Page 23 of The Scholar's Key
He found her in the parlor still, her feet tucked up beneath her lap where she perched on the settee, her head in one hand, a book in the other. He paused, enjoying the scene before him, committing it to his memory like a painting he would carry around in his head.
Suddenly, she looked up as though she had sensed what he was doing.
A smile began to curl on her face, but then when she had her first good look at him, it stopped, fading.
She blinked, and then blinked again, her lips slightly open, her eyes wide. Noah waited for her to say something, but the longer she sat there, the more nervous he became.
Finally, he couldn’t take it any longer.
“Well?” he said. “What do you think?”
* * *
Percy knewshe should say something.
Anything.
But she was too shocked to speak.
It was not as though Noah had drastically changed. And yet… there was a new awareness when she looked at him that made her stop and consider him in a different light than she ever had before.
She cleared her throat, sensing how uncomfortable she was making him by saying nothing. “You look… very nice.”
Nice? That was the best she could do? He didn’t comment on it, however, but simply nodded his head.
“Thank you. You were correct. James is very skilled.”
Percy couldn’t shake the odd sensation that had come over her as she looked at him, so she did what she always did and began to talk to ease her discomfort. She sensed Mary watching her from the corner of the room and remembered that she must act as normal as possible to ensure there was no gossip among the servants regarding her and Noah.
“Well. Now that the first part is done, it is time to continue, is it not? We should practice. I am quite delighted about this as I think you will be an excellent student. Not that there was any question about it. I am sure you excel at everything you do. I—yes. Anyway. We should begin.”
“What are we practicing?” he asked, raising a brow.
“Flirting,” she said, laughing at his startled expression. “I think we need a drink for this,” she said, walking over to the sideboard, and pouring him dark amber liquid from a decanter into a short glass. He took a sip, watching closely as she did the same.
“Brandy?” he said, although instead of appearing shocked, he shook his head. “Somehow I am not surprised.” He chuckled.
“Why, Noah, I believe you have some humor within you after all,” she said, then lifted a finger in the air. “That’s good. We can work with that.”
“I—”
“Oh, and please don’t tell anyone about the brandy,” she said, checking that no one had come near the door. “Same with you, Mary. I know it is not the most scandalous act possible, but I’d rather not have to explain myself.”
“Understood,” Noah said as Mary merely returned her attention to the sock she was darning.
Noah’s frown had deepened, although why, Percy had no idea.
“Are you ready to begin?”
“Do I have a choice?”
“Of course. You always have a choice,” she said, although she continued regardless. “Now. Pretend we are at this… club. I am the woman in question. You must come to speak to me. What do you say?”
He looked at her warily.
“I suppose it is always best to start with good evening.”
CHAPTER9
