“I just have to go more slowly.”
He took her to his study and showed her the letters from Valois and his copies of the ones he had sent back. He had written to the Frenchman just a day after their wedding, asking him to play a correspondence game. Valois had agreed, remembering George from the chess tournament in London. Then the letters back and forth, detailing Valois’ moves in response to Phoebe’s moves.
“It’s extraordinary, Phoebe! A woman has beaten Valois. We’ll get the game written up and published.”
“Don’t be upset, George.” She reached up and stroked the skin behind his ear. “But I’d rather the game weren’t published.”
“Don’t you want everyone to know? A woman beat Valois. No one will believe it.”
“Yes, that’s right. No one will believe it. They’ll think you did it. There’s no proof I made the moves. All the letters written to Valois are written by you.”
“You and I know you did it.”
“Yes. You and I. That’s what’s important.”
“You don’t want the world to know you won, Phee?”
“The world isn’t ready for a woman to win that way. But I’m so lucky you are, sweetheart.” She went up on her toes and he bent down and she kissed him, her large belly between them.
He rested his hand on her swelling. “The baby is kicking. I could feel it when you kissed me.”
“Yes.”
“The baby is happy its mother is so clever.”
“The mother is so happy she’s married to the baby’s father.”
They kissed again.
“George,” she said against his lips as his hands moved up to her breasts.
“Mmm?”
“If the baby is a girl . . .”
He pulled away. “Yes?”
“Would you be willing, if I asked you, to teach her chess?”
“You would want me to?”
“Yes.”
“You don’t think it would ruin her? Her chances?”
She shrugged. “Her future husband wouldn’t be a very good one if that put him off her. I see that now. And maybe, by the time she’s grown, we can have prepared the world for a woman chess champion.”
“You wouldn’t want to teach her yourself?”
“I’ll teach the advanced lessons.” She grinned. “After all, I’m the one who beat Valois.”
“Yes, you did.” He kissed her once more.
“You’ll teach all the babies chess. All six of them.”
“Six? Let’s just get through this one, please.”
She tutted. “What about your calendar, George? I’m sure you’ve planned out when we are to have the six.”
