“Well thank you for your service, but we shall we taking our leave now.”
As they walked away from the establishment and towards their carriage, Anthony put a hand on his friends shoulder. He could see the duke was a lot angrier than he had been going in.
“Do you think we should trust that man?” he asked.
“Absolutely not,” Anthony replied. “But men like him can be bought easily. Since you paid him, I have reason to believe that he gave us the correct information. I shall confirm with the lord as well, and we can go to his estate.”
Simon nodded, still reeling from the experience that they’d had that evening.
“I have a feeling that the gossip papers are going to have a new topic tomorrow…” he sighed.
As much as he liked to keep his family matters private, it would only take one chatty mouth for news to get out that the duke was looking for his brother.
“What will they will say? You only came here looking for Tobias. That is hardly some kind of a scandal.”
“You know how they twist things,” Simon replied. He remembered the scandal that he had been involved in with Harriet.How everyone had run with the news that the duke was having some kind of an affair with her.
There was little in this world that he hated more than gossip. He found it to be one of the lowest acts.
“Well then, you shall deal with that as it comes,” Anthony said as they got into the carriage. “For now, I believe that you have more important things to worry about.”
CHAPTER 12
Harriet had woken up early this morning, as she had done for most mornings since Catherine had arrived at the estate.
Now with Catherine finally asleep, Harriet finally had a quiet moment to herself in her room. Perhaps the duke was right that she had been neglecting care of herself these last few days.
Perhaps, now was a moment that she should finally relax.
That was until, of course, a commotion erupted in the entrance hall. Harriet frowned, getting up from her settee as she rose to investigate.
What in heavens was going on outside?
Her maid, Eliza, appeared at the doorway, her expression flustered.
“Your Grace, I apologize for the intrusion, but you have a visitor,” she frowned.
“A visitor?” Harriet inquired, racking her brain. She did not recall having any social engagements planned — in fact, all of her social engagements had been put on pause as she spent most of her time looking after Catherine.
“Yes, Your Grace. It is the Countess of Ramsbury,” Eliza explained.
Immediately, a deep frown formed on Harriet’s face.
“My mother?” she repeated, her expression hardening. “Well, then you must tell her that I am busy and cannot see her.”
“Your Grace, sheis quite insistent on seeing you immediately,” Eliza replied, looking apologetic.
Harriet sighed, annoyance flaring within her. Her relationship with her mother had been strained ever since the scandal that led to her marriage to Simon. She had made it clear that she needed space, but it seemed Albina had other ideas.
“Very well,” Harriet said, steeling herself for the confrontation. “Show her in.”
She knew that her mother was not one to back away without a fight. It would cause more commotion if Harriet was not to see her, even though it was the last thing she wished to do.
Eliza nodded and hurried back to the entrance hall, and Harriet followed her shortly afterwards. Moments later, Lady Albina swept into the drawing room, her presence commanding and her expression a picture of confusion.
“Harriet, my dear,” Albina exclaimed, her eyes scanning the room as if expecting to find something she was not supposed to. “Why on earth haven’t you written to me?”
“Mother,” Harriet replied tersely, “I wasn’t aware I was obliged to report every detail of my life to you.”
