Page 63 of Educated By the Earl (Second Sons of London 1)

A familiar voice.

Lord Middlefield’s voice.

Turning to Adalyn, she gripped her arm and halted their progress. “What is Lord Middlefield doing here?”

Her cousin shrugged. “He may very well be going with us in the carriage tonight to the Healeys’ ball. Sometimes, we do travel to an event with one of our neighbors. You will see how crowded it gets once we near the Healeys’ townhouse. It is not unusual for our coachman to be forced to park a few blocks away while we walk the remaining distance. Papa long ago suggested that we sometimes ride with others.”

Adalyn’s nose wrinkled and she said, “Twice last year, we went to an event with Miss Allen and her parents. I hope not to do that the entire Season and have already told Papa of my wishes.”

Adalyn tugged on Tessa’s arm to pull her down the remaining stairs. Tessa wondered if it wasn’t her cousin who had asked for Lord Middlefield to accompany them tonight to the ball. It wouldn’t surprise her. Adalyn had subtly championed him during the past week though they had not seen the earl since their outing to the British Museum.

As they reached the bottom of the staircase, Lord Middlefield looked up. Their gazes met, his intense, and then he smiled at her. That brilliant, heartrending smile that made her knees wobble like marmalade. She resolved to resist his charms.

If such a thing might even be possible.

“Ah, the two loveliest young ladies who will attend Lord Healey’s ball,” her uncle said, bestowing a kind smile upon them. “You both look magnificent, don’t they, Middlefield?”

The earl nodded. “I do believe Lady Adalyn and Lady Tessa will be the belles of tonight’s ball,” he said.

“Here I am!” her aunt called out gaily as she descended the stairs. “I did not know I would be the last to arrive.” And then she looked to Tessa. “Of course, Tessa dear, you are always so very punctual. I wish Adalyn and I could be more like you.”

“Shall we go?” Uncle Uxbridge asked and their party moved outside to the waiting carriage.

The footman handed her up and then Adalyn and they sat on one of the benches as her aunt and uncle entered the vehicle and sat opposite them. Tessa knew what would happen next as Lord Middlefield climbed inside and took a seat between her and Adalyn.

Her aunt and uncle talked of people who would be at tonight’s ball, mentioning most of the guests who had attended the party in Lord Middlefield’s honor. Tessa averted her glance, looking out the window, and seeing all the activity on the London streets as they drew near their destination. It was true that the street was congested and carriages lined the way, forcing them to walk two blocks to their destination.

They alighted from the carriage and Lord Middlefield offered his arm to both Tessa and Adalyn and they entered the Healeys’ townhouse.

Tessa was caught up in all the excitement as she looked across the receiving line. The women were bedecked in jewels and beautiful gowns and the men were all attired in black evening wear. Of course, none seemed to look as handsome as Lord Middlefield did. They chatted with the people in front of them in line and then those behind them, Adalyn making the introductions since she seemed to know everyone in Polite Society.

Just before they reached their host and hostess, Tessa finally looked Lord Middlefield in the face and said, “Are you as nervous about tonight as I am?”

He nodded. “I have marched into battle with bullets flying all about me and yet the terror I feel now is nothing compared to that.”

She saw he wasn’t teasing with her. “You are an earl,” she said firmly. “A war hero and veteran. You could take on thetonblindfolded and come out victorious.”

He smiled wryly. “You always know just what to say, my lady. You have bolstered my spirits considerably.”

By now, they had reached Lord and Lady Healey and Adalyn graciously made the introductions. Once her aunt and uncle had also greeted their hosts, the five of them moved toward the ballroom. Tessa’s nerves fluttered within her and she gripped Lord Middlefield’s arm in support. He smiled down gently at her.

After they entered the ballroom, a footman handed both Adalyn and Tessa a programme. She was eager to dance tonight since she had always enjoyed doing so during the two years before she retired to nurses her parents. Of course, the waltz had not been danced at those country assemblies and Tessa had not learned the steps of the dance for her first come-out, which had never occurred. Thankfully, Adalyn had realized that omission and a dance master had been summoned during the last week to teach Tessa the dance.

She found the steps easy to master but the closeness with where her partner stood made her a bit uncomfortable. She wondered if anyone would ask her to dance the waltz tonight and how she would fare if they did so.

“I must mark down Lord Ellington for the first dance,” she remarked. “He promised me he would return from the country by the time the opening ball occurred and had asked for me to reserve the opening number for him.”

Tessa sensed Lord Middlefield watching as she scribbled Lord Ellington’s name down.

“Might I also ask for a dance, Lady Tessa?” the earl asked formerly.

Not wanting to be churlish, she nodded. “Of course, my lord. I would be happy for us to engage in a number.”

He wrote down his name and then excused himself.

Tessa watched him stride across the ballroom. So tall. So broad. So devastatingly handsome. She wondered if she might be wrong in not bothering to consider him as a suitor.

All at once, they were surrounded by gentlemen. Many, many men. Adalyn laughed and coquettishly batted her eyelashes at them as she introduced Tessa. Her cousin had warned her of a few gentlemen who might approach her. Men who truly weren’t gentleman at all, but rather, rakehells. As different bachelors signed her dance card, she made certain not to allow any of those rogues to do the same. Adalyn had taught Tessa a few phrases to deflect these few exceptions and she used them with ease, glad that she was no innocent miss straight from the schoolroom who wouldn’t have been able to manage as well.

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