Chapter 28

CHAPTER 28

J ohnathan noticed Agnes' arrival from the moment she walked through the doors. He would have gone straight to her side had it not been for the village vicar's incessant talking. To fill the guest list at such short notice, Lady Sutton had suggested they invite a few persons from the village and Johnathan had happily agreed. He would not have done so had he known he would be subjected to such a fate.

"Of course, it would be nice to see you this Sunday, Your Grace," the vicar went on. His cheeks were tinged pink and his words ran straight into the other enough times for Johnathan to wonder if he had already overindulged. An odd thing to assume about a man of God and yet…

"Perhaps I shall be in attendance in the near future."

"Oh, I truly do hope so!" the vicar exclaimed. "This upcoming sermon will be a wonderful one, I assure you. Many attend my sermons and leave feeling invigorated so I am most confident that it would be the same in your case, Your Grace. Of course, I do understand if you are not able to attend as you must be a rather busy man but to think that?—"

"I shall attend," Johnathan cut in. He tore his eyes away from where Agnes stood next to her parents, after Miss Caroline had just hastily taken her leave, to look at the vicar. "Pardon me, sir."

He didn't wait for the vicar to respond. With quick steps, Johnathan made his way over to the love of his life, his heart swelling with happiness the nearer he came.

It was alarming to see how quickly he'd changed in such little time. How easily a smile came to his lips, how excited he became at the notion of speaking to one particular person. As he approached, Johnathan had to fight the urge to slip his arm around her waist and pull her to his chest, planting a kiss on her cheek. Or her lips. Wherever his own lips might find themselves.

As if Agnes sensed his wayward thoughts, she took a discreet step away from him as if to warn him not to give in to them. Johnathan shook his head in disappointment. How could she have so little faith? She only smiled.

"Your Grace," said Lord Sutton, reminding Johnathan that they were indeed not alone. "I have been looking for you."

"Here I am, my lord," Johnathan responded. He bowed respectfully to Lady Sutton who returned it with a curtsy and a smile. "Is there something you wished to speak with me about?"

"I do, but perhaps it would be best for us to do so in private."

"Oh, heavens, Solomon," Lady Sutton admonished, slapping her husband lightly on the chest. "You act as if you hold a great and grand secret. He only wishes to tell you that Lord Reeds seems to be acting rather oddly."

"Mary," Lord Sutton sighed, sounding irritated. Johnathan had spent enough time around the loving couple to know that the viscount felt anything but.

Johnathan caught Agnes' look before frowning at the viscount. "Oddly? In what matter?"

"I do not know how to explain it, Your Grace," Lord Sutton went on. "One would think that he would be pleased on an occasion such as this, since his dreams are finally coming true."

"Lord knows he has been vying for a respectable match for Caroline since the moment she came of age," Mary agreed. "And to have landed a duke? More than respectable I would say. So it does seem quite odd that he would be in such a dour mood. Have you done something to upset him, Your Grace?"

"Mary, you're meddling again," Lord Sutton said tiredly but Lady Sutton only rolled her eyes.

"Oh, you act as if you do not want to know about it as well," she said. Then she turned her attention back to Johnathan, smiling prettily. "We will be family soon enough, so I'm sure you do not mind talking to us, do you?"

"Mother," Agnes spoke at last. She too sounded weary, like a parent preparing to scold her troublesome children yet again. "I do not think it is any of our concern."

"But you saw how upset Caroline seemed!" Lady Sutton protested. "I do not think she is tired or needs fresh air like you've said. I think there is far more to what's happening here."

"And what," Johnathan asked carefully, "do you think is happening here, my lady?"

Lady Sutton thinned her lips in thought, then shook her head. "I do not yet know. But I shall find out by the end of this evening, I assure you."

"You've gone and done it now, Your Grace," said Lord Sutton. "Once she sets her mind to something, you would be hard-pressed to change it."

"My husband knows me quite well, you know. You should listen to him."

Johnathan found it within him to laugh. Honestly, the anticipation for what was going to happen this evening filled him with unease. He had been avoiding Lord Reeds because of it, wanting to wait until the right moment to break the news to those of the ton who had made it. The timing had to be perfect, the delivery flawless. The pressure of it all had been growing since he'd devised the plan but it had not been so overwhelming as it had been today.

Agnes' presence soothed him. And, though he should not be so surprised by it, so did that of her parents.

"I shall leave the mystery in your hands to uncover, my lady," Johnathan said, playing along. "In the meantime, I hope you will not mind me stealing your daughter away for the first dance?"

"I do not think it would matter if we did, Your Grace," Lord Sutton said wisely, his eyes sparkling with mischief. "Agnes tends to what she wants."

"At least you are aware of it, Father," Agnes said with a smile. She held out her dance card, allowing Johnathan to write his name. He was pleased to see that he was the first to ask her to dance but he was not so foolish as to think that her dance card would not be full in a matter of minutes.

"Now before you take her," Lady Sutton said, slipping her arm through Agnes'. "I require her assistance in finding her brother. God only knows what sort of mischief he will get up to if we are not keeping an eye on him."

"The work of an older sister is never finished, I'm afraid," Agnes murmured as she passed, making him grin.

He wanted so badly to protest, to insist that she remain by his side until the dancing had commenced. The past few days had been nothing but simple interactions as they pretended nothing more existed between them. To Johnathan, it was torture. He wanted to shout his love from the rooftops, not hide it when before their loved ones. But he knew that it was important to bide their time and, because of that, he waited. Impatiently, but waited nonetheless.

"Pardon me, Your Grace," Lord Sutton spoke up, breaking into Johnathan's wayward thoughts. "But I notice someone approaching and I'm afraid I do not want to engage with them right now."

He gave Johnathan an apologetic look before he turned and briskly walked away. A moment later, a shrill voice sounded behind them, "Your Grace, how convenient that I have caught you alone!"

Johnathan fought the groan creeping up his throat as he turned to face Lady Reeds. She wore that terribly fake smile as usual, already accommodating the spot Lord Sutton had just vacated.

Johnathan reminded himself that it was the gentlemanly thing to be polite. "Good evening, Lady Reeds."

"You are certainly a difficult man to get alone, Your Grace," Lady Reeds said, sighing dramatically. "I thought we could talk about the upcoming wedding before you made your announcement this evening."

"Upcoming wedding?" Johnathan couldn't help but parrot.

"Yes, and I must insist that we have it in the fall. In London, of course. With the guest list I have in mind, I think it would be best to have it at St. James. Of course, I would need time to speak with the vicar but I'm sure it will be no issue."

Johnathan couldn't believe what he was hearing. Hadn't Lord Reeds informed his wife of Johnathan's intention to end his courtship with Caroline or was she simply being in denial?

"St. James is truly a lovely place to have a wedding, my lady," Johnathan said carefully. "Though I do not think I will be in need of it."

"Oh? Do you have somewhere else in mind?"

"I do not. And it does not matter if I do. There will be no wedding."

Lady Reeds looked stunned. "What do you mean by that?"

"Perhaps you should ask your husband, my lady."

Confusion and horror warred on her face as she stared wide-eyed at Johnathan. Johnathan immediately regretted his words. There was no telling how Lady Reeds was going to react.

She opened her mouth and he braced himself. But then, she seemed to catch herself at the very last minute, clearly remembering that they were in a rather full ballroom. It was easy to make a scene.

"Pardon me then, Your Grace. I believe I should have a word with my husband."

With a sniff and her chin jutted upwards, she swiveled on her heels and marched in the opposite direction. Johnathan watched her go with equal parts relief and dread. Something told him that he might have made matters worse before he got the chance to make them better. But Lady Reeds' departure could not be viewed in any manner but favorable.

But the evening was still young. He knew very well that there could be much more in store for him.