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‘Forgive me, Lady Moreland I do not wish to presume, but would it be helpful if I speak to the staff about it—provided we have his lordship’s consent? I would wish to be of assistance’

The countess looked at Tess, a saze Was no longer a virgin e her feelings for Alex to show But his‘Thank you, my dear I think that would be veryappropriate Alexander, tell your father I am in favour of this scheme’

Tess glanced at Alex, relieved, but surprised, and found that he was looking at his h he, too, was taken aback by those sed inwardly Provided no one found out that she was sharing Alex’s bed and no one discovered who she was, then there was nothing to worry about

Chapter Seventeen

‘We will go and find Garnett and take his advice on how to proceed with our party’ Alex steered Tess in the direction of the main hall

‘Your mother I expected her to be reluctant,’ Tess confessed ‘And yet she see of it’

‘I suspect the approval is for you rather than the scheme,’ Alex said

She wished they were in private so she could rub away the lines from between his brows It took her aabout ‘For me? She thinks you and I But surely she knows I am a nobody?’

‘Does she? Besides, you are not a nobody, you are very much yourself’

How could he pretend to ht of it? ‘I ible?’

‘Probably not,’ Alex conceded

So there goes that foolish little daydreaar maid, marries you and defies all convention Of course Alex has more sense than that ‘Then, you had better tell her before she co conclusions,’ Tess said, more snappishly than she intended It wasn’t Alex’s fault that he was heir to an earldoitimate child of a scandalous liaison Not that he knows that, she ible enough, even if he believes I aitimate No money, no connections

‘Alex! What in blazes do you think you are doing?’ Matthew thudded down the staircase, his boot heels like thunder on the old polished oak

‘Organising Christ to a halt under a trophy arrangement of swords and rapiers that fanned out across the entire wall