Mendenhall chuckled. “Do you play an instrument, Lady Aurora?”
“The piano, if you must know. I’m getting better, though I struggle.” The piano was really something Aurora had wanted to master, but she found it increasingly difficult.
“Perhaps you don’t have a proper teacher. I’m rather good, if I must say so.” Mendenhall gave her a wink. “Started when I was five or six. My father played as well. Should you require a tutor, Lady Aurora, I most humbly volunteer.”
“While I’m sure your talents are boundless, Mendenhall, Lady Aurora already has the finest tutors available.” Worth appeared from behind Mendenhall, a glass of wine dangling from one hand and Lady Duggins, a blonde buxom widow, from his arm. “Don’t you, Lady Aurora?”
The skin of her arms prickled softly and the smell of that light, citrus scent filled the air. Worth smelled a little bit like an orangery. He was warm, the heat coming off his body teasing along her shoulders. She was less pleased to see Lady Duggins.
Aurora shrugged. “I like to learn new things, as you well know,” she said pointedly to Worth. “I think it very kind of Lord Mendenhall to offer me his expertise. I’m sure he could teach me something new.” She said the last mainly to goad Worth a bit.
The room erupted in applause for poor Agnes as she finally finished. She stood and took a bow, relief lighting her features while Lady Mormont preened beside her daughter, keen eyes scanning the crowd, until finally settling on Mendenhall.
A resigned sigh came from Mendenhall.
“Excuse me, if you will. I believe Lady Mormont requests my presence.” He gave a short bow. “Lady Aurora, Lady Duggins. Mr. Worthington.”
As soon as he departed, Worth leaned over and sniffed at her glass of lemonade before nodding approval. “Merely checking.”
Aurora nearly threw the lemonade right in his gorgeous face. “That was unnecessary.”
“As is your need for a tutor,” Worth bit out. “Especially if it is Mendenhall.”
“Have you considered tutoring then, as I asked? I’ve so many questions. A boundless curiosity.”
Lady Duggins looked between them. “I’d no idea you played the piano, Worthington.” Her fingers plucked at his sleeve. “A gentleman of many talents.”
“I quite agree, my lady,” Aurora said.
Worth’s features shuttered. He took a deliberate step back from Aurora. “Have you had too much punch again?”
“I’m drinking lemonade. And as I informed you at Lady Berriwell’s, I was in complete control of my faculties.” She turned to Lady Duggins with a smile. “You must excuse Mr. Worthington, my lady. He is a close friend of my family, so much so at times his behavior is that of a meddling, older brother.”
Worth’s mouth drew into a tight line.
“I’ve two brothers of my own, Lady Aurora.” Lady Duggins sunk her fingers into Worth’s arm. “I’m familiar.”
“A pleasure seeing you, Lady Duggins. Mr. Worthington. If you’ll excuse me, my chaperone, Miss Maplehurst, is waving for me to join her. Good evening.”
Worth gave her a jerky bow, eyes gleaming like sapphires. Jaw so hard it could cut glass. He didn’t care to be compared to one of her brothers. Well, he had it coming.
Approaching Aurora with Lady Duggins on his arm and then having the audacity to interject himself into the conversationwith Mendenhall was beyond annoying. If he didn’t want to agree to Aurora’s proposal, so be it.
Worth may as well have slapped Aurora with one of his gloves and issued a formal challenge.
Chapter Eight
Aurora walked tenpaces down the path, turning only to cast a baleful glance at her chaperone. Aunt Lottie sat on a bench facing the pond some distance away, completely unperturbed to be sitting alone in Hyde Park while the dew still wet the grass.
“The need for subterfuge,” Aurora murmured as she turned and took a few more steps, “is unnecessary.”
Lord Kenebruke’s carriage was scheduled to appear at any moment and would “accidentally” come upon Aunt Lottie. The entire tableau was somewhat silly given the age of the gentleman and lady in question. But Aunt Lottie said it created a bit of forbidden excitement, as if Kenebruke and Aunt Lottie were once more young lovers about to be caught by a disapproving matron.
Aurora continued down the path, plucking a leaf absently as she passed a shrub.
The trip to the park for an accidental meeting was all the more ridiculous given Lord Kenebruke called upon Aunt Lottie at Emerson House a few days after Lady Mormont’s music recital.
Aurora stopped and batted at a pink bloom. The shrub was covered with them.
