Page 95 of The Duke's Rules Of Engagement
“Look!” Lilly set the piece of paper down on Jo’s desk and pushed it toward her. “Read it!”
Jo looked down at the neat scrawl.
Dear Miss Appleby,
I have seen your designs, and I am quite impressed, especially with your magnificent vision for a palace. Would you like to discuss this design, and your others, further? If so, I will call upon you on Wednesday at three o’clock.
Regards,
John Nash
Jo blinked at the letter, then read it again. Goodness. Matthew had done what he’d promised and shown Lilly’s notebook to a friend. But who was—
“John Nash!” Lilly exclaimed, snatching the letter up and pressing it to her heart. “TheJohn Nash! Can you believe it?”
“Who is John Nash?” Jo asked.
Lilly gasped in horror. “He’s the most renowned architect in the country. He’s the personal architect for theregent. The future King of England!”
Jo’s eyes widened. “Really?”
“Oh, Jo. It was you, wasn’t it?” She grabbed Jo’s hand. “How on earth did you do it? You must tell me. Of all the people in the world, I never dreamed John Nash would ever look at my work.”
“I…I showed your notebook to the Duke of Crestmont, but I had no idea—”
“You are too good to me. I don’t know how I deserve to have a friend like you.” With a squeal, Lilly threw her arms around her. Jo hugged her back, blinking, her heart swelling for her friend.
“It’s not me, Lil. It’s you. You’re the talented one.”
“But you do so much for me. Thank you. I love you so much, dear Jo.”
Lilly stayed for a few minutes longer, gushing her thanks, then bounced out to write a response to Mr. Nash to tell him that Wednesday would be perfect.
When she left, silence rushed into Jo’s tiny office. Jo was ecstatic for Lilly and loved Matthew even more for showing Mr. Nash Lilly’s designs. But on the heels of that swell of love for Matthew, thoughts of him proposing to Harriet barreled back in.
She should go for a walk. She needed air.
Jo rose, her chair scraping back on the floor. At the door, she tugged down her pelisse from the peg and pulled on her gloves.
Just a few minutes’ walk to clear her mind. In a few minutes, she’d return and conjure up some thoughts to share with Mr. Pellegrini.
Taking a deep breath, she opened her office door.
Matthew stood on the threshold, gloves in hand, staring at the space where the door had been a second earlier.
She took a stumbling step back. “Matthew!” she exclaimed, her heart pulsing the way it always did in his presence. But he was probably engaged now. That pulsing needed to stop. She tried to thrust it away, to no avail.
“Did you do it?” she said breathlessly. “Did you p—” Good Lord, it was so difficult to say the word out loud. “Propose?” she pushed out.
“No.” The word fell like a rock, solid and hard. It was only then she really looked at him. At the rigid set of his jaw, at the iciness of his expression.
“What is it?” Inexplicable dread crawled up her throat. “What happened?”
He just stared at her, his dark eyes cold, his expression sending a shiver down her spine.
Something was very, very wrong.
She swallowed hard, then stepped aside. “Come in.”
