Tempting the Governess

Tempting the Governess

By Vivienne Westlake

© 2014 Vivienne Westlake

Never fall in love with your employer. Any respectable governess knew the cardinal rule. Christine Aubrey prided herself on her devotion to her charges, never suspecting that one day a former pupil would tempt her to break every rule in the book.

Theodore Blake was a good boy who grew up into a responsible man. Shouldering the burden of raising his sister’s children and managing his older brother’s affairs, Teddy has always done the right thing. But when his former governess returns to Birchwood, all he can think about is how good it would be to be bad.

Other Titles

Wicked Liaisons Series

Lady Northam’s Wicked Surrender (Book 1)

The Lady’s Wicked Proposition (Book 1.5, short story)

Other books

A Marquess for Christmas

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Chapter One

August 23, 1814

Somerset, England

Imposing in his jet-black jacket and matching brocade waistcoat, her employer sat quietly behind the polished walnut table, making no move. His mahogany gaze fixed upon her, robbing her of breath.

Though the study was neat and uncluttered, with large windows that brightened the room and gave the feeling of a larger space, Christine Aubrey felt hemmed in.

Theodore Blake was far too close, his sharp gaze raking over every inch of her. At any other time, she might find his interest charming and welcome. Tonight, it reminded her of her position, reminded her that their roles were reversed.

She was no longer in command. Teddy ruled the house and she must answer to him as she once did his father. In her previous six years of employ at the Blake household, she’d never once seen Teddy’s father watch her the way Teddy regarded her now.

In ten years, everything had changed. The adolescent she once knew was gone. He’d grown a foot taller, his voice had deepened, and his gaze held a sharpness that could only come from experience. She’d never thought of him as anything but a pupil, but in the weeks since she’d come back to work at Birchwood, it became harder and harder to think of him in the same way.

And she thought of him far more than she should.

Miss Aubrey, I believe I made it clear that should you have any issues with my nephew, you were to inform me immediately. Teddy leaned forward, and Christine fixated fixed her gaze on the swirled pattern on his waistcoat rather than look into his eyes.

Did Charles come to your room yesterday, uninvited?

While she’d suspected that last night’s incident was the cause of today’s meeting, she hadn’t been sure.

Any hope of sparing young Charles from the rebuke of his uncle dissipated. The boy’s mischief was no longer a secret, and she realized she’d been presumptuous to assume that her activities last night had gone unnoticed by the servants.

Charles did enter my room, sir.

Until she was sure of what he knew, she would not divulge the full details. She’d already reprimanded the child and saw no reason to punish him further for his actions.

What did he leave in your bed? Or perhaps it was your shoe? Or maybe he put it in your dressing gown?

I found nothing in my shoe nor did I find anything in my dressing gown. Not yesterday, anyway.

You discovered something unpleasant in your bed. It was not a question.

Yes.

You seek to protect the lad, which is admirable, but he has exhibited this kind of behavior in the past. We have lost four maids and three governesses in the last six months due to Charles’ misbehavior.

Though he’d never expressly told her how many governesses had come before her, she’d discerned as much from talking with the chambermaid who cleaned her room.

Charles needed a firm hand, but he also needed to feel safe. She was not about to abandon him. Nor could she leave Teddy on his own. As much as he loved the children, he was a young man of only four-and-twenty and knew little about raising an infant and a precocious eight year old.

Christine had sixteen years of practice.

Please pardon me for neglecting to inform you of the child’s conduct. However, I assure you that I have already reprimanded the boy. He will have no treacle tarts this week and I assured him that he would spend an extra hour at arithmetic for the next three days. I doubt that he will attempt to put a toad in my bed again.

She chanced a glance up to Teddy’s face. His taut jaw softened and his lips, which had flattened into a thin line, now returned to their sensual shape. He smiled, and Christine felt the tension in her back ease. Her fingers released their tight grip from the sides of her calico dress. With a gentle rub, she tried to smooth out the creases in the sides of her slate gray gown, hoping he wouldn’t notice.

I trust your judgment, Miss Aubrey. I know how well you managed me in my youth and I suspect that you will handle Charles with a firm and loving hand. Just as you did me.

Thank you, sir.

A flush crept up her cheeks. It was not the first time that Teddy had complimented her, yet each time, she felt discomfited by the praise. She wondered if she would turn so pink if Mrs. Blake, Teddy’s mother, had paid such a compliment.

It had always been Teddy’s nature to be kind and gentle. To make more of his words was foolish. Yet when she looked up and felt his gaze linger, her heart fluttered within her breast.

With his brown hair, dark eyes and the black jacket he wore, she could not decide if Mr. Blake intended to look mysterious or somber. Handsome young men in their twenties often favored brighter colors like green, blue, red, and brown—at least during the daylight hours. Somehow, the black attire enhanced his features rather than diminished them.

I do hope you will be happy back at Birchwood. We are thrilled to have you back again. I must admit I was quite relieved when I saw your name amidst the stack of applications we received from the agency. I knew my niece and nephew would be in good hands.

Christine would do anything for Teddy. Though he had three other siblings, he’d always been her favorite pupil. It seemed fitting that she should now be in charge of his niece and nephew.

She had never gotten to see the woman Teresa had become, but from the looks of her beautiful children, she must have developed into a fine woman. Tragedy had struck six months ago, leaving Charles and Dulcinea in the care of their uncle.

I assure you, I will take utmost care with them and treat them as if they were my own children.

The children were the easiest part of her employment. With them, she was free. She was her own person, with her own thoughts, her own dreams, and she shared the joy of her imagination with them. The problems had always come from her employers.

* * *

Two Days Later

Please Miss Aubrey, may I work on my letters? Charles looked up at her, his blue eyes wide.

You have not finished your arithmetic lesson. Let us try this again. If I give you five pounds, how many shillings would you have?

The boy bowed his blond head and stared at the paper in front of him. He scribbled notes with his quill then looked up at her with a frown. Two hundred.

Try again, she said, picking up his baby sister, Dulcinea.

As Charles scribbled on his parchment, she carried the babe over to the window. Dulcie put her small, chubby hand on the paned glass window and smiled. Christine glanced down below to see two men out on the expanse of grass, circling one another, clad in nothing but their breeches.

That wasn’t…no, was that Teddy? Where on earth were his clothes? What gentleman went about in such a state? She had taught him to comport himself with grace and refinement.

Christine pressed her face to the glass to get a closer look. One of the men was stocky, with bulging arms and legs and the other man, tall and lean with dark hair, edged away from him. They danced around one another for a moment when suddenly the man with the bulky frame aimed a punch at the one who looked like Teddy.

Her heart dropped within her breast. When Teddy rubbed his cheek and the other man paused to demonstrate a particular movement, she exhaled. It was merely a practice match with his trainer.

She knew that many men favored the sport of Boxing, but she’d never had occasion to see it in practice.

Miss Aubrey! Charles called. I have the answer.

Tearing her gaze away from the window, Christine turned toward the boy, and bounced the baby on her arm. Though she wanted to steal another glance at Teddy and his trainer, she did not want to draw attention to the fact that she was watching them.

Tell me, how many shillings do you have?

Seventy!

Close, but not quite. How many shillings are there in a pound?

Seeing that Charles’ attention was still on the papers before him, Christine peered out the window again. Though it was unseemly and most unladylike to stare at her employer in a state of dishabille, Christine resumed watching the scene outside the window.

There are twenty shillings in a pound.

Good. Now, if I gave you twenty shillings—the equivalent of one pound—every day for five days, how many shillings would that be?

Charles dropped his head into his hands. More than I can count.

Let us go slower then. How many shillings are there in two pounds?

Forty!

Very good. Heaven help her, it was more than good.

Every muscle and sinew normally covered by his silk waistcoat, shirt, and jacket was exposed for her to see. He was a fine Italian sculpture brought to life. While she remained too far away to get a detailed view, one thing was quite clear to her mind. Theodore Blake had developed into a man. No longer could she think of him as the boy she’d raised or even as the employer who paid her salary.

He was exquisite.