Read B005R3LZ90 EBOK for Free Online Page B

friend—had she the right to berate Lord Sedgewick. But, as his children's governess, she knew she would never be able to hold her scathing tongue.
    "Answer me, Miss Spenser," he said harshly.
    "I have no right to reprimand your behavior, my lord."
    He laughed a bitter laugh. "But you would wish to do so, would you not, Miss Spenser?" He gazed at her with his watery, red eyes.
    She slowly nodded.
    "Then I suppose you are right," he snapped. "Such an arrangement would never work."
    Her heart sank. The matter was now out of her hands, and she wished it were not. She instantly regretted she would never have the pleasure of being governess to his children, never have the opportunity to live under his roof, never be able to see his face that she loved so dearly every day.
    He offered her a stiff arm. Her eyes became watery as he walked her back to Glee and took his leave.
    Immediately, she worried that in his rage—and in his cups—he would storm to the card room and play foolishly and lose everything he possessed. And it would all be her fault.
    She almost went after him, to try to change his mind, but she realized it was for the best that she not come into his service.
    When the Assembly Rooms closed at eleven, Glee went to the card room to find Blanks but was told he and George had left. "Oh dear," Glee said to Sally, "I suppose the stakes weren't high enough here for them. I do hope my brother doesn't lose his head."
    Sally set a gentle hand on Glee's arm. Glee had no fears Blanks would lose his fortune, for her husband's pockets were enormously deep, but Sally knew Glee was upset that Blanks was spiraling downward with George. There was little doubt that the two men would drink heavily and game heavily well into the morning. A pity. Both men had been such happy homebodies . . . before Diana died.
    Neither Sally nor Glee talked during the carriage ride back to Blankenship house. Glee was as morose as Sally, who took little consolation in the fact she and George had come to the right decision. Why could she not have taken the position and kept her mouth closed? Her wretched tongue had ruined everything.
    * * *
    The following morning Sally wrote her letter of application to Miss Worth's and, with heavy heart, posted it. Since she knew from Glee that Blanks—and therefore George—had not come home until very late, Sally decided to go see the babies. She had no fears of having to face their father.
    On the way to their town house she stopped and bought a comfit for each child. When she arrived in the nursery, the children flew into her arms. She bent down and hugged each of them, then gave them their sweet. From the corner of her eye she saw Hortense's disapproving glare.
    "'Twill make 'em sick," the sourpuss said.
    Sally turned to her and smiled graciously. "Should you wish to take off an hour or so, I would be happy to mind the children." A pity The Curmudgeon could not permanently leave, Sally thought, though surely Hortense must hold the children in deep affection. After all, they had been in her care since the day they were born.
    "I believe I shall. I've plenty to occupy me," Hortense said as she made her way toward the door.
    Once Sam finished his comfit—leaving fudgy smudges around his mouth—he came to the rocker and in his wordless way demanded Sally sit there and hold him.
    She laughed as she sat down and hauled him on her lap, dabbing his face with her handkerchief, then kissing his clean cheek.
    The first thing he did was pull off his shoe.
    "You're such a goose," she said good-naturedly. She kissed the top of his head before she began to play the piggy game.
    In the meantime, Georgette came to giggle at Sally's side. "Remember when I was little, and you played piggies with me?" the girl said when Sally finished. "You're my very favorite aunt, even if you aren't truly my aunt."
    Sally leaned over and kissed Georgette's little alabaster cheek. "I declare, that's the nicest thing anyone has ever said to me. And