She nodded.
He came to his feet. “Very good. We’ll start with something simple, then.” He pulled out his watch. Time was getting short. This would be tricky, he’d never handled young girls before. It left him feeling… disconcerted… off balance. “Right. We’ll begin with an assumption of someone grabbing you by the wrist.” He tugged at Cecilia’s wrist, and the familiar suctioned plop thumped his ears. He grinned, holding her wrist in a soft grip. “Can you free yourself, my lady?”
She wriggled to no avail. “Hey, let go.”
“Ah, but there is a method to my madness,” he said with great flourish. From a hooded gaze, he observed Irene. The frown marring her brow showed the depth of her concentration. That was a positive. He turned back to Cecilia. “Now, feet apart like this.” He demonstrated. “Make yourself as heavy in your stance as possible.”
“But I’m just a little girl,” she said.
“That’s true, but the stance might throw off your assailant and you will have the element of surprise. Now, pay close attention. You have to give a little—again, we are going for the element of surprise. Lift your arm, aiming your elbow toward mine. Slowly at first.” Brock kept his hand still as she did as he instructed. “Remember, aim the bend in your arm to the bend in mine. The motion goes straight up, do you see?” he asked as her wrist broke free between the open part of his hand.
“Yes.”
“Now, let’s try it again. Faster this time.”
With each pass of the exercise, Cecilia’s confidence grew. “I did it. I got free, my lord.”
“You did indeed. The ergonomics of the move allows you to break free because you are going straight up, not side to side.”
“What is ergo—ergo…” Irene’s concentration veered to puzzlement. A soft blush in her cheeks betrayed what he took as embarrassment at having to ask.
“Ergonomics? It is the functional design. In this case, it’s referring to the design of your hand.” He splayed his fingers, palm facing down, and traced the edge of his index finger into the curve and up along his thumb. “Follow my moves with your own hand.”
She did.
“Now, curl your fingers touching the tips of your thumb and forefinger. See?”
She nodded. Cautiously.
He latched on to her wrist. “Remember what I told Cecilia?”
“Aim my elbow to yours.” She matched the action to her words and broke free from his hold. She didn’t smile, but the astonishment in her expression was priceless.
Seventeen
G
inny untied her bonnet and handed it off to Kipling, her parents right on her heels.Right on her blasted heels.She sidestepped her mother. “Where are the girls, Kipling?”
“I believe they are taking their baths, my lady.”
“Thank you.” Lord, it was good to be home. Three hours with her parents visiting the Exeter Exchange, the milliner’s, and her favorite modiste on Bond Street. All the while, anxious to learn how the lessons had gone between Brock and the girls.
She started for the staircase, tugging off her coat. On the third step up, she tossed it over the bannister to Kipling, smiling.
“Virginia,” her mother said sharply. “We leave for Drury Lane at seven.”
“I’m not go—”
“You’ll heed your mother, Virginia.” Her father was as bullheaded as she remembered. She ignored them and took the two flights up, pausing outside the nursery, grinning at the lighthearted laughter reaching through the door. How she adored that sound. With a short knock, she entered. “What is all this racket?” she bellowed.
“Mama.” Celia jumped out of the tub and threw her wet body against Ginny’s printed day dress. Ginny couldn’t have cared less.
“You are going to catch your death, you silly girl.” She grabbed the nearby towel and wrapped her younger daughter tight as a sausage and planted a big kiss on her warmed cheek. “How was your lesson with Lord Brockway?” She cast a quick look to Miss Lambert, whose jaw tightened. So, she didn’t approve of Ginny’s plans. “I can take it from here, Miss Lambert. Feel free to take your supper early.”
She dipped into a shallow curtsy. “Yes, my lady.”
“Hello, Mother. We survived Lord Brockway’s instructions. They were quite thorough.” Irene stepped into the room as Miss Lambert departed. “You needn’t worry over Celia. She seems immune to the hazards of normal humans.” Of course, Irene was entirely serious. No sign of even the slightest twist touched her lips. The sight broke Ginny’s heart, at the same time, loving her all the more for her imperturbable manner. She was truly special.
