Page 23 of Educated By the Earl (Second Sons of London 1)

“I am sorry to hear we will be deprived of your company, my lady,” he told her, secretly thrilled that he would enjoy having Lady Tessa to himself for the outing.

“I would like to know what engagement,” Lady Tessa said testily, glaring at her cousin.

“Oh, I will tell you all about it at tea this afternoon.” Lady Adalyn looked to him. “You must join us, my lord. By the time the lecture concludes and you make your way back to Mayfair, you will be desperate for a cup of tea. I will let my mother know you are coming. I will see the both of you later.”

Lady Adalyn left, leaving him with a very unhappy Lady Tessa, who didn’t bother to disguise her displeasure.

Then a servant came scurrying around the corner. “I’m here, my lady. Oh, hello, my lord. I’m Abra, in case you don’t recognize me in my fine new uniform. I’m doing an excellent job, just ask Lady Tessa. She’ll tell you.”

He looked at her and asked, “Is it true? You have turned a street orphan into an acceptable lady’s maid in only a few days?”

A fierceness filled her eyes and Spencer saw Lady Tessa was still protective of Abra. “I don’t believe I will ever have a finer lady’s maid, Lord Middlefield. Abra has already learned so much and has taken to her new position with ease. She is most talented in putting ensembles together and has quite a way with styling hair.”

“If she is responsible for how you are turned out this morning, my lady, then I would say she has done a very good thing. You look lovely.”

Her cheeks pinkened. “Thank you,” she said brusquely.

“Shall we?” he asked, waving his hand toward the door.

“I suppose so,” she said, moving toward the door, Abra trailing her.

His footman opened the carriage door and helped them into the vehicle and Spencer followed, sitting opposite the two women.

As the carriage began to roll away, Abra said, “Bridget tells me I am to chaperone you today. What does that involve?”

“Who, exactly, is Bridget?” he asked, knowing that was who Rigsby was seeing.

“Oh, that’s Lady Adalyn’s maid. She’s been teaching me about what to do and how to please Lady Tessa.”

“I believe Bridget is friendly with my valet, Rigsby.”

Abra nodded enthusiastically. “Oh, yes. She’s told me all about him. Said he’s a bit full of himself, being a valet to an earl and all, but she likes him all the same.”

Spencer was a bit shocked at how chatty Abra was and the fact Lady Tessa didn’t bother to rein her servant in. He wasn’t going to correct her, however. He might actually learn something.

Unfortunately, Lady Tessa looked at her maid and Abra swallowed. “I suppose I should let the two of you talk. Don’t mind me a bit. Think of me as a fly on the wall. I’ll just be looking out the window, minding my own business.”

As Abra turned and glanced out the window, he saw Lady Tessa’s lips twitch in amusement. Then her gaze met his and he found himself grinning. Trying to grow sober, he asked, “Do you often go to the British Museum, my lady?”

“I spent a great deal of time in it as I was growing up. My father loved all its exhibits and passed along that love to me. When we came to London for the Season, it was always somewhere he and I frequented.”

“But I thought you were only now going to make your come-out,” he said, confused.

“My parents always came to town in the spring for the Season. From my earliest memories, I always accompanied them. The British Museum was a favorite of mine and Papa’s. It was the world’s first national public museum and has always had free entrance. In the old days, Papa would have to give his name to the porter. He would write it down in a book and give the book to the principal librarian, who issued tickets. The librarian would strike through our names after calling them aloud, assigning groups of five to an under-librarian. It would be he who led us up the great staircase and through all the upper rooms, telling us about the various exhibits before returning us to the ground floor.”

“That sounds very organized.”

“Oh, it was. They only allowed forty-five to enter at any given time, I believe. Actually, I started going long before I was supposed to. Children under ten were not allowed inside the museum. I was tall for my age, though, and when I turned eight, Papa said we could tell a small, white lie and tell the porter if he asked that I was ten. They never questioned us and I was allowed to go with Papa. There were times we went two or three times a week.”

“Why?” he asked, as fascinated by what she was saying as watching how animated her features grew as she spoke.

“Because there is so much to see!” she exclaimed. “They have books and manuscripts which scholarly gentlemen peruse. Items of natural history and antiquities. I know we are going early for you to see the museum itself but if you have the slightest interest in things of this nature, it will take you many visits before you truly satisfy your curiosity.”

He smiled. “I have always enjoyed history and mathematics, in particular.”

“Then you will most likely return to the museum again and again.”

“Do they present lectures often?”

---