Albert knew already what he should do. He knew everything if he were truthful. It was only with Victoria could he be relaxed enough to do what he ought as a gentleman. There was something about her that his soul found comforting, enough to stop his spluttering or his inability to speak at all. Women made him anxious, all but Victoria. She made him nervous. There was a large difference between the two.
"If your lady is called to play a song, you may escort her to the pianoforte, offer to help her with her music while she plays. If you're able, you may even offer to sing a duet with her."
All reasonable suggestions, not that he'd ever been able to do such things. During his first season, he tried to act the part of a marquess searching for a wife, being all gentlemanly and correct. He had offered to turn the music pages, had bumbled the page turn, and the music had ended on top of the lady's hands before falling to the floor.
He had stopped trying to play the part of an able-bodied lord after that.
Until Victoria, that was.
"Let us play a little game. I shall stay here and choose music to play—a duet. You shall come and offer assistance and sing with me. Let us practice to make you perfect when such an opportunity arises for you."
"Very well." Albert walked away and waited for Victoria to settle herself at the pianoforte. Her music set out before her. He came back over to her, bowing. "May I turn the pages for you, Lady Victoria?" he asked her, his body clenching at the sight of her biting her bottom lip, playing a coy miss, not having expected a lord to ask to help her.
"Thank you, Lord Melvin. That is most kind." She looked up at him from under her eyelashes, and he could almost imagine this was real, that he was so suave and capable of pulling off such a triumph.
"Not at all. You play so wonderfully. It is an honor to help."
She dipped her head, but not before he saw the small grin on her lips.
Victoria started to play For Tenderness Form’d in Life’s Early Days, the music flowing from her fingers as if the pianoforte were a part of her body, fluid and perfect with each keystroke. For a time, Albert lost himself in the music before her voice broke into song, and he knew what it was to hear perfection.
He joined her, his deeper baritone melding perfectly with her higher octave. His eyes met hers, and he read her surprise, having not known that he could sing. He could do many things. Just his inability to do them well when about the company of others was his issue.
Her lips broke out into a smile as their voices blended to a harmonious, delightful sound. He was thankful that he could sing, for it was days such as this one that he would forever cherish. Being here with Victoria, enjoying her company, turning the pages, and singing with her as if he were the epitome of gentlemanly behavior and breeding made bearing this rogue tutoring worthwhile.
In the book he was penning, he would include a scene like this one, mayhap have the villain in the story come in and ruin the harmonious playing and singing between two lovers.
Would Victoria guess when she read the novel that it was based on this very day? He had never wanted to be prominent. The idea made him physically ill, thinking about meeting all the people who longed to do so. But would it be so bad if one woman knew who his pseudonym was?
The song came to an end, and with the turning of the last page, Albert could not tear his eyes from Victoria. Her eyes held his, luminous and large. Her lips slightly apart as if she could not quite fathom how in sync they had been.
"You sing beautifully, Albert." Her fingers slid off the ebony keys, settling in her lap.
He wanted to tell her that while he may sing in such a way, she was the one who was beautiful in all ways. A woman after his own heart. Hell, what was he thinking? After his heart? She had captured it a long time ago. If only he could capture hers.
"My singing is nothing compared to yours, and your playing. You are proficient at the pianoforte."
She stood, placing herself closer to him. Albert did not move, merely stared down at her. His stomach clenched, heat swirling in his gut. He wanted to kiss her again. Hell, he wanted to do a lot more than that, even if his virgin body did not know entirely what that involved.
Her attention dipped to his lips, and she leaned closer still. She was but a breath from him. Did she want him to kiss her again? He wished he was a rogue and able to make a choice, take what he wanted, but the small voice of uncertainty whispered against his ear, stopping him from taking her lips again.
"How wonderful that you played so well together." The sound of the Duchess of Penworth's voice at the music room door wrenched all thoughts of kissing Victoria away. Albert stepped back, bowing, while disappointment stabbed at him at a lost opportunity.
"Good morning, Your Grace. I did not know you were listening."
She smiled, but her eyes flicked to her daughter. Victoria stood silent, but a blush kissed her cheeks.
"I did not think you knew I was here." The duchess smiled. "Would you accompany me upstairs, daughter? I wish for you to help me pick a gown for our drive about Hampshire tomorrow. I assume we're still going to have the picnic."
"Of course," Albert said, remembering he'd offered to take them on a picnic at dinner the night before. "It does not look like
