Anna didn’t answer. She had no question about how the lizard had gotten inside the house and into her bed. “Desford. The children have been whispering for the last two days. I knew something was afoot.”

Grandpapa pursed his lips. “Seems your instincts were correct.”

“Unfortunately.” Anna looked at the fallen counterpane, spilled across the blue and gold carpet. The lizard darted from beneath a fold of lace and made his way to the top of the mound, where it sat, lolling its tongue as if it were king of the castle. “I think it’s time Mr. Desford and I began to play in earnest.”

Thus it was that Desford, who was lying awake at that very moment, congratulating himself on making his new governess scream, was somewhat shocked when the door opened and Miss Thraxton entered. She was dressed in a white night rail, her hair braided, and a large bundle of white clutched at arm’s length.

She walked past Richard, who tossed back his covers and sat up, watching with wide eyes as she marched straight to Desford.

“I believe you left something of yours in my room,” she said and then shook her counterpane over his head.

Something small and black and somewhat slithery fell into Desford’s bed. Or rather, onto his legs, where it immediately burrowed beneath his nightgown and disappeared.

The feel of those tiny suctioned feet on his bared skin made Desford yelp and grab at his night rail. The lizard scrambled to get away and burrowed deeper, finding a hiding spot in Desford’s lap. Desford gasped loudly, his face paling as he dug for the small animal. Finally he recovered it, but not until it had traversed his body three entire times.

“Very good,” Miss Thraxton said, as if she hadn’t watched the entire proceedings with a wide grin on her face. “Take it to the window and let it go.”

Desford was tempted to toss the lizard on her, but she pinned him with such a steely gaze that he realized it wouldn’t be a good idea. Not now, anyway. Careful not to look at Richard, who appeared to be suffering from a spate of giggles, Desford climbed from his bed and did as he was told, silently planning how he would thrash his brother as soon as Miss Thraxton was gone.

As soon as the lizard scampered from sight, Miss Thraxton reached past him and shut the window. “The next time you put something in my bed, I shall put two of them in yours. Now go to sleep, Desford. We have a very busy day tomorrow.” With that she leaned over, kissed him on the top of his head, and left.

Desford stared at the closed door for a long time. She’d kissed him. He rubbed his head where her lips had been. Of all the governesses they’d had, not a one of them had dared confront him so directly. And none of them had kissed him.

It wasn’t to be borne. He leaped onto his bed and plunked his hands onto his narrow hips and yelled at the closed door. “You think that has solved anything? We have not yet begun to fight!”