Page 81 of Educated By the Earl (Second Sons of London 1)

Lady Paxton did not acknowledge Tessa at all.

Adalyn leaned toward Tessa and said, “Let’s go meet a few others.”

The pair moved away and Tessa found herself talking with a few women from the previous evening. Then she sensed a presence at her elbow and turned.

Lord Ellington stood before her. He bowed and then took her hand, kissing it, and holding it too long for comfort. Tessa eased it from his grasp.

“I am delighted to see you here tonight, Lady Tessa,” Lord Ellington said. “It seems a month of Sundays since I have last looked upon your fair face.”

Tessa now saw him for what he was, a rogue who scattered meaningless compliments. “I saw you this afternoon, my lord. When you came calling upon my cousin and me.”

“Did you enjoy the bouquet I sent, my lady?” he asked.

“It was very pretty,” she told him.

“Pretty?” he asked, incredulous. “I believe it was the most outstanding of all your flower arrangements. Certainly, the largest.”

“Yes, I would agree with that,” she said. “It was quite kind of you to send it to me.”

Tessa saw that guests had begun moving to their chairs and she said, “If you will excuse me, my lord?”

“Why, I thought we might sit together this evening, my lady,” Lord Ellington said smoothly, taking her hand and placing it on his forearm.

“I have already promised Lord Middlefield that I will sit with him for the musicale,” she said, removing her hand from his sleeve.

The earl frowned. Then he brightened and said, “Well, you have two sides, my lady. Middlefield can sit on one. I plan to sit on the other.”

With that, he reclaimed her hand, this time tucking it possessively in the crook of his arm, and leading her toward the seats.

His emboldened action, after Tessa politely turning down his request to sit with him, bothered her greatly. As they moved toward the seating, she spied Spencer hurrying to meet up with them.

Lord Ellington indicated a row. “Does this suit you, my lady?”

Before she could answer, Spencer arrived and said, “Lady Tessa does not require your presence any longer, Ellington. She has promised to sit with me for tonight’s performance.”

Lord Ellington’s brow furrowed. “The lady told me that very thing,” he informed Spencer. “I told her she has two sides. You are welcomed to one but I am definitely taking the other.”

With that, Lord Ellington guided Tessa into a row and she sat, glancing back worriedly at Spencer. His jaw was tight as he moved down the line of chairs and joined them.

By now, she had pulled her hand from the earl’s arm and folded her hands demurely in her lap. She sensed the hostility in the air and prayed these two would not come to blows again over her.

Lord Rexford appeared, greeting his guests, and announcing the soprano who was to sing this evening.

The opera singer took her place, joined by a pianist and violinist. The woman was truly gifted but Tessa heard little of what she sang, concerned about how Lord Ellington would react to the betrothal announcement.

Then she decided she wasn’t going to let Lord Ellington’s reaction infringe upon her evening. This was her first musicale. Her uncle would announce her engagement this evening. She would be marrying a man she loved. Nothing was going to dampen her spirits.

As anticipated, after an hour of entertaining Lord Rexford’s guests, the opera singer took her leave, to enthusiastic applause.

Lord and Lady Rexford appeared at the font of the gathering and invited their guests to come and partake in a light supper, noting the entertainment would continue in an hour’s time.

Spencer rose and offered his hand to Tessa, who took it. They moved from their seats, Lord Ellington on their heels.

“And whom might you be supping with tonight, Lady Tessa?” Lord Ellington challenged.

Not wanting Spencer to answer for her, she said, “My aunt and uncle and my cousins, my lord. I will see you when the concert continues.”

She squeezed Spencer’s arm and he moved her away.

---