Her whole being radiated sincerity. During his career in Parliament and his past dealings with women, Sebastian had seldom encountered that quality to such a degree.
“I have given you good reason to doubt my veracity,” she continued. “But I swear, when I acted as I did, it was never my intention to make a fool of you.”
Her assurance soothed Sebastian’s indignation more than he expected.
“I’m certain you must have had your reasons.” He was not accustomed to backing down, but Miss Beaton’s candid admission of fault left him with few options.
Her indomitable chin lowered a little. “At the time, I believed I had good reasons for what I did. I gave myself a whole variety of excuses, most to do with protecting Miss Leonard. I see now that I would not have needed to work so hard to justify my actions if they had been right and proper.”
Sebastian found the lady’s whole air quite disarming. How could he continue to blame her when it was clear she reproached herself even more?
He shrugged. “It seems we both made mistakes yesterday, Miss Beaton.”
“Perhaps so.” Her high, clear brow furrowed slightly. “But I fear my fault in conduct was much worse than your error of fact.”
One corner of Sebastian’s lips curled upward, as it had been itching to do since he’d laid eyes on her again. “Is it to be a contest, then, which of us was more to blame?”
Her full lips pursed then spread in a smile that refused to be kept in check. It illuminated her face like a stray shaft of sunlight hitting a stained-glass window. “That would be rather foolish, wouldn’t it? You are most gracious, Lord Benedict.”
If there was one thing Sebastian could not resist, it was a sincere compliment. “I’ve been called many things in my time, but gracious has never been one of them.”
“Indeed?” She glanced toward his brother and Miss Leonard then headed slowly toward them while Sebastian strolled along beside her. “What do they call you, then?”
He thought for a moment. “Arrogant... stubborn... ruthless...”
Miss Beaton did not rush to contradict him. But as Sebastian searched for more insults, in which he took perverse pride, she asked, “Do they say anything good?”
“Those are the good things,” he quipped, feeling ridiculously pleased when she laughed. “I am not being entirely facetious. All those so-called faults can have their place when put to good use.”
“What sort of use?” She sounded doubtful.
“Fighting in Parliament to get our Army and Navy the support they needed to defeat Napoleon.”
“That is a very good cause.” The warmth of admiration in Miss Beaton’s voice gratified him. “You must be overjoyed that the war has been won at last.”
Sebastian held open the churchyard gate for her. “I must confess my feelings are more of relief than exultation, especially when I think of all the lives lost on both sides. Even that relief is tinged with a sense of futility, that I was not able to do as much as was needed. Those brave souls accomplished far more than should ever have been asked of them. They did it in spite of the Government’s neglect and interference rather than with our support.”
What was he saying? Sebastian snapped his mouth shut. He could not recall the last time he had confided his feelings so fully to anyone, much less a woman he’d been so thoroughly vexed with an hour ago. “Pardon my nattering on, Miss Beaton. I am more accustomed to Parliamentary debates than polite conversation with a lady.”
As the pair drew nearer to the gig, their footsteps slowed until they were barely moving. “Do not apologize, sir. Your conversation may not be polite, if by that you mean trivial and insipid, but it is most stimulating. There are a great many questions I wish I had time to ask on the subject, but you and your brother must want to get home.”
He should fetch Claude away at once, rather than let the young fool linger there fawning over his unsuitable fiancée. But Sebastian found he did not wish to forsake the agreeable company of Rebecca Beaton.
Then an idea struck him—one that might kill two birds with one stone. “If you have questions for me, that sets us even. Claude tells me you were Miss Leonard’s governess before you became her companion and chaperon.”
“That is not a question, sir.” The lady’s lips blossomed into a playful grin. “Unless you mean to inquire whether your brother’s information is correct, which it is. Squire Leonard hired me to be his daughter’s governess not long after her mother died. In addition to educating her to the best of my ability, I hope I have been able to supply her with some of the companionship and advice of a mother.”
Though Sebastian knew he ought to follow up on the perfect opening Miss Beaton had provided, the only words he could produce were, “Not a mother, surely! You are far too near her age. I refuse to believe you could be more than a slightly elder sister.”
His words clearly pleased the lady. “You are most chivalrous, Lord Benedict. I assure you, Hermione considers me more than equal to her late mother in years.”
To Sebastian, that further demonstrated Miss Leonard’s immaturity. “Chivalrous? I cannot allow that. I have been called it even less often than gracious. You must mean to atone for the little trick you played on me by turning my head with flattery.”
“No indeed!” she cried. “If I have a fault in that regard, it is being far too blunt-spoken for my position.”
“Others may consider it a fault, Miss Beaton, but I do not.” He found it refreshing to converse with a woman who did not simper or act coy, one who owned to her mistakes and possessed a sense of humor that was pleasantly infectious. If only more of the marriageable ladies in London were like this insignificant country governess, Sebastian would have had fewer reservations about letting his brother come to town.
Claude finally took his eyes off Hermione Leonard long enough to notice his brother and her governess.
“Bravo, Miss Beaton!” He swept her an exaggerated bow. “I don’t know how, but you seem to have a knack for managing my irascible brother.”
Sebastian bristled at the notion of being managed by any woman.
But before he could summon a cutting retort, Miss Beaton spoke up. “You give me too much credit, sir, and your brother not enough. Considering the regrettable beginning to our acquaintance, he has been most forbearing, gracious and chivalrous.”
Claude’s eyebrows shot up. “Then there can be only one explanation. This man must be an imposter! Confess, villain, what have you done with my brother?”
The ladies burst into laughter. Though Miss Leonard’s shrill giggles still grated on Sebastian’s nerves, they sounded far more pleasant in harmony with Rebecca Beaton’s warm chuckle.