Page 39 of The Viscount in her Bedroom
First she’d kissed him, now she was admiring him. How much more obvious could she be? She was glad to think about something else—anything else but how drawn she was to him. This—awareness between them was almost frightening, when one had never experienced it before. She was confused and worried. What were they supposed to do now? How could they go back to a simple friendship? Because she knew he didn’t want more than that.
She told herself that as a friend, she could be grateful for his triumphs; he’d begun to eat in front of his family, even in front of her. And he ate like the gentleman he was, although with slow caution. He did eat one item of food at a time, and she noticed that someone had cut his meat before it was served to him. But if he eventually learned to do that himself, he would surely have more confidence.
But she had to remember to keep Georgie between them. “My plans for Georgie are quite simple, my lord. If you had bothered to ask me when I first proposed this to you—”
Frowning, he interrupted her. “That’s in the past. Much has happened—and you know my name.”
“That is far too intimate. If we are to ignore this—”
“But—”
She waited, but he said nothing more. She was terribly curious, but once again the pleasant mask had come down over his face.
“Your grandmother will be escorting Georgie and I to London in a few days to order your sister a new wardrobe.”
“Good. She needs one.”
“And is a wardrobe so important to you, my lord?”
A smile eased across his face, and she relaxed.
“Obviously not,” he said. “You could wear sackcloth, and I wouldn’t know the difference.”
She blushed, uncertain if he were complimenting her or stating a simple fact.
“But it’s important for my sister to feel good about herself,” he continued.
“I’m glad you feel that way. I’ve also worked with her lady’s maid to change her hairstyle.”
He only nodded.
“I’m going to work on her musical abilities.”
“She doesn’t sing well.”
“But she can play. We’ll make her so accomplished that everyone will want to be accompanied by her. As a hostess she can learn to master serving her guests. As a dancer…”
He visibly winced.
“You’ve told me the dancing didn’t go well,” she said, smiling. “I can remedy that. I am an excellent dancer.”
“Modest, too,” he said with amusement.
“Lord Wade, this is not a situation that calls for modesty. My talents can help your sister.”
When he said nothing, she couldn’t read his face.
“Do you doubt me, my lord?”
“No, but don’t be surprised if I decide to make sure you know what you’re doing.”
The challenge should have bothered her—instead she shivered with anticipation.
~oOo~
The next afternoon, Louisa realized that Simon was making good on his threat. She and Georgie were in the drawing room going through sheet music, when Manvil escorted him into the room and helped him find a chair near the door.
She knew Simon wasn’t watching her, but once again she noticed how much his attention could capture her. She forced him from her mind as she sat on the piano bench and instructed Georgie in the best way to accompany various types of singers—hesitant, loud, too fast, too slow.
