“What about Mrs. Radcliffe?”
Yes, a governess who might fancy his older brother sweeping her off her feet and into his bed. He grimaced at that image. The governess was a thorny issue indeed. She would disapprove of the party he had planned, but she also needed to be diverted from any interest she might have in Nash. Jasper was just the man to make her see how ill-suited she was to remaining in their society. Nash, too, would need a similar diversion, but that was the duke’s problem to deal with while they were away. If Nash was lonely, the duke would steer some equally lonely widow or bored wife into his bed and absolve him of any guilt over it later. Anything to avoid a scandal involving a governess.
Until now, Jasper had actually believed his brother was incapable of infidelity. But with a governess always under his nose, encouraging him to visit the nursery at night, there was only so long Nash might resist his misplaced lust.
“I’ll deal with the governess later,” Jasper promised. Although the butler appeared worried, Jasper offered him a reassuring smile as Cook bustled up to them wearing a ridiculously ugly bonnet.
Jasper liked Mrs. Derry, and she liked him. “Are you sure you don’t want me to stay?”
Although he would miss her cooking, he’d rather not have her remain. “Derry, do you think the duke will offer this boon again? Once he marries, these decisions will be out of his hands, and who knows what the new duchess will do with you all.”
She frowned.
“Duchess’ have replaced entire household staff on a whim,” he warned, watching as the cook and others standing near grew pale. “My mother did several times in her life. Yes, indeed. We’ll all be dancing to a different tune when the next duchess is installed at Ravenswood. Even me. Best we make the most of it.”
Jasper certainly would. He suspected he would be elsewhere a great deal when the new duchess was installed in Ravenswood Palace. The only reason to remain in close proximity to a married elder brother was the money he’d invested in the estate’s future and the family. Once that was repaid, he’d slip away back to London where he belonged.
He glanced around impatiently. It was imperative to get any respectable servants away today. Only then could he begin preparations for the party. A great many changes—removals—needed to be made before the palace was fit for his guests. Precious items must be locked away; private rooms, like the duke’s chambers and study, covered up and locked as planned.
Once that was set in motion, he would decide what to do with the governess. Which reminded him that there was a bowl to be found somewhere out there in the vast garden and returned to the set as well. He wondered who she’d been thinking of. He’d been able to see her expression as she’d released the bowl, and he was reluctantly impressed.
From that one look on her face, Jasper concluded that there was someone in the world Sophie Radcliffe hated. It shouldn’t have anything to do with him. Jasper had only lashed her with a dozen subtle and not-so-subtle insults over the past months. He was curious to know who in her past had ever done her so wrong.
Could that information be used to make her quit her employment before Nash returned? Or at the very least, sour Nash’s interest in her later? Only time would tell.
Chapter Four
A pair of tiny hands covered Sophie’s eyes and a young boy giggled in her ear. “Guess who?”
Sophie acted as if she’d been surprised by her youngest charge, Liam, sneaking up on her, but she’d heard him tiptoeing across the hardwood floor, as he had every morning for months. “Is it the butler?”
“No,” the child of four protested.
She slapped her hands over his tiny ones where they rested on her face and held them there. “Is it the boot boy?”
“No! It’s me, silly,” the boy said, wrenching his hands from under hers and then dropping into her lap. The boy did that every morning, too.
Sophie gathered him up in a hug. “Oh, it is Liam! I never would have guessed.”
“I tricked you again!”
“You did indeed. Good morning, young man. How are you today?”
“I am well indeed, thank you,” he promised, switching from playful to solemn in an instant and reminding her of his father. He’d been quiet, unusually so, when she’d first arrived at the estate to be his governess. She never wanted his playfulness to disappear.
Sophie tickled him under the arms, which made him laugh and squirm to get off her lap, and she set him on his feet with a fond smile. “Where might your brother Thomas be?”
“He is watching Papa.”
“Oh, is he now,” Sophie said, and grinned. Seven-year-old Thomas Sweet was an independent, inquisitive young man. He often rose early, usually asked permission before setting off to explore the grand Ravenswood Palace, but he only ever ventured to the limits of their domain, mostly in search of a glimpse of his always-busy Papa. “Well, why don’t we see if we can find him? It’s almost time for your breakfast and lessons begin soon after.”
Lord Nash was like most fathers she’d ever met. He claimed he wanted the best for his sons, yet he kept himself at arm’s length from them. Lord Nash met with them but once a week, unless she could engineer other encounters between them. Of course, now that she knew what Mrs. Crawford feared to be happening between them, Sophie should not encourage her employer at all.
She caught Liam’s hand in hers, and they went in search of Thomas together. Liam was silent as he drew her toward the front of Ravenswood Palace, to the windows that looked over the front drive.
Thomas had his nose pressed to the window glass, looking out at the gravel drive below and gardens beyond. “Uncle Stratford has gone away with his new wife,” Thomas told them without turning. “But Uncle’s carriage is now in its place.”
Sophie joined him and looked out. The duke’s gleaming traveling carriage and team of six fine black horses with liveried grooms stood about in wait for a journey of some kind. She drew back from the windows, confused. She’d heard nothing of Ravenswood planning to visit anyone last night. They were all to leave the estate for a house party at the end of the week. She’d not told the children that yet. She’d planned to surprise them with the news the night before.
Liam tugged on her sleeve. “Are you sad Papa is going away too, Radcliffe?”
“I’m sure it’s nothing like that,” she promised. “I’m sure he’s simply seeing the duke off or making an early-morning call to one of the neighboring properties.”
But her heart sank a little as she watched the activity below continue and many trunks were loaded. The duke must be going, but was Lord Nash too?
She pressed her lips together tightly, hoping that was not the case. The boys always got a little down in the dumps when they were left behind.
She drew the boys against her side as their father and the duke stood below on the stairs, talking. Sophie kept out of sight, but the boys had no hesitation to peer down at their elders. There seemed some rush about this early-morning jaunt, but only the duke looked up to the palace facade as Lord Nash disappeared inside the waiting conveyance—and then the duke followed, his greatcoat swirling about his legs.
Lord Jasper remained behind on the steps to wave them goodbye. The children leaned a little harder against her as the carriage took off and started its slow turn before it picked up speed. “Where is Papa going?”