Page 24 of A Duchess Mistaken
Yet his heart continued to do somersaults in his chest as he made his way back to his desk and sat.
“Oh, forgive me,” he said suddenly. “I must have forgotten my manners. Would you like a glass of wine?”
Miss Agnes blinked at him, saying nothing. And then she giggled. The sound brought equal waves of pleasure and embarrassment washing over him.
“Wine?” she breathed between her laughter. “Surely you did not just offer me a glass of wine when it is barely dawn, Your Grace?”
“Not very astute of me, is it?” he asked sheepishly.
“I cannot tell if I should be touched by your eagerness to mind your manners or horrified by your thoughtlessness.”
“Charmed by my kindness?” he offered and was thrilled when she laughed again.
“A manageable compromise, if I have ever heard any.” Then she sobered and he tensed again. “But back to the matter at hand, Your Grace. We do not have much time.”
Johnathan quelled his disappointment, nodding. “Yes, go ahead.”
“I believe our biggest obstacle will be Lord and Lady Reeds. They are very set on the marriage.”
“Of that, I have no doubt,” he agreed with a grim nod. “They will be difficult to convince. I am not particularly sure how I will manage such a task since I have all but assured them that I shall be marrying their niece.”
“Everyone can be convinced if the right things are said,” she said with such easy confidence that Johnathan’s admiration of her went through the roof.
“Do you have a plan in mind?” he asked.
“A plan?” She shook her head. “Not yet. Not with regards to Lord and Lady Reeds, that is. Regarding Caroline and Lord Christopher? Perhaps. But I will need your help.”
“What do you need me to do?”
“We shall put them in each other’s company as often as we can. And we can start this afternoon! After breakfast, I shall suggest that we all go for a walk, but this time, you should offer to show me something and take me away, forcing them to walk together. Perhaps we may go to the lake Her Grace said was nearby.” She nodded, eyes adopting that faraway look of determination. “It will be far easier if neither Lord Reeds nor Lady Reeds chaperones so it may be best to have Mrs. Adams or a maid chaperone us instead. That way, we won’t feel the pressure they will inevitably place on us if we are not paired to their liking.”
“A simple plan,” Johnathan said, nodding as he took it all in. “But rather effective for the short term. I shall have to deal with Lord Reeds myself, I reckon?”
“Wise man, you are,” she said. Her light, teasing tone should have made him roll his eyes and yet he preened quietly, his heart skipping a beat. Johnathan didn’t dare let his face betray his emotions.
“I will have to give this much thought, then. He is not an easily deterred man.”
“I am certain you will be able to handle it. You are a wealthy, influential duke, after all.”
He looked away, suddenly filled with the urge to down his glass of wine. Instead, he tried changing the topic from his apparent wealth. “You must care deeply for Miss Caroline to go to this length.”
“She is like a sister to me. I would do anything for her. And I am sure she would do the same for me.”
“That is rather admirable. She is lucky to have a friend like you.”
“I am sure Lord Christopher shares the same sentiment for you, Your Grace.”
Johnathan shrugged, eyes straying away from the curtains to her deep brown eyes that felt as if they were seeing right throughhim. “I think he is rather tired of me and my overbearing tendencies.”
“Overbearing? You, Your Grace?” Miss Agnes tilted her head to the side, eyes wide. “I find that rather hard to believe.”
His lips twitched. “Is that sarcasm I detect in your tone?”
“Of course not, Your Grace. I would never.”
“Your lips are twitching. You are most certainly poking fun at me.”
“Am I?” she sang, giving him an innocent look. “That would be quite bold of me to do to your face.”
