Page 25 of A Duchess Mistaken
“And yet I do not doubt that you would for a second.”
“I shall take that as a compliment then.”
“I assure you that it was not meant as such.”
Now she shrugged. “It matters not to me.”
This time, Johnathan couldn’t hold back her chuckle. She joined in with her own soft laughter, the sound like the sweet song of birds in the morning.
He opened his mouth to speak, to continue the lovely banter they had fallen into. A knock on the door disrupted his thoughts.
Both their heads turned to the noise. And then to each other, eyes wide. Miss Agnes broke eye contact first, looking to the window, and then Johnathan followed suit.
The sun was already high in the sky. He hadn’t noticed so much time had passed.
“Your Grace?” came an unfamiliar male voice from the other side of the door. “May I?”
Miss Agnes was already on her feet, panic in her eyes. Johnathan shot up as well. They couldn’t get caught in here together, not even by a servant. The rumors that would spark, the scandal that would cause…
He could tell the same thoughts were racing through her head as the person on the other side of the door knocked again. “Your Grace?”
Miss Agnes looked around frantically. Johnathan rounded the desk, taking her gently yet quickly by the arm. When she looked up at him, mouth parting in surprise, he nearly forgot what he’d intended to say.
His mind came back a moment later and he raised a finger to his lips then pointed to the window. She looked where he pointed with understanding dawning in her eyes. Miss Agnes nodded.
Johnathan crossed over to the door, keeping a hand on the knob in case the footman—because he assumed it had to be one—lost his mind and entered without permission. He waited until Miss Agnes had tucked herself behind the thick curtains and was safely out of sight before he opened it.
“Yes?” he answered, sounding a little irritated.
The footman’s eyes widened. “F-forgive the intrusion, Your Grace. Your guests are almost finished with breakfast.”
“Very well, thank you.”
The footman bowed and hurried away. Johnathan watched him walk away for a few seconds before he closed the door, letting out a pent-up breath of relief.
His eyes instantly fell on the brown-haired lady peeking out behind the curtains. They caught each other’s gazes for a second and then burst out laughing.
“All that commotion for a conversation that lasted less than five seconds,” she laughed with a shake of her head. She emerged from the curtains, making her way towards him.
“It is better to be safe than sorry,” he told her, approaching as well.
They met in the center of the room, far closer than he’d intended them to be. His smile slid away. Hers did as well. Johnathanwas suddenly struck with the urge to look away, unnerved by the bold manner she looked at him. This was not a lady with demure tendencies and blushing cheeks. One heavy-lidded gaze from her and he was the one with flip-flopping insides.
“I should leave,” she murmured, taking a step back. She was blinking rapidly. Johnathan could suddenly breathe again. “Or else someone is going to notice that I am missing.”
“Yes, that may be best. But we shall commence your plan this afternoon, as you suggested.”
Miss Agnes nodded. She did not meet his eyes again this time, oddly enough. Instead, she pointed at his desk, lips twitching.
“Your wine is growing tepid.”
With that she left, slipping through the door as quietly as she came, leaving him speechless. Johnathan found himself staring at the door for a long while, a stupid smile fixed on his face.
Something told him that conspiring with Miss Agnes might not be a good idea. And yet he couldn’t remember the last time he’d ever felt this excited about anything.
CHAPTER 11
It felt as if her heart was about to beat right out of her chest. Agnes couldn’t believe what she’d just done. Sneaking out of her chambers to read in the library at midnight was one thing. Sneaking out of her chambers near dawn to visit a gentleman in his study was something entirely different. Especially when that gentleman was devilishly handsome with a gaze capable of reducing her to a mess.
