Chapter 3

Excitement flooded through Gemma as she traveled by carriage to Hetshire House, where her dreams were about to become true forever. The building was beautiful. She loved the way it stood tall, its red bricks jutting up towards the sky as it surrounded itself with luscious gardens that seemed to stretch on as far as the eye could see.

Gemma had woken up confident, full of happiness and determination, knowing that her life was about to improve from this moment onwards. As long as she shone like the star she knew she could be, and proved herself to be the best governess this family had ever seen.

As she reached the front door of the home, an older lady exited the house looking like she was just coming away from an interview of her own, her stern expression greeting Gemma first. A shiver tore down Gemma's spine because she'd heard of tutors like that.

Teachers who seemed to have an incredible dislike for children, despite choosing to work with them, and who never wanted young people to have fun. Gemma would never become this person if she did achieve her goal of becoming a governess. When she used to play teacher in the orphanage, she saw that others learned better when they enjoyed what they were studying, and they were allowed to have fun.

Gemma knew that if she was given the chance, she would be the best teacher ever.

Eventually, she was shown to an office room where an official looking gentleman sat staring out the window, with his back to her, with his shoulders slumped forwards. Gemma was not sure what it was about him, but he had a strange aura about him. Something that she had never seen before.

"Good morning," she said in a clipped, bright tone. "It is nice to meet you. My name is Miss Gemma Casely…"

She took a seat, discomfort flooding her veins. Achieving her dreams was not supposed to feel like this.

"Thank you for coming, Miss Casely," the man replied in a very bored sounding tone. But it was more than that. He seemed to have the weight of the world pressing down on him, which intrigued Gemma. What on earth was happening? "What education do you have for this position? What work experience do you have that can help you with this position? What lesson do you consider most important?"

He was definitely fed up with interviewing. He had reeled off those questions without even giving her a chance to answer. But if that was some kind of trick, then Gemma was not about to be fooled. She could answer all of those questions, even if she had to be a little evasive with the truth. But she did not feel guilty about lying because she did not have a chance otherwise, simply because of the family that she was born in to.

Gemma did not think that was fair, so she would do whatever it took to overcome that.

"I have a standard education, the same as everyone else," she said carefully as she brushed down her skirts. "And I have worked for many years teaching children in an orphanage." At least that was almost the truth. "And as for lessons… I believe everyone is different. Every child is unique, and they will grow up to be an individual when they are an adult. Since everyone is good at something but not necessarily good at everything, our education should reflect that. Especially if we want to get the best out of them." She sucked in a sharp breath, not sure if this was something she should say. But it was important to her, so this was something she needed to be understood. "I also think that it is more about how we learn, rather than what is most important. I have to make learning entertaining and fun if anything will sink in."

Much to her surprise, the gentleman twisted around in his chair. "I did not expect you to be so young…"

But Gemma could not answer that. His eyes had locked in on hers and she was in shock. This had to be the most handsome man that she had ever laid eyes on. He had dark, mussed up hair, and deep green eyes that seemed to bore deep into her soul. It was almost as if he could already see sides of her that she did not normally show easily.

As long as he did not fathom the truth about her upbringing, then she did not mind. Right now, that was the only thing keeping her going.

It was not just her own feelings getting the better of her. It was the sensation that there seemed to be something zipping between them. An undeniable instant shift in the air between them. It was almost as if all the air in the room had been pulled away.

"I might be young," Gemma finally managed to reply confidently. "But I am very well experienced. As I said, I have been working with children and teaching them for my whole life. My work has led me to see what works best for children."

She hoped that she was selling herself well. That this man would want her more than someone like the elderly lady who had left the house before. She might have years of experience on her, and maybe even the right birth right as well, but Gemma knew that she would be so much better than any of them. She just needed someone like this gentleman to take a chance on her.

But right then, the man's eyes had darkened, and she could not read what was going on underneath the surface. He seemed to be internally struggling. If only she knew what had him worried, then she could put his mind at ease. She could let him know that he most definitely wanted to work with her.

Gemma twisted her hands around in knots as she waited desperately for him to speak out again. The silence was killing her, but truth be told she did not know what else to say. She did not know how to defend herself when she was not sure what the issue was.

***

Cole

The whole day had been a challenge. It was far harder to interview governesses than Cole thought it would be, especially with his promise to Benjamin ricocheting through his mind.

He had sworn that he would make sure that whoever he hired would be fun, and make life better for his nephew. Only it was not that straight forward. None of them had seemed to have had anything appealing about them, nothing that Benjamin was going to like…

At least until the blonde-haired beauty with piercing blue eyes walked into his study. He had not been expecting someone so young and beautiful to walk into his office. Someone who without even trying had made his mouth run dry.

She was completely different, and likely to be someone that Benjamin would love, because she was most certainly not cold and unfeeling, like the other women who had walked into his office. She seemed approachable, sweet, and fun. But more than that, she sent tingles of excitement flowing through Cole's veins. He could not take his eyes off her however hard he tried.

"I would actually like to know more about who I will be teaching," Miss Casely continued with a dazzling smile. "So I can get an idea of who I will be working with."

It was really quite a small gesture, asking about Benji. But it was not something that any of the other governess's had done, so Cole was incredibly impressed. It showed just how much she cared about getting this job. How much she cared about who she would be teaching.

"He is a lovely boy, with a big heart who likes having fun. But I must be honest with you, he has been through a lot recently. Things that have hindered him somewhat."

"Oh, I am so sorry!" She cocked her head to one side curiously. "What has he been through?"

Cole only felt confident answering because the woman had experience with children who had been through a lot in their lives. She had been working in an orphanage, so she might have just the right experience. "His parents, my brother, the late Duke of Hetfield and my sister-in-law, were recently killed."

It felt horrible saying that aloud to someone who did not know about the murder. Again, it made it feel far more real in ways that Cole was not anticipating. The more he discussed Gareth's death, the more he needed to accept that this was his future now.

But Miss Casely responded in a way that he was truly not expecting. She reached out across the desk and took his hand in comfort. An action not usually taken by Ladies. But Cole had to admit that he liked the sensation of her skin grazing over his. She was warm, and electricity burning brightly between them.

Cole did not want this moment to end, especially with the way that she was looking at him with wide, surprised eyes like she felt it too. She was sinking into this phenomenal sensation as well.

Her piercing blue eyes spoke volumes. There were lots of emotions dancing behind her gaze and all Cole wanted to do was dive in, to learn more about her. Everything actually, she was surprisingly fascinating. Questions floated around in his brain, as did the desire to close the gap between them, but he knew that was not the right thing to do.

But while he could not do that, he knew there was one thing he could do.

"I would like to hire you, Miss Casely," he declared as a smile crept up on his lips. There was just something about her that made him endlessly confident that she was the right hire. She would be the perfect mother figure and governess to his poor nephew. "But before you agree to the job, I think it might be a good idea for you to meet Benjamin."

"You want me?" she whispered as she bit down on her bottom lip.

Something about those words spiked intense desire within him. Was he imagining the naughtiness inside of her? Or was her mind drifting in the same way as his? Was she asking him if he wanted her? Because if that was the question then there was only one answer. Of course he wanted her. He would have loved nothing more than to peel that pretty, plain dress off her body, to see the paleness of her skin underneath, to taste her all over to see if she really was sweet…

But he was about to become her boss, so of course that was completely off the table. He was going to very much have to keep his hands to himself.

He coughed awkwardly and nodded. "Yes, I think you will be the perfect person for the job."

A heat burned in her cheeks, turning her red as she smiled gratefully. "Then I cannot wait to meet the young boy that I will be working with."

As she rose to her feet, Cole found his heart hammering hard against his rib cage. There was a nervous energy bubbling in the pit of his stomach that he had never experienced before. It was a feeling he did not know what to do with. How on earth was he going to cope with her in his home when she made him feel so many things all at once? He was really going to have to find a way to keep his emotions in check around her. For Benjamin's sake.

Especially if he ended up getting along well with her and wanted to keep her around. Benji had been unfortunate enough to lose far too many people in his life, Cole could not be the reason that he lost someone else just because he had a flickering of desire for this woman. A flicker than had an intense promise to become a roaring flame, if he allowed it.