Page 51 of The Duke on Her List
“Oh, you know I’m right,” Agnes told him. “I’m allowed to write a letter to the gentleman I’m courting without telling my brother what the contents of it are.”
“You think so?” Reeves asked. “And how am I to know if what was written was appropriate?”
“You don’t know,” Agnes said simply. “You have to trust me. Or you can choose not to trust me—I suppose that’s also an available option to you. But either way, there’s nothing you can do about it now. The letter we’re discussing was written weeks ago. He’s already read it, already responded to it.”
“You’re engaged in correspondence with a gentleman, and you expect me to sit back and not ask any questions about that? Doesn’t it concern you that people might think something untoward is going on between the two of you?” Reeves sighed. “I don’t know why I ask, though. You’ve never concerned yourself with what people think.”
“And you worry about it far too much,” Agnes said evenly. “There’s nothing to concern yourself about here, Reeves. I wrote one letter to Gabriel—well, two, if you include the one I sent last night about Helena. And because of that, he was able to recognize my handwriting.”
“Do you know what I admire most about your sister?” Gabriel spoke up, hoping to turn the subject.
“Is it the way she has no regard for the conventions of society?” Reeves asked.
Gabriel laughed. “I do enjoy that, if you want the truth,” he admitted. “I find it very refreshing. But no, that isn’t what I was going to say.”
“Go on, then.”
“It’s the way she stands up for herself,” Gabriel said. “In the time I’ve known her, I don’t believe I’ve ever seen her cowed.”
“You weren’t so fond of that aspect of her character when she was telling you that you couldn’t come into the house unless you agreed to her rules,” Reeves pointed out. “You didn’t like her stubbornness when it worked against you.”
“The truth is,” Gabriel said, “I admired it even then. I won’t deny that I was put out, of course. But I was also impressed. I admire the way she knows exactly what she wants and won’t settle for anything less. Not that many ladies are capable of such strength. If I were you, I would be very proud of her. I would consider just how impressive it is that she’s always fended for herself. I hope…I hope that Helena grows up to be as strong as Agnes is.”
Helena looked at him. “Do you really hope that, Uncle Gabriel?”
“I really do,” Gabriel said, and he was surprised to realize that he meant it. All this time, he’d worried that Agnes would be a bad influence on his niece, but he saw now that he would love to see her rub off just a bit on Helena. “But you mustn’t run away again,” he added. “If you wish to visit Lady Agnes, you may tell me and I’ll make the arrangements.”
“You really will? You won’t try to prevent me from seeing her?”
“No, it doesn’t seem as though that’s going to be particularly fruitful, does it?” Gabriel commented. “I’d be better served helping you than standing in your way.”
Reeves was watching him. “You know,” he said, “you’re right about my sister. She does go after the things she wants in life. And sometimes it worries me, of course, but I also admire her strength. It…well, it means something to me that you see it, Gabriel. Perhaps you are worthy of this courtship after all.”
“I’m grateful that you’re willing to consider seeing things that way,” Gabriel said. “I understand how you must be feeling, really I do. I think the first man who tries to court Helena will meet with more than his share of my ire.”
“That already happened,” Helena said pointedly. “I saw the way you scowled when I told you about my feelings for Benjamin!”
Gabriel gritted his teeth. He was going to have to speak to his solicitor about allowing that boy to fill Helena’s head with wild fantasies.
But for now, he didn’t want to restart the argument, so he ignored his niece’s comment and looked at Agnes instead.
There, he was met with a surprise. His cheeks had turned bright red, and she was staring down at her plate as if overcome with shyness.
It’s because of the way we were talking about her right in front of her,he realized.It’s because of the way we were listing off her wonderful qualities as though she couldn’t hear us. I embarrassed her.
He felt slightly bad about that, but he also knew that he wouldn’t take it back. He was glad she had heard him say it, glad she knew the truth of how he felt about her. There were so many things unsaid between the two of them. But this was one thing that they would both be able to walk away with, that would always be part of the time they had known one another. She would know he had seen her for who she was and that he had appreciated her.
The dinner moved on, and the topics of conversation shifted. It became clear that Reeves was finished with his inquisition and was, at least to some extent, satisfied by the answers he had received. He seemed content to talk about less probing topics. Helena answered questions about her studies and about whether she was excited for her upcoming debut in society. Reeves talked about his wife, Bridget, and the child the two of them were expecting. And before Gabriel knew it, the final plates were being cleared, and everyone was rising to their feet.
“I’d like a moment alone with you,” he murmured to Agnes, wondering whether such a thing was even possible. Would Reeves allow the two of them to slip away together, or would he try to prevent it?
She nodded. “Helena,” she said, “why don’t you tell my brother about the book you’ve been reading lately?”
Reeves frowned, and Gabriel could see that he knew he was being cornered into accepting something he didn’t want to. He could also see that Reeves could find no way to object.Agnes is far too good at this. She’s been having things her own way for a very long time.
She nodded her head to him, and he followed her down the hall and into a small sitting room. Her hand lingered on the door for a moment, but she left it open and turned to face him.
CHAPTER 24
