Grenville 02 - Lord John's Dilemma by G.G. Vandagriff Page B

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    Alex sat back behind his desk. “I only know whereof I speak from personal experience. I was the most selfish of all men for the first five years of my marriage. True love in marriage is rare. But I wish it for you above all things.”
    He suddenly felt as though he was in a harness of guilt. “What am I to do about the woman? She and her parents expect an offer of marriage from me.”
    “Go to London. Go to Nottinghamshire. I will take the liberty of telling the Lindsays about your inheritance. If Miss Lindsay truly thinks she might have to live buried in the country away from her family, she may finally accept one of those offers her mother is always telling us about.”
    John felt a bit of the remorse he was feeling lift. “Thank you, Alex. I will follow your advice.”

{ 12 }
    T o Delia’s relief, Molly and Mariah were very glad not to be accompanying the family to London.
    “Last time we went to London, there was nothing for us to do, and we missed Nellie,” said Molly. “I’m so glad we have you as a governess so we can stay here in Lincolnshire.”
    The governess’s feelings on this matter were tarnished somewhat by a conversation with Lady Lindsay in her sitting room the afternoon following the dinner party.
    “Miss Haverley,” she began. “I am beginning to think that your background before you came to us was far grander than you have led me to believe. I will not be deceived. You are not a penniless orphan. I must insist that you tell me the truth about yourself.”
    Delia’s stomach knotted and her thoughts raced. She could not tell the truth. It would surely lead to discovery.
    “While not precisely penniless, I am an orphan,” she said. “I have no relations with whom I care to live. And I am too young to set up my own establishment. I have enjoyed living here with your family and teaching Molly and Mariah very much.”
    Lady Lindsay studied her. “Does Lord John know of your actual social status?”
    Delia was taken aback by the question. “Lord John?” she repeated.
    “I found out that it was he that insisted you be part of the company last night.” Lady Lindsay’s eyes were cold and her lips set in a straight line.
    “Oh.” Delia felt the heat of a furious blush creep into her face.
    “Have you been seeing him on the sly, Miss?”
    Her employer’s insinuations made Delia’s temper rise in an instant. “Certainly not! Whatever you may believe about me, I have been raised to be a lady. I have no secret designs on Major Lambeth, nor he on me, I am certain. I am well aware that he is courting Miss Lindsay.”
    Lady Lindsay leaned back a bit and her expression softened slightly. “I am glad to hear it. You are a plain little thing, while my daughter is a noted beauty, but I thought it best to be certain.” With that, Lady Lindsay rose. “I am glad that you know your place, Miss Haverley. Now, I am certain I am keeping you from your duties.”
    Delia rose slowly after the woman left the room. With her inner vision, she was seeing the soft look on the major’s face as he tipped her chin up to look at him amid the field of daisies. The secret thrill this had given her now turned to guilt. The major was not for her.
    What had she been thinking of the last two nights as she had remained awake, cherishing this small attention? He thought her a governess. If anything, he was only dallying with her. That was the worst of her position. Men thought they could take liberties.
    But the major is not like that.
    Smoothing down the folds of her dress, she thrust away her tender feelings. She had encouraged him by putting that daisy in his buttonhole! Delia blushed again, this time to an empty room. Her manner to the man must be coolly distant in the future.
    A tiny voice inside insisted that she had been of real assistance to him, helping him to fight his melancholia, but she drowned it. He had far more experience of the world than she had. Major Lambeth would be able to overcome his