Page 54 of The Duke on Her List
Why is he so utterly incomprehensible so much of the time? It’s exhausting.
“I should go,” he said. “We shouldn’t linger here. I just wanted to take a moment to thank you for everything, and to apologize for how angry I was when I came in.”
“Will we see each other again soon?” She was anxious about it, she realized. She needed to hear him say that they would, that there was something to look forward to.
But something had changed.
She’d said something wrong, though she didn’t know what it was. Something had driven a wall between them, and it felt insurmountable.
Gabriel didn’t answer her question. He merely shrugged and turned away, walking down the hall toward the front of the house.
Agnes remained where she was, her heart pounding, her mind spinning as she tried to figure out what she had done to push him away.
CHAPTER 25
“You know,” Reeves said, “I think I do like that duke of yours after all, Agnes.
The two of them were sitting in the conservatory. It was the morning after their dinner with Gabriel. Reeves was to leave within the hour, and his things were currently being loaded onto his carriage, but he had taken a moment to sit with Agnes before setting out.
“I wish you didn’t have to go back so quickly,” Agnes said. “I wish you were able to stay here a little longer.”
“So do I,” Reeves said. “I don’t see you anywhere near as often as I’d like to, you know that. But also, I have to get back to Bridget. I don’t like leaving her alone.”
“You could have brought her along,” Agnes said. “You could have brought Emma, too.”
“Emma might join me next time,” Reeves said. “I know how much she enjoys spending time with her Aunt Agnes. But I was only coming for the night, and I particularly wanted the opportunity to spend time with you on your own.”
Agnes was quiet for a moment. “That didn’t happen.”
Reeves chuckled. “No, it did not,” he agreed. “But even so, I’m glad for the way things transpired. I’m glad I had the chance to get to know your duke a bit better.”
“You keep calling himmyduke.”
“Isn’t he?”
“I don’t have any claim to him,” she said, feeling rather distressed by the truth of that fact. She held her face still so that her brother wouldn’t see the pain it caused her. “He’s just someone I’m spending time with.”
“A courtship,” Reeves said. “You may not want to admit it for what it is, Agnes, but you heard the way he spoke about you over dinner last night. He cares for you more than you realize.”
She shook her head, though she didn’t know what to say to convince him that he was wrong. She didn’t want to share with him what had happened last night when the two of them had walked off together—or rather, what hadn’t happened.
The kiss that had not transpired.
The moment she had been so sure of, only to have it disappear right before her eyes—only to realize that he was angry at her for something she couldn’t put her finger on.
She’d held out hope that he might return this morning to pay a visit, to offer another apology—this time for how cold he had been toward her before he had left. But that hadn’t happened. She sat in the conservatory now with her brother, her mind miles away, wishing that he would show some sign of wanting to talk to her and feeling fairly certain that he would not.
“I don’t know that he cares for me,” she said. “I think he respects me. He thinks I’m a good and interesting person. And perhaps I can satisfy myself with that. After all, how many times have I felt as though someone would look at me in those ways—as if I was worthwhile? How many times have I been respected by anyone who wasn’t family? People think poorly of me, but he doesn’t. I’m happy to have his regard.”
“You say that as if it’s all you deserve, though,” her brother said. “As if you shouldn’t ask for anything more than respect. But you should. You’re owed more than that from the man you’re courting, Agnes. Heshouldvalue you. You should ask that of him.”
Agnes sighed. “Let’s move on from this,” she suggested. “I don’t really want to talk about my courtship any further. You came here to see me, not to deal with him, and now all of last night has been given over to him. And you’re going home now. We have very little time to spend with one another before we part ways,so tell me about your own life. Tell me about Bridget. How is she doing? Is she excited to welcome the new baby?”
“Oh, yes.” Reeves brightened, and Agnes knew at once that she had hit upon the perfect change of topic. “She’s doing so well. And she’s so strong. I’m in awe of her every day, carrying our child. I’m so very lucky to have her.”
His whole face softened as he warmed to his topic. Agnes smiled at her brother. It warmedher, in return, to see him looking so happy. She was proud of him for the family he had built and thrilled by his happiness. “I can’t wait to greet the new baby,” she said. “Do you think it will be a boy or a girl?”
He shook his head. “I have no idea.”
