“Perhaps we can start with what you were going to ask Mrs Morcom,” he said.
She had no idea what she would have asked the madam of a brothel.“Well, I was rather reliant on her leading me, Benedict.I have little experience.I do not wish the earl to reject me because of it.”
His jaw tightened.“What precisely were you hoping Mrs Morcom would help you with?”he bit off, eyes glittering.
“I thought perhaps she could—” Of a sudden, she realised how it had sounded.“Oh.Oh, no, Benedict.Not that.I thought adiscussionwould help me.Not…not practical demonstration.”
His jaw ticked.“So you did not think Mrs Morcom could help you with your lack of experience?”
“I have chosen the earl, Benedict,” she said urgently.“It would not do to experience this with one of Mrs Morcom’s…employees instead.”
His expression darkened.
“I thought she could explain what gestures would attract a man, how to draw him to your side.And then, when he was at your side, how you would suggest discretely that you wished to start a liaison.She would know, would she not?After all, her livelihood depends upon it.But you are a man, Benedict.”
His lips twitched, though he quickly recovered his scowl.“I am,” he agreed.
“So perhaps … perhaps then you can tell me what you find alluring?”
His gaze flicked down before jerking back up.His cheeks ruddied.“I cannot tell you that.”
“If you cannot tell me that, then what hope does this have?”A spark of the devil flared.“It is breasts, isn’t it?”
“El.”
She glanced down.“I have breasts.I mean, they are not as large as Lady Fyfe’s, but they are not small either.”
“We are not going to start with breasts.”Again, his gaze dipped briefly.“I cannot look at your breasts, El.”
“Why not?They are just breasts.”
Looking at the sky, he gestured wildly.“Let us talk of something—anything—else.”
Taking pity on him, she sobered.“Do you truly wish to tutor me?”
His expression softened.“Yes.I would help you with anything, El.”
Oh.He was the very best of men.Swallowing the lump in her throat, she said, “What shall we start with?”
His gaze darted before settling at her wrist.“Fans,” he announced.
She blinked.That was not at all what she had expected.“Pardon?”
“I have seen ladies use their fans to communicate, and Amanda has practiced on me for months in preparation for her debut.Let me tell you, you do not know true torture until you have had a seventeen-year-old flap a fan at you for hours at a time.We are at a ball, El.You have a fan.”The corner of his lips tilted up.“Charm me.”
Chapter Four
Elstaredathimas if he had grown another head.“Now?You want to do this now?”
Benedict glanced about.A few people milled around them, far enough away none would overhear them but close enough so as to not threaten her reputation.“What better time?”he said with a nonchalance he didn’t feel.“We are at a ball.The mood is set.You can pretend I am your prospective lover.”
“You?”A violent blush climbed her chest, painting her neck and staining her cheeks.How far down did that blush extend?
Bloody hell, what was he thinking?Keeping his eyes firmly on her face, he said, “There’s nothing wrong with me.”
The laugh she gave was a little wild.“No, of course not, but it is absurd to think of you as my lover.”
It wasn’t absurd.Not in the slightest.That was what troubled him.“Putting that aside, show me how you would use your fan to charm.”
