He balked at her response, seemingly caught by surprise that she would say such a thing.
“Help?” He managed finally. “You bring a random child to my doorstep, then you insist that it is mine, and this is your idea of helping?”
“Perhaps if we… I am not sure.” She tried for a smile as if to diffuse his anger. “Perhaps if we put our heads together,we might figure this out? I am sure there is a reasonable explanation.” She held that smile on him, certain it would work.
He looked at her with confusion, as if he had never seen someone smile before.
“You are to leave at once,” he said suddenly.
“Excuse me?”
“I did not stutter,” he said with a snarl. “You are awake now, and I am sure you are in good enough health to travel. I do not know why you are here, nor do I care. You are to take the child and go.”
“I…” Ophelia stared blankly at the Duke. “I am afraid I cannot do that.”
“What did you say?”
“I made a promise,” she said, firming herself under his intense gaze. “I promised Lady Delacourt that I would see her child to safety.”
“Which is not my concern. I have no idea who this Lady Delacourt is, so I have no reason to care about your promise.”
“Nonetheless.” She looked at him with confidence but not abrasiveness. “I cannot leave.”
“You dare to argue with me?”
“I do not like to think of it as arguing,” she said. “More… let us call it a difference of opinion.”
Again, he looked at her as if he did not understand what she was saying. Ophelia had no doubt that the Duke was not used to being argued with, especially by someone whom he assumed to be a mere maid.
Should I tell him who I really am? Will he even care? Somehow, I doubt it…
The Duke opened his mouth to bark another command at her but was interrupted when the door flew open, followed by the appearance of a kindly old man who walked with a hunched back. Unlike the previous maid who was in the room, this man did not hesitate to approach the Duke.
“I am sorry to disturb you, Your Grace, but we have a minor problem.”
“A problem that can wait, Mr. Watley,” the Duke snapped without turning to address the elderly man. “Can you not see that I am dealing with something?”
“That is why I am here, Your Grace,” Mr. Watley said. “I have just come from speaking with some of your tenants. It seems that word of your late-night guest’s arrival has already spread across the estate.”
“What?” The Duke turned on him.
“What is more, somehow, they have learned that she is with child, Your Grace. Also…” He clicked his tongue in hesitation. “Also, they are under the impression that the child is yours.”
It was already cold in the room, and the Duke’s anger was already monstrous. But when Mr. Watley shared this news, Ophelia felt the temperature drop even further. And when she dared to look at the Duke’s face, she wondered if taking Harriet and leaving this place was a better idea than she had originally considered. For her and the child’s safety, if nothing else.
CHAPTER 3
“What!” Adrian snapped. “How? How is that possible?”
Mr. Watley leaned away. “I am not sure, Your Grace…”
“Call the entire staff, now!” he barked at Mr. Watley. “Someone has been speaking where they ought to know better. I want to find this sneak.”
Adrian’s entire body shook with rage.
While he was known to be a frightening character, rarely did Adrian allow himself to rise to such extreme anger. The type of fear that he preferred to instill was done through silent menace. A sharp word spoken here. A glower given there. The constant threat of fury without actually succumbing to such a thing.
In this instance, Adrian felt that the not-so-silent fury was justified.
