Page 14 of Good Duke Gone Wild

Danger.

World travels.

Experiences.

And though those words may have been a warning to every other lady in attendance this evening, they were not a warning to her.

In fact, they were precisely what she was seeking.

Biting her tongue, she nodded. “I’ll see you back in the ballroom.” Uncle Bernard sighed in relief and exited the room.

“I know that look, Agatha,” Clara chided. “What are you thinking of doing?”

“I think I’m going to finally live my life, Clara.”

“Please don’t tell me you’re going to do what I think you are.”

“Probably,” she smirked at her sister.

“How?”

“I’m going to follow him. There’s probably not much time.” Her heart thudded in her chest and her knees shook. And it had nothing to do with Jude personally—probably—and everything to do with the idea that she must just get a chance to travel around the world, see something, experience something she had never encountered before.

Clara’s eyes darted to the door. “You’ll have to leave now.”

“You think I should do it?” Her heart was galloping now and her palms were drenched in sweat.

“I don’t know, but I know you should do what your heart is telling you to do.”

“Oh my God, Clara. What if the worst thing happens?”

“Forget that, Aggie. What if the best thing happens?”

A shiver ran up the outside of Agatha’s legs.

“What if it all works out? What if the best is yet to come?”

Clara blurred in front of her, and she swiped at her eyes. “You’re right. I have to do this. I’m going. You’ll cover for me?”

“I’ll do the best I can.” Clara reached into her reticule and offered a vial to Agatha. “Take this.”

“What is it?”

“Valerian. It’ll help you sleep should you find being out on the waters poorly affects your stomach.”

“Why do you have this?”

“Do you know our mother?”

Agatha chuckled.

“Sometimes I slip it into my tea to calm my nerves, especially before bed.”

“Is that how you do it? That’s the secret to your permanently calm demeanor?” Agatha was truly shocked at her sister’s confession.

“It’s part of it.” Clara winked. “Now, you need to go.”

Together they squeezed each other’s hands and started to hop up and down.

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