Page 3 of Tutoring the Charming Earl

Either way, her smile disarmed him. It seemed to say, I see you. Don’t bother trying to hide.

He frowned down at his great aunt. “What lessons?”

“Dance lessons, of course,” Tess answered, her arms held out wide as though she were dancing with an invisible partner. She began to move in time with the simple tune their aunt played.

Alex turned to watch her, and then spun back to face his great aunt, and then turned once more to see where the new companion had gone. He stopped and stood still when he realized that he must have looked like a marionette, spinning about in some sort of newfangled dance of his own.

The thought had him glaring at his sister, though she did not seem to notice. Even if she did, she would not mind. Like their brother, she knew that his glares and his frowns were just how his face had been cast. It was rarely, if ever, intentional.

Even now, he was confused, not angry. It was just a case of heavy brows and a severe mouth that made confusion appear as annoyance. “But you’ve already had dance lessons,” he finally said, sputtering a bit as he tried to keep up with the ludicrous scene he’d stumbled upon.

It was the dead of night, after all. Oughtn’t they to be in bed?

That was precisely where he wished to be after a day of travel.

“We didn’t expect you until tomorrow,” Aunt Gertie said.

“Yes,” he agreed. “And I did not expect you until next week.”

She tossed her turban-covered head back with a laugh. “Indeed.”

No apology, and nor did he expect one. She was family, after all. Family was always welcome. Particularly this aunt who could do more to restore his sister’s grieving spirits than he could ever hope to do.

He turned to Tess, who was now joined by Clara. He could now see what he must have interrupted just moments ago. The two women were turning about the room, with Clara taking the role of the man in a fast-paced waltz, thanks to his great aunt’s enthusiastic playing.

“But haven’t you already had dance lessons?” he repeated, feeling rather like a daft old man, standing there in baffled confusion in the midst of their raucous joy and lighthearted dancing.

“Not waltzing,” Tess called out. “Father was of the old-fashioned notion that waltzing was not appropriate, and then Frederick—” She cut herself off with a bite of her lip at the mention of their beloved brother. “He intended to hire a dance instructor before my debut, but…”

Clara spun her around most handily and the conversation trailed off to the sounds of their laughter and Clara’s encouragement. “That is it. You have it! Tess, my dear, you are a quick study.”

Alex moved to stand against the wall, lest he be trampled again, and took the opportunity to gather his wits as he watched the scene before him. It seemed his sister had already made a friend of their new guest if she was calling her by her nickname. It should not have surprised him as his sister had always shared their brother’s penchant for friendliness.

Guilt nagged at him as he thought about his sister’s comments. He ought to have known she would need more guidance before her debut. The poor girl had been forced to sit out two seasons thanks to death and mourning. This upcoming season would at long last bring about her much-awaited debut.

He scowled down at the carpet as he berated himself. It seemed these days that whenever he managed to get a firm grasp on one aspect of his new role in this household, he found that he’d failed in another. He’d just completed a successful visit to one of their properties, but it seemed he had been negligent in planning for Tess’s future, a situation he would remedy immediately.

He let out a huff of frustration. Just as soon as he learned what exactly a young woman needed to prepare for her debut. He cast a look in Aunt Gertie’s direction. Perhaps it was for the best that she was joining them early for Christmastide. Not only would her presence help to restore his sister’s good spirits, but she could very well be the maternal figure they so desperately needed.

Clara’s laughter filled the air again. She seemed to be laughing at something Tess had said, but Alex found himself watching the newcomer with fascination. She seemed to fit in quite well, considering she’d only just arrived in this household this evening.

She pranced about the room looking for all the world as though she were the owner of this estate, and not him—the man hiding in the corner.

“What else does she need?” he asked his aunt.

“Who?”

“Tess,” he said. “What does she need to know before entering society?”

“Oh, my dear,” his aunt said with a laugh, her hands flying over the keys. “Do not fret. That is why I am here, and I brought my secret weapon.”

They both turned to watch as the dancing ladies collapsed onto the settee with breathless laughter.

“It is not normally done quite so…quickly,” Clara said as she gasped for air. He tried not to notice the way her bosom rose and fell as she struggled to catch her breath.

He tried but he failed.

“That is a relief,” Tess said. “I’d collapse before supper was served at this rate.”