Page 39 of Falling for a Forsaken Marquess
“I have heard of others hoping to host balls to rival your Winter’s Ball,” he said, only telling a half-lie. “I wished to warn you.”
The duchess narrowed her eyes. “And who might these people be? I doubt they shall be able to compete against me. Do you regularly attend balls, Agnes?”
“No, Your Grace,” Agnes revealed. “I rarely attend balls, but my sister is a wonderful dancer. I would love to see her go to more social events to dance to her heart’s content.”
Agnes once again removed the focus of the conversation from her and put it on her family. She did that a lot as though she didn’t want to talk about herself. If she did not speak about her family, she turned the question back to the person who had asked it.
Most women enjoyed talking about themselves and loved an adoring audience, but not Agnes. It seemed the more time William spent in her company, the more he realised there was more to Agnes than what met the eye.
Mrs Mellors startled them when she looked up at the clock and gave a squeak of surprise. “Oh, dear! Look at the late hour. I apologise, Your Grace, but we must leave. We promised Agnes’ family to be back by five for our dinner, and it is nearly time. We do not wish to be late.”
“By all means, my dear Mrs Mellors,” the duchess said, rising to her feet. “We can meet another time.”
“Let me escort you out,” William offered.
“That would be lovely of you, My Lord,” the matchmaker agreed. “Come, Agnes. We must leave.”
Agnes stood up and curtsied to the duchess. “Thank you for having us again for tea, Your Grace. I have enjoyed my time with you ... and Lord Hampton.”
There was a significant pause before she said his name as though she were not quite sure if she should mention it. This was not the behaviour of a woman who wished to marry him. William wanted to know what Agnes was thinking in her head, whether or not she wanted to get married.
That did not mean that he had accepted the idea, but it would be interesting to know her opinion. The duchess decided to walk their guests to the door at the last minute, so she went ahead with Mrs Mellors while he hung back a little with a very quiet Agnes.
“Do you like to walk, Miss Humphries?” William found himself asking.
“Yes, My Lord,” she replied. “I often walk when I am at home.”
“May I call on you tomorrow and we can go on a promenade? I know all the best places in Cheltenham.”
William saw Agnes’ stunned expression before she looked down. “I would like that, My Lord. Thank you.”
Smiling, William helped the women into the carriage, and only later that evening did he question what he had done. This was not the action of a man who did not wish to marry, but he had no remorse.
***
William kept looking at his pocket watch the next day, counting down the time to the moment he would leave the house and meet Agnes. Once he realised that he had not given her an address for their promenade, he had sent a short note with a footman and a time to meet.
He had another hour to go before leaving the house, but part of him wished to leave earlier and fetch Agnes from the house as he had first decided.
“Calm down,” he whispered to himself.
William couldn’t understand why he was so excited. It was just a walk with a woman, not some life-changing, exciting activity. He had gone on many walks with Charlotte, but William could not recall if he had been this excited. Of course, he had enjoyed being with Charlotte as any lovesick man would be, but he recalled more anxiety than excitement during their walks.
Perhaps it had been his fear that some man might come in and try to take the woman he loved away from him, which had eventually happened, but William had been looking in the wrong place. The danger had not been outside but within his very own home.
“Are you going somewhere?” his brother asked, walking into the drawing room.
“Why do you ask?”
“You look like a man waiting to leave. Where are you going?”
William lifted an eyebrow in question. “Why does that matter to you? Do I ask you where you are going?”
“No,” Jacob admitted, “but I do not mind telling you. I’m going on a walk with Miss Philips, or perhaps I should call her Phoebe. Marvellous woman.”
“Oh? I was not aware that you were acquainted with her.”
“I met her on High Street,” Jacob explained. “She was having difficulty carrying her purchases, so I offered to help her.”
