honor."

"Don't be ridiculous, Michael."

He laughed along with her but Elizabeth knew that he wouldn't hesitate to confront the duke if he thought something was wrong. She couldn't bear the thought of such an unequal competition. As she stared at her brother she made herself a promise that she would do everything in her power to keep the two men apart.

Elizabeth sat down to dinner in the duke's superbly decorated dining room with Sir John and Nicholas Gallion. As she contemplated the gray silk wall hangings and embroidered silver curtains, she wondered if the duke had deliberately chosen the décor to compliment himself. It took her only a moment to decide that he had.

To her secret relief, Nicholas had asked after her family and then not pursued the subject when she failed to confide in him. With some of her anxieties behind her, she had resolved to ask the duke if she might dispense with Nicholas's unnecessary attendance on her. She was sure he had better things to do.

"Mrs. Waterstone, you seem a little distracted this evening. Are you unwell? Do you wish me to call your maid?"

Sir John's harsh voice permeated her musings. She looked up at him with a guilty start and realized her fork was poised over her plate in mid air.

"I'm sorry, Sir John, my mind was off woolgathering. Did you ask me something?"

"I was just inquiring as to your state of health. You seem a little distracted."

Elizabeth put down her fork. "You mean that for once I was not eating, and you thought there must be something seriously wrong with me."

Nicholas burst out laughing. "I fear that you are right, Mrs. Waterstone. I believe Sir John admires a woman with a prodigious appetite."

The glance Sir John flung at Nicholas was far from friendly as he turned back to Elizabeth. "I meant no such thing, ma'am," he said stiffly. "I was merely concerned. You lack your usual sparkle."

Elizabeth paused and stared at Sir John's flushed face. He thought she had sparkle? They had dined together on several occasions since their first inauspicious meeting and had come to understand each other rather too well. Sir John would never shine beside the duke but he was a worthy, earnest man with a passion for his work that Elizabeth applauded even if she couldn't warm to him.

"I hesitate to confess it, Sir John," Elizabeth gave an apologetic shrug, "But I was thinking about my family."

"Is there anything wrong? Nicholas told me that everything went well this afternoon."

Elizabeth cast a sharp glance at Nicholas who winked at her. Why was Sir John concerned about her whereabouts and why was Nicholas duty-bound to tell him? For a moment her suspicions flared and then she remembered her new position. Sir John was probably anxious about her safety because of her value as a code breaker. He could scarce be interested in her interactions with her family.

"Nicholas was correct. I was merely reviewing some long-standing family problems." She managed a small laugh. "I'm sure that every family has its share of worries and mine is no exception."

The expression on Michael's face as she had left still haunted her. They were so close that somehow he had sensed she had not been completely honest with him. She knew him well enough to realize that he wouldn't cease nagging her until he had extracted the truth. She would have to be very careful.

Nicholas spoke and Elizabeth gladly took up the topic of his family and the problems of being raised with five sisters until it was time to retire.

Elizabeth studied her tired reflection in her dressing table mirror. She had survived her first encounter with her parents and siblings and knew it could only get easier. The little girl in her wanted to run away and delight in her new-found freedom but hard-won maturity told her that she was still needed. She slowly pulled out the pins that held her hair tightly to her head and massaged her skull with her fingertips.

There was a gentle tap on her door. Before she could answer, Jacques, the duke's valet, slid into the room, his expression one of freezing disapproval. He gave her a dignified bow and refused to meet her eyes.

"His Grace would like to see you in his bed chamber, Mrs. Waterstone."