Miss Birmingham bobbed a curtsey and crossed the room with grace. Devin turned and said a quick goodnight and hurried after her.

  He caught up with her in the corridor, his fingers latching on to her elbow. As with the other brief times when they had touched, he felt an odd but pleasant sense of electricity rush through him at the contact.

  “That was quite a bold declaration, coming from a governess to a duke,” he observed. “I doubt anyone else in all of England would refuse a duke’s request.”

  Color flooded her cheeks. “I find Their Graces to be incredibly kind, humble people, despite their lofty positions in Polite Society. I fear their generosity extended too far this evening, though. I have been a servant for seven years now and I am the one who does not wish to cross any lines.”

  She glanced down at his fingers resting on her elbow and he released her.

  “I will take you as far as the main staircase, my lord. I have a feeling a military officer of your caliber can easily learn his way around Woodbridge, regardless of its size.”

  She moved away from him and he took several quick, long strides in order to catch up to her. They reached the foyer and main staircase and she signaled to the footman by the door.

  “Would you please escort Lord Devin to his bedchamber?” she asked. “It seems as if he is a bit confused by the way he should go.”

  Devin thought her order sounded more like one coming from the lady of the house rather than a servant. Admiration filled him. This told him she was once a woman who’d had a place in Polite Society and it had been torn from her.

  “What time do lessons begin in the schoolroom?” he asked. “After all, I am supposed to come and share a bit with the boys.”

  “We finish breakfast by seven and start lessons at eight o’clock. The schoolroom is two flights up from where your bedchamber is, my lord. I will see you tomorrow morning. If you wish to breakfast with Their Graces and then come up, please feel free to do so. I am certain you wish to discuss with His Grace the offer he has in mind for you.”

  She was astute. “I will do as you suggest, Miss Birmingham, and then come to the schoolroom. I remember that you also invited me on a ride with you and your charges. Perhaps we could also do so tomorrow sometime.”

  She nodded curtly and turned, reversing her direction. He assumed that she would go up the servants’ staircase in the back of the house.

  Glancing to the footman, who had been waiting patiently, he nodded. The servant led him upstairs.

  “I recognize where I am now,” Devin said. “Thank you for your help in locating my bedchamber.”

  He proceeded down the hall and entered, closing the door behind him. The Woodbridge governess intrigued him. It was like she had almost known what was on his mind as she dismissed him.

  She might know quite a bit about harnessing young boys—but older men could not be so easily manipulated.

  Devin would kiss her. Sooner rather than later. Get it out of his system and then move forward. After all, he was in no position to pursue any woman, least of all a gem such as Miss Birmingham. Besides, she would not care for a man with a mutilated hand who could not even write his own name.

  One kiss. That is all he would steal. Then Devin would banish any further thoughts of the delectable Miss Birmingham.

  For good.

  Chapter Seven

  Devin awoke, surprised that he had slept through the night. He hadn’t done so in years. Life in the army had changed his sleep habits. Where he had slept like the dead as a boy and young man, being an officer in His Majesty’s army had changed things. He’d always had things to worry about, including his men. It had always grown worse the closer battle approached and he found himself suffering bouts of insomnia at times. That had lessened once Bonaparte had been defeated for a second time and permanently exiled to St. Helena. Being a part of the Occupation army in France had given him many responsibilities and he still awoke several times throughout the night.

  He supposed he had truly been tired when he reached Woodbridge yesterday, resulting in a solid, good night’s sleep. Or perhaps he was relieved to be on English soil with close friends. It had been good to see both Win and Percy although it would take some getting used to addressing both men by their titles. He had been lax in doing so yesterday during tea and would need to make more of a conscious effort in the future, starting today. After all, Win was now a duke and should be afforded the respect that accompanied his lofty title.

  His thoughts turned to the position Win had mentioned. Devin was curious what that might entail. Rising, he rang for hot water and a servant soon appeared with it. He needed to shave and yet did not trust his left hand to do an adequate job. The few times he had, he had nicked himself more than once. In fact, he had paid the innkeeper at the inn he stayed in the day before he reached Woodbridge to shave him, not wanting to present himself unkempt.

  He did not need to worry about that because Win’s valet appeared as the other servant left.

  “His Grace sent me to help you shave and dress,” Larson said cheerfully.

  Although Devin almost resented the fact that he needed help, he was willing to take it from the valet. In no time, he was shaved and dressed in more of Win’s clothes and headed downstairs, where a servant showed him to a light, airy breakfast room. He entered and saw only Win was present.

  “Good morning, Dev,” his host called. “Have a seat and place your request with my butler. Your breakfast will be here shortly. I remember you have always had a healthy appetite.”

  Devin chuckled. “Yes, I was one of the few who ate any and everything the army cooks put in front of us. I remember you and Percy being a little more choosy.”

  Farmwell stepped forward. “What may I bring you this morning, Lord Devin?”

  He asked for eggs, ham, and toast points, along with strong coffee.

  “Right away, my lord,” the butler said and exited the room.

  “Where is your duchess this morning?” Devin asked.

  “Ah, I am afraid Sera is experiencing what other women do at this stage. She finds it incredibly hard to keep something in her belly in the mornings. This only started a few days ago but her sister assured us that it will eventually pass. In the meantime, she is taking tea and dry toast in our bedchamber.”

  He noticed that Win used the word our. He had never seen either of his parents in the other’s bedchamber.

  “You are truly a love match then, even sharing quarters?”

  Win grinned. “We are, indeed. I must fall asleep with Sera in my arms and wake with her there, else I feel incomplete. Percy is much the same way with regard to Minta.”

  “I suppose that will end when each of them produces a child.”

  “I don’t think so at all,” his friend said. “If anything, I believe having our child will make Sera even more precious to me.”

  They chatted about a few military friends they had in common, with Devin sharing what he knew about them. A couple had been part of the Occupation army with him and Win had several questions as to how that was being run. Devin revealed what his commanding officer had shared with him, that England would greatly reduce her armed forces in the months to come.

  “So, it is almost a blessing in disguise that you have sold out,” Win observed. “It would be hard to have a command if you did not have soldiers under you.”

  “I would have preferred keeping my fingers and remaining in the army, no matter what my assignment had been,” he said, not bothering to hide his bitterness.

  Concern crossed Win’s face. “I did not mean to make light of your injury, Dev. I am merely thinking of the new opportunities you might pursue. Speaking of those, I do not mean to rush you. However, a position here at Woodbridge will open at the beginning of the new year. Kepler, my steward, will be retiring. He was supposed to already be gone but since I am new to the title, I begged him to stay on and teach me as much as he could before I pensioned him off. You, as a former army officer, have management skills. I also know you were gifted when it came to numbers. What would you think of becoming the estate manager here at Woodbridge?” Win chuckled. “I don’t even know if you prefer town or the country. The topic never came up during our years serving together.”

  “I have always preferred the country above all else,” Devin said quickly.

  Though he had not decided what he wished to do with his life, he knew his limited funds would stretch further in the country versus living in London, where everything seemed expensive. This position, especially working for a duke, would pay well and lend him an air of prestige.

  “I haven’t the foggiest notion of how to run an estate, Win,” he admitted.

  “Just as I am soaking up knowledge from Kepler, I would expect you to do the same.”

  “Why me, Win? You are a duke, with multiple estates, I assume. Wouldn’t you rather promote one of your other stewards to such a position? Woodbridge is vast and needs an experienced hand. Much as I would like to be, I don’t think I am your man,” he said, disappointment filling him because it would be nice to have a permanent home with someone he knew and trusted.

  “You are a quick study, Dev. It is only the end of October now. That would give you two months to shadow Kepler and wring every bit of knowledge from him. What you lack in experience, you would make up for in other ways. I hope you will give this your full consideration.”

  “Thank you for the offer, Win. When would you need an answer?”

  “When you are ready to give me one, my friend. In fact, I don’t want you to even think about it for a good two weeks or more. Simply rest and enjoy your stay at Woodbridge. Ride the estate. Get to know some of the people. Then, if you believe it would be a good fit for your talents, the rest will come.”

  “You realize that I cannot even write,” Devin pointed out. “I don’t know if I will be able to.”

  “One hand may be missing a couple of fingers but you have another one which is just as capable. Why don’t you take some time and practice with your left hand? Yes, you are correct. The job would involve writing, to be certain. There are ledgers to be kept and notes to be made from season to season and year to year. Kepler tracks the crops’ yield in great detail.”

  “I will give it some consideration, Win. I just wouldn’t want to disappoint you.”

  “You could never do that, Dev. You saved my life. If you merely wish to live at Woodbridge and do nothing, I would happy for you to do so. I can always find a cottage for you if you would prefer to retire to a life of solitude. I do hope you will keep this offer in mind, though. Knowing you, I believe you would like to stay busy.”

  Devin finished his coffee and placed the cup down. “I suppose I will head to the schoolroom now and talk with Charlie and Freddie.”

  Win’s face softened at the mention of his nephews. “I had no idea the pair existed,” he shared. “I heard rumors once I returned to England that my brother might have left a bastard or two. I hired a Bow Street Runner. He is the one who tracked down the boys and their mother.”

  “Did she come to Woodbridge with them?” Devin asked. “Or did she prefer to stay in town where you found her?”

  “She had consumption,” Win shared. “She was at death’s door when I found her. She was an actress and Freddie’s mother. From what she shared on her deathbed, not only did my worthless brother get her with child, but he also assaulted her dresser, which is how Charlie came to be. The poor dresser died in childbirth and since my brother had abandoned both women, this actress became mother to the boys and raised them as brothers. She died the same day, shortly after I arrived, knowing her boys would be cared for.” He chuckled. “Talk about hellions. That pair was up to no good for many months while their mother was ill and continued their mischievous ways when they came to Woodbridge. I am ashamed to admit that, at first, I handed them off to a childless couple on my estate, thinking they could raise the boys and I might provide for their education. The couple returned the boys to me and I went through a series of governesses.”

  “Are you joking?” he asked. “They seem so bright and well mannered.”

  “That is all thanks to Sera. She came to spend a few weeks with them before she—and I—were to attend a house party. Concerned friends had decided both of us needed to wed and we were supposed to find our spouses at this house party.”

  “Instead, you found each other.”

  Win nodded. “I fell in love with Sera and my nephews pretty much at the same time. She worked miracles with them and Miss Birmingham has continued Sera’s good work. I cannot imagine our lives without Freddie and Charlie in them.”

  “Do you think they will be jealous of the babe?”

  “It is always possible,” Win said. “But I know Sera and I plan to give them plenty of attention and continue to shower them with love. If there is one thing I have learned about love, it is your heart always has room for more.”

  While Devin was happy that both Win and Percy had made love matches, he did not believe in love. At least for himself. Especially now, because of his injury, which made him less than a whole man.

  “I promised Miss Birmingham I would visit with the boys this morning and give them a brief lesson about the war.”

  “Ah, yes. Freddie is the one who pushed for that. He is the leader of the two but Charlie is smart as a whip and has endearing qualities, as well. So far, Miss Birmingham has concentrated on reading, writing, and maths. She has shared with us that she is starting to implement lessons involving geography and history. Biology, too. Anything you can do to spark the boys’ interest and help her would be much appreciated.”

  “I will go to the schoolroom now,” Devin said and excused himself.

  He climbed several flights of stairs until he reached the top floor and proceeded down the corridor. He easily found the schoolroom because he followed Miss Birmingham’s voice. She was reading a story to the boys. Devin stood outside the open door for a moment, listening to her dulcet tones.

  “It is your turn to read, Freddie,” she said.

  “I like it better when you read, Miss Birmingham. Or even Charlie. You make it so interesting, especially when you change your voice to fit the different characters.”

  “That is part of using your imagination, Freddie. Charlie has a very active one. I believe in that very similar head of yours, you also possess a fine imagination. We will soon begin lessons regarding England’s history. That will involve using quite a bit of your imagination. I will ask you to place yourselves in the shoes of those we study and see how they felt and why they reacted the way they did. For the most part, the men and women we remember from history are just like you and me. Ordinary people who wind up doing extraordinary things. Some people think history is quite dry, simply because they focus on names and dates only. I want history to come alive for you. That will happen today when Lord Devin comes and shares a bit about the wars with you.”

  He decided to take that as his cue and rounded the corner, calling, “Good morning. I hope I am not interrupting anything.”

  Deliberately, he kept his eyes on the two boys, who both sat on the same side of the long table, with Miss Birmingham at the head.

  “Lord Devin!” they cried in unison.

  Freddie said, “Miss Birmingham told us you were going to talk with us about the war. I know I’m not supposed to ask if you killed anyone—but you would tell us if you did, wouldn’t you?”

  “I will be as honest as I can and still keep things appropriate for your age, Freddie. How old are you again?” he asked, already knowing the answer.

  “We are both six,” Charlie said. “But Freddie is older than I am.”

  Devin now understood why the boys were so close in age but not twins, as he had assumed them to be since they were both six years of age.

  “May I join you?” he asked, glancing to Miss Birmingham for the first time. Today, she wore a simple gown of light gray, with no adornment whatsoever. Her hair was swept back in a simple chignon and, as befitting her position, she wore no jewelry. For a moment, he pitied her, thinking if she had owned any, she would have had to sell it. Once again, he wondered what her circumstances were and how she came to become a governess. Perhaps if he came around her and the boys enough, she might feel comfortable answering that question if he asked it.

  “Let me tell you a bit about myself first,” he said, echoing the theme Miss Birmingham had begun. “It is always good to have a little background going into a topic. I am an ordinary Englishman who had the opportunity to serve in His Majesty’s army. My father was the Marquess of Bedford, a title my older brother now holds.”

  “We won’t have a title,” Charlie said matter-of-factly. “Uncle Win has said it doesn’t matter. That we can be anything we want to be. Freddie is good with numbers and he might become a steward someday on one of Uncle Win’s properties. We visited all of them this summer when we went on our honeymoon.”

  Devin bit back a smile, thinking how the boy took ownership of the honeymoon. He thought it incredibly kind of Win and his bride to have these two accompany them on what should have been a time filled with romance for them.

  “So, you are a second son,” Freddie pointed out. “That is why your brother got the title, isn’t it?”

  “Yes, the laws of primogeniture award a peer’s title and his entailed estates to his heir apparent, which is his oldest son. In this case, that was my brother, Prentis.”

  “Where does your brother live?” asked Charlie. “Are you going to live with him after your visit with Uncle Win is over?”

  He did not want to go into the animosity that lay between him and Prentis and merely said, “I am simply enjoying my visit with your uncle and have not made definite plans yet to travel to Kent, where my childhood home is. All in good time. For now, back to me,” he said, grinning, noticing Miss Birmingham smiling indulgently at him.