“Clara?” Aunt Maude lifted her eyebrows. “We’ve practiced this.”
I blinked a couple of times and swallowed the nerves. Of course. This was part of my education. His compliments were part of the curriculum. “Aye—yes. Thank you, Alec.” I blundered through my words, trying not to blush even more.
“I see you haven’t been practicing the art of flirting while I’ve been away,” he said, a twinkle in his eyes.
Something inside me responded to that twinkle and I returned his smile. “And who would I flirt with? Higgins?”
“That I would like to see.” He laughed at the thought of the stodgy, serious butler engaged in a flirtatious conversation and I joined him. Poor Higgins.
Aunt Maude let out a sigh, and I knew she didn’t approve of our teasing.
Alec sobered and said, “Your accent is changing.” There was something wistful in his voice.
“I should say it is.” Aunt Maude returned to the sofa. “We’ve been working around the clock to fix her elocution. It’s probably the hardest thing I’ve done while you’ve been away.”
I remained near Alec and tried to smile, though it was hard, thinking about the long hours of work we had done. The countless times I’d been corrected, feeling ashamed, embarrassed, and uneducated.
“You’re tired,” he said, concern softening his eyes. “Are you getting any sleep?”
He was the first person who had inquired after my wellbeing since he’d left.
I opened my mouth to respond, but Aunt Maude interrupted.
“Now that you’re here,” she addressed Alec, “I could use a break this evening. I was going to converse with Clara about Nathaniel Hawthorne’s novel, but she’s in desperate need of dancing practice. An instructor has been here every day this week, but she must put the lessons to use. I would like for you to practice in the front parlor. Peter is an excellent pianist. I’ll have him summoned to play for you.”
Dance? My feet and back ached at the thought of dancing. And with Alec? I would stumble through each step, I was certain. Embarrassment warmed my cheeks just thinking about it. I wanted to protest, but that had earned me nothing but a stern lecture in the past.
“What Clara needs is rest,” Alec said to his aunt. “It’s past ten o’clock. She should be in bed.”
“Nonsense. The night is still young. When she’s attending balls, she’ll be up until two or three in the morning. She must get used to long evenings once we introduce her to society.”
“Most debutantes sleep until noon so they can stay up that late. I doubt you’ve allowed her to sleep past six.” There was an edge to his voice.
“Do not question my methods, Alec.” Her edge matched his. “Clara is my daughter and my responsibility. Her success or failure is at stake, and I will do whatever is necessary to ensure she succeeds. You, of all people, should understand.”
I looked between them as they stared at one another.
“Clara,” Maude said, “please give Alec and me a moment alone.”
Nodding, I left the parlor and closed the door behind me, relieved to step away from the tension that had coiled around the three of us. Were the two of them always at odds with one another? Why didn’t Alec leave the mansion and strike out on his own?
I stood in the massive hallway, unsure if I should go up to my room or wait there for Aunt Maude to summon me.
“I cannot help you,” I heard Alec say, his voice muffled, but still easy to hear.
My breath caught. I didn’t want to eavesdrop, but I wasn’t sure where to go.
“You cannot—or you do not want to?”
There was a moment of silence before Alec said, “I do not want to help.”
“Is that why you ran away to Newport?”
Again. Silence.
“I do not understand your aversion to Clara,” Aunt Maude continued. “But you must put it behind you. We cannot fail. I know it and you know it.”
Alec had an aversion to me? He’d run away to Newport to avoid me. The truth stung and I took a step away from the door.
