Page 88 of A Naughty Proposal for His Winter Countess
The door to her room opened and even before Harriet saw who it was, she mumbled, “Go away.”
“I certainly will not,” Martha said stiffly. “Get up.”
“No,” Harriet refused, while tugging the blanket higher.
Martha grabbed it and ripped it away from Harriet's face. Her sister didn't look pleased. There wasn't any anger on her face but the tight lines around her mouth showed her displeasure.
“Would you care to tell me why you've found it fitting to disgrace yourself and us?” Martha demanded.
Harriet's mouth dropped in disbelief. “You think I willingly did that! Martha! Did I walk into the assembly room handing out pamphlets so others could read my shame?”
“That's beside the point,” Martha replied, her face reddening with anger. “I nearly fainted last night when I read one of those papers. Antony had to rush me home and I stayed in shock for half the night. Why did you written such abominable, wicked things in the first place?”
Incredulously, Harriet said, “Because I'm human, Martha. I have desires like everyone else.”
“The scandalous things you wrote,” Martha pressed. “Did Barkley bring you into them?”
“No, Martha,” Harriet said bitterly. “Daniel had nothing to do with what I wrote. He never coaxed me into anything. Instead of pointing fingers, you should be finding who stole my diary and published it! That's what you should do!”
Martha's brows contracted, “Beg your pardon?”
Grabbing a pillow to press it to her chest, Harriet said, “Please, go away. My life is falling apart, and I'd like to mourn it in peace.”
“Harriet—”
“Please go,” Harriet reiterated while reaching for her blanket and then curled in a bundle away from her sister.
She didn't look up when she heard the door closed, and even then, she didn't move. The whole country already knew of her shame, Harriet was sure. Now it wasn't her who was humiliated, she had dragged Daniel into the muck with her.
The anguish and hopelessness in her heart pulled her down into a fitful sleep, only interrupted by Martha again. Only this time when she woke, half the day had gone.
“I told Antony what you said, and he independently interviewed the staff. He found a maid who confessed to taking your belongings. She said someone employed her to find something to disgrace you, so she took your diary.”
“Who sent her?” Harriet asked hollowly.
Martha lips flattened, “She claims Lord Dawson. But I'm confused about why he would do such a thing.”
Closing the blanket tighter, Harriet laughed mirthlessly. “I'm not surprised. Daniel didn't care for him and he tried to tempt me into arendezvous, but I denied him. Incongruous, isn't it? The man I'd foolishly thought would show me the best of life, has shown me the worst.”
A haggard look flashed across Martha's face, at the unsavory mention of Harriet's old desire.
“Antony's sent for him so he could explain his actions,” Martha added. “I don't think there's anything the law can do against him.”
“He used that woman to send threats to me,” Harriet said. “Perhaps that's something.”
Martha nearly jerked out of her seat. “Threats! What threats!”
“Daniel received them too,” Harriet said flatly. “I think he summoned the constables about it.”
Shocked, Martha stood. “Why didn't you tell me?”
“At that time, I thought it was more important to tell Daniel,” Harriet said dully. “We were the ones who were targeted. I was going to marry him, and it was going to be our burden to bear.”
“I don't like how you kept this from me,” Martha objected. “What if she had contrived to kill you?”
T’would probably be more merciful that this.
“I cannot tell you, Martha,” Harriet said tiredly. “Thank goodness she hadn’t.”
