Page 77 of Falling for a Forsaken Marquess
William’s jaw visibly clenched and unclenched before he nodded and stood aside, asking the same question to Phoebe, who readily jumped at the chance. Jacob held his hand to Agnes, and she had no other choice but to take it and allow him to lead her to where the other dancers had already taken their place. This evening had not gone the way Agnes had hoped.
Chapter 15
William stared darkly out the window, his arms crossed over his chest. If there was one thing he hated, it was someone interfering in his life and thwarting his best attempts to do something. It seemed Jacob had not learnt his lesson the first time he got in between William and a woman because he was doing it yet again, but he couldn’t get away with it a second time.
If it wasn’t Phoebe interrupting his interaction with Agnes, it was Jacob forcing his way into their conversation and taking her attention away. Agnes wasn’t even Jacob’s type of woman, yet he had latched onto her like a suckling child.
It was annoying and troublesome, making William wonder if he still had a chance to get to know Agnes better. He was partly to blame for the current predicament for judging Agnes so harshly when he first met her. William hadn’t given Agnes a chance to make a good impression on him and had chosen to concentrate on all her weak points.
It was a slap in the face to now realise that her supposed weak points were the very same traits that intrigued him, even her talkativeness. At least Phoebe hadn’t fallen for Jacob’s charms as she seemed determined to remain by William’s side whenever they were in the same room. It was annoying, but her presence helped him hold onto his pride when Jacob pushed his way in and snatched Agnes’ attention.
“Why are you in such a dark mood?” Martin asked beside him.
Startled, William dropped his arms. “When did you arrive? I didn’t hear you enter the room.”
“Moments ago. I saw your driver and assumed you were inside, but this is earlier than usual. What has driven you to the club this time?”
William had left the house straight after breakfast and come to the archery club to get away from his brother before his mood led to an argument with the younger man. Their society’s meeting was only due to start mid-afternoon, so William had chosen one of the rooms to brood until more members arrived.
“Need you ask?” William said.
“Do not tell me this is about getting married?”
“No, not this time,” William replied. “It’s that meddling brother of mine. He hasn’t learnt his lesson when it comes to the women in my life.”
Martin’s eyebrows lifted in surprise. “You have a woman in your life? I thought you were firmly against such a thing.”
“I suppose I deserve that,” William admitted. “But you know who I’m talking about.”
Martin chuckled. “Yes, yes, I do. Since when has Agnes become the woman in your life? You were once adamant that you would drive her off. What has changed?”
The woman had somehow got under his skin and made William question everything he thought he knew about women. William didn’t reveal this to his friend; instead, he chose his words carefully so Martin wouldn’t blow the situation out of proportion.
“I took your advice and tried to get to know Agnes better,” he told his friend. “Did you not say not to paint every woman with the same paintbrush? Well, I’ve done precisely that, but it seems that I’m wasting my time.”
“It cannot be a waste of time if Agnes has come all the way to Cheltenham to see you,” Martin argued.
“She was matched with you and not Jacob. Your brother may be charming to the ladies, but based on your earlier assumptions of Agnes, she’s not a typical woman. She surely isn’t your brother’s typical woman! You both have the same taste.”
Fair-haired, blue-eyed, rosy skin and a flamboyant nature had been William’s preferred features and traits in a woman, but that had not worked out so well.
“Which leaves me puzzled why Jacob would pay Agnes any attention,” Martin continued. “Are you certain he has set his sights on Agnes?”
“As certain as the dark hairs on my head,” William replied. “It’s my fault. I should have never given him an opportunity during my first meeting with Agnes. I ignored her because I thought it was the best way to deter her, but Jacob gave her his undivided attention. How foolish it was to think that was a good thing.”
William would take it all back if he could, but he couldn’t change the past. All he could do was hopefully influence what would happen next.
“Surely you haven’t given up?” asked Martin. “I do not believe your brother has won Agnes over just yet. You still have an opportunity to find out more about her.”
William sighed. “I do not know about that. Perhaps if you had attended the dinner party, you would have been able to keep Jacob away while I spoke to Agnes. Phoebe was somewhat a distraction from the annoying situation.”
“What does Phoebe Philips have to do with all this?” Martin enquired.
“She was at the dinner party as well and kept me company while Jacob stole Agnes’ attention away.”
William didn’t add that Phoebe had been the one to interrupt them first, or Martin would likely blame him for not trying more. It wasn’t polite to ignore a woman, yet he had done that to Agnes from the very beginning. It seemed William didn’t have his priorities right.
“That is not good at all,” Martin said, scratching his chin. “Phoebe and Jacob sound troublesome. Have you not tried to put them together instead? They sound alike.”
