“If someone comes in...”
“All the guests have left, and I ordered the servants to take a break themselves after bringing the tea. They must be exhausted as well. I don’t expect anyone will interrupt us.”
Her eyes were closing, and she burrowed deeper into his chest. So deep he fancied she could feel his heart whispering to her.
“In that case...maybe just for a bit. Five minutes, ten at most. I just need to rest my eyes.”
“I know, love. Sleep. I’ll wake you up in a little while.”
She was asleep before he finished the sentence. When her breaths became deep and regular, he grabbed a large, down pillow from the sofa, placed it on his lap, and re-positioned her so that she was lying in a comfortable position. Contrary to what he had promised her, he had no intention of waking her up in a mere few minutes. She needed more time than that to recover.
However, not ten minutes later, much to his annoyance, the door opened. He put a finger to his lips to indicate silence, ready to glare at the servant who dared to disturb her. But it was his son’s nurse. The young woman’s gaze skipped fretfully between the duchess and him, unsure of what to do. He motioned for her to come closer.
When she was within whispering distance, he asked, “What is the matter?”
“The baby needs feeding, my lord,” she replied in the hushed tones of one well used to the nursery and sleeping infants.
“Can you take care of it?”
She looked at the sleeping duchess, who had not even stirred during their conversation. A testament to how tired she was.
“Well?” he prompted.
“Yes, my lord. I could, of course. That’s my job. But Her Grace likes to do it herself.”
“She won’t mind just this time.” When the nurse looked unconvinced, he added, “As you can see, the duchess is indisposed right now. She is faint with exhaustion. Go feed the baby. I’ll deal with the duchess.”
The nurse bobbed a curtsy and left post haste.
There were no more interruptions after that, so he settled to watch her sleep, determined to protect her rest. After a few minutes, he realized how uncomfortable she must be in her corset. Should he loosen the laces a bit? Just to get her comfortable.
With practiced fingers, he undid the hooks of her gown and loosened the laces of her corset. She sighed and burrowed deeper into the pillow. He had done the right thing. She was at ease now.
He wasn’t sure how much time had passed. An hour perhaps? Time ceased to have meaning when he was with her. A light rain was falling outside, the droplets pelting the windowpanes with soft taps.
She woke with a sudden gasp, grabbing her chest and bolting to a sitting position. She looked so deliciously bewildered that he had to bite down a smile.
“How much did I sleep?” she asked, her arms still clutched to the front of her chest.
“About an hour, perhaps?”
“Oh no! Sammy—”
“Has been cared for. I ordered the nurse to feed him.”
“You what?!”
Her expression was so struck that he felt a frisson of alarm. Had he done something wrong?
“You were fast asleep. And you needed your rest. The nurse said she could feed him.”
“Well, yes. She could. But I needed to feed him myself.” Her arms tightened over her chest as she whimpered and stood from the sofa.
Her behavior made no sense.
“Why, exactly, did it need to be you? I admire that you are nursing Sam yourself, but just for this once, couldn’t you let the nurse take care of it?” A dark thought crossed his mind, and he bolted from the sofa. “Or is she not capable?” He marched towards the door. “If she is not taking good care of the babe—”
“Oh, stop! It’s not that. I trust Maggie to take good care of my son. Otherwise, I wouldn’t employ her.”
