Page 45 of A Duchess Mistaken
“Then I leave it in your hands, Lord Christopher.”
“Just Christopher,” he corrected with a wink. Johnathan felt a surge of something dark at the sight. Even when Agnes gave him a polite smile in response and watched him walk away, Johnathan could not be rid of the feeling.
His brother was likely putting on a front for his sake and the sake of Lord Sutton, Johnathan knew. That was the only rational thought coursing through his mind. The other, more pressing, thoughts were consumed with white-hot jealousy that gripped him by the throat and refused to let go.
“Let me go and congratulate my beautiful wife on her wonderful playing,” he heard the viscount say and Lord Sutton was all too happy to head Lady Sutton’s way. But Johnathan was still thinking about the little smile Agnes had given Christopher.
“Johnathan?”
Agnes’ voice brought him back to the present. He looked at her. “Pardon me,” he murmured.
“You seemed to have disappeared for a moment,” she commented, still studying him. “Are you all right?”
“Quite so.”
“Does the idea of going to the village not interest you then?” she asked. “I thought it would be good for Caroline and Christopher to spend time with each other, you see.”
Johnathan gritted his teeth, annoyed with himself for the irrational jealousy still coursing through his body. “May I ask you a question, Agnes?”
“Go right ahead,” she said amicably.
“What do you want for your future?” She tilted his head at him so he clarified. “You are forgoing your future for that of your friend’s. An admirable decision, I do admit, but I cannot help but wonder if you have given any thought to what you will do after everything is said and done.”
“I have not given it any thought, no.”
Her response was so swift that Johnathan couldn’t help gaping at her. Agnes caught his look and laughed.
“It sounds mad, does it not?” she sighed. “But I do not mind. What matters right now is that Caroline is happy and no longer has to sneak around to enjoy her love. It should be enjoyed out loud and in the open. I’m sure you feel the same way regarding your brother or you would not have been so willing to help me in my quest.”
“Yes, but our circumstances are different.”
“Different in what way? Because you are a duke and I am nothing but the daughter of a viscount?”
“I would not have worded it in that manner but essentially, yes.”
To his relief, she didn’t take offense to that, laughing instead. “It may be far easier for you to find another wife than it would be for me to find another potential husband. Especially since I am quite picky as it is.”
“Picky? In what manner?”’
“Well certainly you do not think that Christopher was my first option, do you?”
Johnathan was suddenly crossed between intrigue and dread. He wanted to know more, as he did with anything regarding Agnes but had a feeling he wasn’t going to like what he was about to hear.
So he focused on the others in the room. Lord and Lady Sutton murmuring and giggling to each other like two young people in love, the others sitting in the center of the room talking about God knew what. Christopher carried the conversation, Paul interjecting now and again. Miss Caroline seemed content to simply listen while Lord and Lady Reeds struggled to seem interested in the conversation. Of course, the dowager duchesshad opted out of dining with them but Johnathan didn’t mind so much this evening.
Everyone was caught up in their own things, paying scant attention to him and Agnes. Johnathan decided that they should take full advantage of their situation.
“So you have been betrothed before,” he said at last.
Agnes shook his head but Johnathan didn’t let himself feel relieved. “Betrothed? No. It had never gotten that far. But I have been courted by a number of gentlemen who have made it no secret that they wished to ask for my hand in marriage.”
“Pray tell what had caused so many gentlemen to fail your scrutiny.”
“Well, Lord Johnson was dreadfully dull. Lord Rutledge was quite banal. I did not like the manner in which Lord Kenton licked his lips after every sentence.”
Johnathan couldn’t stop the chuckle that escaped his lips. “When you said you were picky, I did not think you were serious.”
“I am always serious, John,” she told him despite the smile playing around her lips. “But I must admit that my pickiness is what landed me here in the first place.”
