Page 63 of A Duchess Mistaken
Agnes nodded slowly, not knowing what to say. She should deny the implication the dowager duchess was making. At least until it was the right time to tell everyone that she had no intentions of marrying Christopher. But her tongue failed her as her mind filled with the traitorous thought of her walking down the aisle of a church with a bouquet in her hand. A smile on her face. Surrounded by her friends and family while the gentleman waiting at the altar…
Johnathan’s face. Johnathan’s smile. Johnathan’s hand reaching out to take hers as they stood before a priest.
Johnathan’s lips on hers to claim her as his wife.
It felt as if her entire body went up in flames. Agnes couldn’t bring herself to speak, her mind racing and yet utterly still, focused on one thing alone. The dowager duchess smiled knowingly as if she’d had every intention of turning Agnes into such a mess. She patted Agnes’ hand again and then turned to leave.
Agnes numbly turned the other way, heading towards her chambers. All she could think was one thing. Johnathan’s hand. Johnathan’s touch. Johnathan’s kiss.
By the time she made it to her bedchamber, she’d strengthened her resolve. She couldn’t keep this all in, not any longer.
She had to tell him how she felt.
CHAPTER 23
“Agnes! What took you so long?”
Agnes sucked in a breath of fright and pressed herself against the doorframe to avoid the blond-haired lady charging towards her. Caroline seemed exceedingly frustrated, scowling at Agnes as if she had just done her some great wrong.
“Caroline, do not frighten me so,” Agnes admonished. She released the breath growing stale in her lungs and let herself relax. “Were you waiting on the other end of the door to accost me?”
“Not at first, no. But when I realized how long it was taking you to arrive at your chambers, I considered it. What took you so long?”
Agnes closed the door behind her, suddenly so tired that she couldn’t imagine staying on her feet a moment longer. Shelumbered towards her bed, sitting on the edge even though the only thing she wanted to do was crawl under the sheets.
“I met Her Grace in the hallway,” Agnes informed her friend.
The scowl on Caroline’s face smoothed away as her brows lifted in surprise. “And you conversed with her?”
“She sought me out, in truth,” Agnes told her. Now that it was over, it felt like it had all been a dream. She could hardly remember the dowager duchess speaking more than a few words at time before and she’d had an entire intense conversation with her.
Her response only served to deepen Caroline’s confusion. “For what reason would she do that?”
Agnes hesitated. She faked a small yawn to stall for time as she decided whether it would be a good idea telling Caroline what her and the dowager duchess had spoken about. She never kept a secret from Caroline. But at the same time, it felt like a betrayal of the dowager duchess’ trust to reveal what she must have told Agnes in confidence.
“She was a little lonely,” Agnes lied casually. “It is nothing of serious concern, I assure you.”
Caroline didn’t look convinced. Before she could question Agnes further, Agnes quickly changed the topic.
“Why were you waiting for me, Caroline? Was it to speak about what you had alluded to earlier?”
“Yes.” Caroline sat next to Agnes on the bed, crossing her arms as she faced her. The serious look on her face was both adorable and concerning. “What is going on, Agnes?”
“I’m afraid I do not know what you mean.”
“I’m sure that you do.”
Agnes couldn’t help laughing at that. “I assure you that I do not, and I am far too tired right now to attempt to figure it out. Pray tell, what do you speak of this time?”
A frustrated look passed across Caroline’s face. She seemed to gather herself, then fixed Agnes with another determined look.
“Who do you think I snuck out to see that night, Agnes?”
Agnes frowned. “Who else could it be but Christopher?”
Without warning, Caroline collapsed back on the bed. She put her hands over her face, sighing dramatically. “Oh, heavens, I knew it!”
“Knew what?” Agnes asked in alarm. “Caroline, what are you going on about? Is it not obvious that your beloved is the duke’s brother?”
