He didn’t answer, his dark gaze melting through her, turning her bones to jam. “No, I don’t approve of the way you’ve been instructing the children. However, they seem to like you. And so far, they are behaving.”

Anna glanced back at the children. It was true they had settled into a pattern of late, with Desford offering fewer and fewer tricks. Still, she had the distinct impression that something was brewing. She could tell by the way Desford was less vocal in his arguments, and from Elizabeth’s guilty expression whenever Anna smiled at her. Something was about to happen.

But there was no need to mention it to Greyley. As soon as she discovered their plan, she’d overset it. Until then…She glanced back at the earl. “I should return to the children’s lessons. Was there anything you wanted?”

“Yes. I came to see if you would join me for a ride this afternoon.”

“Ride?” Her voice cracked in half and made her wince.

He smiled, his eyes crinkling in the most attractive way. “There are some paths that I’m certain the children know nothing about. We could explore those and you could see if they are suitable for your daily jaunts.”

“A ride would be lovely. The children would enjoy it very much.”

“Not the children,” he said, a touch of impatience to his voice. “Just you and I. Alone.”

Alone. With Greyley. The thought tantalized, beckoned. Anna swallowed with difficulty. “I don’t think that would be wise—”

“You could tell me more about the mural you long to see in the foyer,” he said. “And all your plans for instructing the children.”

That was too much, even for her. “Lord Greyley, it would not be appropriate for us to…” To what? A thousand forbidden images flittered through her mind, most of them centered around the still-fresh memory of his mouth hot over hers. She quickly locked the door on her unruly imagination and cleared her throat. “Lord Greyley, it would not be appropriate for us to ride alone together. I am just the governess.”

“Miss Thraxton, this is Greyley House. I make the rules here. Besides, I only wish to discuss the children. And the mural.”

“We can do that here.”

“Can we?” His gaze slipped past her to the room beyond.

Anna turned away and met the interested stares of the children. Elizabeth was even leaning forward, intent on catching every word, while Desford’s brow was lowered. “Lord Greyley, I cannot go riding with you. That is the last I’ll say on the matter.”

Anna’s expression was so much that of a martyr on the verge of being tossed into the flames that Anthony had to resist the urge to grin. “Come, Thraxton. I won’t curse, bite, or spit. I promise.”

She muttered something that sounded curiously like “I doubt that.”

“What?”

“Nothing. If you’ll excuse us, we have work to do.” She turned back to the children and began calmly discussing the conjugation of a Greek word that Anthony only vaguely remembered from his youth.