Arnprior stood and followed Victoria back to the tea table. Somehow, he managed to make the little stroll appear intimidating, or at least the twins seemed to think so. By the time he was looming over them, they looked nervous.
“And who is this good authority?” the earl asked. “Not someone you ran intooffthe estate, I hope.”
Graeme flushed a bright red, while Grant went in the opposite direction, going rather pale.
On their brother’s order, the twins had been confined to the estate for the last several days as a result of some incident that was apparently too shocking to discuss in front of a lady. Whatever it was, Victoria had the sense that those sorts of events happened on a regular basis.
“It was Mr. Allen who told the lads,” Angus said from his corner by the fire. “They rode with me on my rounds of the tenant farms yesterday, and we stopped to have a wee dram with him. His wife heard it from Lady MacLeish herself.”
The earl stared hard at his grandfather, who puffed away at his short-stemmed pipe with the easy assurance of either a man with a clear conscience or a born liar.
“That’s right,” Graeme said. “It was Mr. Allen who told us.” He elbowed his twin. “Right?”
Grant bobbed his head like a nervous pigeon. “That’s it exactly.”
Arnprior studied them with disfavor. “I suppose I should be happy you’re taking an interest in the workings of the estate,” he finally said.
Angus removed his pipe from his mouth. “Of course ye should. It’s what ye want, isn’t it?”
“If it were true, I’d be delirious with joy,” Arnprior replied.
“It’s absolutely true,” Graeme said, gazing earnestly at his big brother.
Arnprior stared down at him for a moment longer and then shrugged. “Good for you, lads. I’m sure your grandfather appreciates the help.”
When he bent down to retrieve a biscuit, Victoria found herself admiring his lean hips and well-shaped backside, lovingly outlined by the draped fabric of the kilt. Not that she couldhelpadmiring those attributes, as impolite as that might seem, since he was standing right in front of her—at eye level, too. And although she’d never been a particular fan of the Highland costume, after seeing the earl in a kilt more than once this week, she’d decided the style was growing on her.
He straightened up. “Well, what’s it to be, Miss Knight? Are you agreeable?”
She jerked her gaze upward to take in his amused expression. Good God. When had he noticed she was furtively inspecting his backside? Even worse, he obviously found it amusing to catch her in the act.
She, however, did not.
“Am I agreeable to what, my lord?” she asked, trying to adopt her most dignified manner. It was a challenge, since her face seemed to be going up in flames.
His eyebrows arched. “Why, teaching my brothers to waltz, of course. And since I already know the steps of that particular dance, I will be more than happy to lend you assistance.”
“Do say yes, Miss Knight,” Graeme said. “It would be the greatest thing, ever.”
“Ever,” Grant echoed with enthusiastic emphasis.
“Miss Knight, I beg you to do it,” Royal added. “Or else these two idiots will pester us until we lose our minds.”
She met the earl’s sardonic gaze, resisting the unholy desire to stick her tongue out at him—or kick him in the shins—for manipulating her so adroitly.
He’d backed her right into the position he’d chosen for her all along—and done it in front of his entire family, no less. Now he was daring her to refuse.
Chapter Ten
“Well, Miss Knight?” Nick asked again. “Shall we teach my brothers to waltz?”
She blinked several times, as if her pretty blue eyes were trying to focus. He’d caught her off guard—after catching her inspecting his arse. Her fiery blush was evidence that she wasn’t the sort of woman who ogled men’s backsides. Even her chest had gone pink above the narrow lace trim of her bodice. Standing over her, he could just see inside her gown where the gentle swell of her breast caused the fabric to gape. If he leaned over slightly—
Stop. It.
His reckless offer to help her teach the twins to dance was only partly explained by his desire for her to tutor his brothers. And now he was thinking of peering down the front of her gown. It mattered not a whit that she was both pretty and kind, and already making remarkable strides with Kade. Victoria Knight was still his servant, and he didn’t dally with servants.
Nick didn’t dally in general. In fact, he hadn’t taken a woman to bed since he’d returned home from the war. He thanked God that Victoria was an exceedingly proper governess and a perfect lady, since he was finding her more enticing than he cared to admit. But he suspected she would no more flirt with her employer than she would run away and join a troupe of acrobats.
