Chapter 25

CHAPTER 25

H arriet felt the tension between them shift. She knew why Simon had come — knew what he would ask. She steeled herself for the inevitable question.

He expects you to have an answer prepared for him.

You need to tell him what you have decided.

Except that her own mind drew up a blank when she thought of her decision, despite the many hours that she had spent thinking over it already.

She felt his gaze on her, and hesitantly turned in his direction. She could not avoid the conversation forever.

“Harriet?” Simon began, slowly. He seemed to be erring on the side of caution.

Did that mean that her decision meant something to him as well?That he was not doing it merely out of pity?

The thought alone made her heart jump, but she tried her hardest not to let it show on her face.

“Simon,” she responded in earnest, her teeth scraping down on the top of her lip. Baby Catherine cooed happily in her arms.

“I think you know what I wish to speak to you about,” Simon was watching her expression for any subtle changes like a hawk.

She felt herself grow nervous under his scrupulous gaze.

“Do I?” she feigned innocence, knowing fully well that her little act would not work on Simon.

He was too smart for this, after all.

Simon narrowed his eyes at her slightly but showed no signs of restiveness. His patience was truly exemplary.

“Is that the case?” he stepped forward, and Harriet suddenly found herself feeling grateful that they had baby Catherine between them so he could not close the distance fully.

Not that she would have minded that, either.

She chided herself quickly. Where had that thought come from?

Taking a few steps away from him, she deposited Catherine into her crib. “Are you referring to the… offer you made the other day?”

Of course, Harriet was being coy. Of course she knew what he was referring to.

Once again, Simon’s patience was commendable. An amused smile formed on his face.

“Yes, my offer. Have you put more thought into it?”

Harriet’s hands stilled as she adjusted Cathy’s blanket in the cot.

More thought? It is all that I have thought about.

Taking a deep breath, she turned to face him, her expression carefully composed. “I have,” she said softly.

Simon’s eyes searched hers. “And?”

Harriet hesitated, feeling the weight of her decision pressing down on her.

Truthfully, all her thinking had been in vain when it was in this moment that she finally decided what she wanted.

“I accept,” she declared, surprising both herself and Simon.

“You…you do?” Simon asked in disbelief but then quickly cleared his throat, “I mean, I am glad that you have accepted the offer.”

Offer. Agreement. Contract. Could they never really settle for better words than this? Words that did not connote such a blasé detachment.

“Yes,” Harriet nodded, “But there is just one thing….”

Simon raised an eyebrow, oblivious to why Harriet’s cheeks were suddenly heating up.

“Go on then. Tell me what it is.”

“Well…” Harriet twisted the hem of her sleeve between her fingers, “I have to admit to you that I am not sure of how this is meant to be done.”

This was not the first time that Harriet had caught Simon completely off guard.

And he had a gut-feeling that it certainly would not be the last.

As the two of them stood in the nursery, Simon stared back at her, blinking a couple of times. He was taken aback by the directness of her request.

“I beg your pardon?”

Harriet’s cheeks flushed, “Why, yes. It is a pertinent question, is it not?” he could hear the strain in her voice.

It was then that he realized that she actually did not know what she was talking about. Nor did she know how blunt of a question this was.

The fact alone both astounded him, and chipped away at his cold heart.

It was…. endearing, if not painfully awkward to be on the receiving end of such a question.

“Harriet,” he cleared his throat, “Has your mother never told you?”

Harriet shook her head. “Well, perhaps my mother never thought it important.”

“And your sisters?” Her words seemed more and more unbelievable by the second, but her face did not betray any signs of insincerity.

She really did not know.

“My sisters never told me how they had their children. They thought it best for me to… experience it with my husband first.”

Her words elicited a strange reaction out of him — one that he had not been expecting in the slightest. Slowly, he crossed his legs in front of her.

“I see.”

“So, then? Will you tell me or not?” Harriet demanded.

“Harriet,” Simon’s words were suddenly coming out strained. “I believe it would be better if I… show you instead.”

Harriet opened her mouth to respond — and Simon was very aware suddenly of the way that she licked her top lip before speaking — but before any words could come out, they were interrupted with a knock on the door.

A maid entered, her expression apologetic as she curtsied quickly. “Forgive the interruption, Your Grace, but there is a visitor downstairs. A woman — she says it’s urgent.”

Harriet frowned, “A visitor? Has she given a name?”

The maid nodded. “She says that she is here to speak to you about little Catherine. Her name is Emma Spencer.”