Page 32 of The Governess and the Rogue

Yet none of them ever had been. And soon—alarmingly soon—the day-to-day struggles of simply getting by had supplanted any fleeting romantic dreams of girlhood. Time had weighed against her, as had circumstance, leaving her older, harder, vastly more cynical.

During the last several years, had Jack crossed her path, Bea doubted whether she’d even have noticed him. But now that she had…

No, she supposed, it wouldn’t be difficult to pretend.

Regrettably, there was no time to perfect her performance. The other passengers were already bearing down upon them. Among them were Mrs. Dimsdale, Mrs. Rawson, and Mrs. Farraday and her daughter.

They advanced on Jack and Bea with all the resoluteness of an invading army.

Bea’s stomach trembled so she feared she might faint. Indeed, if not for the strength of Jack’s hand holding hers, she very well might have done.

Gathering her courage, she forced herself to smile. Doubtless it looked more like a rictus of pain.

“Colonel Beresford! Upon my word!” Mrs. Farraday came ahead of the others, wearing an expression of forced cordiality. She curtsied in greeting. “What a sly trickster you are, sir. Mrs. Dimsdale informs us that you have been a passenger on the Pera this entire time!”

Jack inclined his head to her. “Mrs. Farraday. And Miss Farraday,” he added as the younger lady joined her mother. “Always a pleasure.”

Miss Farraday curtsied in turn. She was dressed all in pale yellow, a color that complemented her fair skin and dark hair to an exceptional degree. “Colonel Beresford.”

Bea counseled herself not to be jealous. Miss Farraday wasn’t her enemy, simply because she was younger, lovelier, and more prettily dressed. All the same…

What woman wouldn’t feel the burden of her own failings in the face of such unmarked perfection? Mere proximity made Bea conscious of every one of hers—the plainness of her features, the coarseness of her gown, and the redness of her ungloved hands.

“When did you board?” Mrs. Farraday demanded. “In Alexandria, I gather. Though I didn’t see you on the docks. And I was keeping particular watch, so that I might be of assistance in your time of need.”

Mrs. Dimsdale and Mrs. Rawson joined them before Jack could reply. The former examined Bea down the length of her nose before turning her attention to Jack. “Colonel Beresford,” she said rigidly.

“Ma’am.”

“You have met Mrs. Rawson?” Mrs. Dimsdale inquired, gesturing to the portly woman.

“We were introduced in Delhi,” Mrs. Rawson reminded Jack as she tucked her little white Maltese dog, Benjamin, more securely under her arm. “It was when you visited camp with General Havelock. You may recall I’m acquainted with your brother, Viscount St. Clare.”

“Of course.” Jack acknowledged the lady with a bow. “I presume you’ve all met my fiancée, Miss Layton?”

Mrs. Rawson spared not a glance for Bea. “Then it’s true? You are engaged?” she asked. “You have shocked us twice in one day, sir!”

“I told Mrs. Rawson that it must be one of your larks,” Mrs. Farraday interjected. Like Mrs. Rawson, she pointedly avoided looking at Bea. “What else can it be? For I am informed that Mrs. Dimsdale’s servant has been employed by her since leaving India. If you were in Cairo, how could the two of you have met⁠—”

“I was in Cairo, ma’am,” Jack said. “Recovering from another surgery. Since boarding the Pera, Miss Layton has been my only comfort.”

Mrs. Farraday’s mouth sagged. “But that was but six days ago!”

“Indeed, ma’am.” Jack raised Bea’s hand to his lips. Meeting her eyes, he brushed a kiss over her knuckles.

Bea’s heart fluttered madly. If this was Jack’s idea of pretending, then he was far more adept at the exercise than she was. The way he looked at her, she might almost believe that he meant it.

The other ladies observed Jack’s tribute with varying degrees of dismay. All except for Miss Farraday herself who wore her perpetual mask of ladylike composure.

“Then Mrs. Dimsdale has spoken truly,” Mrs. Rawson said. “You and Miss Layton are engaged to be married?”

“We are,” Jack affirmed.

Miss Farraday was the first to offer Bea a smile. Unlike her mother’s, it appeared to be genuine. “I congratulate you, Miss Layton.”

“Thank you,” Bea replied.

“And you, Colonel Beresford,” Miss Farraday said to Jack. “I hope you will be very happy.”