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“Oh, it’s been delightful, Your Grace. Your sister is a joy to be around, full of laughter and good humor.” Agnes’s eyes twinkled with excitement at the thoughts of Letitia.

Matthew responded with an adorable pout, nodding in acknowledgment. “I’m glad to hear she’s keeping you entertained.” Then, he smirked. “I might have to warn her about stealing my dance partner.”

Agnes laughed. “Perhaps you should, Your Grace, or maybe I’m the one stealing her dear brother.”

“I never thought I’d be jealous of my own sister.” He sighed playfully.

“Oh, do you have sibling rivalry, Your Grace?”

“I suppose so, Miss Agnes. Seeing someone else enjoy your company makes me envious.”

Agnes twirled again. “Envious? And why would that be, Your Grace?”

“Because, Miss Agnes, I want your company all to myself, and since we are on the topic of confessions, I should confess that I also got really envious when I heard about your potential courtship with Lord Egerton.”

“Oh, goodness, of course the news has spread.”

“Do you fancy the man, Agnes?”

Agnes sighed. “That man needs no one to fancy him. He does it quite well on his own.”

“Ah… a self-absorbed man. Such a fate.” He chuckled, and Agnes smirked.

“Well, perhaps I should find another gentleman to keep me company and save me from such a fate.”

“No need, Miss Agnes. I’ll make my intentions clear when I come to call on you tomorrow.”

Agnes gaped. “Your intentions? Tomorrow?” she asked, her brain a bit foggy.

What was he saying? Would he really make his intentions clear? How did she feel about that?

Goodness, her mother would not have it. Agnes could imagine just how much of a fit Mary Pilton would have.

“Yes, tomorrow.”

“What are your intentions, Matthew?” Agnes asked, testing his name on her tongue. It rolled like liquid gold.

Matthew’s eyes darkened, and he leaned closer. It seemed the ball hushed at that moment, and everyone held their breath.

Or maybe it was Agnes.

“You’ll have to wait to see now, won’t you, dear Agnes?” he whispered in her ear, and she shivered. She couldn’t say anything else.

She didn’t know what to say, and she felt like if she opened her mouth to talk, she would instead moan, and would that not be embarrassing?

So, she kept quiet.

As the waltz reached its peak, their bodies moving in perfect harmony, Matthew, with a sensual flair, led Agnes to the conclusion of the dance. A charged silence hung in the air as he sensually kissed her hand.

“It was lovely dancing with you, sweet Agnes,” Matthew said against the back of her hand.

In a daring move, his tongue darted out, tracing her skin, leaving her gasping, the intensity of their connection palpable in the lingering electricity of the moment.

Almost like a doll being controlled, Matthew led her back to her mother.

Agnes sat down, still trying to tell her body to calm down. They were in a public place, and she couldn’t jump all over Matthew and disgrace him.

As if Matthew knew exactly what he did to her, he smirked and kissed her hands again. “See you tomorrow.” And then, he walked away.