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She was quite a plain-looking young woman and nothing to make Philip's heart race, but the moment he had acknowledged her curtsey, he turned into the rest of the room and his heart leapt right into his throat.
Lady Lockhart was standing beside the empty fireplace in a beam of sunshine that caused her strawberry blonde hair to shine magnificently as she curtseyed politely in greeting.
It's you!Philip exclaimed silently, gritting his teeth and clenching his jaw to stop himself from yelling the words out loud.
He would have recognised her anywhere, the strawberry blonde, petite mystery woman he has so often watched from his classroom windows. Her heart-shaped face turned up to face his, and Philip felt his heart skip a beat so hard in his chest that it almost knocked him off his feet.
How … how is this even possible?Philip thought, unable to understand how he had never put two and two together before. Though he had never actually met Lady Lockhart, he had seen Lord Balfour talking to the mystery woman on several occasions, though he had never been looking out of a window close enough to hear what they were saying.How could I not have known who you were?
Chapter 6
Daisy had been anticipating this moment for several days now. Ever since her father had announced at the Chester ball that the Earl of Elgin’s second son would be tutoring her, she had been filled with nerves and quite determined to put an end to the entire charade almost as abruptly as it had come about.
It was absolutely ridiculous to her that her father thought it safe to have her educated behind closed doors, and yet she was not able to merely walk into a classroom and sit in a seat and listen to whatever it was the professors had to teach that session.
I will attend university!Daisy vowed to herself as she heard her father’s butler opening the front door at the sound of the knuckles rapping on the wood. She glanced towards her lady's maid, who had instantly pushed herself to her feet at the knocking on the front door, clearly anticipating the very same thing as Daisy. Mr Philip Radcliffe had arrived.
When the knocking of knuckles on the parlour door came, Daisy didn't bother to call for the butler to enter. Instead, she gracefully pushed herself to her feet and smoothed her hands down the front of her cream dress. The thread that made up the pink and green floral pattern on her skirts felt itchy beneath her palms, and she fought the urge to cringe.
"My Lady, Mr Philip Radcliffe for you," her father's butler announced when he stepped into the parlour and stepped out of the way of the door to gesture a young man inside. Curtseying respectfully, knowing that she would never give her stepmother any ammunition to say that she was not ladylike, she looked at the man out the corner of her eye and saw him glancing first at her maid.
He was much more handsome than she had anticipated. Nothing at all like his thin-haired, portly father. Athletically built and tall, Mr Radcliffe seemed to tower over Daisy even at a distance. There was a stern, studiousness about him as he acknowledged the maid's curtsey, but his eyes widened the moment he turned to greet Daisy.
Even across the room, Daisy could see just how deeply blue his eyes were, and for several moments she felt as though she was diving into the deepest sapphire ocean. There was an intelligence in the depths of his eyes that she could never have imagined finding there.
Having heard that he was studying medicine, Daisy had expected the man to be arrogant and pompous, merely going about the motions with no true intention of actually learning anything. After all, what man of the ton would ever choose to study medicine?
Yet here he stood, breathtakingly handsome with his creamy, flawless complexion, his dark glossy locks of black hair swept back from his face by a sweep of his fingers through the roots, his mesmerising blue gaze …
Daisy had been sitting fiddling with a quill she had taken from the pile of papers, books, and quills she had prepared to at least appear interested in the tutoring session, even thinking of how she might somehow get out of this entire thing. And yet, upon seeing him, all desire to do so flew out of the window.
Not only because he was good-looking. She was not so vain as to let his attractiveness rule any decision she made, but because there was an intellectual air about him that made her skin tingle with anticipation, with the desire to learn and soak up all he could teach her as if she were a sponge.
Hearing her maid’s throat clearing, Daisy quickly realised she had been silent for far too long. Curtseying once more, she quickly greeted him, "Mr Radcliffe, it is a pleasure to finally make your acquaintance."
As if he were as stunned as she, he continued to gaze at her silently for several moments before finally blinking, clearing his throat as he finally bowed and responded, "The honour is all mine, Lady Lockhart."
"Please, call me Daisy," she replied almost immediately, her cheeks growing red hot with embarrassment the moment she shut her lips.Did I truly just say that out loud?She baulked at herself, unable to understand how he had managed to get under her skin quite so easily.
She was never so improper with anyone, always remembering her manners, her station, and how to act around other nobles and anyone else. Yet the way he looked at her, the stern and yet surprised expression on his face, unnerved her.He must believe me entirely inappropriate!she thought,inviting him to use my given name upon our first meeting! What must he think of me?
Her hands itched to once more run over the skirts of her dress, ensuring that she looked her best. Her fingers longed to brush back the stray curls that had fallen around her face, falling free of the single braid that cascaded over her left shoulder.What is wrong with me?she scolded herself firmly.
She was never so bothered about what anyone, especially any man, thought of her appearance, yet the way he looked at her and seemed to stare into her very soul made her feel more than a little self-conscious. It was a sensation she was entirely unused to, and she had to grit her teeth to stop herself from admitting it out loud. She was sure he would find her entirely strange if she did.
They continued to stare at each other in utter silence, a quizzical expression crossing Philip's face until the butler cleared his throat and asked, "Lady Lockhart, may I get you and your guest some refreshments?"
Good gracious! Where have my manners gone?Daisy asked herself as she swallowed past the lump in her throat and asked, "Mr Radcliffe, can I offer you some tea? Perhaps a glass of lemonade?"
"I … um … no, thank you. I would much prefer to get down to business," Mr Radcliffe responded quickly, and Daisy was only slightly relieved when she saw a rosiness begin to blush his cheeks. It was a relief to know she was not the only one feeling some embarrassment.
"I am fine also, thank you, Everson." Daisy smiled to her father's butler and nodded for him to be dismissed before she turned back to the earl's son and gestured towards the couch where she had been sitting. "Shall we?"
Mr Radcliffe nodded and crossed the room to join her. She waited until he stood beside her before gracefully dropping back down into her seat to find that he sat at the very same moment. Though there was enough space for another entire person to sit between them, Daisy was well aware of just how close they were now he had crossed the room.
She tried her hardest not to stare too intently, but she did not resist meeting his gaze. She could guess what he expected, for her to be a small and fragile young lady who would sit up and pay attention to his every word and whim.
Yet even though she was much more pleased with her new tutor than anticipated, she wasn't about to lie down and take it.I still wish to go to university,she reminded herself, once again remembering that she had been determined to scare this tutor off just as she had all the others. She so longed for the same rights as her male counterparts, and she would never give up until she had exhausted all her options.
