Page 50 of A Duchess Mistaken
“I am not,” she whispered to him. “But Caroline will not feel comfortable enough to relax and show her affection to your brother if her aunt and uncle are there watching her every move.”
“And you believe that will not be the same for your parents?”
“They are far more understanding. They treat Caroline like a daughter. And it will give them a chance to see how lovely they are as a match, which will make it easier for them to let go of the idea of him marrying me.”
Johnathan helped her into the carriage, unable to keep the marvel off his face. “You are absolutely fascinating.”
To his surprise, she blushed. “I must thank you for playing along.”
“I trust your judgment, Agnes. I doubt you could ever steer me wrong.”
Her lips parted in surprise. Johnathan, realizing he might have said too much once more, cleared his throat, grateful for the distraction Lord and Lady Reeds’ approach gave him. He entered the carriage, allowing the married couple to slide in on the other side.
Neither one of them bothered hiding their discontentment at the arrangement. Johnathan would have felt far more amusement at their faces had it not been for the veritable fact that their disapproval was bound to cause more discomfort than anything else.
“What a dreadful start to this trip,” Lady Reeds began as the carriage set off behind the other. “Caroline should be the one sitting there.”
She jerked her chin unceremoniously at Agnes, who sat across from her. To her credit, Agnes didn’t seem to mind the hostility being aimed her way.
“I am certain that Caroline is quite content where she is,” Agnes stated without a care in the world.
“It matters not whether she is content,” Lord Reeds interjected, his voice rumbling with annoyance. “She should be by the side of her future husband.”
“On that, my lord, I must agree.”
Lord Reeds’ scowl only deepened the tension in the carriage. While Agnes clearly didn’t care that she was upsetting the earl, Johnathan would much rather the trip to the village pass without incident.
“It is a good thing that this carriage ride is a short one,” he attempted to assure them. “I’m sure I will have more thanenough opportunities to share in Miss Caroline’s company when we arrive.”
“I would hope so,” Lord Reeds sniffed. “And while we are on the topic of your match with Caroline, Your Grace, we must discuss the wedding.”
Johnathan felt the blood drain from his face. “Must we?”
“We have not been given the chance to do so before. Why not now? It would be a much more suitable topic of conversation than tales of your travels.”
“I beg to differ, my lord,” Agnes murmured.
Lord Reeds glared only seemed to bounce off Agnes’ skin because she clearly couldn’t care less.
To save her from another argument—though Johnathan was of the view that she would welcome it—he asked, “What exactly did you want to say about the wedding, Lord Reeds?”
“Anything at all! I have not heard your thoughts on the matter, which I do find rather odd.”
“Oh, come now, dear,” Lady Reeds spoke up, touching her husband lightly on the arm. “You know gentlemen do not pay much mind to the organization of such things. It is the job of the bride and her family.”
“I do not intend to talk of flowers and decorations,” Lord Reeds corrected. “My only suggestion is that the wedding be a grand one and that it happens as quickly as possible.”
Johnathan shifted uncomfortably. Agnes did as well, though her face was turned towards the window. “It may not be a good idea to rush the wedding, my lord.”
“There is no rush,” Lord Reeds insisted. “We have already come to an agreement, after all. It is now only a matter of making good on each side of the arrangement.”
To Johnathan’s relief, Lady Reeds spoke next. “Don’t you think it would be better if they waited until the end of the season? It would be a far more impactful wedding, to be certain. And that will certainly give us enough time to plan a grand one.”
Lord Reeds seemed to be considering those words. “I do see the merit in your point. But I cannot help but think that we are wasting time.”
“It is not a waste, my lord,” Johnathan quickly tried to satisfy him. “Like Lady Reeds said, it will allow us more time to plan a grand wedding, one that will make a wonderful union.”
“Then we should at least make the announcement now,” Lord Reeds said. “That way, everyone will know that Caroline is betrothed to the Duke of Claymore.”
