Apprehension filled her. She expected the matter to be difficult and awkward. But was it possible it would be even more embarrassing than what she could endure?
“What is it?”
“I need you to beget an heir with my son.”
“I beg your pardon?”
For the second time in minutes, he had shocked her to her core. Of all the things she had expected him to ask of her, this was not even a remote possibility. He had looked so lucid until now. But his mind must be going. He didn’t seem to remember that his son was dead. Had been for the last sixteen years. Recovering from her shock, she tried to speak as gently as possible.
“My dear, you are not thinking clearly. No doubt the effects of the pain medicine. I’ll have to speak with Dr. Hobson.”
“No, no. Listen. I have not explained myself well. I have an illegitimate son. Born before I married my first wife. He is someone you know. I was hoping... that is... I know it sounds insane, but I am out of time and desperate. And the idea has so many advantages for everyone involved.”
“Are you seriously suggesting I conceive a child with another man?”
“Not any man. My son. It is the perfect solution, don’t you see? He carries my blood. He is my firstborn but could never inherit because, in the eyes of the law, he is not my child. But if you have a son by him, I will claim it as mine and a child of my blood will inherit the dukedom.”
“You must be delirious. I will send for the doctor.” Standing up in a panic, she tried to leave his bedside, but he held on to her hand with a surprisingly powerful grip.
“Hannah. I’m not delirious. Never been more lucid in my life. Impending death has a way of making everything so clear. It is the perfect solution for everyone. But I need your help to carry it out.”
“You keep saying it’s the best solution for everyone, but I fail to see the advantage for me. You expect me to whore myself out to another man, to commit adultery, to lie, and cheat? All for the remote chance I’ll be able to conceive and that the child will be a male?”
“Don’t see it like that. You will not be committing adultery, for I am asking you to do it. And I know we can’t control the gender of the child, but my ancestors and I have mostly produced male progeny. There’s a very good chance you will conceive, and the child will be male.”
“I am not a broodmare whom you can mate with the stud of your choice. I am a person. And so is this man, your son. Who is he, anyway?”
“The Earl of Brentworth.”
She sucked in a breath. Of all men, it had to be him. The idea was unnerving for reasons she didn’t care to examine. An appalling thought occurred to her.
“Have you discussed this with him? Have the two of you been plotting behind my back how to go about impregnating the duchess?”
“Of course not!” the duke replied. “He doesn’t even know he is my son yet. I wanted to broach the subject with you first. If you are agreeable, then I will speak to him. If you are not, then there’s no point in telling him anything. But I am hoping you will say yes.”
“How can I agree to such a scheme?” she said almost desperately.
“Why not? From what I’ve seen, you like him. He is a handsome chap and has quite the reputation with the ladies. Takes after me when I was that age,” the duke said with a proud chuckle. “It wouldn’t be a hardship for you. In fact, I dare say you might enjoy it.”
She stiffened with outrage. “Sir! How can you speak to me thus? I am a decent woman. I have never even contemplated being unfaithful to you!”
The duke sighed. “I know, my dear. You have been an exemplary wife. Much better than I deserve, that’s for sure. But in this case, it would have been better if you weren’t quite so virtuous. We might not be in this predicament right now.” He muttered this last statement almost under his breath.
She hissed, finally yanking her hand free from his as she stood up. “You criticize me for being faithful to you? How dare you! I thought all men wanted their wives to be virtuous.”
“Please, don’t be offended. That’s not what I meant.”
“How can I not when you insult me with such an indecent proposition, criticize me for being faithful, and encourage me to‘enjoy’ myself with another man as if I were a... a woman of loose virtue?”
“This is not going the way I envisioned it,” the duke wheezed, slumping back in the bed. “Please settle down. I don’t have the energy to argue. Barely have enough energy to speak. You know I intend no insult or disrespect. I’m just a dying old man with too many regrets and precious little time to make amends. Please, hear me out with an open mind. Please.”
The note of desperation in his voice, which she had never heard before, did something to her. He might be out of his mind, but he had always been unfailingly kind and generous to her. She owed it to him to hear his proposition enough to at least come up with a logical denial.
She sat back down in the chair by his bed as he went on. “I have not been a good husband to you.”
“Don’t say that!” she interrupted. “You have always been very good to me. I couldn’t have asked for a better husband.”
He chuckled without humor at that, the sound dry and gravelly. “Yes, you could have. If you had a better husband, you would know about passion, intimacy, and love.” The duke held up a hand when she was about to interrupt again. “You are a lovely woman, Hannah. Beautiful inside and out. You deserve to be loved. You deserve a man who would worship you.
