Lord Preston's Secret Tutor (47 Chapters Left to Complete) - Chapter 18
“If you’re not too busy, how about joining me for tea, Lord Preston? It’ll soon be teatime. Unfortunately, Benjamin, who was supposed to have lemonade with me, has just been dragged off to the bathroom by Madam Ritz. It seems he’ll even take a bath.”
Windsor glanced quickly at the clock and set down the pen he’d been holding. He replied in a curt voice,
“There are precisely seven minutes until teatime. And right now is work hours.”
“I know. It’ll take Betty about that long to bring the tea, so please finish your work, Lord Preston. I’ll wait quietly here.”
With those words, Jacqueline sat down on the sofa. Windsor couldn’t understand her. Wouldn’t it be better to arrive exactly on the hour than to sit idly waiting for seven minutes?
Then, he suddenly realized something and nodded.
“You must want to nag me—so much so that you’re willing to endure this dull waiting.”
“Don’t be silly. Have you forgotten? I’m your….”
Jacqueline paused briefly and lowered her voice. Although only the two of them were in the room, she was a woman of discretion.
“Your secret governess. A teacher always hopes for her student’s success. And don’t forget—Benjamin’s birthday ball will be held in just a few days. You’ll be sharing tea with various nobles there as well.”
Windsor raised an eyebrow and shifted his gaze back to his desk. Exactly seven minutes later, he stood up from his seat.
Right on cue, Betty arrived with the tea. Jacqueline smiled warmly at her as she arranged the tea set on the table.
“Thank you, Betty. You may go now.”
“Yes, Miss Somerset.”
Watching Preston approach the sofa, Jacqueline lowered her eyes to the silver tray. It was the moment she became talkative.
“Today, I’ll teach you the proper etiquette for tea. Since you’ll be enjoying tea and exchanging pleasantries with gentlemen before the ball begins, this lesson is absolutely essential for you, Lord Preston.”
Windsor sat upright and listened intently to her words. Her clear, melodic voice sounded almost like a gentle hum.
She was utterly different from him—from head to toe. Especially her emotionally expressive nature, shifting swiftly between laughter and tears.
Sometimes he couldn’t fathom why Jacqueline suddenly turned sharp. And he was certain he never would.
“Hold your teacup and lift it right up in front of your nose. First, you savor the aroma.”
Jacqueline demonstrated, and Windsor followed suit.
“It’s good to say something about the scent.”
“….”
Windsor stared at her, unsure what he was supposed to say. Jacqueline nodded reassuringly.
“It doesn’t matter what you say—everyone else does the same anyway. Something like ‘The aroma is deep’ or ‘It smells delightful’ is perfectly sufficient.”
“Aren’t you being far too casual about this?”
Windsor gave her a doubtful look. Jacqueline met his gaze with confidence.
“I told you—it’s an unnecessarily complicated and fussy custom. Not every gesture needs a reason. Now that you’ve enjoyed the aroma, you may take a sip.”
At Jacqueline’s words, Windsor brought the teacup to his lips.
The more one watched, the more refined his movements appeared. Windsor himself didn’t realize it, but even without strict adherence to aristocratic etiquette, few would have dared criticize him.
Besides, his flawless appearance effortlessly masked any minor flaws, captivating observers’ attention.
“The tea tastes excellent.”
“Perfect!”
Jacqueline’s eyes sparkled as if she’d just witnessed a student who grasped ten lessons from one. After a brief pause, Windsor set his cup down.
Yes—these were precisely the things that set them apart. They were as different as cats and sparrows, or whales and frogs—entirely distinct species.
Their lifestyles, behaviors, habits, and even thoughts: everything about them was completely unlike.
“When setting the cup down, it’s better to let it make a soft sound—but not too loud.”
*Clink.*
He was an excellent student, and Jacqueline genuinely rejoiced in his progress. As she basked in the warm afternoon sunlight, she glanced toward Windsor.
Suddenly, their eyes met.
“….”
At that instant, Jacqueline’s back stiffened with inexplicable tension. Was it because of his gaze, as though it might swallow her whole? Or perhaps because of the sharpness concealed beneath feigned indifference?
Occasionally, the man exuded an unnervingly sharp aura—unlike that of any noble. One might even describe it as the precariousness of standing on a knife’s edge.
Jacqueline wondered if this might stem from his former occupation.
Those born into nobility were universally languid and unhurried—they’d never lacked for anything.
They’d never toiled, never lost sleep over money. Hence, their demeanor always carried an innate sense of ennui.
But Windsor was different. He resembled a tightly drawn bow—one that might release its arrow at any moment.
Sometimes he appeared relaxed, but it wasn’t the idle ease of aristocracy. Rather, it resembled the calm of a well-fed predator—a brief, controlled relaxation, ready to spring into action at will.
To hide her inner tension, Jacqueline offered him a faint smile. She noticed her lips felt stiff and unnatural, yet couldn’t relax them easily.
Comfort and unease.
The man evoked both emotions simultaneously—an inexplicable, irrational feeling.
Unconsciously avoiding his gaze, Jacqueline fiddled distractedly with her teacup. Then, as if remembering something, she looked back up at him.
Windsor, who had been sipping tea with grace, slowly raised his head.
Who could possibly doubt he was a noble? And yet—who could possibly believe he truly was one?
“Oh, come to think of it—you’ll have to dance at the ball.”
“Dance, you say?”
Windsor’s eyebrows drew together. Clearly, it wasn’t a topic he relished. Seeing this, Jacqueline nodded firmly.
Anything was better than his heavy silence—sometimes she felt she might suffocate under its weight.
“A proper gentleman always requests a dance from a beautiful lady.”
“Ah—you mean that unnecessarily complicated and bothersome custom.”
Pretending not to hear, Jacqueline stood up. Placing both hands on her hips, she looked down at him with determined eyes.
“Now, ask me for a dance.”
“There’s no real need for me to learn. No young lady would ever wish to dance with me anyway.”
Jacqueline remained silent. She recognized the remark as self-deprecation about his origins. It left a bitter taste in her mouth—almost as bitter as when she called herself a “penniless lady.”
Mumbling almost like an excuse, she added,
“But you’re a marquess, Lord Preston. Certainly, there must be young ladies who—”
“I intend to step down and pass the marquessate to Benjamin once he comes of age. Do you truly think any young lady would still want to dance with me, knowing that?”
Rumors abounded that Windsor would swallow the Preston estate whole—that the greedy uncle would usurp his young nephew’s position.
But Jacqueline knew those rumors were false. He genuinely held no attachment to the marquessate. Windsor Preston might be a blunt uncle, but he was no villain.
“It’s my duty to shape Lord Preston into a distinguished gentleman worthy of society’s attention. I’ve never heard of a gentleman who can’t dance. So please stop nitpicking and ask me for a dance.”
“Stop nitpicking…?”
Windsor frowned at her, as if checking whether he’d heard correctly. Jacqueline pretended not to notice and boldly extended her hand toward him.
Mimicking a gentleman’s manner, she lowered her voice dramatically.
“In situations like this, you should say, ‘Might I have the honor of dancing with such a beautiful young lady?’ Now, take my hand.”
Instead of answering, Windsor simply stared at her outstretched hand. Impatiently, Jacqueline shook it slightly, as if urging him to hurry up.
Unfortunately, she lacked Benjamin’s patience.
“Come on.”
“I’ve never danced even once in my life.”
Jacqueline’s eyes widened in surprise.
“But didn’t you say your mother was an opera singer? Didn’t she teach you to dance?”
“She wasn’t that affectionate. She preferred dancing with her new lovers over teaching her son.”
“Oh—I’m sorry.”
Jacqueline offered an awkward apology.
Yet Windsor couldn’t understand why she was apologizing—it wasn’t her fault his mother had so many suitors.
“How much longer will you keep me waiting? It’s ungentlemanly to embarrass a lady.”
Only after her second prompt did Windsor reluctantly reach out and place his hand atop Jacqueline’s palm.
*Jolt.*
Jacqueline involuntarily shuddered. Her fingertips tingled as if electrified. Somewhere in the distance, it almost sounded like thunder crashing.
Instinctively glancing toward the window, she saw clear blue skies—no clouds in sight—and quietly drew in a breath.
A cool, refined fragrance filled her nostrils—a scent that suited Windsor perfectly.
He stepped decisively closer. Now only a handspan apart, they faced each other.
Suddenly, Jacqueline held her breath. An inexplicable pressure weighed heavily on her shoulders.
Windsor was taller than she’d realized—and broader in the shoulders. Her eyes widened as though noticing this for the first time.
For some reason, she couldn’t stay calm. Worried her hand might tremble—and that he might notice—she bit her lip anxiously.
Slowly, his gaze shifted. From their joined fingertips, it moved up to her cheek.
From between his teeth came a voice deeper than usual.
“What should I do next?”
“Huh? Ah—yes.”
Snapping back to attention, Jacqueline looked up at him. She took his other hand and turned her palm upward—his hand lowered, hers rose.
Lowering her eyes demurely like a young lady accepting a dance invitation, she said,
“Since Lord Preston has asked, I shall grant you one dance.”
Windsor’s eyebrow twitched, though she, gazing downward, didn’t notice.
“We can’t play music, so just follow my movements in rhythm. I’ll go slower than usual. Are you ready?”
Instead of answering, Windsor merely blinked his eyebrows.
An Indifferent Woman is the One Men Desire the Most
One-line summary: The female lead is actually cold-hearted and extremely rational. She has stage-by-stage relationships and won’t two-time, but there will always be someone who secretly likes her.
This novel has the following triggers, so if you’re sensitive to these, please don’t read:
1. The female lead has had many relationships, but she treated each one seriously and broke up properly.
It’s just that the men unilaterally pestered her incessantly. For the female lead, when she doesn’t like someone anymore, she simply doesn’t like them.
(This applies to her relationships with Male Lead 1, 2, 3, and 4 as well, but she’s loyal in each 1-on-1 relationship!)
2. In this novel, Male Lead 2 and the female lead kiss in a car, and Male Lead 1 sees it and beats up Male Lead 2.
The female lead calls the police and sends both Male Lead 1 and 2 to the police station! Male Lead 1 begs the female lead not to break up with him.
3. Male Lead 1 has a gentle appearance but an obsessive personality.
Male Lead 2 has a delicate and soft appearance, slightly green tea-like (two-faced).
Male Lead 3 is a youthful college student and a smart person who has secretly liked the female lead for a long time.
Male Lead 4 is the female lead’s father’s special assistant, a business elite with deep, hidden thoughts.
4. At the beginning of this novel, the female lead has already broken up with Male Lead 1 (Chapter 4) and gotten back together with Male Lead 2 (ex-boyfriend).
5. Enter with caution if you have triggers!!!
MANGA DISCUSSION
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Chapter Comments (115)
it does!! i can feel their chemistry is going to cause a storm
AAACCK! I can feel it😆., both are starting to fall in love
AAACCK! I can feel it😆., both are starting to fall in love
Inline Comments (1325)
“After all, not having them won’t kill me.”
Yes, I thought so. Those things are for a gentleman, a soldier on parade – not for the life he used to live…
“I prefer to crush them thoroughly before they ever grow into a significant thre
Wow. That’s a real man right there. I like him. (๑♡⌓♡๑)
Her lips involuntarily curved into a small smile at Benjamin’s eager response. S
Hahahaha, so that’s how my teachers see me. I’m usually a total Windsor….
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nadeee
Every time i read historical stories, i’m so relieved that i live in this modern world. If i were born in historical’s timeline, i swear i would never succeed in following the rules 😮💨