Page 43 of Six Nights to Marry a Marquess

Moved by her admission, Theodore reached for Agnes's hand, holding it gently in his own. He raised it to his lips, placing a soft, reverent kiss on her knuckles. He did not expect to feel this depth of emotion at learning her story. After a moment, he spoke, his voice slightly hoarse. “I’m glad you had someone like her in your life, Agnes.”

The clearing skies beckoned a change of scene, and Theodore peered in the distance. “The rain seems to be giving us some respite. Shall we return to the manor?” He was not eager to return, but he did not want to remain here with Agnes longer—lest he reveal more about himself than he was ready or willing to.

Agnes nodded, squeezing his hand slightly. “Yes, let us return,” she said, her voice carrying a note of reluctance as well, perhaps not eager to leave the seclusion that the ruins provided.

CHAPTER 20

Agnes ascended the stairs to her bedchamber with a noticeable sense of optimism following her conversation with Theodore.

“Oh, I was worried when I saw the storm and you were out, your grace,” Evans expressed her concern the moment Agnes entered the room. The lady’s maid was already busy at work, laying out an elegant ensemble for dinner.

Agnes, still feeling the thrill of her earlier conversation with Theodore, found herself suddenly eager to dress up for the evening. After finally persuading her husband to dine with her as a gesture of maintaining appearances, she felt an uncharacteristic desire to impress him.

“I should like to wear the sapphire necklace, Evans,” Agnes declared, deciding on a whim to add a touch of splendor to her attire. She reassured her worried maid, “I’m quite all right, Evans. I was with my husband; he took good care of me."

“Oh, I think that is a brilliant thought, your grace,” Evans responded, her eyes sparkling with approval. The maid’s enthusiasm for fashion and adornment was evident, and she relished any opportunity to dress Agnes in the manor’s finest pieces.

“Oh, I am quite lucky. Your grace is like my very own doll,” Evans added playfully, echoing Agnes’s thoughts with a light-hearted comment that brought a smile to both their faces.

Agnes chuckled, watching Evans retrieve the jewelry box with palpable excitement. It was a small joy to see her maid so animated, and it lifted Agnes’s spirits further, fueling her anticipation for the evening. Tonight, she would not only present herself as the dignified Marchioness of Gillingham but perhaps also remind her husband of the woman he had married, beyond the convenience of their arrangement. The thought of it made her heart flutter with a mix of nerves and excitement.

Whatever enthusiasm Agnes had was swiftly diminished when she descended to the drawing room only to be greeted by Quentin bearing a note. The moment the butler handed it to her, a familiar dread washed over her. He was doing it again—Theodore wasn’t joining her for dinner. At least this time he had extended the courtesy of sending a note.

Did he perhaps find their marriage suffocating? Agnes wondered silently. Was it she who was suffocating him? The thought left a bitter taste in her mouth. She swallowed hard, her fingers tightening around the note.

Without opening it, she turned to return to her bedchamber, her disappointment evident in her slumped shoulders.

"My Lady?" Quentin's voice halted her retreat. He cleared his throat gently, nodding toward the still-sealed note in her hand.

Caught by his expectant look, curiosity overcame her resignation. Agnes broke the seal and unfolded the paper. To her surprise, the note did not contain the expected apologies for his absence at dinner. Instead, Theodore had written that they were to dine outside the manor—in the greenhouse.

A surge of excitement replaced her previous disappointment as she hastened her steps toward the greenhouse. The evening air was cool and fresh, carrying with it the promise of something new, something better. As she pushed open the door to the greenhouse, the sight that greeted her caused her heart to skip a beat.

Theodore stood beside a beautifully laid table, under the soft glow of candlelight. He was dressed in a dark blue coat that accentuated the strong lines of his figure, making him appear every bit the distinguished gentleman he was. The candlelight played across his features, casting him in an almost ethereal light.

"I was starting to think I’d be having just the plants for company tonight," Theodore quipped, a slight smile tugging at the corners of his mouth as he welcomed her into the makeshift dining area.

“I honor my invitations,” Agnes replied with a light touch of humor as Theodore gracefully pulled out a chair for her at the elegantly set table amidst the vibrant greenhouse.

The space around them was a lush tapestry of blooms, each petal and leaf appearing as if painted with the utmost care. It contrasted starkly with the gardens outside, which, though meticulously maintained, lacked the vivacious color of this hidden oasis. The disparity was just another puzzle in a manor filled with inconsistencies that perpetually set Agnes on edge.

“Now, I’m not sure if I should consider myself lucky as a result…” Theodore commented, his eyes twinkling mischievously as he took his seat across from her.

“Why do you make my company sound so ominous?” Agnes responded with a nervous chuckle, hoping to mask her unease with levity.

“Perhaps because it is,” he shrugged nonchalantly, his voice light but his words heavy with an unspoken jest.

“What is that supposed to mean, Theodore?” Agnes couldn't help but feel a prick of apprehension, her eyes narrowing slightly as she searched his face for clues.

His response was to laugh—a rich, full-hearted sound that unexpectedly thawed the chill she hadn't realized had settled around her heart. For a moment, the weight of their unconventional marriage seemed to lift, and she allowed herself to bask in the warmth of his amusement.

She wished earnestly that their interactions could always hold such ease. She wished it could be like this forever—light, unburdened, genuine. The thought sparked a daring hope within her. Could she perhaps make their marriage work? Maybe it wasn’t as impossible as she had once believed.

A voice in the back of her mind warned her about the danger of such hopeful thoughts, cautioning her against the potential heartache of expectations unmet.

Not right now. This was the first time she was enjoying her husband's company like this since their marriage. Agnes was determined not to let her doubts suffocate the budding friendship she and Theodore were cultivating.

“Suffice it to say you surpass most of society’s company,” Theodore responded, serving them both. Agnes appreciated the absence of footmen; the privacy made the evening feel even more special.

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