“I..” she mumbled before rushing off to the nursery. Simon followed behind her.
She rushed over to Catherine’s side, and soothed her immediately. Once again, she calmed down in her arms.
“Harriet,” Simon said trailing after her, “I do not appreciate you running off mid-conversation with me like this.”
Harriet shot at him an annoyed look.What did he even want from her?
And then, an idea came to her.
“You said that no one should be disobey me. Correct?” she asked, to which he responded with a weary look. “Very well, then. Here.”
Simon frowned, confusion flickering in his eyes. “What are you doing?”
“Hold the baby,” Harriet said, her voice steady. “That’s an order.”
“An order?” Simon could hardly believe what she was saying. “I did not mean that you’re meant to start orderingme.I am the duke, Harriet. No one tells me to do anything.”
Harriet sighed.Duke. Duchess.That was all he seemed to see, ever.
“It does not matter. The duke himself said a moment ago that no one must disobey me, so you cannot go back on your word,” she said, playing him at his own game. “Now — please — hold her so that I may fetch the maid to prepare a bath for her.”
Simon reluctantly stepped forward, extending his arms to take this little… creature from Harriet’s grasp.
An order. She’s going to order around me now.
The thought irked him to no end, but he had given her his word. He took the baby from Harriet, and she let out a little coo as they changed hands.
Harriet nodded, a satisfied look forming on her face. “Now, that is much better,YourGrace.Please ensure that she does not start to cry again – I shall be with you in a moment.”
With that, she dashed out of the room, leaving Simon alone with the baby. He stood there, holding Catherine with thecautiousness of someone handling fragile glass. The baby squirmed slightly, her eyes meeting his with innocent curiosity.
Simon sighed, shifting his grip and trying to appear more at ease. “Do you even know all the trouble you’ve caused?” he muttered, glancing down. “Harriet is quite protective — to the point of it being infuriating when it comes to you.”
To his surprise, Catherine let out a soft gurgle, followed by a burst of laughter.
What was that about?
Simon narrowed his eyes at the baby, and she did it again.
Cackled in her little soft voice. It shifted something inside of him.
“Are you laughing at me?” Simon asked, a bemused smile tugging at his lips despite himself. “I suppose you find this all very amusing, don’t you?”
Catherine giggled again, her tiny hands waving in the air. Simon felt a warmth spread through his chest, a sensation he hadn’t expected.
She could not articulate words, but her method of communication was proving to be more than effective.
“I suppose you’re not that bad company,” Simon nodded, his gaze fixating on the baby.
This time, he made a face — trying to amuse Catherine. And once again, she giggled loudly, waving her little hands in the air.
The door swung open as Harriet returned.
“What is going on here…?” she paused in the doorway, her eyes widening in surprise at the sight before her. “Is she... laughing?”
Simon looked up, a bit sheepishly. “It appears so.”
Harriet exchanged a glance with Eliza. “I’ve never heard her laugh like this before.”
