Page 75 of A Duchess Mistaken
“I love you,” he breathed. He wanted to lean into her, pull her closer still. But he stared into her eyes instead as he waited for his words to sink in.
Her smile only widened. She didn’t look the least bit surprised, only happy. “It took you long enough to say it.”
“Does that mean you love me as well?” he asked, resting his forehead against hers.
“What do you think?” she challenged.
Johnathan huffed a laugh. “Must you be difficult all the time?”
“I would not be me if I did not.” Somehow, she managed to find enough space behind her head to pull away from him, catching his eyes once more. “I love you too, Johnathan.”
He sealed their confessions with a kiss. When he pulled away, she sighed and said again, “Surely this is not the reason you wanted to see me.”
“Would it not be fine if I did?”
“If you wish to court scandal, Johnathan, then you should do so on your own time.”
Agnes gently pushed him away and made her way to the sofas arranged on one end of the study. Johnathan watched her go. “Well, you aren’t any fun anymore.”
“One of us has to remain levelheaded,” she said with a shrug. She reached into her pocket and pulled out a folded piece of paper,holding it out to him. It gave him the opportunity to approach her again but she must have seen the devilish glint in his eye because she slipped by him before he could pull her into his arms once more.
“What’s this?” he asked, not bothering to mask his disappointment.
“The details surrounding the engagement party. Mother asked me to pass it on to you. Or rather, I subtly suggested it and she took me up on the offer.”
“Smart of you. Though if you are missing for long, the others may come to me seeking your whereabouts.”
“I know.” She gave him a sweet smile. “We should not remain in each other’s company alone for too long.”
While he should agree with her, Johnathan couldn’t help showing his disappointment in that regard. “Any more of that and one would think you do not like spending time with me, Agnes.”
“There’s nothing I want more than to spend time with you,” she assured softly. “But if we are to go about this in the proper way, the last thing I want is for others to assume anything before we are able to clear the air. And I’m sure you were thinking the same thing, hence the reason you are having this engagement party so soon.”
“Oh?”
She sank into one of the sofas and waited until he claimed the one across from her before she went on. “I gave it some thought and that is the only reason I could think of. Any longer and Lord Reeds will grow more insistent. And while I’m sure you are as eager to announce our engagement as much as I am, it may not be very wise to do so when tension is so high.”
“Tension will remain high for as long as Lord Reeds does not get what he wants.”
“That is true,” she admitted with a nod. “Which means a public announcement may be the only way to go. Lord Reeds will not be able to dispute you in front of so many people. And he will be thoroughly embarrassed as well.”
“We seem to share one mind, Agnes,” Johnathan said, impressed. “I had intended to explain my line of thinking to you but you have beaten me to it.”
“That is because we are partners,” she said, though the smile that came to her face was one of complete pride. “After spending so much time working alongside you with the same aim, I do understand your motivations. But you must know that it will not be enough to deter him. Lord Reeds will only demand that you end our engagement and perhaps that you even secure a special license to marry Caroline as soon as possible. Or worse…”
“Worse?” he probed with a raise of his brows.
Agnes drew in a deep breath. “He might take your announcement as his chance to reveal the truth of your father’s death. Lord Reeds is not one to think twice about low blows and he will want to hurt and embarrass you as much as you have done to him.”
“That is a risk I will have to take,” Johnathan said with a sigh. “Fighting against a man as vindictive as the earl opens me up to attacks I never would have considered with anyone else.”
“That much is true. But anything he attempts to do, we will do our utmost to thwart it.”
“We?”
“My family and I.”
“Have you told them about us?” Johnathan asked with a raise of his brows.
