Page 126 of The Dueling Duchess

Guy shrugged.

“What does that mean?”

“Who cares if it’s inappropriate.”

Her questioning look turned into a scowl.

“Not that I’m saying it is inappropriate,” he soothed. “I’m not exactly on the haut ton list either, you may have noticed.”

She looked intrigued. “Is there such a thing?”

“I’m teasing,” he said gently.

“Oh.”

He could see that her ignorance of ton matters was a sore point.

“Can I claim two dances—preferably the supper waltz?” he asked. Impossibly, her cheeks darkened. Uncertainty and embarrassment all in one day? What was the world coming to?

“That was actually what I wanted to talk to you about—er, dancing.”

* * *

They’d not even had their first lesson and Cecile was already sorry she’d entrusted the task of teaching them to dance to Guy, who was behaving like a dance master tyrant and enjoying himself far too much.

“Are you paying attention?” Guy demanded, clapping his hands loudly.

“Yes.”

“Yes.”

Both Cecile and Blade spoke at the same time and rolled their eyes.

“I saw that,” Guy said. “Such disrespect will be punished by time after class.”

“Can’t we just learn the steps?” Cecile said, ashamed by how plaintive she sounded.

His eyebrows crashed down. “Of course, you can’t just learn the steps. This first part is critical. Now shush and allow Helen, Cat, and me to demonstrate the proper way to respond to a gentleman’s request for an introduction and invitation to dance.”

Cecile decided to ignore the fact that he had just shushed her. If she argued with him, they’d never learn to dance.

“I will play the fresh-from-the-schoolroom debutante, Lady Giggleandblush,” Guy said, fluttering his eyelashes and assuming a look so silly that Cecile couldn’t help smiling.

“Helen will play the Dowager Lady Stiff Upper-Lipington, Lady Giggleandblush’s chaperone, and Cat will play the adoring swain, the Duke of Fumblefoot.”

Blade choked, snorted, and then doubled over, laughing so hard there were tears on her cheeks.

The rest of them turned to stare at her rare loss of composure.

“What?” she said when she realized they were all looking at her in surprise.

“I’m pleased that some of you at least appreciate my theatrical efforts,” Guy said. “Let us now begin.” He nodded at Helen.

The incognita heiress was almost as quiet as Blade, so Cecile wasn’t the only one to goggle when she whipped out a gaudy-looking lorgnette, threw her shoulders back and tilted her chin, somehow managing to look down her nose at Guy even though he was almost a foot taller.

“My dear Lady Giggleandblush, His Grace of Fumblefoot has begged the honor of being introduced to you.”

Cat looked from one of the adults to the other, and then dropped an impressive court bow. “It is such an honor, Lady Giggleandblush—”