“And will you be here to watch over me in the meantime?”
He could practically feel the teasing lilt in her voice, his skin buzzing as hers brushed over his gently, making him feel so warm as she replied sweetly.
“I suppose we’ll have to see, won’t we?”
Chapter Twenty-One
The next morning brought with it a new wave of hope for Silas.
It felt as though, for the first time in a long while, he felt thankful for the dawn of a new day, for the breath in his lungs and the warmth beneath his skin. He had not realized just how unfeeling his life had been for the last few years, and now that he was attempting to turn over a new leaf, he was finding that there were so many things to look forward to.
The Duke joined his grandmother, as well as his betrothed and her godmother, for breakfast, mostly listening to them talk about the wedding and the final details that needed to be decided upon – if the wedding was still going to take place. When he was addressed, he provided his input but was mostly content simply watching his grandmother get along with his possible future wife.
He was ashamed to realize that he had never really thought about it, had never wondered about their interactions and how close they were. He merely believed that his grandmother had been kind to Agnes – as she was to everyone – and his betrothed had received the kindness well and returned the favor.
Now, though, he could see that the Dowager Duchess was enamored with the potential wife of her grandson, he could also tell that Agnes was just as fond of her and held her in high regard. It filled him with warmth to know that his grandmother would have someone else to dote on and Agnes, another person concerned over her wellbeing, if they were to marry.
After breakfast, he took a walk down to the stables to check on Scar’s condition. The horse’s health seemed to have greatly improved, and Simon thought it would be good to let him have some fresh air, leading him outside for a walk.
“You did really well, holding out on your own,” he muttered, stroking the horse’s neck as he chewed on some grass. “Thank you for not giving up.”
Silas stayed for a bit to watch the creature, then he headed inside to his study, where he spent about two hours sorting through some work and preparing for the staff replacements. His grandmother had said that she would handle it, but he at least wished to make things a little easier for her. At some point, there was a knock at his door, and he grunted in response, feeling a little worn out.
His valet opened the door and walked in, speaking after he bowed.
“The Dowager Duchess would like to see you in the drawing room, Your Grace.”
The Duke frowned in confusion.
“Now? Is everything all right?”
“I believe so. It might have seemed as though she was a little insistent that you come, but other than that, I think all is well.”
Silas had mostly finished his duties and did not wish to cause his grandmother any distress and nodded, rising out of his seat. When he arrived at the drawing room, he noted that he might have misconceived the situation because other than his grandmother, Lady Anna and Agnes were also there, seated across from the Dowager Duchess.
“What is going on? Is this an intervention of some sort?” he questioned, feeling as though he should be very concerned over his wellbeing.
“Not quite, dear,” his grandmother grinned in a manner Silas could only associate with mischief. “Actually, we’ve come up with a way for you to prove your intentions to Agnes.”
“Oh?” Silas intoned warily.
Lady Anna grinned and clapped her hands twice, and a few maids walked in carrying plates. When they dropped them onto the table, Silas noted with a sinking feeling that the plates contained cakes, fancily decorated with white frosting, some of which were topped with fruits or chocolate.
“If you truly wish to show that you are serious about marrying my goddaughter, you should be willing to walk through this last detail for your wedding with her. She has the decisiveness of a toddler sometimes –”
“There was no need to slander me, Godmother,” Agnes sighed in resignation as though this was a normal occurrence.
“ – and it would be really helpful if you are able to help her with this matter,” Lady Anna finished with a smile.
Silas stared hard at them for a moment, and then he turned to his grandmother and pointed out stiffly,
“I hate sweets. You know that.”
“Silas, if you are to marry, you should be prepared to do whatever your wife needs of you – with a smile.”
Damn it, she was good.
Sighing with resignation, Silas sat down and gestured at the spread.