Page 82 of The Duke on Her List
“Oh, Reeves,” Bridget admonished. “Be kind. You don’t even know what the man wants to say. Itmightbe something you want to hear. Give him a chance, why don’t you?”
Agnes hadn’t told her brother about her changed relationship with Gabriel. The two were not formally engaged yet, though they had certainly declared their intentions to one another, and Agnes had doubts that Reeves would be able to place any trust inGabriel after what they’d been through. She was sure he would need to hear Gabriel speak for himself. Fortunately, Gabriel had been clear with her that he intended to do just that.
She sat very still as the butler announced his arrival, looking down into her lap. The thought of watching him enter the room made her nervous. Would she be able to keep the smile off her face? Would she be able to prevent herself from jumping up and running to his side?
She had to. She had to keep her impulses under control long enough to allow him to speak to Reeves. If she couldn’t do that, Reeves was sure to react defensively to him, to think he was being inappropriate, when that couldn’t have been further from the truth.
“Your Grace,” Reeves said, standing up. His voice was cool. “I’m surprised you wanted to see me today.”
“I can understand that,” Gabriel agreed. “But I hope you’ll be willing to hear what I have to say to you.”
“I’ll hear you,” Reeves said. “Perhaps Agnes ought to leave us, though. I think you’ve taken enough of her time.”
Agnes’ head darted up. This, she would not sit back and allow. “No,” she said firmly. “I’m going to stay, Reeves.”
“Agnes, this is my home, and if I ask you to step out…”
“You know I won’t do it,” she finished for him. “You know that I do as I please. So the choice is yours. Will we have an argument in front of His Grace, one that will result in my doing what I was going to do from the start? Or will you give in now?”
Reeves shook his head and turned back to Gabriel. “Very well,” he said. “She stays, I suppose. You may as well say what you came to say.”
Gabriel nodded. “Thank you,” he said. “I appreciate you taking the time. I know you are a busy man.”
“I would worry less about how busy I am and more about the fact that you have disrespected my sister,” Reeves said. “You’ve made a fool of her in front of the ton.”
“He hasn’t done that,” Agnes said. “You know my reputation is no worse for what happened between us. You’re disappointed because you hoped our courtship would lead to marriage, Reeves, that’s why you’re reacting this way.”
“And is that so wrong of me?” Reeves demanded. “Am I a fool for hoping that my sister might finally find love? Am I to be mocked for believing that a man who courts a lady ought to have the best of intentions?”
“You’re not a fool at all,” Gabriel said. “I’m the one who’s been a fool, and that’s what I’ve come to talk to you about. You see, I’d like to ask you for Agnes’ hand in marriage.”
Bridget gasped and sat up straighter. “Agnes! Oh my goodness—did you know?”
Agnes couldn’t hold it back any longer. “I knew,” she said, smiling radiantly. “I knew this was why he was coming here today. We spoke about it the other day. And I’m so happy, Reeves. You’ll say yes, won’t you? I know how you wanted to see me married, and I’ve finally found someone I would want to do that with. I love Gabriel. Give us your blessing, please.”
Reeves was frowning at her. “You knew this was why he was coming here today and you didn’t tell me? This amounts to an ambush, Agnes. I can’t understand why you wouldn’t let me know what to expect. Didn’t you think I would like to prepare?”
“He wanted to tell you himself,” she explained. “And I wanted the same thing, Reeves. I wanted you to hear it from him, because I thought that was the best chance we had at making you see—and believe—what we’ve come to mean to each other. I wasn’t sure you would understand if I told you that he really does mean it, that he really wants us to be together.”
“I really do,” Gabriel said. “I know I’ve made things more difficult than they needed to be—for everyone. I know I’ve taken far too long to realize what I really wanted. But now that I know, I have no intention of allowing a good thing to slip through my fingers. I won’t let Agnes get away from me. I have been lucky enough to find a lady I want to marry, and by a stroke of fortune, she also wants to marry me. How many men are that lucky in their lives?” He nodded to Bridget. “You were, of course, and Iknow how thankful you must be for that. That’s how I can say with confidence that you know exactly how I feel right now.”
“I don’t know if you ought to say that,” Reeves countered. “Yes, I found love, and I’m thankful for my wife—but I never played with her heart in front of all of society. I never made her feel as though I might not want her at all.”
“Well,thatisn’t quite true,” Bridget laughed. “I had plenty of doubts in my time, Reeves. Oh, look at them. They’re in love. You’re not going to tell them no.”
“If you’re in love,” Reeves challenged, “then why the broken courtship? Why did you end things with my sister in the first place?”
“I’m the one who ended it,” Agnes spoke up. “Not him. And it was my own fault.”
“No, it wasn’t,” Gabriel countered. “I’m not going to let you take the blame, Agnes. I’m the one who took too long to realize my feelings.”
Agnes rose to her feet and took his hand. “We both took too long,” she murmured. “We both should have realized sooner. We would have saved ourselves a great deal of trouble and heartache. But we know the truth now. That’s what matters.”
“What truth do you know?” Reeves interjected. “Explain it to me, Your Grace.”
“I hope that you’ll call me Gabriel,” Gabriel said. “I’d like us to become friends. And what I need to explain is simply this—I’m in love with your sister. I acknowledge it’s not something I was hoping for when we began our courtship. I never meant to fall in love with her, nor she with me.”
“It’s true,” Agnes said quietly. “He’s telling the truth, Reeves. Neither of us knew that this was going to happen. I didn’t want it to happen. You know how I never wanted to marry. But with Gabriel, things are just different than I ever thought they would be. I have truly fallen in love with this man.” She drew a breath. “And we are going to be married. As you know, I’ve always lived the life I wanted to live, and that doesn’t stop now. But your opinion and your blessing matter to me. I would like you to give us your blessing, if you feel that you can.”
