Page 67 of Never a Bride
They both heard a sudden knock echo through the front hall, then the steward’s footsteps. They continued to stare at each other, until Alex finally said, “After you’ve seen a demonstration, we can discuss the wager.”
“Demonstration?” she whispered, knowing Maxwell must have entered the mansion by now. “Behave yourself. And there will be no wager!”
Alex watched Willoughby being shown into the parlor. The other man bowed toward him, a little stiffly, perhaps, but when his gaze landed on Emmeline, his smile relaxed.
Hellfire.
“Lady Emmeline, Sir Alexander,” Willoughby said politely.
Alex grinned. “Since I’m to be your teacher, you might as well call me Alex. And I’ll call you Max.”
Willoughby cleared his throat. “Although no one calls me by that name, it would not bother me to have you do so.”
“I think we can start right there, Max,” Alex said, standing up.
“I thought we might have dinner first,” Emmeline interrupted.
“In a moment, my lady. Max, the first thing you must do is lose this stiff attitude of yours.”
Alex heard the groan Emmeline tried to suppress, and watched Willoughby blink at him silently.
“When people or situations take you off guard,” Alex continued, warming to his task, “like my calling you by a different name, don’t act uncertain or hesitant.”
“I didn’t mean to imply—”
“Just relax into it. If you don’t know what you’re going to say, just smile or laugh while you’re thinking, instead of stiffening.”
“And is this how you deal with every situation?” Emmeline suddenly asked, her probing eyes seeing more than he meant to show her.
“It is quite natural for me not to take anything people say to heart. Why would I allow them that kind of advantage over me? Max, make a joke of things when you need to.”
“I already have a sense of humor,” Willoughby said mildly, “though I admit to not always using it. But I am not here to have you rebuild me in your image, Alex.”
Instead of being offended, Alex found himself rather impressed. “Nicely done. I think we can make this work. Now, my lady, you mentioned food?”
Emmeline looked between them with obvious confusion, then she shrugged and turned toward the dining chamber. Alex stepped quickly to walk at her side, and found that Willoughby was already on her other side. Damn, but the man wasn’t as foolish as Alex had surmised. Together, they led a dazed Emmeline into the next room.
Alex let the lessons go as he studied Willoughby’s ease of conversation with Emmeline. There hardly seemed to be a problem in this area, so did she want Willoughby to be more confident in other areas? He couldn’t stop his thoughts from dwelling darkly on this, and didn’t realize the others were looking at him.
“Alex?” Emmeline said.
He glanced at her. “Yes?”
“You’ve hardly eaten a thing. Is something wrong?”
He smiled. “I just broke my fast at a late hour this morn, my lady. Do forgive my lack of appetite. Max, are you ready to begin?”
They returned to the parlor, and with amusement, he watched Emmeline nervously look out into the hallway. She didn’t quite have the nerve to shut the doors, though.
“Emmeline, don’t hide yourself in a corner,” Alex said, trying not to laugh. “Do come here with Max and me. You’ll be an integral part of our lessons.”
“Me?” she managed, coming toward them.
He couldn’t help taking in the whole lovely picture she made, from her hair pulled up tight beneath her French headdress, down to her corseted waist, which only made her full breasts and curvaceous hips all the more appealing. When she looked like that, he could not imagine why another man had not snatched her up in a mouthful.
But not Willoughby, of course.
“Yes, Emmeline,” he continued, “it will be impossible for me to show Max the lessons I’m trying to teach without someone to demonstrate on.”
