“Almost certainly,” I retorted with a sip of the bitter brew. “He’s primarily occupied with asking after you, if I’m honest. Do you intend to put him out of his misery at some point?”
I won the first hand easily. I made it a practice not to wager among the staff, so the stakes were nonexistent.
“To put him out of his misery, he would actually have to ask for my hand. A step he’s neglected thus far.”
Augie…“He hasn’t asked you? I’ve been listening to sonnets about your hair, eyes, and pastries for years, and he hasn’t asked you? I hope you weren’t intending to marry him because I’ll have to kill him before he can get around to asking.”
“The poor lad just stares at her every week until he has a few drinks in him,” Stevens added.
I scraped an exhausted hand across my face. Juliet won this round and beamed at me in excitement, and my exasperation was forgotten.
“Augie?” Juliet questioned.
“My superintendent. He supervises play in my club and acts in my stead. He was a footman here in his younger days before I stole him away. Anna and I grew up with him. He’s been in love with her forever.”
“He has not!” Anna objected, tossing the last bite of tart crust at my head. I caught it in my mouth before it had a chance to hit me, and Juliet’s laugh was suitably impressed.
Striving for a less personal subject, Anna continued, “How upset is Kate going to be when I help her ready for bed? Was it truly terrible?”
“I deflected the worst of it during dinner, and Lady Juliet was magnificent. I’m sure Agatha was in fine form after we left, though. Does Hugh never check her?”
Stevens’ negative response was full of disapproval.
At once, the bells started ringing for the servants, and our game was finished. I shoved the last tart in my mouth whole—Mrs. Hudson tutted in dismay at the display. Everyone scattered to their respective duties, and I helped her clear the table before leading Juliet away, back down the hall.
“They’re your family.” Her whisper echoed in the empty hallway.
“I suppose. Though when Agatha is elsewhere, Hugh and I manage well enough. And Tom and I are genuinely close. I quite like Kate as well. She’s far better than my brother deserves.”
“Oh, she is the very best of friends. I feel terrible. She told me she struggled with Lady Grayson, but I had no idea. I fear my advice was woefully inadequate for the situation.”
“All advice for managing Agatha is woefully inadequate unless it includes large quantities of brandy.”
I was rewarded with a tinkling laugh, and my chest swelled with no small amount of pride. We reached the top of the stairs though, and I was forced to release her to her evening rituals.
“Good night, Duchess.”
“Good night, Michael,” she whispered back. My name. With that single word, all my earlier efforts at excising her from my thoughts were ruined. I couldn’t bring myself to lament it.
Seventeen
THORNTON HALL, KENT - APRIL 26, 1814
JULIET
Kate wasdesperate to escape Agatha’s company. In an attempt to flee, she asked that I join her to visit tenants.Askedwas a weak word.Beggedorpleadedmight have been more apt.
She had a basket at the ready as soon as Michael and I returned from the bridge, grabbing my arm and half-dragging me back out the door.
“Where are you two off to in such a hurry?” Michael called after us.
Kate turned to answer him, calling out, “Mariah Doll had her twins the other day. We’re bringing blankets and such for the babes, and Mrs. Hudson made up a basket.”
“She married the butcher’s son? John Doll?” he asked.
Kate’s surprise was plain in her raised brows. “Yes.”
“Didn’t they only wed about six months ago?”
