A Duke, a Governess, and a Little Lady
Rating: PG-13 at most
Disclaimer: If I owned Roswell, we'd still have a show to watch.
Summary: Elizabeth Parker is a governess for Emily Burming in the early 1800s but when tragedy strikes they move 3000 miles away, to live with a cousin Emily's never met and a Duke Elizabeth might not be able to handle!
Max paced downstairs in his study. He was in his riding clothes. He had sent Martin up after Liz to tell her to wear the riding habit that was in the new wardrobe he had made, he hoped it fit.
"You do like to ride, don't you?" He asked as soon as he saw her enter the room. The habit fit perfectly.
"I spent a lot of my childhood on horseback." She said, smoothing out her skirts.
"What took you so long?" He asked.
"I had to start Emily on her lessons." She looked up at him.
"It took you an hour?" He crossed his arm and raised his eyebrows.
"Yes." She answered back defiantly. "Are you ready, my lord?"
"Quite." He walked towards the door but then paused. "Are you going to be cold, it's chilly but nice?"
"I don't get cold." She answered. All she had was her light cloak, she'd be fine.
"Alright, don't complain."
"How long do you expect to be out, my lord?" She asked on the way to the stables.
"About three hours." He stated simply.
"Three hours?" She turned back towards the house. "I didn't tell Emily I'd be out that long, please let me go tell her."
He grabbed her firmly but gently by the arm, "No."
"P-please?" She stuttered. "She's going to get upset, she's not a huge fan of horses since her father's accident." She whispered.
"She'll need to learn, Liz. We'll be back before noon." He kept walking.
"W-will you let go of my arm please?" She whispered.
Max looked down at the young girl. She looked like she was going to cry. "Yes." He dropped his hand. "Hurry up, the sooner we leave the sooner we get back."
She followed quickly after him. "As I said yesterday, my lord, I cannot keep up with you when you walk at such a speed."
"I'm sorry, he slowed his pace a bit."
"Thank you." She eyed the puddle there was no choice but to go through. " Where exactly are we going?" She lifted her skirts above her ankles to lightly step into the puddle, but was hoisted into the air.
"Let me help you." He said. She grabbed onto him to gain balance.
They were well over the puddle but he was still carrying her. "Max, you can put me down now." She told him.
"You walk to slow, it's faster when I carry you."
"Suit yourself." She said annoyed, she didn't see a point in arguing with him.
Pretty soon they reached the stables. They were the most magnificent horses she had ever seen. "These are beautiful she said in awe."
"I have the perfect horse for you and Emily." He said proudly. He set her down and led her into the stables. "Allen!" He called for the stable boy.
"Yes, my lord?" He asked sleepily.
"Please prepare Alador, and the young mare." He said, voice ringing with authority.
"Come, I'll show you Emily's." He pulled her along to the other side.
He stopped in front of a young chestnut mare. "She's beautiful." Liz whispered. She had grown up with horses and she knew a good horse. "How old is she five, six?"
"She's six years. Newly broken and gentle as a lamb." He explained.
They walked back outside the stables. A magnificent stallion was standing proudly next to a smaller, calmer mare. "The stallion is my horse, Alador." He told her as they walked towards the horses. "The mare is yours."
"Mine?" She asked. "Yours, she's not even named yet." He said smiling.
"I'll have to ride her to see what she's like." She said shyly. Although she'd spent her life around horses, didn't mean she'd ever had one. "Thank you."
"Your welcome." He helped her up onto the horse.
They began at a slow trot. "Where are we going, Max?" She asked again.
"I'm going to show you how far you're allowed to take Emily on rides without an escort and certain ground rules that will need to be laid down."
"Alright." She says.
An hour later they circle Antar Lake. "Are we allowed to wade in the water?" She asked.
"Yes."
"There's going to be a party for her on Tuesday." He said completely out of the blue.
"Why?" Liz asked looking at him. "Can we stop here?"
"Sure." He hopped down from his horse to help her down as well.
She walked towards the water. He eyed her warily. "Liz, can you swim?"
"Nope." She slipped off her slippers and walked a little ways into the water.
"Careful." He warned. "It gets slippery."
"It feels cool." She said. "It reminds me of a creek that I used to play in when I lived in Pennsylvania." She smiled remembering.
"Was it fun?"
"I don't really remember much, only the coldness of the water. Mama used to take me down to the creek when she was with child. She said the water cooled her feet. It was the only time she let me take off my shoes outside the house." She smiled and stepped further into the cold water. She lifted her skirts a little higher.
Max stared at her. Her legs were shining in the water.
"How deep does it go?" She asked innocently turning around to stare at him.
It took him a minute to find his voice. "I'm not sure, my Mrs. Kendall never let us go that far."
"Ok." She stopped where she was and began to walk sideways. "So why are we having a party?"
"For her birthday." He stated. "The duchess feels it's necessary to make her feel as welcome as possible."
"Will the duchess be coming?" She asked.
"Yes, my father, mother, sister, and nephew, my brother-in-law might come if his schedule allows." He nodded.
"All those people are coming and they don't even know her?"
"She's part of the family." He shrugged as if it was normal. He kicked off his boots and rolled up his pants to join her. He stepped in the cool water next to her.
"It is cold isn't it?" He asked.
"Very." She chuckled. "I don't think I can feel my feet." She walked back towards the dry land and sat down on the grass.
"It's very nice here." She looked around.
"I like it." He took a seat next to her. He noticed how tired she looked. "Did you sleep last night?"
She looked at him. "Yes." She quickly changed the subject. "Am I allowed to bring Emily here?" She asked.
"Yes, with either Martin or myself."
"Why?"
"Because you can neither see the house nor hear anything from here. Now don't doubt that this property is well protected, we can't guarantee anything." He looked at her making sure she understood. "Is that clear?"
"Yes." The only thing that stood in her mind was they could not see or hear anything from here. She was never, ever coming here with Martin.
"Liz, answer me truthfully. Did you sleep last night?" Max asked her. He scooted closer and lifted her chin to meet his eyes.
"No." She said quietly, she tried to divert her eyes from his dark, questioning ones. "I don't usually sleep at night. I nap with Emily during the day. I-I don't like sleeping at night. Things happen when you're asleep." She looked at the ground blushing.
"Like what?"
She looked back up at him, tears forming in her eyes, she wanted so badly to tell him but she couldn't. One, she knew him for one day, and two he'd send her back. "Nothing."
His face was close to hers. Why was his face so close to hers? It should not be allowed to have eyes that gorgeous.
His face was getting closer by the second. His lips were so close that she could feel his breath.
Someone came crashing through the trees. Liz pulled away and pulled her feet under her skirts.
"I'm sorry, my lord. But you have a caller, and Lady Emily doesn't want anything to do with us. She wants Miss Parker." Martin said in a hurry.
Liz was up in a second she pulled her slippers on and made her way back to her horse. There was no ways she'd be able to get back onto that horse without help.
Martin was behind her and lifted her up onto the horse. She stiffened, his hands just felt wrong, and they lingered longer than they needed to. "Thank you, Martin. Max, shall we go?"
He pulled a glare away from Martin and looked at Liz. "Yes. Martin meet us back at the house." He instructed. "Liz, can you gallop?"
"Of course." She answered.
"Let's go."
They took off towards the house.
The stable boy met them on their way to the stables. Max helped Liz down and she walked back across the lawn to the house.
She was so determined to get to Emily she almost missed the blonde girl standing in the entryway, almost.
"Tess?" She looked at her.
"What are you doing here?" She folded her arms.
"Do you two know each other?" Max asked coming up behind Liz. Max glanced at the girl and almost shrunk back in disgust.
"Um, no." Liz said quickly, turning away. "I'm going to find Emily, my lord." She curtsied and exited the room.
A/N: I'm trying to make them longer, is this better?
Rating: PG-13 at most
Disclaimer: If I owned Roswell, we'd still have a show to watch.
Summary: Elizabeth Parker is a governess for Emily Burming in the early 1800s but when tragedy strikes they move 3000 miles away, to live with a cousin Emily's never met and a Duke Elizabeth might not be able to handle!
Max paced downstairs in his study. He was in his riding clothes. He had sent Martin up after Liz to tell her to wear the riding habit that was in the new wardrobe he had made, he hoped it fit.
"You do like to ride, don't you?" He asked as soon as he saw her enter the room. The habit fit perfectly.
"I spent a lot of my childhood on horseback." She said, smoothing out her skirts.
"What took you so long?" He asked.
"I had to start Emily on her lessons." She looked up at him.
"It took you an hour?" He crossed his arm and raised his eyebrows.
"Yes." She answered back defiantly. "Are you ready, my lord?"
"Quite." He walked towards the door but then paused. "Are you going to be cold, it's chilly but nice?"
"I don't get cold." She answered. All she had was her light cloak, she'd be fine.
"Alright, don't complain."
"How long do you expect to be out, my lord?" She asked on the way to the stables.
"About three hours." He stated simply.
"Three hours?" She turned back towards the house. "I didn't tell Emily I'd be out that long, please let me go tell her."
He grabbed her firmly but gently by the arm, "No."
"P-please?" She stuttered. "She's going to get upset, she's not a huge fan of horses since her father's accident." She whispered.
"She'll need to learn, Liz. We'll be back before noon." He kept walking.
"W-will you let go of my arm please?" She whispered.
Max looked down at the young girl. She looked like she was going to cry. "Yes." He dropped his hand. "Hurry up, the sooner we leave the sooner we get back."
She followed quickly after him. "As I said yesterday, my lord, I cannot keep up with you when you walk at such a speed."
"I'm sorry, he slowed his pace a bit."
"Thank you." She eyed the puddle there was no choice but to go through. " Where exactly are we going?" She lifted her skirts above her ankles to lightly step into the puddle, but was hoisted into the air.
"Let me help you." He said. She grabbed onto him to gain balance.
They were well over the puddle but he was still carrying her. "Max, you can put me down now." She told him.
"You walk to slow, it's faster when I carry you."
"Suit yourself." She said annoyed, she didn't see a point in arguing with him.
Pretty soon they reached the stables. They were the most magnificent horses she had ever seen. "These are beautiful she said in awe."
"I have the perfect horse for you and Emily." He said proudly. He set her down and led her into the stables. "Allen!" He called for the stable boy.
"Yes, my lord?" He asked sleepily.
"Please prepare Alador, and the young mare." He said, voice ringing with authority.
"Come, I'll show you Emily's." He pulled her along to the other side.
He stopped in front of a young chestnut mare. "She's beautiful." Liz whispered. She had grown up with horses and she knew a good horse. "How old is she five, six?"
"She's six years. Newly broken and gentle as a lamb." He explained.
They walked back outside the stables. A magnificent stallion was standing proudly next to a smaller, calmer mare. "The stallion is my horse, Alador." He told her as they walked towards the horses. "The mare is yours."
"Mine?" She asked. "Yours, she's not even named yet." He said smiling.
"I'll have to ride her to see what she's like." She said shyly. Although she'd spent her life around horses, didn't mean she'd ever had one. "Thank you."
"Your welcome." He helped her up onto the horse.
They began at a slow trot. "Where are we going, Max?" She asked again.
"I'm going to show you how far you're allowed to take Emily on rides without an escort and certain ground rules that will need to be laid down."
"Alright." She says.
An hour later they circle Antar Lake. "Are we allowed to wade in the water?" She asked.
"Yes."
"There's going to be a party for her on Tuesday." He said completely out of the blue.
"Why?" Liz asked looking at him. "Can we stop here?"
"Sure." He hopped down from his horse to help her down as well.
She walked towards the water. He eyed her warily. "Liz, can you swim?"
"Nope." She slipped off her slippers and walked a little ways into the water.
"Careful." He warned. "It gets slippery."
"It feels cool." She said. "It reminds me of a creek that I used to play in when I lived in Pennsylvania." She smiled remembering.
"Was it fun?"
"I don't really remember much, only the coldness of the water. Mama used to take me down to the creek when she was with child. She said the water cooled her feet. It was the only time she let me take off my shoes outside the house." She smiled and stepped further into the cold water. She lifted her skirts a little higher.
Max stared at her. Her legs were shining in the water.
"How deep does it go?" She asked innocently turning around to stare at him.
It took him a minute to find his voice. "I'm not sure, my Mrs. Kendall never let us go that far."
"Ok." She stopped where she was and began to walk sideways. "So why are we having a party?"
"For her birthday." He stated. "The duchess feels it's necessary to make her feel as welcome as possible."
"Will the duchess be coming?" She asked.
"Yes, my father, mother, sister, and nephew, my brother-in-law might come if his schedule allows." He nodded.
"All those people are coming and they don't even know her?"
"She's part of the family." He shrugged as if it was normal. He kicked off his boots and rolled up his pants to join her. He stepped in the cool water next to her.
"It is cold isn't it?" He asked.
"Very." She chuckled. "I don't think I can feel my feet." She walked back towards the dry land and sat down on the grass.
"It's very nice here." She looked around.
"I like it." He took a seat next to her. He noticed how tired she looked. "Did you sleep last night?"
She looked at him. "Yes." She quickly changed the subject. "Am I allowed to bring Emily here?" She asked.
"Yes, with either Martin or myself."
"Why?"
"Because you can neither see the house nor hear anything from here. Now don't doubt that this property is well protected, we can't guarantee anything." He looked at her making sure she understood. "Is that clear?"
"Yes." The only thing that stood in her mind was they could not see or hear anything from here. She was never, ever coming here with Martin.
"Liz, answer me truthfully. Did you sleep last night?" Max asked her. He scooted closer and lifted her chin to meet his eyes.
"No." She said quietly, she tried to divert her eyes from his dark, questioning ones. "I don't usually sleep at night. I nap with Emily during the day. I-I don't like sleeping at night. Things happen when you're asleep." She looked at the ground blushing.
"Like what?"
She looked back up at him, tears forming in her eyes, she wanted so badly to tell him but she couldn't. One, she knew him for one day, and two he'd send her back. "Nothing."
His face was close to hers. Why was his face so close to hers? It should not be allowed to have eyes that gorgeous.
His face was getting closer by the second. His lips were so close that she could feel his breath.
Someone came crashing through the trees. Liz pulled away and pulled her feet under her skirts.
"I'm sorry, my lord. But you have a caller, and Lady Emily doesn't want anything to do with us. She wants Miss Parker." Martin said in a hurry.
Liz was up in a second she pulled her slippers on and made her way back to her horse. There was no ways she'd be able to get back onto that horse without help.
Martin was behind her and lifted her up onto the horse. She stiffened, his hands just felt wrong, and they lingered longer than they needed to. "Thank you, Martin. Max, shall we go?"
He pulled a glare away from Martin and looked at Liz. "Yes. Martin meet us back at the house." He instructed. "Liz, can you gallop?"
"Of course." She answered.
"Let's go."
They took off towards the house.
The stable boy met them on their way to the stables. Max helped Liz down and she walked back across the lawn to the house.
She was so determined to get to Emily she almost missed the blonde girl standing in the entryway, almost.
"Tess?" She looked at her.
"What are you doing here?" She folded her arms.
"Do you two know each other?" Max asked coming up behind Liz. Max glanced at the girl and almost shrunk back in disgust.
"Um, no." Liz said quickly, turning away. "I'm going to find Emily, my lord." She curtsied and exited the room.
A/N: I'm trying to make them longer, is this better?