Page 5 of A Duchess Mistaken
Her eyes went wide with surprise. “But, Miss, I was instructed to assist you with getting settled in.”
“I will be fine on my own, thank you.” Agnes offered her a consoling smile but the maid’s worried frown only deepened.
“Perhaps I should help you with your bath before I leave?” the maid suggested but Agnes was already shaking her head.
“I assure you that I will be fine. I am more than capable of doing it on my own.” Because the maid did not seem convinced, she added, “And truth be told, I wish to be alone.”
The maid thinned her lips, but at last she nodded. “I understand, Miss. Please, don’t hesitate to ring for me if you need my assistance.”
“I won’t. Goodnight.”
Agnes smiled as the maid walked away, not releasing the breath she’d been holding until she was already a few feet away. She would have felt rather guilty denying the maid her sleep just because she longed for a bath.
It wouldn't stop her from actually having the bath, though. She stripped carefully, taking care not to tear her underclothes or tangle the strings of her dress.
She spent enough time in the tub for the water to grow cold and once she was done, she rummaged through her luggage to find her nightdress before sliding between the cool sheets of the four-poster bed.
The duke was certainly wealthy. It showed in every inch of the castle, from the intricate molding of the ceiling to the polished floors to the thick and soft bedding. It was a pity he was so rude.
She sighed, closing her eyes and relaxing. Sleep claimed her quickly but not before she thought of her brief interaction with the duke as much as ten times.
The clink of glass was what woke her the next morning. Agnes pried her heavy lids open to see the same maid from last night setting out her perfume bottles.
Anges released a low groan as she stretched. “Good morning,” she mumbled.
“Miss!” the maid yelped, nearly dropping the bottle in her hand. She whirled to face Agnes with eyes as wide as saucers. “Did I wake you?”
“You did,” Agnes said, yawning sleepily behind her hand. “But it is fine. I am to wake anyhow.”
That only flustered her even more. She quickly set the perfume down, clasping her hands before her and bowed her head. “Forgive me, Miss Agnes. I shan’t let it happen again.”
Agnes sat up, her hair tumbling down her shoulders. The mornings always felt as if she was emerging from murky waters, her mind a fog and her eyesight blurry. She couldn’t help squinting at the maid and the other woman flinched at the look.
“What is your name?” Agnes asked her.
The maid hardly met her eyes. “Gemma, Miss.”
Thank you, Gemma, for unpacking my luggage. And I assure you, you needn’t worry about waking me in the morning. Had you not, I might not have gotten out of bed until well after midday. That would be quite rude to our hosts, I’m sure.” She said the words lightly but Gemma still hadn’t met her eyes. Agnes sighed. “Shall we get started with getting ready then?”
“Yes, Miss.”
As if grateful for something to do, Gemma got into action. Any attempt Agnes made at conversation after that was met with stuttered sentences and an averted gaze.
Was this how all the servants acted? Agnes wondered if that had anything to do with the duke.
She kept her questions to herself as she got dressed for breakfast. As she made her way down to the dining room, led by the maid, Agnes tried to keep her curiosity to a minimum. There would be enough time for exploring later, she assumed.
Everyone else was already there. There were two new people seated on one side of the table and yet Agnes hardly paid them much mind. The moment she stepped through the doors, her eyes met the duke’s.
She forgot her manners. Every bit of ladylike grace vanished from her mind the moment he captured her gaze. He paused in his eating as if he too was taken by the sight before him.
How in heaven’s name did he become even more handsome than last night? The duke looked away, resuming his eating. Agnes felt a chill wash over her at the slight dismissal. Perhaps to others, it did not seem like anything had happened. But the tense moment between them had not only gone noticed by her, had it?
Agnes raised her chin, approaching the unoccupied chair between her brother and her mother. “Good morning, everyone,” she greeted. “I hope I am not too late.”
“You are if you allowed me to be at the table before you,” Paul said instantly, giving her a cheeky grin.
Agnes didn’t spare him a glance, primly placing her napkin on her lap as she said, “You offend yourself more with that statement than you do me,” she said. “I shall give you some time to think of a better response.”
