Page 36 of A Duchess Mistaken
“Miss,” he said, holding out his hand.
She couldn’t fight the urge to look at him any longer. Agnes met his eyes, her heart skipping a beat at the intensity of them. She was well aware of the others looking as she slid her hand into his, but they could have been as inconsequential as statues at that moment. It was only her and the duke.
His eyes said many things and nothing at all at the same time. She struggled to decipher what he was trying to say to her without words but, with the audience, she made sure to look away instead.
“Thank you, Your Grace,” Agnes remembered to say after a long moment of silence.
He gave her a curt nod, gaze steady. She turned away on unsteady legs and left the room.
Agnes knew that the reason he helped her to a stand was to give Christopher the chance to do so with Caroline. It only made sense. But she couldn’t erase the thrill that still trembledthrough her body when their fingers met. Even now as she made her way to the parlor, hearing the others fall in step behind her, Agnes struggled to chase that feeling away.
Lord and Lady Reeds were already seated within the parlor, murmuring to each other when she entered. Agnes ignored them and made her way over to the pianoforte. Caroline entered a moment after and Agnes noticed only a moment of hesitation from her friend before she too made her way over.
“If you wish not to do this, I am more than willing to cause a scene so that we may both retreat,” Agnes murmured to her, partially serious, partially in jest.
Thankfully, Caroline’s lips twitched. “There’s no need. I am quite looking forward to it, actually. It has been some time since we have performed together.”
“Yes, I suppose you’re right.”
The others got settled in, waiting. Unwittingly, Agnes looked at the duke again, heart skipping a beat. She forced herself to look away.
Caroline began playing as perfectly as she always did. Agnes hesitated. It had been a while since she’d sang for others and those other times had never involved singing for a duke who would not take his eyes off her. It took every effort to ensure her voice didn’t crack from her nerves.
Caroline’s beautiful playing eased her into it. Agnes closed her eyes and allowed herself to fall into the song. It carried her away and she forgot about everything else. Her pending wedding that would stop at nothing to help fail. Caroline’s future. Convincing her parents. The duke.
She forgot it all as she lost herself in the music.
It came to an end as quickly as it began. To her surprise, Agnes felt a pang of loss now that she was finished. She clasped Caroline’s hand and, together, they curtsied for their applauding audience.
She decided it was her turn. She was playing the coward, Agnes knew. Her lingering embarrassment at how cold the duke had been to her would not allow her to sit in his presence and pretend she wasn’t still bothered by it. So she took the cowardly approach and kept her distance by playing the pianoforte until some time had passed.
Then, unable to take it any longer, she claimed she was feeling tired and escaped.
Agnes hurried to her chambers before Caroline could think to come after her. With the help of the maid, she changed into her nightdress and was under the covers by the time Caroline came knocking on the door. Agnes felt a pang of guilt when she didn’t respond, hoping Caroline would take the hint and leave. After a moment, Agnes got her wish.
But she couldn’t sleep. No matter how hard she tried, she laid awake until the manor fell utterly quiet, sleep evaded her. And there was only one thing—or rather, one person—on her mind.
“Oh, for God’s sake,” she muttered, getting out of bed.
This wasn’t like her. She wasn’t the type to stay up at nights overthinking an uncomfortable interaction. She wasn’t the type to labor on a matter for this long, unless it was a difficult mathematical equation she was having trouble figuring out. And even then, it did not keep her from her sleep.
Agnes fetched her robe and left her room, intending to make her way to the kitchen for a glass of milk. She hardly made it to the end of the hallway before she noticed a shadow lingering at the end.
“Caroline?” she called. As soon as the question was out of her mouth, she knew she was wrong. Caroline was not nearly so tall, nor did she stand so still.
Her heart skipped a beat as the shadow came forward.
“Your Grace,” she breathed. “What are you doing out here?”
“I was going for a walk,” he said gruffly.
Agnes frowned. “Through the manor?”
“Is that so odd?”
“I…suppose not.” Agnes stepped to the side, intending to walk by him despite the fact that her legs were suddenly unsteady. “Well, enjoy your walk.”
Agnes brushed past him, moving a little slower than she should be. She held her breath, a part of her wanting him to stop her.
