The Governess Was Wanton Read Online Free PDF

Eleanora. It’s what I was engaged to do, and I’ll do everything I can to ensure that I’m able to perform my duties.”
    The tension in the room pressed up against the walls, threatening to suffocate all four of them. She felt every pump of blood through her veins and the tightness of her taut shoulders under the close-cut fabric of her bodice.
    Lady Laughlin finally gave a little hiccup of a laugh. “Miss Woodward, you’re so ferocious I do believe I shall have to watch you at every turn.”
    The unmistakable warning confirmed Mary’s earlier suspicion. If anything was making Lady Eleanora shy and retiring, it was being forced to be around this woman.

Chapter Three
    Asten had only just stepped through the door after an early committee meeting when Warthing informed him that Lady Laughlin and her daughters were in the blue drawing room. He’d handed over his hat, gloves, and stick with a sigh and mounted the stairs, knowing he must be polite even if all he wanted was to settle down to his luncheon.
    When he walked into the drawing room, however, he stopped short. Something was very off. Miss Woodward was standing, looking down at Lady Laughlin, who sat on the sofa like it was a throne. The former had her usual pleasant smile on her face. The latter looked as though she could kill with her gaze.
    Miss Woodward had been in his home for less than twenty-four hours. That couldn’t be enough time for a tiff.
    It was long enough for Lucinda to pick a fight.
    He shook off the memory of his late wife and forced as much joviality as he could into his voice. “What a lovely surprise. I had hoped that Miss Woodward would make your acquaintance soon, Lady Laughlin. Hello, Miss Laughlin, Miss Cordelia.”
    The young ladies dipped into pretty curtsies and Lady Laughlin turned her sunbeam smile on him, but Miss Woodward’s was far more forced. It didn’t warm her eyes.
    â€œWhere’s Eleanora?” he asked, glancing around.
    â€œA headache, my lord,” said Miss Laughlin quickly. “She just left.”
    Lady Laughlin shot him a knowing smile. “Miss Woodward must have overworked her on their first day together. Governesses can become so overambitious when they feel the need to impress.”
    â€œI’m happy to see that you’re taking her studies seriously, Miss Woodward,” he said.
    â€œYour daughter’s education is of the utmost importance to me, sir,” she said, keeping her attention on Lady Laughlin.
    â€œBut we mustn’t forget her social education,” said the baroness. “The art of making and receiving calls is one of the fundamentals of good manners every lady must perfect.”
    Asten looked from woman to woman, feeling a bit like an unsuspecting fly caught in a spider’s web. He just didn’t know why.
    â€œI’ve detected no deficiencies in Lady Eleanora’s behavior,” said Miss Woodward.
    Lady Laughlin lifted her chin. “There’s also the delicate matter of ensuring that one is surrounded by the right sort of people. A lady can never be too careful in selecting her friends.”
    â€œI’ve always been under the impression that Eleanora’s friends are quite pleasant girls,” he said, not wanting to see Miss Masters or Miss Bigelow spoken of at a disadvantage.
    â€œ ‘Quite pleasant’ is all well and good, but Lady Eleanora needs to stand out if she’s to make a success of her first season,” said Lady Laughlin.
    He frowned at the edge in the woman’s voice. Why wouldn’t Eleanora have a successful season? She was beautiful, well educated, and came from an impeccable family. Even with her shyness, a bachelor would be crazy to discount her.
    But before he could inquire further, Miss Woodward said, “I can appreciate your concern, ma’am, but I really must insist that calls be made during calling hours .”
    So that was the source of the tension