The young girl straightened her spine as if she had been admonished and held her head high. “I am the youngest and only sister of Benedict Beaumont … That is Lord Sheffield.” She quickly corrected herself as if trying to make a good impression.
So, his name is Benedict Beaumont.
He seemed like less of a mysterious figure to her now that she knew his name. Her heart instantly warmed to the young girl who was desperately in need of some female guidance. “It’s a pleasure to meet you, Lady Theodora; as for the rest of your questions, I’m sure the two of us will have plenty of time to get to know one another.”
Livinia had wondered on the carriage ride why a sixteen-year-old girl was not yet out in Society, but she could now see that Lady Theodora was nowhere near being ready. Her mannerisms were unchecked and overly confident for her age.
“I am sorry if I came across as overbearing before, Miss Campbell. I have so longed for female companionship. I had to beg my brother … I mean His Lordship to find me a governess.” Theodora’s light green eyes softened a little as she simmered down.
“There is no need to apologize, Lady Theodora. You and I will become the greatest of friends,” she did her best to reassure the bright young girl who stood in stark contrast to the manor she inhabited.
A flicker of realization came over Theodora’s face as she headed towards the door. Her dark brown hair had been pinned to the back of her hair, and her figure was lithe, much like that of other girls her age. “That reminds me, I was supposed to be waiting for you along with Benedict in the study. He will be awfully furious when he hears that I disobeyed him.” She wasted no time in hurrying down the passage.
Livinia shook her head with a smile; time and diligence would help the girl refine some of her manners and learn the correct forms of address. She only hoped that the earl would be just as accepting of her presence.
***
The fire crackled in the grate, casting shadows across the darkly furnished room. Livinia swallowed hard as she stepped into the room, expecting confrontation. Her heart skipped a beat as she spotted the ruggedly handsome earl sitting in his chair beside the fire. The earl’s hair had been swept to the side in dark waves.
His jaw was just as defined and strong as she had seen from her window, but it was his eyes that drew her attention the most. Intense shades of green that were at least several shades darker than his sister’s stared back at her with scrutinizing malice.
“You are late,” he barked from his position in his chair when she continued to stare. His voice was deep and stern, caressing her ears and causing her heart to thrum.
“I beg your pardon, My Lord.” She curtsied respectfully and averted her gaze. “I didn’t know that a time was set in stone as I was not provided with one upon my arrival.” She held her own and lifted her gaze to meet his with fierce determination.
The man may have been an earl, but she wasn’t about to be bullied on her first day in a new position.
The earl’s eyes flashed menacingly as the corner of his mouth crooked up into the faintest of smiles. “I see. My sister informed me that she has already made your acquaintance. I trust you will correct her wayward behaviour in time. That is, after all, what I am paying you for.” He shifted in his chair before stroking the faint line of stubble along his jaw.
Livinia couldn’t help feeling a certain amount of attraction to the man. His presence commanded obedience and respect. She couldn’t help wondering how his younger sister had got away with disobeying him when he clearly placed a great deal of importance on his position.
Perhaps there is a softer side to him?
Her heart continued to thrum as her lips parted slightly, causing her chest to rise and fall in the flickering light of the fire. “I can assure you that I will carry out my duties to the best of my abilities, My Lord,” she reassured him confidently, feeling off-kilter in his presence.
“I have one rule to be obeyed above all others, Miss Campbell. You are not to interfere with my decisions regarding the household or my sister. You are to guide and teach while obeying me.” His eyes darkened slightly again as if he were issuing a challenge.
Why is he looking at me like that?
Livinia felt her skin tingling as his eyes swept over her body with a hungry gaze, devouring her curves until she felt a strange sensation in her core. “I can assure you that I will not do anything to jeopardize my position, My Lord,” she said, her voice coming out breathier than what she had intended it to.
The earl smirked as if he could sense the impact his presence was having on her. “Good, you will find I do not like repeating myself, Miss Campbell. Now tell me, how is it that you came to be a governess?” He shifted in his chair and rubbed his fingers against his thumb expectantly.
“I am afraid that my tale of woe isn’t one of great excitement, My Lord. My mother sadly lost her life while giving birth to me. I was raised by my father, who owned a bookstore in London.
He placed great importance on my education, but sadly, his business could not revert to me upon his death. I am a woman, and such things are not for us; the store and all the inheritance passed to a distant cousin who saw me as a burden rather than a relative.” She told her story swiftly with her hands clasped in front of her abdomen.
“You are the learned daughter of a bookseller from London who now spends her days teaching young ladies how to behave and make good wives. You sell yourself short, Miss Campbell. Your life is far more interesting than most.” His eyes flashed again as the corner of his mouth hooked into a lazy smile that left her feeling flustered.
Is he teasing or mocking me?
The pit of her stomach fluttered strangely in his presence as he continued to look at her with a wolfish grin. “Well, Miss Campbell, whatever your background, you will come to find the life at Sheffield Manor to be vastly different than what you are used to. If you keep to yourself and remember what I ask, there won’t be any problems.”
The way he said her name felt like a gentle caress on her ears. She wondered how it would sound if he used her given name instead of her surname. Biting her lips in an attempt to push back that heat quickly beginning to coarse through her body, Livinia curtsied politely just as Theodora came bounding into the room in an overly enthusiastic manner.
“As you can see, you have your work cut out for you, Miss Campbell.” The earl raised an eyebrow and held her gaze before pushing himself up from his chair. His height towered over her, and she found her gaze locked on the muscular form of his chest, visible even through the white cotton shirt.
“As I said before, My Lord, I am more than willing to take on the challenge.”
Chapter 4
Livinia looked out the study window, pulling her shawl tighter around her shoulders. The house was too cold for her liking, yet her new employer thought it wasteful to heat anything besides the bedrooms and evening parlour. She could see the sense in not being wasteful, but it only made her wonder why he chose to live in isolation as he did. Their meeting the night before had left her with a myriad of questions about the man.
Her heart fluttered slightly as she raised her hand to her throat. Lord Sheffield was coming across the yard, presumably on his way to the stables. His confident strides drew her attention as the strange sensation of curiosity and attraction again spread through her body. Benedict Beaumont was a strange man; there was no denying that.
“Do I have to learn all these things? Can’t we go out for a walk; I hear it’s good for the health,” Theodora whined, laying her head on the single desk that had been placed in the corner of the neat room for studying.
Livinia turned to her charge with a smile. Evidently, the young girl had been left unchecked for far too long. She craved her own ways and held little regard for being told what to do. Her forms of address when referring to others needed work, but they could work on that in time.
“We can go for a walk later when you’ve got through the second chapter. And to answer your question, if you aspire to find a good husband someday, you will need to brush up on your knowledge.” She walked across the room to the large mahogany desk in front of the barren fireplace.
Flopping her head to the side in a blatant display of boredom, Theodora rolled her eyes in an attempt to look at Livinia. “Of course, I would like to find a good husband. The sooner, the better; he can take me out of this dreary house and allow me to see the world.” She allowed her arm to flop over the edge of the desk as if she were dying.
She’s been bored for a very long time.
“And how do you suppose you will fare in the world when you don’t know the town you find yourself in or how to ask for directions in a foreign language?” Livinia placed her palms on the cool wood surface and gave the girl a pointed look.
Theodora sat up straight and chewed the inside of her cheek for a moment. “Can’t I just ask my husband to do all those things for me?” she finally shot back. “I thought men enjoyed it when women were helpless.”
