Dad Hears My Thoughts novel · Chapter 5 of 32

Chapter 5: Grey Wine

Nobody at the table moved.

Then Ralph laughed, delighted, and kissed Honoria's hand.

"I meant to tell you myself, Grandfather. She beat me to it."

The Duke looked at her belly.

"How far?" he said.

"Two months, Your Grace."

Tristram cleared his throat.

"Two months," he said. "We were betrothed two months ago, Honoria. We were betrothed yesterday."

Honoria lifted her chin. "And now we're not."

"Congratulations, cousin," Tristram said to Ralph. "You've been busy."

A footman made a noise and turned it into a cough.

The Duke set down his fork.

"Marry before it shows," he told Ralph. "I won't have whispers."

"Within the month, Grandfather."

Ralph looked down the table at the baby and smiled at her.

I took her out of Tristram's arms, curtsied badly, and walked out of that hall before anyone could stop me.

At dark, the porters came to my door.

I held up the Duke's card with his seal in the wax.

They read it twice, spat on my step, and left.

The next afternoon a boy in Harcourt livery brought a basket to the shop.

Inside were two bottles of red wine, a box of honey cakes, and a card.

"To the newest Harcourt. Let's be friends. R."

"Friends," I said. "He tipped my garnets on the floor."

"He'd like you to drink this and forget it," Tristram said.

He was on his knees on my back-room floor with the baby on her back on a towel.

She was naked from the waist down and kicking.

He held a clean cloth in both hands and looked at it.

"Corner to corner," I said. "Then fold the bottom up."

"Which corner?"

"Any corner. She's not a treaty."

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