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answer me.’
    ‘My father ran a mine, sir. We were respectable and he was able to give me benefits that not all girls of my class receive. He died a few years ago and … I was obliged to earn my living.’
    ‘The manager of a mine and from the North of England, I think?’ Rupert nodded, pleased because he’d detected the slight inflection in her voice, especially when she was disturbed. ‘You
are
an unusual governess, Miss Goodrum. I believe we shall rub along well enough—providing that I do not discover you have lied to your employer and to me.’
    Her head came up at that and her eyes flashed with temper. Rupert was tempted to laugh. He’d thought her merely attractive at the start, but he was beginning to see that there was much more to Miss Hester Goodrum than met the eye. He would swear that there was fire banked just beneath the surface.
    ‘Was there anything else, sir?’
    ‘Oh, yes,’ Rupert replied with a smile. ‘I believe we’ve only just begun, Miss Goodrum. However, we shall leave it for the moment. Youwill do me the honour of dining with me this evening, I hope?’
    For a moment she hesitated, then she gave him a straight look that took the wind out of his sails. ‘As I am sure you know, that would not be appropriate, Lord Myers. A governess may be asked to dine with the family on occasion, but only when the mistress of the house is present—and certainly not alone with a gentleman.’
    ‘How disappointing. Now you are being a proper governess. I had hoped we might get to know each other better. Besides, Francesca and John will be dining with me. Did you really imagine I was asking you to dine intimately, Miss Goodrum? I assure you I would only do that if I had seduction in mind.’
    Now the colour was high in her cheeks. She took a moment to control herself, as if afraid of speaking too quickly and betraying herself into unwise words.
    ‘I think you like to mock, sir. I am certain you had no such thing in mind. Why should you?’ She hesitated, then, ‘If Francesca is to dine with you, perhaps I should also be present. You may be here as John’s mentor, but you are a single gentleman and Francesca is an impressionable young girl. I think I must act as her chaperon.’
    ‘How wise of you to change your mind,’ hemurmured softly, adding, as she left, in a voice she could not catch, ‘And who, I wonder, will chaperon you, Miss Goodrum?’

Chapter Three
    S arah went straight up to her room. Mrs Brancaster had asked her to return to her sitting room after the interview, but she needed a little time alone to calm her nerves. When she’d suggested that she change places with Hester Goodrum she had not dreamed she would have to run the gauntlet of those steel-grey eyes and that razor-sharp mind. Lord Myers was a man of the world and very intelligent. As herself, Sarah would have felt his equal, well able to parry any darts he fired at her, but she was at a disadvantage because she was here under false pretences. Lord Myers had warned her that he would not take kindly to lies on her part and she could imagine what he would think and say if he discovered the truth.
    Cold chills ran down her spine. What on earth would she do if she were exposed as an impostor? It would be so very embarrassing and could ruin her reputation. For a moment she was tempted to turn tail and run away now before she was dragged into something beyond her control, but pride would not let her.
    No, she was doing nothing wrong … not terribly wrong anyway. Having embarked on her masquerade, she could at least stay to greet the children. If the challenge became too much for her she could always hand in her notice and leave and no one would be any the wiser. Besides, it was unlikely that anyone she knew would visit Cavendish Park and, providing she gave good service, her employer would have no cause for complaint.
    Having calmed her fears, Sarah changed into a fresh gown. It was clean, neat and clearly the kind of plain