But Isabela could hardly focus on the task at hand. She always assumed that she was a good teacher, but right now, it felt as though she had forgotten everything she knew.
She would miss her step, or twirl awkwardly. Or look away when he got too close to her, thereby ruining the flow of the dance.
“Well, well,” he mused finally, twirling her lazily across the study floor, “I do believe we have discovered something quite remarkable.”
Isadora narrowed her eyes, already bracing herself for whatever nonsense he was about to spew.
“And what is that, Your Grace?”
“You,” he murmured, “are the one who cannot dance.”
“I… that’s not…” She immediately stepped a little too firmly on the floor, proving his point.
Evan chuckled, his grip tightening slightly to steady her. “Shall I be the one to teach you instead?”
“That sounds ridiculous,” she scoffed, tilting her chin up. “I have been dancing since I was a child.”
“Ah, yes,” Evan drawled. “And yet, here you are, stepping on my feet.”
“That was once,” Isadora defended herself fiercely.
And besides, it’s all your fault that I cannot focus.
She opted not to voice the second part out loud.
“Twice,” he corrected, smugly.
“You do not need to keep score like that,” she huffed. “That is not the point.”
Evan’s lips twitched. “No, I believe it is the entire point.”
Isadora tried very hard not to let her irritation show, but he was watching her too closely once again.
“Perhaps I should be the one questioning you.” She exhaled. “For a man who claims not to be well-versed in proper etiquette, you are surprisingly capable.”
“Ah,” his expression shifted just slightly, “are you saying I am better than you thought?”
She frowned, realizing her mistake.
“You are,” he smirked, delightedly.
“I did not say that,” she sniffed, attempting to regain control. “I merely meant?—”
“Where did I learn, then?” he cut in smoothly. “Is that what you meant to ask of me?” His eyes narrowed, not in anger but in quiet curiosity.
She felt her cheeks warm. “Perhaps that is the underlying curiosity here,” she conceded, albeit shyly.
Evan slowed their movements. “What do you know about my past, Duchess?”
For a moment, Isadora felt only panic. She had not meant to ask, not like this.
“I—” she hesitated. “I only know what my friends told me.”
Evan raised a brow. “And what is that?”
She looked away, suddenly very aware of the fact that they were still holding onto each other.
“That you were raised as a commoner,” she admitted softly.
