“Consider it done. I’ll never even look at them again. And I just recalled an urgent matter I must attend to at my country estate.”

Too easy. The man was a coward, just as West had suspected.

He left Laxton in a quivering heap on the floor, satisfied that he’d made his point.

Laxton wouldn’t be spreading any more malicious rumors about his sisters.

Chapter Ten

Viola laughed happily as the Delamar sisters clustered around her, all speaking at once.

“We know you’re the one who convinced West to allow us to attend the Season,” Lady Blanche said, her eyes alive with delight.

“And hold our musicale!” Birdie said.

“Thanks very much for that,” said Betsy with an eyeroll, but she was grinning.

“And your father is here!” said Bernadette. “We’re so honored that he’ll compose his symphony next door.”

“Oh, we did miss you terribly, Miss Beaton.” Birdie took her hand. “Did you miss us?”

“Of course I did. I thought about you all the time. What’s happened since I left?”

Birdie danced toward the pianoforte. “I finished the sonatina I’ve been working on. I’ll play it for you!”

“Blanche wrote a letter to Lord Laxton and he hasn’t responded yet.”

“Bets,” Lady Blanche exclaimed. “You tattletale. How did you know?”

“You run downstairs to ask about the post every day. It’s not very secretive.”

“Your brother won’t be pleased,” Viola said.

“I don’t care,” said Blanche. “I know Lord Laxton will respond. He’s been called away from London unexpectedly, but he’ll write to me.”

“I improved my bowling line and length,” Betsy said proudly.

“And I’ve been identifying and studying the insect specimens sent to me by Lady Philippa Bramble from your club,” said Bernadette.

“My, you’ve all been very busy,” Viola said with a laugh. She’d missed them so much.

“West told us that your father is losing his hearing,” said Birdie. “It must be dreadful for a composer. West instructed us to be very sensitive to his condition. We have a real live genius living next door. It’s so exciting! Do you think we might hear him play?”

“I’m quite certain you’ll hear him do a great many things. He’s not very quiet.”

“We’re so very glad you’re back, Miss Beaton. And you’re to be our companion as well as our music teacher. It’s more than I dared hope for,” said Belinda.

“I may be your companion, but I’ll have my eye on you in the manner of a chaperone,” Viola said sternly.

“We’re very proud of West for convincing you to return.” Blanche leaned in. “How did he do it? We couldn’t coax anything out of him.”

“He tripled my salary.” She wouldn’t mention that he’d rescued her from unwelcome attentions. Or how thrillingly, dangerously handsome he’d looked doing it.