Page 15 of Educated By the Earl (Second Sons of London 1)

“I look forward to meeting her, my lord.”

“Don’t let her break your heart, Middlefield.”

“I beg your pardon?”

The earl sighed. “Adalyn has been out for five Seasons. She seems to have no interest in marriage or children. Each year, I have high hopes that a gentleman will come and sweep her off her feet.” He paused. “Perhaps you will be that gentleman, Middlefield.” Then he shook his head. “No, you are much too sedate for my Adalyn. She is far too adventurous for the likes of you.”

“I still look forward to meeting your daughter, Lord Uxbridge.” He waited, hoping the earl would continue and when he didn’t, he said, “I will be happy to entertain the three of you.”

“No, no, there will be four,” the earl corrected. “That is, if you don’t mind my bringing my niece. I hope she would be included in your invitation.”

“Of course. Whomever you choose to attend,” Spencer encouraged.

“Tessa is a sweet girl. Even though she is my Adalyn’s age, Tessa will make her come-out this Season.”

“Why the delay?” he asked, very curious now to glean information about her.

“Tessa stayed in the country when my sister—her mother—grew quite ill. She nursed her mother for a good year or more. Then her father suffered an attack of apoplexy immediately after his wife’s death.” The earl shook his head sadly. “Poor Paxton was incapacitated. Couldn’t even speak. Tessa stayed by his side, night and day, for the better part of three years. When he finally passed and she had nowhere to go, I asked her to come and stay with us.”

“She was homeless? I am afraid I don’t understand.”

Uxbridge’s face darkened in anger. “The new Lady Paxton didn’t care much for Tessa. The chit is coldhearted and not yet even twenty. She demanded Tessa leave Oakley and never return. Tessa’s uncle, now Lord Paxton, doesn’t seem to have the desire to rein in his countess. If I were you, Middlefield, I would make certain I didn’t find myself in the midst of the Paxtons’ social circle.”

“Have no fear of that, my lord. They wronged your niece greatly.”

“Selfishly, I am grateful they did. Tessa has always been as a daughter to me, along with my brother’s girl, Louisa. And Adalyn has always adored Tessa. We are happy for her to remain with us as long as she can. Of course, she is kind and beautiful. I hope she will have many suitors and choose to wed one of them at Season’s end.”

Spencer thought Lady Tessa to have been very selfless to have given up a good portion of her youth tending to her ill parents when she could have left that task to others while she came to London and found herself a husband. It spoke to her loyalty to family and decent character. Of course, he had also seen her in action recently, taking in an orphan off the street and helping give the girl a new life. That took bravery—and a bit of recklessness.

Lady Tessa was proving to be a very intriguing young woman. He eagerly looked forward to entertaining her at dinner.

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