Page 47 of A Duchess Mistaken
Then she stood there and wondered if she should enter.
It would be far too daring at this point. To sneak into the duke’s study so early in the morning without a chaperone? They’d almost gotten caught once, so why would she take that risk again? Just to satisfy her own curiosity?
Agnes began to pace. She gnawed on the end of her nail, falling into that terrible habit she thought she’d rid of years ago. There was a question she needed to ask Johnathan, burning a hole into the side of her mind and holding her captive from her sleep. Theonly problem was, she hadn’t a clue how to word it, let alone how she would muster up the courage to say it aloud.
“Agnes?”
She gasped, whirling to face Caroline. Her friend looked as perfectly put together as she always did, a feat that Agnes couldn’t help but admire time and time again.
“What are you doing outside the duke’s study?” Caroline asked with a confused frown, drawing closer. “Is something the matter?”
“The duke’s study?” Agnes got out, her heart racing against her chest. “Oh, is this the duke’s study, you say? I hadn’t noticed. I do not pay much attention to where the duke likes to study. Or read, I suppose. Or rather, do his work. I do believe that is what dukes tend to do in their study.”
Caroline’s frown only grew deeper. “You’re worrying me. It is not like you to ramble.”
“Am I rambling?” Agnes let out a shaky laugh. She turned away, hoping to avoid her friend’s gaze. “I do not think that I am. Perhaps it is simply the early hour. I am so often filled with thoughts during the dead of night and am always eager to release them to any willing ear. Which just so happens to be you, thankfully enough.”
Oh, dear God, shewasrambling.
Agnes cleared her throat, hoping she far less frazzled than she felt. “What of you, Caroline? What brings you down this side of the manor?”
“I was hoping to go for a stroll through the gardens,” Caroline told her, her curious look deepening. “Though I think I might have taken a wrong turn and made my trip to the gardens far longer than it needed to be.”
“How fortuitous that you did and happened upon me,” Agnes said with an odd laugh. “Standing outside the duke’s study, as you said. Though I did not know it was the duke’s study.”
Caroline was staring at her as if she could not believe what she was seeing. She opened her mouth to respond—and Agnes braced herself for more probing—but was interrupted by the door of the study in question opening.
Her heart stopped in her chest. Even as she’d paced outside the door, she hadn’t considered the thought that he might actually be inside!
Johnathan poked his head through the door, frowning in confusion at the two of them. “I thought I heard voices,” he said. “Am I needed?”
“Not at all, Your Grace!” Agnes hurriedly said. “We only happened to meet by chance outside your study, is all. Isn’t that right, Caroline?”
Caroline looked at Johnathan, then Agnes, then back to Johnathan with a slow nod. “That is right, Your Grace.”
“But we shan’t disturb you any longer,” Agnes went on. “Caroline and I shall be making our way to the gardens for a stroll before breakfast.”
“Allow me to join you,” he said.
She was finding it increasingly difficult meeting his eyes. Even more so catching her breath. Why did it suddenly feel as if the walls were closing in on her?
“Join us?” Agnes repeated dumbly.
Johnathan was already stepping out of the room, closing the door behind him.
“That would be lovely, Your Grace,” Caroline was saying, completely unaware of how dizzy Agnes was becoming at her side.
Johnathan flashed a brief smile at her. “I shall ring for a maid then.”
Then his eyes fell on her. Agnes willed herself to look away. She didn’t need him seeing her in such a stressed state, unable to make heads nor tails of her conflicting thoughts. But his words last night echoed through her mind as their eyes met and, for abrief moment, she allowed herself to consider the possibility that he might have truly meant them.
The moment went far too quickly. He looked away and then gestured with an arm for them to walk ahead of him. Agnes managed to do so on leaden feet, Caroline taking her side.
“This is good,” Caroline whispered to her. “I do not think I have spent much time with His Grace since my arrival. Perhaps this will allow us to get to know each other a bit more.”
Agnes didn’t like the way her throat tightened at those words. She cast a surreptitious glance behind her, noting that there were a few paces between them and Johnathan. No doubt meant to maintain propriety. The relief she felt at his distance was quite conflicting considering the fact that she’d been considering going to see him alone.
“Is that what you truly want, Caroline?” she whispered back.
