To his utter shock, his renewed strategy seemed to work. Cathy’s cries began to subside into softer whimpers, though she was still clearly unsettled.
At least she is not screaming anymore,Simon acknowledged to himself, feeling a flicker of relief.
But it was not enough. She was not yet completely soothed, and Simon hated leaving a task unfinished — no matter how ill-equipped he may feel doing it.
His thoughts drifted to his childhood. His mother used to sing a particular lullaby to him and Tobias when they were little, a sweet melody that always made them feel safe. It wasn’t something he often thought about, but now, standing in a dimly lit room with a crying baby in his arms, the memory surfaced unbidden. Starkly, as though it had only happened yesterday.
At first, he hesitated, feeling a bit ridiculous. But seeing that Catherine was moments away from bursting into a wail again, he got over his reservations and opened his mouth to sing, his voice low and calming, though he didn’t quite sing the tune.
“Sleep, little child, sleep all through the night,” he murmured, the words feeling strange on his tongue after so many years. “Guardian angels God will send thee, all through the night…”
Cathy’s eyes, which had been tightly shut in distress, slowly opened. She looked up at Simon with wide, curious eyes. Her sobbing quieted to soft, hiccupping breaths.
Simon took this as more than enough encouragement to continue.
“Soft the drowsy hours are creeping, hill and vale in slumber steeping…”
The way that Catherine was staring back at him now, there was no doubt that she was utterly captivated. Simon felt a pang of something he couldn’t quite identify. Was it… pride? Satisfaction? Whatever it was, it was certainly unfamiliar.
Now that she had calmed down considerably, he took a moment to gaze into her eyes.
“Well,” he still made sure to keep his voice low, “at least you have some taste, little creature.”
When he resumed the lullaby, he had much more confidence than before. It worked like a charm, as Catherine’s small body relaxed against Simon’s chest. By the time he reached the end, she was fast asleep, her breathing soft and even.
Simon gently lowered her into the cradle, bundling the sheets around her like a little cocoon and then stood back to admire his efforts — an unmistakable sense of triumph overcoming him.
“Goodnight, Catherine,” he murmured under his breath. But as he turn to leave, he noticed movement at the doorway and took a step back, startled.
Harriet was standing there, leaning against the doorframe, a soft smile on her lips.
How long had she been standing there for?
He immediately straightened, his expression shifting from the tender look he’d been giving the baby to his usual composed demeanor. The warmth he’d felt moments before turned to embarrassment, and his only instinct was to retreat without communicating with Harriet.
He had only made it to the hallway when Harriet called after him.
“That was very sweet, you know,” she walked up behind him. “What you just did.”
“I was under the assumption that you were sleeping,” Simon’s words came out grumpier than expected.
“Evidently, I am awake now,” she said, her voice still carrying that teasing lilt. “I didn’t know you had it in you.”
Simon’s frown deepened, partly from irritation at being caught in such a vulnerable moment.
“I was merely doing what was necessary,” he said, his tone brusque. “The child was crying, and I didn’t want her to wake you.”
Harriet’s smile widened, a twinkle of amusement in her eyes. “Oh, so this was all done formybenefit, was it? How considerate of you, Simon.”
Simon’s jaw tightened. The fact that she found all this amusing only added to his discomfort. “I was trying to help,” he repeated, more defensively than he intended.
Harriet moved closer, the smile never leaving her face for a second.
“And I appreciate that, truly. Forgive me for the assumption, but I believe…” she paused, biting down on her lip gently, “I get the impression that you might be a little embarrassed at being discovered.”
“Embarrassed?” Simon retorted, immediately riled up.
Had she forgotten? He was aduke.Embarrassment was not an emotion that he was used to feeling.
