Page 29 of A Duchess Mistaken
He was off, the rest of her words surging back down her throat and a scream threatening to rear its head instead.
CHAPTER 12
Johnathan felt as light as a feather. He credited it to the feeling of the horse he rode upon and the wide, open meadow stretched out before him. The wind racing through his hair, bringing tears to his cheeks, sent a rush of exhilaration through his body.
Yet all throughout the ride, Johnathan’s focus was on one thing.
Miss Agnes clung to him as if her life depended on it. He could feel her cheek pressed against his back, her fingers folded into his waistcoat with an impressive grip. He began to wonder if she truly did not fear horses the way she’d expressed because the scream she’d let out when they’d taken off said otherwise.
“Are you all right?” Johnathan shouted over the roaring in his ears, turning his head to the side for her to hear.
“I hate you!” Miss Agnes shouted back.
Johnathan barked a laugh. He caught a glimpse of her face and laughed harder when he saw her eyes squeezed shut.
“We’re almost there,” he shouted back to her. The only response he received was her arms tightening further.
The others had gone ahead of them, almost dots in the distance. Johnathan knew that they would be arriving within a matter of minutes so he began to slow. It wasn’t proper, he knew, for them to be alone. The maid had stayed with the others and was almost to the lake as well, meaning that Johnathan should be doing what he could to ensure they were in the company of others.
He brought the horse to a trot instead. Miss Agnes’ arms grew slack.
“Have we arrived?” she asked breathlessly at his ear and he was barely able to contain the spark that went through his body.
“Not yet. We are almost there, however.”
“Why did you slow down then?”
“You are quite frightened. I thought to calm your nerves a bit.”
Johnathan didn’t look back at her but he could almost hear the indignant scowl in her voice when she said, “I do not need your pity, Your Grace. We should try to catch up with the others. It would not do for us to fall behind.”
“Why?”
“Why?” she echoed. This time, he glanced back at her and she was frowning at him as if he’d said something outrageous.
“Why do you need to catch up with them? Was it not the plan for us to give Miss Caroline and my brother some time alone with each other? If we are there, Christopher will feel obligated to pay you mind and I shall feel the same with Miss Caroline.”
Miss Agnes was quiet for a moment. A moment he spent closing his eyes and breathing in the flowery scent of her hair perfume.
“I hadn’t thought of it that way,” she admitted at last. “I suppose it was a good thing that I thought to recruit you into my plans.”
“A good thing indeed. Otherwise, you would be sitting behind Christopher right now and heavens knows your fear of horses will not override his love for them.”
“I do not fear horses!” she defended hotly.
Johnathan grinned. “Forgive me. Your wariness, then.”
“I get the sense that you are teasing me, Your Grace. Which is rather odd.”
“Why is that odd?”
“I did not expect you to be the type to tease.”
“What did you expect then?”
She was quiet for a moment, contemplating. “You do not seem like you enjoy many things in your life.”
Johnathan didn’t know what to make of that. “Is that your way of telling me that you find me dreadfully dull?”
