Page 59 of A Duchess Mistaken
“Oh, do not tease your brother, Agnes,” Mary cajoled lightly. “You know he blushes easily.”
Right on cue, Paul turned a bright shade of red. He looked between his sister and mother, who were both fighting their smiles, and then helplessly at his father. Solomon only shrugged as if there was nothing to be done about it.
Christopher chuckled at the display then said, “The summer festival here may very well live up to what you have heard. Perhaps you will be able to attend it with us this year. After the ball, I’m sure.”
“The ball?” Caroline asked.
“Yes, I have asked Mrs. Adams to plan a ball for us in a few days. A joint engagement ball.”
No one commented on how unusual it was that the housekeeper was the one planning the ball and not the dowager duchess. She was clearly in no state to do such a thing.
“Oh, that sounds splendid,” Mary sighed. “I am already looking forward to it.”
“Yes, yes, but about the summer festival,” Paul said impatiently.
Christopher laughed at his urgency and went on to tell him all about the annual summer festival that occurred in the village. It lasted well after they received their meals and was halfway through it. Agnes made several attempts to turn the conversation back to how lovely Caroline and Christopher were together but eventually decided to give it a rest, not wanting to risk the wrath of Lord Reeds if he were to pick up on what she was doing.
They ate their fill, paid the pub owner handsomely, and all deemed themselves too tired to continue their traipsing through the village. So they made their way back to the carriages.
When they were almost there, Caroline sidled up to Agnes and whispered, “When we return to Claymore Castle, I wish to speak with you.”
“About what?” Agnes whispered back.
“You shall know then.”
“Caroline, you know—” Caroline didn’t wait to hear the rest of Agnes’ response. She hurried ahead, climbing into the carriage with Christopher’s help.
Agnes resisted the urge to go after her. Caroline must have known what she’d just done. She knew there was no better way to torture Agnes than to dangle information just out reach of her. But she supposed she would simply have to be patient and wait until they returned to the manor. The short trip might not be as torturous as she thought, especially since she would be doing it with Johnathan.
If only Lord and Lady Reeds could up and disappear, that would make it perfect. Agnes understood the ramifications of being alone with a gentleman. She knew it was something she should never allow herself to consider. But as she climbed into the carriage, her hand lingering in the one he had offered to her before pulling away, Agnes decided she didn’t care about propriety. Not when the only thing she wanted to do was curl into his arms and find out if his lips were as soft as they looked.
“That was absolutely dreadful,” Lord Reeds spat the moment the carriages set off.
He is so good at ruining one’s mood, Agnes thought with irritation. She tried to quell it as best as she could, deciding it would be best not to respond lest she upset the man any further. God knew she’d done enough to taunt both him and his wife.
Johnathan apparently decided that the earl’s comment could not go without acknowledgement. “Did you not enjoy your meal, my lord?” he asked.
“The meal was decent enough for a backwater establishment,” the earl grumbled. “It is this entire outing that bothers me. Not to mention the fact that you are, yet again, sitting in this carriage instead of with my niece.”
“Would you like for me to stop the carriages and switch seats, my lord?” Johnathan drawled.
Agnes looked at him in surprise. Was that a hint of derision in his tone? She didn’t think he had it in him. He was always so polite when interacting with the earl but it seemed even he had reached his wit’s end.
Lord Reeds must have noticed it as well because he narrowed his eyes. “Pardon me, Your Grace?”
“You are pardoned, my lord,” Johnathan responded. Then he looked at Agnes. “Say, didn’t you say you had a few questions about my travels? Now seems like the perfect time to voice them.”
She fought her grin. “Indeed it does, Your Grace. I wanted to know what Europe was like. I have never been to Paris and always wished to visit.”
“Ah, a beautiful city like no other…”
They spoke about Paris all the way to the manor, not giving the earl or countess a chance to interject with any talk of weddings, despite their best attempts. Agnes knew it was only delaying the inevitable. They’d made it very obvious that securing the match between Caroline and Johnathan was the only thing cared about. It was only a matter of time before they grew frustrated with the lack of development in that regard. Johnathan hardly spent any time with Caroline, after all. And Agnes was always finding crafty ways to push her friend in the company of the duke’s brother. Lord Reeds was not a patient man and what little he had was wearing down.
Still, she managed to ward off the dreaded conversation until they made it to the manor. As soon as they exited the carriage, however, Lord Reeds clipped, “Your Grace, I would like to speak with you in private,” then walked away without giving him a chance to respond.
Agnes and Johnathan exchanged looks. They said nothing to each other, not with the others approaching, but they didn’t have to. Agnes knew what that meant and she was sure Johnathan did as well. So she gave him a nod of encouragement and he nodded back.
“What was that about?” Paul asked, looking between them.
