Simon did not argue further, nodded and retreated to the door.
But right before he left, he turned to look back at Harriet one last time.
“I hope that you feel better at the earliest. And that…” there was a slight pause as Eliza comes running into the room. Simon ignored her. “And that you thought about that which I proposed to you the other day.”
Harriet was still sitting on the floor when the sound of his footsteps faded into the distance, and a worried Eliza replaced him.
“Your Grace, what has happened?” she asked.
But Harriet was already dusting off her dress, and helping herself up from the floor.
“I suppose that worked,” she sighed, causing Eliza’s hand to go flying to her mouth in disbelief.
“Your Grace, were you….” she hesitated, “You mean to say you were only putting on an act?”
Harriet passed her a small smile. “I hope the duke can forgive me.”
The two women stared at each other for a moment, and then burst into laughter. The situation was ridiculous, and Harriet could find the humor in it, if she did not let herself get too consumed by how sad it was.
“I am sure His Grace will not hold it against you,” Eliza said.
“Thank you. Now, report to him that I will be inside my room all day. And then inform me when he retires to his study, so that I can go and see Catherine at that time.”
“As you wish, Your Grace,” Eliza said, and promptly left the room.
Now left alone, Harriet thought back to what Simon had said to her just as he left.
Consider his suggestion.
She had done more than justconsiderit. In earnest, it was all that she had thought about.
The thought of having a baby of her own swelled her heart in a way that she had never experienced before. The idea of her belly growing — just as she had seen her sisters go through — and then having a little bundle of joy of her own.
One that no one could take away from her. That possibility was too tempting to pass up. Tempting enough that she often found herself thinking of accepting it.
The only thing that stopped her was the idea in her head of the perfect marriage — a marriage that theirs was far from.
Could she accept it? Once again, she knew that she wanted advice. Asking her sisters would be too… complicated. She did not want to burden them with the troubles of her marriage.
Telling the maids would be too risky. She trusted some, like Eliza. But still, it would be too close to home.
She needed someone who was both trustworthy, and could offer a fresh perspective. Which is why when the nursemaid came in the next morning, Harriet requested to speak to her alone.
“Your Grace,” said Agnes, bowing slightly before entering the duchess’s room. “I was told that you called for me.”
“Yes, I just wanted to know if everything was going smoothly with Catherine,” Harriet decided to ease into the topic. She did not want to scare poor Agnes away with her marital problems.
Agnes lit up at the topic. “Yes, she is such a well-behaved child for her age. We have not had any issues in the slightest.”
Harriet nodded, fidgeting with the ring on her finger. How was she meant to broach the topic that she actually wanted to discuss?
“Agnes,” she began with uncertainty laced in her tone, “I must ask you something.”
“Please do, Duchess. I would be more than happy to help you in whatever way is possible for me to.”
“You have worked in many households, correct?” she asked.
“As is the nature of my job, Your Grace.”
