Gift-Wrapped Governess Read Online Free PDF Page A

not of hers. Still, there were parts of her explanation that were missing and she had hit Bonnington hard.
    â€˜No, my lord, but I would like a job that allowed me the time to consider my options.’ She felt stronger already, more in charge, her more-familiar hopefulness reasserting itself at his calm and measured sense.
    When he smiled she felt her cheeks flush. Even with his ruined cheek he was easily the most beautiful man she had ever seen, the lines in his face angled to perfection. Thankfully, though, a movement outside the window caught her attention. Melusine approached the house along the drive, two pink ribbons tied to her tail and three small boys jostling behind her. As she came closer Seraphina saw she carried a bird in her mouth.
    Every motherly instinct surfaced and she was out of the room and away, hurrying to save the tiny prisoner before Melusine tired of it.
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    Trey watched her, running again and almost tripping on the hem of a gown that looked as though it had been made for a woman a good six inches taller than she was and at least two stone heavier.
    She was so damned alone, save for the mongrel dog with the crooked tail. That was it. And now it looked as though she was after another soul to rescue. Lord, there would be a whole menagerie of creatures at Blackhaven for Christmas, he thought, like some emptying of the Holy Ark at the very end of a bleak and frozen world. Despite meaning not to, he called to his man to bring a blanket and followed.
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    The shoes she wore allowed her little traction on the ice though she regained her balance as she almost lost it and pressed forwards, shouting instructions to the dog who seemed to have no mind to obey.
    She shouldn’t have come outside in these satin slippers Seraphina thought, as she met the noisy incoming group, because already her feet were freezing and she was sliding on the ice.
    â€˜Drop it,’ she said, her voice as gruff as she could make it, though her hound seemed to have no intention of obeying her. ‘Drop it,’ she said again, but Melusine simply ran the other way, the hysterical squawks of the bird egging the dog on. The boys tried to catch her, but missed as a flurry of snow from a nearby tree whitened the scene.
    â€˜Stop.’ Blackhaven’s order.
    For the first time ever the dog obeyed a command, sidling over to the voice of authority and laying the wet bird carefully at his feet.
    â€˜Good dog.’ The duke’s hand came down to pat Melusine’sears before he lifted the now-silent bird into his palm, his sons picking themselves up and gathering around him to look.
    â€˜Melusine jumped into the pond, Papa. I think she was saving the bird because it was caught in the middle of the ice.’
    â€˜There were no others there, either.’ The youngest child joined in David’s story. ‘And it was shivering and cold, like it is now.’
    â€˜It…is…scared—’ Terence had his own interpretation of events ‘—because its mother…is dead.’
    Like his own, Seraphina thought, and saw the duke reach out to bring his second son closer, his hand curling around thin shoulders.
    â€˜We shall make certain then that she is fed when we are back inside,’ she said, ‘for all birds love mash, fruit and vegetables finely sliced. It is a known fact.’
    Four sets of identical eyes fastened on to her own at this imparted knowledge.
    â€˜Is she another girl, then?’ Gareth asked the question.
    â€˜I am not exactly certain.’
    The small bird struggled suddenly, then stood and spread its wings before flying up into the air and away. Heartfelt laughter rang around the bowers of pines and bare oak branches as they watched its flight, ungainly at first, but growing in competence with practice. Such mirth echoed the spirit of the season, amusement softened by the deep snow of December.
    Like a real family, happy at Christmas. Oh, how Seraphina wished it