Chapter 5
CHAPTER FIVE
“Hugh, are you listening to me?” Yvette asked politely.
“Yes,” said a little too quickly.
“All right.” Yvette looked at Hugh. “Tell me what I just said.”
Hugh’s eyes widened with fear. “I… you said… it wa – was about…” He swallowed and started to sweat. “Th – that thing abo – about… about… the book we were reading…”
Yvette immediately regretted asking the question.
She had not meant to put Hugh on the spot like she had, and she had certainly not meant to scare him.
But she had also been able to tell quite clearly that he was not paying her any attention…
although she doubted it had anything to do with her personally.
He is as confused as he is unsure, as he is terrified about his new life. I need to remember that this is all new for him, and he can’t be expected to suddenly transform into the perfect son and student. I certainly wouldn’t be able to.
It was the day following Yvette’s arrival at Pembourne Manor, and as was expected of her, Yvette was giving Hugh his very first lesson.
They were together in the reading room, Hugh behind a small desk, Yvette standing at the front of the room, a book open in her hands that she had been reading from.
The book was a novella intended for children even younger than Hugh.
The prose was simple, the story was easy to follow, and she had chosen it to get an idea of how educated Hugh was.
She was assured that he could read and write, that he had an education, which meant he would not be behind for someone of his age.
But she wished to determine this for herself.
How is it possible that he can read and write? Who was teaching him? So many questions, and nobody willing to give me answers.
“Let us start again.” Yvette closed the book. “Hugh, can you read?”
Hugh’s cheeks colored, and he looked away. “Yes.”
“And you can write? You know your letters?”
“I do.”
“So, this story…” She indicated the book in her hand, which matched the one open on the desk before him. “It is not a struggle for you to follow?”
“No,” he said in a whisper, still not looking at her.
“Ah, so you’re bored,” she said with a cheeky smile. “You wish for something more complex.”
His head snapped up, and his blue eyes were wide again. “No! I mean…” He grimaced and looked away once more. “I just… I don’t know… why am I doing this? I don’t… I don’t want to.”
Yvette watched Hugh closely, noting the way he fidgeted, how his eyes looked everywhere but at the book he was supposed to be reading, and how full of energy he was.
No doubt he’d spent his life doing whatever he wanted, whenever he wished it, and the idea of spending all day cooped up indoors was anathema to his very existence.
Yvette blamed herself for not seeing the problem.
It was easy to forget that Hugh was raised on the street… or so she assumed. Now that his hair was trimmed, his skin was scrubbed clean, and his clothes were sharp and pressed, he looked like a lordling in every respect. He also looked extremely uncomfortable.
“You don’t wish to learn?” she asked him.
“Not really,” he said.
She laughed. “But you have been taught before, yes? You said that you can read and write. Who taught you?”
Hugh grimaced. “My mother…”
Yvette frowned and leaned back, and then she very nearly asked who his mother was.
The only thing that stopped her was the look in Hugh’s eyes, the sadness that was clear behind them, and the way his posture withdrew at the mere mention of her.
There was pain there, and Yvette did not think it was worth reliving.
She exhaled deeply, a new plan coming to mind.
This was Yvette’s first day as well as Hugh’s, and she was still learning, just as he was.
More than that, if she were to be a good teacher to him, he would need to trust her.
She thought of her father’s congregation, how he would tell her that half the job was gaining the trust of the people who came to see him – nobody wanted to be preached to by someone whom they did not trust.
It is the same with education. Why should Hugh listen to me when he doesn’t trust me? Likely, he thinks this is all some trick or trap, and that I am a part of it. Which I can’t very well blame him for.
“That’s it, up you get,” Yvette commanded.
Hugh balked. “Wh – what?”
“Stand up,” she repeated. “Clearly, you aren’t in the mood to be taught today, and I am not going to force you.”
She saw how confused he was and how worried. Typically, this saw the return of his stutter also. “But – but – but –”
“What?” She cocked an eyebrow at him. “Do you want to continue? We can stay here all day, if you like.”
“No…” He spoke slowly as he studied her, searching for the lie that he assumed was next to come. “I… I don’t want… I don’t want to stay here all day.”
“As I thought.” She smirked. “Which is why I have a new idea, one you are sure to love. Would you like to hear it?”
“Yes…”
She rolled her eyes at how hesitant he was. “It is a lovely day outside, yes? Too lovely to spend indoors. So, for your first day of lessons, I think we would do well to go outside and take advantage of the weather. Perhaps play a game or two.”
“A game?” He perked up. “What game?”
In answer to that, Yvette flashed Hugh a wicked grin of mischief.
It was only a few minutes later that she and Hugh walked into the back garden of the manor.
Like the rest of the home, it was utterly gorgeous with its colorful flower beds, verdant grass lawns, and intricately styled hedges used to frame the garden’s edges.
At the exact center was a large fountain made of marble, and that was where Yvette led Hugh.
“Now.” She clapped her hands together and beamed. “What’s say we play a game of hide and seek?”
Hugh could hardly contain his surprise. “Truly?”
“Why not?” she shrugged. “I have not played in years, and something tells me that you are a bit of an expert.”
“I… might be…”
“Time to prove it then.” She raised an eyebrow at him.
“You can hide first, and I will seek you. The rules are that you cannot leave the garden. And if it takes me longer than ten minutes to find you…” She bit into her lip and considered what the prize would be.
“Then we will sneak into the kitchens and steal ourselves a treat.”
Hugh’s smile grew. “What if you do find me?”
“Then it’s my turn to hide, of course.”
What brought Yvette the most joy was seeing how excited Hugh became. All morning, he had been a bundle of nerves, even depressed, as if his world was ending and he had no idea how to stop it. And had they stayed indoors and continued in their lessons, she had no doubt it would have gotten worse.
Finally, he was starting to look comfortable, and Yvette had no doubt that a day of games would be enough to see the boy relax so that come tomorrow, they could start their lessons for real. All he needed was to trust her…
“Go on then.” She waved him away. “I will count to one hundred.”
“Wait!” he cried out and jumped on the spot before sprinting through the garden. “No looking!”
She laughed as she covered her eyes and began to count…
When she reached one hundred, she dropped her hands and spun about. “Ready or not, here I –” Her words died in her throat.
Standing just down from her, arms folded, a look of pure vengeance on his scared face, was the Duke. His eyes were narrowed, his lips were pressed tight, and even the sun in the sky seemed to dim and then dart behind a cloud as if it too was trying to hide.
“What is this?” the Duke asked coldly.
“Your Grace!” Yvette cried out in surprise. “I did not see you there.”
“Hard to do when your eyes are covered.” He walked toward her, each step taken with such force that the ground shook beneath him.
“I… I…”
The Duke reached where she was standing, and, if it not for the fountain right behind her, Yvette would have taken a step back…
likely a couple. He was just so much bigger than she remembered, so much more powerful and commanding.
With those broad shoulders and that thick neck, he blotted out the world so that she had nowhere to run.
And he bore down on her like a mountain.
“Remind me, Miss Norleigh, why you are here.”
She swallowed. “You asked me to act as a governess for... for Hugh.”
“Tell me then, how is playing games achieving this aim?”
“Yes, well… I can see how it might look odd…” She started to sweat and tremble. And when she tried to meet his eyes, she balked, even winced, because there was a fire behind them so hot that it burned. “But I assure you that it is with purpose.”
“Enlighten me.”
He folded his arms as he bore over her. Whether he meant to scare her or not, Yvette could not say, but the effect was exactly that. He stood less than two feet away, he fixed her in his cruel gaze, and Yvette tried to look away but was captivated and held steady by those dark blue eyes.
She was not used to feeling this way. Most of the men she dealt with were farmers, common folk, and they all looked up to her father, and her by extension.
They were not men of power; they were not used to being obeyed in everything, and they certainly were not the type who expected to get their way no matter what.
“It’s about trust,” she stammered.
“Meaning?”
“Well… I… earlier, we were studying, and I noticed… Hugh was struggling to concentrate and… and…” Yvette’s tongue felt thick in her mouth, and it was all she could do to string two words together.
He was just so intimidating! The way he stood there, as still as a statue. The way he glowered. And the scar on his right cheek! Yvette had never felt so powerless before, and she hated the fact.
She tried to remind herself of what Lucinda had told her earlier.
She tried to search the Duke for his softer side, the kindness that she was promised would be there.
But in that moment, all she saw was the same cold, dispassionate man who had abandoned his son, who now demanded the world from him, and who acted as if everyone else was to blame.
“Miss Norleigh!” Hugh’s voice cried from somewhere in the garden. “You’re not looking!”
Yvette’s eyes widened, and she spun about at the sound of Hugh’s voice. She did so quickly, without thought, and with the Duke so close, she stumbled and then tripped on her own feet.
Her body spun, she gasped when she saw the fountain open before her, and she cried out and threw up her hands as she braced for her body to plunge into the cool water.
Something firm and solid wrapped around her body.
Something powerful and strong lifted her in the air.
And something confident and forceful, filled with command, placed her back on her feet, all in the space of a single breath.
Yvette’s eyes were still wide, her breath was held, and she stood stiff and frozen as she registered the Duke’s arm around her waist. He held her body close to his, a vice grip that she could not break.
She looked up and met his eyes, and for the first time ever, it was not fear or trepidation that she felt.
In fact… from the way that her heart raced… from how warm her body suddenly turned… and from how heavy her breathing was… fear was the exact opposite of what she felt.
Oh no…
The Duke continued to hold her. He continued to look down at her. As much as Yvette wanted to push him back, to look away, to hide from embarrassment, she was trapped by his eyes, just as she felt strangely comfortable, even safe in his arms.
He held her for a second longer than he needed to, the world around them vanished, and they were so close that she could feel his heart thundering against her own. She could even smell his musk so that her knees trembled…
That was when her eyes strayed to the scar on his cheek and the one she could see rising from his neck.
“Careful,” he said deeply, almost a growl. “We would not want you hurting yourself on your first day.”
“I… I… thank you.”
He exhaled sharply from his nose and released her.
Yvette gasped and took a deep breath, stumbled again, struggling to collect her thoughts as her mind whirred and her cheeks reddened. She dared to glance at his scars again and then looked away with embarrassment but could feel the Duke watching her the whole while.
Did he feel that? Was there anything to feel? Or am I imagining things…
“You are to see me this afternoon,” he said, his voice cold again. “In my office, once your lessons are finished for today.”
“See you?” her voice cracked. “Wh – why?”
The side of his lip twitched. “To discuss my son, and why you are intent on wasting both his time and my own.” And then, without another word, he turned and strode from the garden.
Yvette stayed right where she was, watching the Duke go, trying and failing to recollect her thoughts and gain control of her body.
For all her preconceived notions of the Duke, how she felt about him versus how she wanted to feel about him, she questioned now if she had been wrong. About everything.
More than that, she wondered if this was such a good thing.
.