Harriet sat frozen in her chair, still processing everything he had just revealed.
She watched as Simon turned to leave the room, his back straight, his posture as composed as ever. He paused briefly at the doorway, glancing back at her with an expression she couldn’t quite read.
“Prepare yourself for tomorrow night, Harriet, ” he said, his voice softening slightly. “It will be our first public appearance together as a married couple. I trust you will do us both credit. ”
And with that, he was gone, leaving Harriet alone with her thoughts, her heart racing with the implications of what had just transpired.
For several minutes, Harriet remained at the breakfast table, her thoughts a chaotic tangle of emotions. Simon’s confession had taken her completely by surprise, and she struggled to reconcile his words with the man she thought she had known.
He had left her because he thought it was what shewanted.
The revelation was both a relief and a source of deep frustration. All this time, she had believed that he simply didn’t care, that he had married her out of duty and then discarded her without a second thought. But now she understood that his absence had been motivated by something else — by his own fear of what marriage could become.
Harriet’s mind raced back to his cryptic remark about marriage destroying people. What had he meant by that? Was it something he had witnessed? Something he had experienced himself? She had so many questions, but Simon had made it clear that he wasn’t ready to share more.
CHAPTER 17
Harriet paced around the hallway outside the nursery.
“Your Grace, there is still some time for you to eat your breakfast,” Eliza pleaded. She had been watching the duchess nervously pacing the same patch of carpet for the last hour.
“I cannot even think of food right now, let alone stomach an appetite for it,” Harriet responded dismissively. “When is the nursemaid due to arrive?”
“It should be any moment now, Your Grace. Her arrival was scheduled before noon, and she was to leave her residence at the crack of dawn to ensure her timely arrival”
“Make sure that you note her exact time of arrival,” Harriet instructed. “We do not want her to be tardy. That should be a consideration in the hiring process.”
“As you wish, Your Grace.”
“And one more thing…” Harriet bit down on her lip, “If the duke asks you if I have eaten this morning, let him know that I took my breakfast in my room.”
Listening to the duke lecture her aboutwell-beingwas the last thing that she had wanted this morning. The lack of appetite was something that she had little control over — whenever she felt nervous, it was the first thing to disappear.
As noon drew nearer, Harriet moved towards the window to gaze out at the expansive gardens below.
The arrival of the nursemaid was imminent, and despite her initial reluctance, she found herself feeling a mix of anticipation and anxiety.
“Esther had high praise for her,” she reminded herself. “That means a great deal. I should dispel my doubts.”
But even so, Harriet couldn’t help but wonder if anyone could truly be trusted with the care of Cathy, especially given the circumstances.
She heard the sound of a carriage approaching and turned to see Eliza rushing towards her.
“Your Grace, the nursemaid has arrived.” Eliza announced, her voice tinged with the same curiosity that Harriet felt. “Shall I bring her up?”
Harriet nodded, smoothing the folds of her gown and attempting to quell the unease that had settled in her chest. “Yes, please do.”
Eliza left the room, and Harriet took a deep breath, reminding herself that this was for the best.
She needed help with Cathy, and if Esther had sent this woman, then she was likely trustworthy. Still, the uncertainty lingered, making her feel on edge.
A few minutes later, Eliza returned, ushering in the nursemaid. Harriet turned to greet her, and she was….
Not quite what Harriet had in mind.
In fact, she was nothing like she had been imagining.
Harriet turned to look at Eliza, passing her a quizzical look as if to say, ‘is this the right person?’
