Page 14 of Seducing Sophia (Scholars of Seduction)

CHAPTER5

“So, you’re admitting him again?” Mrs. Huntington asked. “I see his name is on your list of today’s pupils.”

Sophia dropped a lump of sugar into her tea and stirred it. Though she focused her attention on the pattern on the inside of her teacup, she could sense several pairs of eyes watching her.

The breakfast room at Summerton Hall was almost full. Most of the inmates were there, save Maria who would have already risen before dawn to tend to her beloved dogs, Clara, who was most likely resting from her exertions at the opera house last night, and Adelia, who preferred to eat her breakfast in her study while she sketched. To reap the rewards from the quality of the early morning light, she said. In reality, Adelia loathed company and took every opportunity to avoid it. And nobody could blame her. With a scar running across her face and having suffered abandonment as a result of her looks, poor Adelia chose to hide from company at every opportunity.

Summerton Hall was a hotbed of activity—women, each pursuing an independent income, never succumbing to the temptation of paid employment. And they all owed it to Mrs. Huntington. Despite her stern appearance, Lysetta Huntington possessed a heart of gold—a heart that had been broken, just as Sophia’s own had been.

“Is Adrian coming to see me, Mama?” Henry asked, excitement in his voice. “Like he promised?”

Mrs. Huntington frowned from across the table. Henry was a perceptive child and already growing curious. An inquisitive mind was wont to ask awkward questions. But lately, those questions had been increasing. He could only be sheltered from the real world for so long, and once he was old enough to attend school, he’d need enough armor to protect himself from it.

Sooner or later, Henry would insist on knowing about his father. He’d already taken a marked interest in the men who visited the house—traders delivering goods and services—as if he imagined each one to be his papa returned from the dead.

And he’d taken a liking to Sophia’s new pupil…

To Adrian.

Silently, she chided herself. Colonel FitzRoy, if you please.

The diminutive brunette sitting on Mrs. Huntington’s right let out a laugh. “Oooh—Adrian, is it?” she cried. “Don’t tell me you have a gentleman caller, Sophia.”

“On the contrary, Arlette,” Sophia said. “He’s a gentleman, recently returned from the army. But he’s a pupil of mine.”

Arlette gave an unladylike snort. “A man fresh from wielding his sword in battle would not wish to bore himself rigid with Bach and Beethoven.”

The flame-haired young woman sitting on Arlette’s other side gave her a little shove. “Don’t be so smart,” she said. “Just because you’re content to spend your days brawling in the dirt and have no notion of beauty, doesn’t mean a soldier cannot appreciate the arts.”

“Oh do shut up, Honoria,” Arlette snapped. “Go and shove your head in a ledger.”

“Ladies!” Mrs. Huntington exclaimed. “That’s quite enough. What hope do we have of ever being taken seriously in the world, if we cannot refrain from ridiculing each other? And we must set an example to young Henry here.” She caught Sophia’s gaze. “It seems as if our young man is more observant than I gave him credit for. I must be careful what he sees and hears from now on.”

Sophia drained her teacup and checked the clock on the wall, then rose to her feet. Her first pupil was due in half an hour—the Honorable Miss Maudley.

“Come on, Henry,” she said. “Would you like me to select a book for you to read today, before I begin work?”

“I can take care of the boy,” Mrs. Huntington said. “And I believe Maria has promised to let him help her now Pug’s had her litter. Would you like that, Henry?”

“Oh yes!” Henry’s green eyes glittered with relish. Sophia leaned forward and he tipped his face up to kiss her cheek.

Dear Henry! She must remember it was all for him. Everything she did was for him.

* * *

Her heart thuddingagainst her chest, Sophia occupied herself with arranging her sheet music for the fourth time. For the past half hour, she’d jumped at every sound coming from outside. Every knock on the door, every footstep—the anticipation of his arrival.

You’re a fool. A naïve fool.

Just because a man set her pulse racing, did not mean she need act upon it. Hadn’t William done the very same at first? Giddy with a debutante’s childish love, she’d let him anticipate the wedding night, only there had been no wedding. Nor had there been any intention of one.

Nevertheless, her skin tightened with anticipation at the sound of footsteps, and she fought to retain her composure when Tilly opened the door and announced the arrival of her next pupil.

He was alone.

She rose to her feet and curtseyed.

“Where’s Mrs. Huntington?” she asked.

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