“Actually, I know just the thing. There is someone who has been waiting to meet you,” Violet said with a smile. “Would you like to come upstairs with me?”
Isadora brightened up immediately. “Are you…are you talking about the baby?”
“Well, it’s not the Duke…”
Isadora ignored her teasing remark. “Can we go now, please?” It had been a few weeks since Violet had given birth, but Isadora had not had the opportunity to meet the baby yet.
“Obviously. Daphne, can you excuse us for a moment?” Violet asked, and the former nodded.
“Please. Take your time.”
Violet began to guide Isadora up the stairs. “You know, I have been telling the baby all about you, actually.”
Isadora bit down on her lip. Yes, this was exactly the kind of distraction that she had hoped to find this evening. “And what, pray tell, have you been saying?”
“That you are the most elegant, practical, and terrifyingly competent woman I know.”
“Terrifyingly competent?” Isadora raised an eyebrow.
“In the best way,” Violet squeezed her arm. “Only to those who do not know you well.”
They stepped into the nursery where a nursemaid rocked a bundle in her arms near the window. At Violet’s nod, the woman gently transferred the baby into her mother’s waiting arms.
Isadora, who had not held an infant in years, suddenly felt a lump rise in her throat.
“He’s beautiful,” she murmured, watching as Violet adjusted the tiny blankets. The baby’s soft lashes fluttered against his chubby cheeks, his tiny fingers curling into a fist.
“He is,” Violet said. She turned, holding the child toward Isadora. “Would you like to hold him?”
“I….” Isadora hesitated. The last time she had held a baby was her own sister, Penelope. “What if I drop him?”
Violet shot her friend a look. “Isadora, I am sure that you are perfectly capable of holding a baby without dropping it. Go on, then. You’re his aunt. He would like to held by you.”
Isadora held her breath. “I… All right then.” She braced herself. Carefully, Violet placed the baby in Isadora’s arms.
The weight of him was slight, but Isadora still held him carefully. The baby shifted, making a small noise before settling again, his tiny hand resting against Isadora’s bodice. Something in her heart squeezed.
“He likes you,” Violet noted softly.
Isadora barely heard her. She was too busy marveling at the warmth of this tiny being in her arms.
“He is so small,” Isadora whispered, adjusting her grip slightly so that the baby rested more securely against her.
“He will not always be,” Violet said, smiling. “I will blink, and he will be running through the halls, terrorizing the staff in no time.”
Isadora chuckled softly, still rocking the baby gently. “You were always destined for motherhood, Violet. I am so happy that you have finally gotten this blessing.”
“It’s been an amazing journey,” Violet murmured. “And you will reach this milestone, too. Soon enough.”
Isadora paused at her friend’s words, a strange anxiety gripping her. “Oh, no. Evan and I… Well, we haven’t talked about this.”
“That is fine,” Violet shrugged. “One does not need to discuss everything beforehand. But I believe that you will be quite suited to motherhood. You have better training than both Daphne and me with how you took care of Penelope. You are well-equipped for loving something more than yourself.”
Isadora opened her mouth to argue, but nothing came. She looked down at the baby, at the way his tiny fingers curled slightly against her chest, and something inside her softened.
And then, it ached.Did she want this for herself? Was it even possible for her?
“I do love him,” she admitted. “Already.”
