“Oh, Mr. Tittlefitz?” she called out as he reached the door. Abruptly, he stopped to face her. “Would you be so kind as to walk Marianne home? She doesn’t live far from here, and while I know Mick works hard to keep the streets safe, it is dark.”

“I’ll be happy to escort her, Miss Trewlove.”

When Matthew could no longer hear the man’s steps on the stairs, he spoke. “He is enamored of you, you know?”

Her cheeks blossomed like the pinkest rose unfurling. “I’m aware, but I’ve never viewed him as anything other than a friend.” Pressing her lips together, she looked somewhat guilty. “However, Marianne has a tender regard for him.”

He tilted his head to the side, giving her what he knew was an admonishing stare. In his youth, he’d spent hours before a looking glass practicing a series of expressions designed to put people in their place or cause them to move more quickly. “Are you playing matchmaker, Miss Trewlove?”

With a grin, she held up her thumb and forefinger with only a tiny bit of space between them. “Perhaps a little. They’re really quite perfect for each other, if he would only notice her.”

“When one’s head is turned by another, it’s difficult to notice anyone else.”

“Do you speak from experience?”

“Unfortunately. I suppose the lessons are at the same time on Wednesday.”

“Yes, although the students will be different. One class a week is all most of the students have time for.”

“You won’t be here at all?” Her absence made him fear the evening would be rather bleak. Still, he would endure it if for no other reason than to please her.

“I’ll pop in before I head to the ball.”

“Are you nervous?”

“No, I have complete faith in your ability to guide the students in their reading.”

He had little doubt she’d purposely misunderstood his question, and perhaps her doing so provided the answer and yet he yearned to hear it from her. “About the ball.”

She nodded. “Rather. I’m not certain that even having relations who are part of the aristocracy is enough to see me accepted.”

“Simply be yourself, Miss Trewlove. You’ll win them over.”

Her light laughter echoed around them, through him as though the center of his chest served as its North Star. “As though you know what the nobility will welcome.” She turned on her heel. “Come along.”