The governor turned to stare at me again, his eyes narrowing beneath bushy brows, and I feared I’d done the wrong thing. But then he smiled and nodded. “Of course. How could I forget? Run along, children, and see your aunt before dinner is served.”

The maid led us up the stairs and knocked on a bedroom door before opening it and gesturing for us to go inside. A woman’s voice from within said, “That will be all for now, thank you, Mary.”

The room seemed dark at first, but then I realized that was because it was so vast, larger than any bedroom I’d ever seen, so the light from the bedside lamps barely reached the doorway. Rollo ran forward and sat on the edge of the imposing four-poster bed, leaning to hug its occupant. Flora followed more sedately and bent to kiss her aunt’s cheek. Feeling like an intruder on this family scene, I stayed in the doorway, but the woman’s voice called out, “Is that the new governess? Come inside, please. I’d like to meet you.”

I moved farther into the room and around to the head of the great bed. A woman of perhaps twenty-five lay there, propped up against a pile of pillows. Aside from having the sort of pallor that suggested she never saw the sun, she didn’t look that unhealthy to me. She was thin but didn’t have the gaunt, drawn look that came with extended illness. In fact, she was rather pretty, with wide-set green eyes and a mass of rich brown curls piled loosely on top of her head. She looked like a doll lying on a child’s bed.

Rollo stood and said formally, “Aunt Elinor, may I present Miss Verity Newton, our new governess. Miss Newton, this is Lady Elinor DeLancey, our aunt.”

I bobbed a quick curtsy, but before I could complete it, she waved her hand and said, “Bah, none of that, please.” Her voice was rich and warm, with a tone that made her sound like she was constantly struggling to hold back laughter. “It is a pleasure to meet you, Verity.”

“Likewise, my lady.”

“Please, sit down.” She gestured toward a chair next to the bed, and I moved to sit in it. She studied me for a long moment, looking as though she was trying to determine my personality based on the shape of my head and the contours of my face. Then she smiled. “Yes, you do look like the sort Henry would select. As long as you’re not afraid of bugs, you might actually last. You aren’t afraid of bugs, are you?”

“No, my lady.”

Her mouth twitched as if she were struggling to suppress a fit of giggles. “Of course you aren’t. I’d wager you’re quite the bold one.”

“No one has ever accused me of boldness, my lady.”