Chapter Twelve #2
He could no longer trust his judgement when it came to women and he would do well to remember Cecily and his initial burst of feelings towards her.
The thought of his late wife and her betrayal cooled his veins.
His initial passion and attraction towards her had set him in motion to where he was now and he needed to temper whatever emotion and impulses he felt for his new governess and focus on the task at hand.
Miss Potts turned and faced him again and offered a timid smile, which he returned briefly before chastising himself.
Stop it.
While he needed to pretend to care for her for the sake of the ton, he couldn’t really care for this woman.
He’d trusted with all his heart before and it had destroyed him and hurt his daughter.
But she, Hattie Potts, and the delicate open way about her, as soft as a flower in spring opening to the sun, threatened to pull him in and he couldn’t risk such distraction…
or the disappointment when the moment passed.
And he was sure it would. It was better to remain detached and to prepare oneself for whatever might complicate his life next as the last few years had been one complication followed by the next without relief in sight.
‘Cousin, if you keep frowning at your betrothed, no one will dare believe this speedy attachment of yours,’ Daphne called out as she continued playing. He glanced up to find her studying him, a deep V forming in her brow.
Had he been frowning? He glanced down at Miss Potts and smiled before casting a glance over her shoulder to his cousin. Evidently his need to cool his feelings had set him to scowling.
‘Much better. Now you merely need to have fun,’ she added with a wink before looking back to the sheet music before her.
‘Yes, Cousin,’ he replied in a droll tone. Miss Potts cracked a smile.
‘What?’ he asked.
‘I enjoy your banter with your cousin, Your Grace. It reminds me of home.’
‘Oh? How so?’ he asked as he carefully guided her in a twirl. ‘You are improving,’ he said as she easily navigated the turn and the steps coming out of it.
‘Thank you. My dear friends Trudy and Ophelia are always teasing one another and sometimes I would just sit and listen to them or join in the fun. It is wonderful that you have each other to lean on.’
He cast a look at Daphne and nodded before meeting Miss Potts’s gaze. ‘It is. We have been through a great deal together as we lost our spouses within a month of one another.’
‘I am so sorry to hear of your combined losses, but it is wonderful you had each other to weather it.’ Her soft brown eyes held so much compassion and sympathy, so much care. He wondered how she managed.
The music came to an end and he released her. He bowed deeply to her and she matched it with a curtsy of her own.
Clapping sounded from the doorway and William turned to see his daughter and her nurse watching.
At first, he faltered, worried about what his daughter would think or feel.
She smiled and clapped before running over to him for a hug.
He scooped her up in his arms and swung her about as if they were dancing.
She giggled and the sound warmed him down to his toes.
This was the happiness he wished for her… always.
‘Are you excited about this weekend’s ball, my sweet?’ he asked as he held her in his arms.
She pressed her nose to his own, their own special greeting with one another, and nodded with another giggle.
‘I am pleased to hear it,’ he said. ‘Your aunt and Miss Potts will be joining us as well. What do you think of that?’
She smiled and played with his cravat.
‘And I shall be dressing up that evening,’ Miss Potts began, looking at him with meaning.
‘Ah, yes, yes! I almost forgot. I will be escorting Miss Potts and we will be playing dress up like you do sometimes.’
Millie’s eyes widened and she clapped her hands together.
‘I will be Lady Penelope Denning,’ Miss Potts added, lifting her head and body up tall, ‘and I will be dressed like a princess, or in this case, Cinderella.’
‘Hmm,’ His Grace added. ‘I do not think she knows the story of Cinderella. Shall I read it to you tonight before bed?’ he asked Millie.
She nodded and wriggled out of his hold. She rushed over to Miss Potts and tugged her hand.
Hattie beamed at the little girl, stooping down. ‘Speaking of reading, Your Grace. I believe it is time for our afternoon stories. May we end our session a bit early?’
‘Perhaps Millie could stay with us as we review the curtsy and practise fan etiquette,’ Daphne offered, walking over to them. ‘As the daughter of a duke, Lady Millie must learn such things as well.’
‘Fair point, Daphne. What say you to practising your curtsies?’ William asked Millie.
She nodded and smiled.
‘Curtsies it is,’ he said.
Miss Potts groaned. He chuckled. ‘It is not so bad, Miss Potts. I promise.’
She lifted her brow. ‘Fan etiquette?’ she asked.
‘Yes,’ Daphne answered, dropping her voice. ‘You would be surprised what trouble you can get yourself into by sending the wrong message.’
‘Like what?’ Miss Potts asked.
Daphne spread out her fan with a flourish, opening it fully, and fluttered it to cover her face except for her eyes.
‘That means “follow me”,’ William offered.
Daphne tilted the open fan to cover only one of her eyes and fluttered it again.
‘I am engaged,’ he supplied.
Miss Potts’s gaze widened. ‘That’s what those mean? I had no idea.’
‘Do you use a fan often?’ Daphne asked.
‘Never,’ she replied, a furrow creasing her forehead. ‘Perhaps a good thing. Who knows what I would have been telling people?’
Daphne chuckled and handed her and Millie a fan of their own. Millie struggled to open it at first, but then squealed in delight as it slid open in her small hand, which gripped it fiercely.
Miss Potts opened hers in a small ‘v’ and peered over it at him.
‘Do you love me?’ he blurted out.
Her face flushed and she froze. ‘Your Grace?’ she asked in confusion.
It was then he realised his error. It was his turn to feel his face flush with heat. He cleared his throat and stammered out. ‘My apologies. I did not mean…’ He paused and began again. ‘What you are doing now with your fan,’ he gestured, ‘it means “do you love me”, Miss Potts.’
Daphne giggled behind him and Millie joined in. He shot them a glance of annoyance.
Miss Potts had the good humour to join in the laugh as well. She snapped her fan closed. ‘Oh, my. Indeed, this is a weapon, is it not?’ She held the closed fan down by her side.
‘More than you know, Hattie. And here I was beginning to think this ruse was affecting you, Cousin.’ She gave him a wink.
‘Not yet,’ he answered, forcing a smile.
Millie tugged on Hattie’s hand again. She smiled down at his daughter. ‘I believe I can no longer postpone our afternoon stories. Can the curtsy practising wait until tomorrow?’ she asked.
‘Of course,’ he replied, eager to wrap up the awkward exchange. ‘Keep practising though, Miss Potts.’
She chuckled. ‘Of course. I will be perfection with my steps and be wary of my fan on Saturday…’ she paused ‘…just as Lady Penelope would be.’
And as he watched her walk out, swinging arms with his daughter, the pit in William’s stomach grew. If this Saturday’s ball didn’t go well, they all had a great deal to lose. He just wasn’t sure who would lose the most.