That of being a good husband to his wife.
Not this again,he groaned internally.
He had been having this thought more often lately. It had been triggered during one conversation with one of his tenants. It was a man nearing his eightieth birthday, who had said to the duke that no matter how much land he farmed in his lifetime, he felt the most important work he had done was to make sure that his wife was happy.
But it was a thought that he always suppressed. He had fulfilled his duty by providing for Harriet monetarily, and that was all that mattered.
Anyone else’s opinion was useless.
The thought had stuck with the duke, and now he found himself wondering, frustratingly so.
How was Harriet even doing?
Did he even care?
Surely, he had no reason to. She was fed, taken care of and had a staff to tend to her needs. That was what should be important.
But then, a part of him felt conflicted, too. It was why he avoided thinking about the subject altogether. It stirred up some uncomfortable feelings inside of him, for the woman was less than a stranger, no matter what the marriage contract stated.
A stranger that he had gotten himself married to.
A sharp knock interrupted his thoughts. His butler, Jameson, entered, holding a letter. "A message for you, Your Grace. It appears urgent."
Simon took the letter, noting the familiar seal. He broke it open and read quickly, his expression darkening with each word.
Your Grace,
You have crossed all limits. I demand that you return home immediately and explain yourself. I will not tolerate such disgrace. If you do not come at once, I will make sure the entire ton knows about this.
Harriet
Simon’s jaw tightened, and he crumpled the letter in his fist.
Was he reading this correctly?
“She has some nerve speaking to me in this manner,” he muttered to himself. No matter how distraught their personal relationship was, it should never be forgotten that he was a duke and her husband, before all.
This was no way to speak.
“Jameson,” he barked, “arrange a carriage at once. I must return home immediately.”
It appeared that he needed to return home, and teach his wife a lesson.
CHAPTER 4
The carriage rumbled to a halt outside the grand estate, and Simon stepped out, one of his staff members immediately rushing to him.
“Your Grace, I did not expect you to arrive here at this hour…”
“Where is the duchess?” he asked, his tone demanding. His eyes scanned the surroundings. It was late evening now, and the sun was already beginning to go down.
“Your Grace, I last saw her upstairs, near the nursery.”
Nursery?
Strange, the duke thought to himself. What business did she have being there to begin with? But then, he knew next to nothing about this woman, so how she chose to spend her time was always going to be a surprise to him — no matter what it was.
As he walked inside the estate, it felt like he was walking into someone else’s house entirely. Simon was struck by the transformation. The grand foyer, once stark and cold, now felt warm and inviting. Rich tapestries adorned the walls, fresh flowers were arranged in elegant vases, and the furniture had been rearranged to create a more welcoming space.
