Page 15 of The Earl Next Door
“No, nothing like that,” the woman said in a strong voice and pointed. “It’s him.”
That’s when Lady Wake’s gaze aimed straight as an arrow at Lyon. He had no choice but to incline his head in a polite greeting.
Surprise lit in her eyes before she gave him an expression that could have easily froze boiling water.
She ignored him, turned back to the woman, and asked, “What about him? Why was everyone screaming?”
That’s what Lyon wanted to know.
“I heard this man yelling at the girls,” the woman said in a sputtering of words. “I don’t know why, buthe shouldn’t be here saying anything to the girls. He frightened all of us.”
The countess whirled back toward him and snared him with another penetrating gaze. “Did you do that?” she asked unbelievably. “Yell and panic everyone?”
“Certainly not,” he answered testily, not used to having to defend his actions to anyone and certainly not to a saucy widow who made him want to pull her into his arms and kiss her every time he saw her. However, feeling a little guilty, he added, “I might have spoken a little loudly.”
“A little loudly? Don’t be ridiculous.” She glowered at him. “That is the same thing as yelling.”
He frowned and took a step closer. One of the girls screeched again, so he stopped once more. By Hades, didn’t the girls know by now he wasn’t going to harm them?
The countess turned immediately back to the girls and said, “This gentleman doesn’t intend to hurt you.” She glanced back toward him with cool irritation seething in her expression. “Right?”
“Rest assured,” he said stiffly, trying to hold on to what little patience he had left.
“This is our neighbor, the Earl of Lyonwood. I want all of you to stop whimpering and give him a proper curtsy.”
They obeyed without question, though some of the girls continued to sniffle. Others looked as if they’d quite literally seen a ghost—the kind that ate little children. Only one was smiling, Lyon noticed. A blue-eyedredhead whose chubby cheeks were covered in freckles. She seemed to be the only one who saw humor in the madness of the situation that had taken place, and she was enjoying it.
“Mrs. Tallon,” Lady Wake said, “please take the girls inside. Make them some tea to calm them. Give them a few minutes to collect themselves before you resume their lessons. I’ll take care of things out here. The earl was obviously looking for my house, became confused, and ended up at the wrong door.”
Confused? Not bloody likely, Lyon thought but remained silently fuming so he wouldn’t upset the girls any more than he already had. He’d have his say to the strong-willed widow once the girls were out of sight.
Lady Wake crossed her arms over her chest and gently tapped one foot as she watched the teacher scurry the girls into the schoolhouse. The woman then closed the door behind them so quickly and firmly it rattled the windowpanes.
“Follow me,” she said, and started marching back under the trellis and into her garden.
“Gladly,” he muttered, his mouth tightening and his resolve strengthening.
Lyon had a feeling this wasn’t going to be an argument he could win. But he wasn’t going to back down from the fight. Especially not with this spitfire. He’d give it all he had despite the fact he thought they’d soothed over their initial meeting a few mornings ago when he’d seen her standing in her garden. Apparently, he’d been wrong. Lady Wake had already proven she wasn’t a frail weakling. Usually he didn’t mind a lady with a bold temperament, especially such an intriguing one, but it appeared the countess was itching for another quarrel with him.
And he was in a good state of mind to give her one.
The petite housekeeper he’d met a few days ago was standing on the back step of the house holding onto the tail of her apron. “Is everything all right, my lady?” she asked in a timid voice. “Can I do anything to help you or Mrs. Tallon?”
“No, thank you, Mrs. Lawton. Everything is fine and under control. You don’t need to go for help. Thankfully, no one is hurt. You can go back inside now.”
After throwing a not-so-well-hidden disdainful expression in Lyon’s direction, the housekeeper pivoted on her heel and went back inside. Apparently she wasn’t ready to forgive him for upsetting the girls or brushing past her and into the countess’s drawing room without permission.
Lady Wake confronted him with glinting, golden-brown eyes that he somehow managed to find more attractive than fierce. Her cheeks were flushed with exertion and single-minded dismay. She wore no bonnet, so a breeze nipped at her dark honey-colored hair, sending wispy strands blowing against her cheeks. The sides and crown of her long tresses were pinned up, but the rest hung down the back of her shoulders in beautiful tumbling waves.
Lyon knew, just as he had the previous two times he’d seen her, that he was attracted to her in the most primal sense, but her strength of determination and bold personality made her just as desirable.
“What happened just now?” she demanded as hehalted in front of her. “What in the name of all the saints were you doing at the school making the girls scream?”
The short hair at the back of Lyon’s neck rose. He’d never met a lady who could rile him so quickly. “They were already running around screaming when I arrived.”
Her lovely winged brows flew up in skepticism, and that bothered him all the more.
“They wereplaying,” she assured him.
