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Anna shook her head, unwilling to continue the conversation anymore.

She had long since made up her mind on the matter. For as long as she could help it, her children would remain hers. If the Duke were ever to find out, it would not be from her lips. She was fine with the way things were. It was perfect all the time, but she had some semblance of peace and control over her household, and she had no intention of trading any of that for anything else.

And she certainly wouldn’t do it because of the immense belief and faith the housekeeper had in the duke.

“Y-Your Grace? Might I have a word?”

Anna looked up as Linda approached her, clutching the sides of her apron in a bid to hide her trembling hands – quite unsuccessfully too. Miss Hill stepped away to lay Timothy, who had finally fallen asleep in his cot, giving them space to speak.

“Of course, Linda. What seems to be the matter? You seem rather upset,” Anna remarked in concern, noticing that the young girl looked pale.

Almost immediately, Linda burst into tears. For a few seconds, she sobbed quietly, leaving the other women confused and stunned.

“Now, now, dear,” Anna said soothingly, reaching out to pat her shoulder reassuringly. “Whatever it is, I am sure we can come to a solution. Do not fret and tell me what is wrong.”

Linda sniffed, nodding at Anna’s encouragement as she gathered her wits.

“I am truly sorry, Your G-Grace. I fear I made a grave mistake. Yesterday… I went to pick up the clothes for the children as you had instructed me to. I had every intention of going straight there and returning straight home – like Miss Hill had emphasized. Perhaps I was in too much of a hurry to pay much attention to my words, but as I was about to settle the payment for the clothes… I accidentally mentioned that the clothes were for the Duchess of Wolvesley. I-I tried to fix it – I swear. I tried to say the clothes were for my own children, but I only wanted them sent to the Wolvesley estate since that was where I worked, but I fear the damage might be done. I am sorry, Your Grace. Truly, I am.”

Linda was clearly beside herself with grief and she was practically shaking where she stood.

Anna felt bad for the girl, especially because she did not feel all too bothered by this. If Hudson had found out through such a mistake, he might have discovered the twins long before this moment. A maid mispeaking before the modiste was an unlikely way to ruin her efforts.

“Do not worry, Linda. I know you did not mean to slip up. It was an accident, and I am sure we have nothing to worry about,” she said kindly.

Linda gazed up at her hopefully.

“Are you certain, Your Grace?” she asked reluctantly.

Anna nodded, feeling quite sorry for the maid. She could see that this had been wearing down on her considerably.

“I am absolutely certain–”

A sudden knock at the door cut her off, and they turned to see the butler at the door, his eyes wide with urgency as he entered the room quietly.

It was a rule of thumb that no one was to make loud noises in the nursery, and it made Anna feel blessed each time her staff obeyed the rule. However, she did not have the time to remember that feeling because the butler whispered once he was close enough,

“The duke is here, Your Grace.”

CHAPTER NINE

Despite her reservations, Anna had imagined what it would be like to reunite with Hudson.

She was not so naïve as to expect that things would not be tense. After all, she had a list of things she wished to say to him that was certain to anger him. Furthermore, given the current circumstances, she knew it was to be expected that he would be upset.

Yet, it was another thing entirely to be able to tell the state of his emotions from the rigid tension in his shoulders as she walked into the drawing room. Even with his back facing her, Anna felt the wrath he would soon release and reminded herself that she had done nothing wrong.

In an effort to be cordial, she cleared her throat and tried to greet him.

“Your Grace –”

Hudson whirled around to face her, the fury in his eyes darkening them greatly.

“How could you?” he spat, walking closer towards her. “How could you keep this from me? Why didn’t you tell me? Even – even if you did not wish to face me, you could have sent some word at least.”

There was a strange inflection in his voice that unsettled her greatly. It was an obvious outcome – his displeasure and outburst but the intensity of it caught her off guard and made her quite nervous. Her hands shook as numerous worries crossed her mind, with the worst of them the possibility that he might have come to take her children from her.

“I did not believe you would care, given how you had previously stated that you did not want an heir,” she pointed out stiffly, already feeling weary from the interaction.