Her tactic worked. Tobias shot back at her, annoyed, “Why would you assume that, Duchess?”
“Well, for one thing, I hear that she is engaged. Her parents have arranged a marriage for her, and she’s set to be married next week.”
Tobias’s expression shifted instantly — shock, disbelief, and a flash of anger all crossing his features in rapid succession. He stared at Harriet as if he hadn’t heard her correctly, as if her words couldn’t possibly be true.
“Engaged?” he echoed, his voice tight, almost disbelieving. “She’s engaged?”
Harriet nodded, her gaze unwavering. “Yes. It’s all been arranged. This dinner tonight is likely the last chance you have to speak with her before she’s married.”
Tobias turned back to look at Emma, his jaw clenched, his eyes narrowing as he processed what Harriet had told him. The idea of Emma marrying someone else did seem to strike a deep chord with him, and he was having trouble keeping his emotions in check.
“She’s just going to marry someone else?” Tobias asked, his voice strained. “Just like that?”
Harriet could hear the hurt and confusion in his voice, “She doesn’t have a choice, Tobias. Her parents have made this decision for her, and she feels like it’s the only option she has left.”
“There are always options…” he started, glancing back at her.
Harriet shrugged. “Well, perhaps if someone was to step up and prove to her that he is a better match…. perhaps something can be arranged. Do you happen to have anyone in mind?”
Tobias was lost in his own world, it seemed. His fists were clenched along his sides, and his expression was seething.
“Excuse me, Duchess. I have to be somewhere…” he said, and then without warning, disappeared down the hallway.
What was he up to now?
The dinner had progressed smoothly, the soft clinking of silverware and the low murmur of conversation filling the air.
Harriet and Simon were seated side by side, their plates nearly empty. Harriet had been keeping a close eye on Tobias throughout the evening, her senses finely attuned to every shift in his demeanor.
As she subtly observed the table, Harriet couldn’t help but notice the way Tobias’s eyes kept drifting towards Emma and her fiancé.
It wasn’t difficult to read the expression on his face — the tightening of his jaw, the way his hand gripped his wine glass just a bit too tightly. He was trying to keep his composure, but the emotion simmering beneath the surface was unmistakable.
He was jealous.That much she could tell.
Emma, seated across from them, was doing her best to maintain a pleasant conversation with her fiancé, a well-bred gentleman who seemed unaware of the tension his presence was causing. Emma smiled politely, nodded at the appropriate moments, but there was a certain stiffness in her posture, a guardedness that Harriet could easily detect. She wasn’t fully present, and neither was Tobias.
Harriet leaned slightly towards Simon, lowering her voice so that only he could hear. “See?” she whispered, a note of satisfaction in her tone. “It seems to be working.”
Simon turned his head just enough to glance at Harriet.
“You think so?” he murmured back, careful not to draw attention to their conversation.
Harriet nodded, her eyes flickering back to Tobias. “Look at him,” she said softly. “He’s been watching them all evening. It’s as if he can’t stand the idea of her being with someone else.”
Simon followed her gaze, his expression contemplative.
“Jealousy is a powerful motivator,” he nodded. “But it’s not enough on its own, Harriet. He needs to do more than just feel jealous. He needs to act.”
Harriet sighed, knowing Simon was right. Jealousy could only push Tobias so far — what mattered now was whether he would channel that emotion into something productive, whether he would take the steps necessary to win back Emma and take responsibility for his daughter.
“I know,” Harriet replied quietly. “But it’s a start. At least we know he still cares, that he’s not as indifferent as he pretends to be.”
Simon nodded slightly, his eyes returning to Tobias, who was now glaring at his wine glass as if it were the source of all his troubles. “Let’s hope that care turns into something more. For all their sakes.”
And then, it finally happened.
As the last course was cleared and the guests began to rise from their seats, Tobias moved in one particular direction.
