Page 17 of The Duke on Her List
“I suppose you would.” How could he have failed to realize that the two of them were alike in this fundamental way? Of course, it seemed more significant that she didn’t want to marry, because in a lady, that sort of thing was odd. Frowned upon. Gentlemen had more freedom.
“You should come to my home tonight,” he said.
“Should I?”
“To read your book, I mean,” he said. “Since we aren’t planning to stay late at this ball, there will be plenty of time. And Helena will already be asleep for the evening, so you won’t have to worry about her disturbing you.”
Lady Agnes laughed. “I think you meanyouwon’t have to worry about me corrupting her. Isn’t that right?”
“Well, there are multiple benefits,” he said evenly. “What do you say about it? Will you come?”
“I will,” she agreed. “Though I have to ask you to at least consider not sitting and staring at me while I read this time. It’s very unnerving.”
He nodded. “I think I can agree to that,” he said. “But I’d like it if you’d come discreetly, and if you would leave in the same manner. It would be to everyone’s benefit if you were not seen visiting my home after dark.”
“I can definitely agree with that,” she told him heartily.
“I’ll leave the door unlocked and let my butler know to expect you,” he said. “You can come in and go straight to the library, and you won’t be disturbed. But just make sure you leave as quietly as you can, as well.”
“I’m not sure this is a good idea, now that you mention it,” Agnes said, frowning. “I would like to come. But to be on the road alone at night…it’s not safe for a lady, and I wouldn’t want to put myself at risk.”
He nodded. That made sense. “You may stay the night in one of the guest rooms. I’ll have it set up for you. But I’ll ask you to be up with the sun and on your way.” She was right—he didn’t want Helena to know about Lady Agnes’ presence in the house. He wasn’t ready to start answering her inevitable questions about it. And even though he had begun to take a real liking to Lady Agnes, she still wasn’t a positive role model for a young girl.
Their second dance reached its end, and Lady Agnes separated herself from him. “I should go,” she said quietly. “But I’ll be at your house in an hour’s time, if that’s all right with you.”
Gabriel nodded. “It’s all right,” he said. “I’ll be ready.”
CHAPTER 9
Agnes tiptoed up the front steps to the door that would lead her into Bellmoor Manor.
She wasn’t sure why she was doing that, exactly. The wind was loud enough to have covered the sound of her footsteps, and if someone had actually caught sight of her, then creeping would do no good. It was just an instinct. She couldn’t make herself stop stooping, even though her cloak covered her head and obscured her face. No one would know this was her, even if she was seen.
Opening the door felt wrong. She wanted to knock. But the duke had said to just walk in, so she mustered her courage and pushed the big door open.
The butler stood in the foyer, and it was clear by the lack of surprise on his face that she was, indeed, expected. “You know your way to the library, Lady Agnes?” he asked.
“Yes,” she said.
“Can we bring anything up for you? I can send up some tea.”
“That won’t be necessary.” She would have liked tea, actually, but she already felt as if she was imposing on the duke’s hospitality, and accepting a drink would only make matters worse.
She hurried down the hall to the library. This door had been left ajar, and her book was sitting on the table beside the chair she’d sat in last time she was here. She closed the door quietly and hurried over to the book, heart pounding with eager anticipation. Finally, she would have a chance to do some reading. She would make real progress in the book. Maybe she would even finish it!
She was surprised by the pang of disappointment that realization set off within her. She’d expected to take pride in the accomplishment. But instead, it occurred to her that when she finished reading, she wouldn’t be able to come back here anymore. Nothing else on her list required her to spend time at the duke’s house. And though she would still see him for various list items, there was something special—something intimate—about meeting in his home.
She would miss it here, she realized. She would miss the smell of the book binding and the cool, quiet atmosphere. She liked this library, and if she had the option, she would have come back often. She would have finished this book and moved on to another—not even anything scandalous, necessarily. Justsomething that appealed to her. Something she would enjoy reading.
Perhaps he’d still let me come and read here from time to time. After all, it’s a big favor I’m doing for him, pretending to be in this courtship.
Of course, there were big favors ahead that she meant to ask of him as well. She couldn’t allow herself to forget about that. This book was probably the easiest thing on her list. Things were bound to become more complex when they moved on to some of the other items. Especially number five…
Well, she wasn’t ready to think about number five just yet.
She turned her attention to the book instead. It was much easier today than it had been the last time she was here. With no one watching her, she found it simple to keep her focus on the page, and before she knew it, she had sped through two dozen pages. She glanced up at the clock on the wall, thankful for the fact that a room had been prepared for her, hoping that her carriage driver would follow the instructions she had given him and be waiting outside when the sun came up.
Here was something she had never even thought to write down on her list—spending the night at a gentleman’s home! And that was amostimproper idea! She wouldn’t have dared to write it down even if she had thought of it. It was the perfect example of the way her list was leading her into adventures she hadn’t even dreamed of, opening doors that would never have occurred to her to try to unlock.
