Of course, it was not as though the duchess had done anything wrong by rearranging things around the house. It was her house, too, after all. But it was just a stark change.
Behind him, Jameson, followed him out and awaited orders. “Jameson, fetch the duchess. We need to resolve this matter immediately.”
Jameson bowed and hurried off. Simon took a deep breath, trying to temper his fury. He had no idea what awaited him, but he was determined to address it head-on.
A few moments later, Harriet entered the room, her posture stiff. She was not meeting his gaze, but he could not help but notice the changes in her physical appearance since he had seen her last.
Had she somehow… become even more grown? When he saw her on the wedding day, he knew her to be a young girl, but now she looked like a woman. One that exuded a newfound confidence and strength. It stirred a strange feeling inside of him, though he quickly buried it to focus on the task at hand.
“What is the meaning of all this?” he asked, his voice echoing across the room. “You summoned me back with a command. You have no right to demand anything of me. I thought that I had made that much clear.”
“Do I not have the right to ask my husband to return home?” she said, her voice dangerously provocative.
“You very well know what you can and cannot do. Need I remind you that you were not supposed to summon me, lest it was a matter of life or death?” he narrowed his eyes at her.
“Oh, I see. Then, please, tell me, Your Grace. Does leaving me to deal with the consequences of your actions warrant a summon from you? Or should I have been more considerate?” Her eyes flashed with anger.
Simon’s brows furrowed in confusion. “What in heaven’s earth are you talking about?”
Harriet took a step forward, her voice trembling with rage. “Don’t play innocent with me, Your Grace. I see through you; you are nothing but a pretentious hypocrite. Assuming the higher moral ground, when surely your actions are far from ethical.”
It occurred to Simon that Harriet must feel justified in her rage, though he had no clue on what caused it.
“I do not wish to engage with you if you are to be like this. So either you explain to me exactly what it is that has you so flamed, or I will depart.” His words had a threatening edge to them.
Surprisingly, his ultimatum worked and Harriet straightened up immediately.
“A baby was left on our doorstep — a baby girl named Catherine. And you expect me to believe you had nothing to do with it?”
Simon’s eyes widened in genuine shock. “A… what?”
Harriet turned and called out, “Eliza, bring Catherine here.”
The young maid appeared, cradling the infant in her arms. She handed the baby to Harriet, who held her up for Simon to see. “This is Catherine. She was left here with a note asking us to care for her.”
Simon stared at the baby, his mind racing. He took a deep breath, trying to make sense of the situation. “Harriet, this child is not mine. I have no knowledge of any paramour or illegitimate child.”
He was trying his best to keep his cool, even though she had annoyed him to a large degree.
Harriet blinked at him. Her face was a mixture of both disbelief and a hint of relief. She scrunched her eyebrows together,“How can I believe you? You left me here, alone, without any explanation. What am I supposed to think?”
Harriet’s eyes narrowed, her voice trembling with rage. “You expect me to take your word for it? After everything?”
Simon’s eyes flashed with a mix of frustration and determination. “Yes, because that is the truth.Watch your tongue, Duchess. I will not be falsely accused.”
That seemed to work, but only for a moment. For Harriet was pacing the room now, with the baby firmly nestled in her arms.
“Then who is she? Why was she left here?”
“You are the one who has resided in this estate for the last nine months,” he said, stiffly. “Why do you presume that I would know? If anything, I should be questioning you.”
He watched as Harriet stopped her pacing, looking over at the baby with concern. Did she think that her pacing disturbed the child too much, or was she only pretending to care for the child?
“Take her back to the nursery,” she said in a hushed tone, “And see to it if she needs her milk.”
Whatever it was, the duke watched her as she slowly handed the baby back to the maid.
For a moment, Simon felt like he was intruding on a private moment. But then, he quickly corrected himself. Harriet must have known the baby for no more than a few days, if the timing of her letter was to be believed. Why was she speaking about the baby so tenderly then, as though she had given birth to it herself?
