“Harriet, when did this happen? Why didn’t you tell me?”
Harriet met her mother’s gaze, her own eyes blazing with anger and frustration. She had reached her limit with her mother.
“There is nothing to tell. She is not my child. She was left on our doorstep, and I’ve been caring for her.”
Albina’s expression shifted from surprise to disbelief. “Left on your doorstep?”
“Mother, this is precisely why I did not want to get you involved. You are demanding answers for things even I do not know.”
“Harriet,” Albina’s tone calmed significantly, her eyes fixed on her daughter who was now putting Catherine back inside her crib.
“I do not want to argue in front of her,” Harriet exited the room, hoping that Catherine would not start crying again. “And I do not wish to have this conversation with you either.”
“Does the duke know about this?”
Harriet resisted the urge to roll her eyes. “It would be better if you do not ask about him, given what sort of an impression you have left on him.”
She led her mother down the stairs, and towards the door. Hoping that she would take the cue, and finally leave.
But like always, Albina did what she wanted.
“Harriet, you’ve no reason to be so difficult,” Albina insisted, her tone dripping with self-righteousness. “I’ve done everything for you, all to secure your future. And now, everything is falling into place. Why do you remain so ungrateful?”
The words stung, and Harriet felt a swell of anger rising within her. Her mother’s constant meddling and lack of respect for her boundaries were intolerable.
“Ungrateful?” Harriet snapped, her voice rising in frustration. “You think trapping me into a marriage and turning my life upside down is something I should be grateful for?”
Albina recoiled slightly at Harriet’s sharp tone, her eyes widening in shock. “I was only trying to do what’s best for you. I thought you would see that by now.”
Harriet shook her head. “No, Mother. You did what you thought was best for you, without any consideration for my feelings or desires. And now, you’ve overstepped once again.”
Albina’s expression hardened, her voice tinged with hurt. “I am your mother, Harriet. I have every right to be here, to help you.”
Harriet’s patience snapped. “I don’t need your help, Mother. I’ve told you before, you are not welcome here.”
“I thought that marriage would be the thing finally gets you to mature into an adult,” Albina shook her head, disapprovingly.“But now, I see that you are the same ungrateful little girl that you always were.”
“Mother, none of this is helping me.” Harriet felt her resolve weaken, her mother’s harsh words finally getting to her.
She just wanted it all to stop — for her to leave, and to stop making her life more complicated than it already was.
“What do you know about what helps you and what does not?” Albina challenged. “Now you are undertaking the care of a baby that you do not even know. Do you understand how much of a scandal this could be? What if people raise their fingers at you?”
“Then I should expect you to defend me,” Harriet said, on the verge of tears. “Would you ever do that? Can I expect you to? All my life, it seems that you have been eager to warn me of the dangers of scandal but you have never protected me from it.”
As Harriet’s words hung in the air, the sound of footsteps approached from the hallway.
Both ladies turned to look at who it was.
“What is going on here?”
The duke had finally come home.
CHAPTER 13
Harriet felt a flush of embarrassment at having been overheard, her voice still echoing with the anger she had directed at her mother. She shouldn’t have raised her voice, no matter how justified her feelings were.
“Simon – I…” Harriet flushed, “My mother was just leaving. There is no problem.”
