Page 37 of The Earl’s Inconvenient Nemesis

“Later today,” he clarified with a roll of his eyes.

“The next ball is this evening, and I have another dress fitting after luncheon.”

“Lady Jane will retire for a time before preparing for tonight’s ball. I will meet you in the library. There is plenty of room, and we shall not be disturbed.”

Alice found herself nodding before good sense could intervene.

The afternoon dragged interminably after Alice and her aunt returned from the modiste. They sat down for some tea, and were soon joined by Anthony.

“Alice has been telling me how much she enjoys riding with you, Lord Tonbridge,” Lady Jane said, making Alice blush. “You have made such a difference to her stay.”

“And I have been enjoying riding with her,” Anthony replied, his voice warm. “Miss Fairfax is a very accomplished horsewoman and excellent company. It is a pleasure.

“Do you have plans to go out together tomorrow?”

“Alas, no. Alice will no doubt require the morning to recover from tonight’s ball, and I have an appointment in the afternoon.” Alice felt a little glow inside her that she knew the secret that Anthony was planning to visit Charlie and take him some new toy soldiers he had bought for him.

“I hope you will be able to ride again soon. I am sure the fresh air does you the world of good,” said Aunt Jane, looking contentedly between the pair of them before returning to her newspaper.

Alice felt unkind wishing her Aunt would hurry up and finish reading so she would retire to her room, but she could not help it. She felt jittery and excited and struggled to remain composed.

Finally, after what felt like an eternity, Aunt Jane folded up her newspaper and declared she was going to have a rest.

Feeling quite illicit, Alice caught Anthony’s eyes as her aunt left.

He got up and walked past Alice, saying quietly, “I will see you in the library in five minutes.”

She watched him as he walked out, a shiver of anticipation running down her body. This meeting was perfectly innocent, she told herself firmly. Anthony was practically her brother and, as her brother, he was simply offering to help her with a problem she had. There was nothing clandestine about it. They were just being secretive because . . . well, it was embarrassing that she needed Anthony to help her with her dancing, that was all. But then why did she feel so nervous? And why was it so hard for her to wait just a few minutes until she went to join him and she would get to re-experience the emotions she had felt as they had danced together before?

She managed to force herself to wait a full six minutes before going to the library. She opened the door slowly, so worried about being caught that she feared it making any noise.

The library was quickly becoming Alice’s favourite room in her aunt’s house as her desire for more books to read increased. Originally designed and populated with books by Alice’s uncle who had passed away before she was born, it was a large square room with a high ceiling like all the rooms in her aunt’s house.

Floor to ceiling bookcases lined every wall and there was a large desk in one corner with some paperwork belonging to Anthony scattered on it. There was plenty of space to dance and, as the room was rarely used by anyone other than Alice and Anthony occasionally when he had business to attend to, Alice had to admit that it was a good choice for a meeting place.

Anthony was standing by the window gazing out over the gardens at the back of the house. He seemed unusually tense, his shoulders rigid.

“What would you like to start with?” he asked, not looking at her.

“Um . . . ” Alice’s mind was blank. “There are um . . . ”

Anthony took a visible breath. “I imagine the waltz is the dance you have had the least opportunity to practise,” he said.

Alice’s heart thudding heavily.

“Was I truly so terrible when we danced it before?” she asked.

“Not at all,” he said quickly. “It simply seems sensible to focus on the one you dance least often. It is becoming more popular.”

Alice gulped. “But what about music? We have none.”

“We shall have to do without and count the beats in our heads.”

Almost before Alice knew what was happening, Anthony had crossed the room, and took her hand, putting his other hand on her waist. She looked up and felt dizzy as her eyes met his and she placed her hand on his shoulder. If she had thought waltzing with Anthony at a ball with people around them was an intense experience, it was nothing compared to this moment.

They danced in silence, the only sound the swish of Alice’s dress and their breathing, which Alice was having a hard time keeping in check. It was as if all the feelings that had been building up towards him were rushing to the surface. So many of her beliefs about him had been proven to be complete misconceptions and the reasons she disliked him and did not want to be anywhere near him were somehow . . . gone. Something at the back of her mind was reminding her of her list and that Anthony most definitely was not on it, but this was being drowned out by the heat from his hand on her and the smell of . . . well, him.

And suddenly they were not dancing anymore. Alice was not even sure how long it had been since they had stopped. They let go of each other’s hands and Anthony reached up and ran his fingers softly down Alice’s cheek.