However, this situation felt a lot more serious.
“Of course you would say this now to avoid blame,” the duke continued.
“Your Grace, I will not let you slander me like this. I was summoned here by my mother, and did not know you were here. Why did you not say anything the moment I entered the room?”
Her argument seemed to placate the duke, but only momentarily. “I was busy trying to find the candles.”
“And did you have any success with it?” her own tone was impatient.
“Of course not. Why would we be sitting here bathed in darkness if that were the case? Now, tell me honestly, did you do this on purpose?” he asked.
Harriet’s blue eyes flashed with anger. “I do not know why you keep saying that. It is baseless. Just because you are a duke does not mean that you are to say whatever may come in your mind.”
The duke’s voice dropped dangerously low. “It would be in your best interest not to lie to me.”
“What benefit would it be to me to lie to you?”
“Tell me again — what was your last name?” he demanded.
“Harriet Cooper,” she replied through gritted teeth.
“Cooper,” he seemed to be racking his brains. “Lord William Cooper, Earl of Ramsbury. Is that your father?”
“Correct,” she replied, feeling as though she was under interrogation. It was just the way that he spoke — authoritative, demanding — like no one had ever said no to him in his entire life.
“And what about your family? Do you have a brother?”
“No, Your Grace. We are three sisters. I am the youngest, and the other two are wedded.”
“Ah, yes — the youngest. What might be your age?”
“Twenty and three.”
She was not a spinster, as of yet. But on the brink of being one. The admission seemed to set off a moment of recognition within the duke.
“Albina Cooper…” he strained initially to remember. “I believe I know of your mother. She introduced herself to me recently at a ball, and… of course!”
Harriet felt a bit lost. Where was he going with his remarks? “I am not quite sure if I follow, Your Grace. You seemed to be well-versed in my filiation, but how is that meant to help us get out of this room?”
The duke had begun pacing around now, his annoyance rolling off him in waves. It should have been an off-putting site — and to a degree, it was — but, instead, she found herself admiring his silhouette.
Stop that.She chided herself immediately.
“Your mother mentioned that she has an unwed daughter,” he spoke again, turning to face her now.
Harriet folded her arms in front of her. In earnest, her interactions with dukes had been scarce for the most part. In fact, he might be the first one with whom she’d had a conversation.
“My mother likes to speak about her daughters to anyone who might listen. It is quite harmless, really. I do not hold it against her.”
“No, no — you make it sound as though it is a neutral thing. But I am not an idiot.”
“Pardon?” Harriet asked, confused now with the direction he was taking.
“Yes, yes… I believe that I have heard about her machinations. It is clear she intends to see you married off to the highest bidder, and what better way than to entangle you in a scandal? Surely, you are complicit?”
Now that Harriet thought about it, it could very well be true. It was Albina who called her here in the first place. Still, her pride did not allow her to be spoken to in this manner, and her fury only mounted.
“You have no right to speak of my mother that way. And you, Your Grace, are no innocent bystander. You arrived here first, not I.”
