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He’d never overruled his wife on any of her religious strictures. But Euphemia was dead, and in his brief youth, he too had enjoyed dancing. “I believe there is no harm in a dance. I think it would be wonderful if you were to teach my daughter the steps.”

Thomas was rewarded for his speech with two beaming smiles.

One from his daughter and the other from Lydia.

He felt his temperature rise, and his spectacles began to fog up.

He was grateful for the entrance of the butler with the tea tray.

Lydia deferred to Chloe to act as hostess and complimented her several times.

Once, how she poured the tea. Another, how she graciously offered it first to her guest. And lastly, on her perfect posture and excellent manners.

Chloe ate the compliments up almost as quickly as Lydia devoured her cucumber sandwich.

Thomas couldn’t help but wonder when the last time it was that the poor widow had eaten.

She did not take much from the tea tray, but she ate every last crumb of what she took.

Lydia sipped her tea before placing the cup and saucer on the table in front of her.

“May I inquire what your plans are for next Tuesday evening? I do not mean to seem impertinent, but I have a previous engagement at Mrs. Forster’s card party.

As I have already told you, she is an old friend, and I am certain that she would be delighted to host you all as well if you do not have other plans.

And don’t worry, Chloe, it isn’t going to be a crowd of old people.

There will be several suitable young men there—mostly soldiers—to flatter you most dreadfully. ”

His daughter giggled, and Thomas didn’t think he’d ever heard Chloe make that particular sound before. He quite liked it.

Chloe looked first to him, and he gave her a small nod. Then, her gaze swiveled back to Lydia. “We do not! We have only been attending the Friday night public assemblies.”

Thomas watched Lydia count the days off on her fingers.

“Oh dear. We only have six days to teach you how to dance. I don’t think we can waste even one of them.

” Lydia got to her feet and glanced around the parlor.

“This room has too much furniture, but I think the entryway would be perfect for your first lesson. You’d both better come at once. ”

He pointed at himself stupidly. “Me?”

“Of course, Kingston! We need someone to dance the male part.” She must have seen and interpreted the look of horror on his face, for she added, “Just for today. Tomorrow, I shall have one of my friends from the regiment come over to help us practice.”

Reluctantly, Thomas got to his feet. But there was no hesitation from his daughter.

Chloe practically skipped from the room after Lydia.

He’d never seen his shy daughter in such high spirits before—and Thomas decided that he liked it.

As he left the parlor, he saw Lydia twirling around on the tiled marble floor of the entryway with an imaginary partner.

She was smiling widely as if there was no greater happiness to be found than in dancing.

Lydia clapped her hands together. “Yes, this will be just enough space. Happily, country dances have fallen out of fashion, for they have a great many steps and figures to learn. Most assemblies now only feature the waltz and quadrille. I think we should start with the quadrille. Now, Chloe, hold on to your skirt with both hands, like so.”

His daughter mimicked Lydia’s stance.

“Very good, Chloe. Now, Kingston, stand across from your daughter and present her your right shoulder. Then, both of you shall perform a glissade with the right foot and a

jeté in the third position with the left foot, turning round on that side at the same time.”

Neither Thomas nor his daughter moved their shoulders or feet.

“What does a glissade mean, Lydia?” Chloe asked, then bit her lower lip.

“Merely to slide.” Shaking her head, Lydia laughed.

“Perhaps my instructions were rather too confusing. Why don’t I demonstrate it for you?

” Holding her skirt with both hands, Lydia leaned her right shoulder toward Thomas, and then with her right foot, she glided it from the fifth position and then brought her left foot close to it. “Now you two try.”

Over the next hour, Thomas learned several new words and dance steps including assemblé and rise sisone .

Lydia was both a patient and a cheerful teacher.

Instead of being frustrated or angry when they made mistakes, she merely laughed.

And Thomas found himself laughing, too. They had no music, so Lydia hummed a pretty tune and clapped her hands to give them the beats.

Her movements were light and lilting, and he could have watched her dance all day long.

“I cannot do another step without nourishment.” Thomas was both breathless and smiling at the end of their lesson. “Let us have luncheon before any further dancing.”

Chloe twirled around. “Oh, must we stop?”

His daughter turned to Lydia, whose stomach rumbled. Lydia covered her mouth with a gloved hand. “How mortifying!”

“Not at all,” Thomas said, pushing up his spectacles that were sliding down his nose. “I am hungry enough to eat an entire elephant.”

“Have you ever seen an elephant?” Lydia countered.

He shook his head. “Have you, Lydia?”

“In India and Africa. They are quite magnificent creatures and weigh over two tons.” She put a hand on the side of her face as if to hide her mouth from him and spoke to Chloe, “Your father must be very hungry, indeed.”

Thomas threw his head back and laughed harder and longer than he had in the last twenty years.