Izer buried his face in Celian’s shoulder. His body trembled.

“I died once on that cliff, Lian……”

The scent he missed invaded his nostrils. The heartbeat under the soft skin told him she was here. She had returned to his side alive.

However, his desperate confession didn’t reach her at all. A calm voice brushed his earlobe.

“I’m sorry.”

“……”

“I only thought of myself. I’m sorry, Izer. I didn’t know about the baby either.”

“……”

He doubted whether the apology was sincere. It sounded like something a woman would say thinking it was the most appropriate response, a way not to upset Izer’s mood.

She was still distant. Though her body was beside him, her heart was far away. Perhaps in some time when she didn’t have to think about Izer, when he might not have even existed in her life.

But that was only Celian’s hope. Izer gently laid her down.

“No need to be sorry. It’s all in the past. Everything has returned to normal.”

“……”

“Get some good rest, and from tomorrow do as you please, whether meeting friends or whatever. We should visit the palace once too. Consider seriously about accepting the title of marquis.”

“……”

“There’s a new caretaker I hired for Beth. Meet them soon. If you don’t like them, we’ll change them. I’ll help you find someone suitable.”

“……”

“Take a good look around the house furniture too. I threw out many old things. I chose carefully but I’m not sure if you’ll like them. Don’t hesitate, buy whatever you want. Ah right, we need to find a new tutor for Percy too.”

Looking at her sleepy eyes, Izer smiled gently.

“We have plenty of time, so let’s think about it slowly. I’ll go wash up, you sleep first.”

Wherever her wishes may lie, Celian Chesterfield’s present was here, beside Izer Chesterfield.

That was enough. 

 * * *

 All sorts of things happen during war. The fabricated story naturally penetrated the public—that the kidnapped duchess had barely escaped and fortunately met a kind woman who took her in.

Duke Chesterfield became someone who had waited to bring his wife back after her severely injured body recovered. A story was added that the man who had become such a recluse that people wondered if he had died was actually away from Humingham because of his wife.

Celian rejected most visit requests from old friends who were desperate to rebuild their friendship with her. The meetings she accepted could be counted on one hand.

Wendy Schwenn was one of those few lucky ones who had the right to such obvious privilege.

An awkward smile appeared on Celian’s gaunt face. On her lap, where her pregnancy was starting to show, sat a basket full of small cloth pieces.

“Wendy, I think I should make the underwear. You can make the mittens……”

“That won’t do, Lian. This is Duke Chesterfield’s first baby, isn’t it? Please let me make the underwear. I even attached the arms today. Doesn’t it look more like clothes now?”

“The arms…… seem a bit long……”

“……Since daddy has long arms, surely the baby will have long arms too!”

Wendy started chattering happily. She always did her best for her friend who looked helpless every time she saw her.

“Will it be a boy or a girl? Which would you prefer, Lian?”

“I dare not say for fear of disappointing the baby.”

“Don’t worry. Either way will be beautiful since it’s your child. If it’s a daughter who takes after you, the Duke won’t let her go, and if it’s a son who takes after the Duke, he’ll be a mama’s boy!”

Celian remained calm despite the energetic words.

“It could be a son who looks like me or a daughter who looks like my husband. Either would be fine.”

“……Of course, naturally! A son like you would be gallant, and a daughter like the Duke would be prim and proper.”

“Thank you, Wendy.”

With those words, Celian began moving her halted hands again. While Wendy struggled to make underwear, a tiny hat was added to the five mittens she had completed.

Wendy smiled softly seeing her place a hand on her belly.

“Is it kicking?”

“It’s been a while since it did this.”

“When is the Duke coming? His wife is marveling at the baby’s movements, he should hurry and at least place his hand on your belly.”

“He doesn’t go out often, but today he might be late. He’s a busy person after all.”

“Have you decided on names?”

“Not yet. There’s still two or three months until the birth.”

“What are you saying, Lian? Names should be chosen in advance. That’s how it’s done! What if it’s a boy, what if it’s a girl. You should have them all picked out. When the Duke returns, you should seriously discuss……”

“……”

Izer had only shown affection toward her on the first day he brought her back. From the next day, Izer treated her like a guest.

He even acted as if he had no interest in the baby he had sung about so much. Far from being moved by the baby’s movements, he disliked her making mittens and underwear for the baby.

What was the point of discussing baby names with someone like that? Wendy might even be a better discussion partner.

Celian carefully revealed her thoughts.

“Actually, I have some names in mind.”

“I knew it! Tell me.”

“If it’s a girl, Estelle, if it’s a boy, Leon. What do you think?”

“Perfect! Estelle, just hearing it makes starlight twinkle. And what about Leon? It’s such a valiant knight’s name. How did you come up with names that suit your child so perfectly?”

Celian’s mood lifted along with Wendy’s excitement. She found herself unconsciously pouring out her expectations about the baby to Wendy.

“Actually, I hope it’s a girl. I’ve raised Beth, you know. I’d like to try raising a son after I become more familiar. I’m not confident about playing with one either.”

“What a silly worry, Lian. Are you worried about the young master Chesterfield not having playmates? You don’t need to look far. Percy alone won’t leave his niece or nephew’s side.”

“Girls are fun to dress up. You can tie their hair, dress them prettily. Though it would be troublesome if they coveted jewels and dresses from an early age.”

The more they talked, the more excited she became. The two women chatted as if they had returned to their girlhood.

“That’s exactly how Beth was. Children’s clothes are so pretty, but she kept coveting my clothes so much it was troublesome.”

“Oh my, I can understand Lady Berienne. I have an older sister. Compared to her clothes, mine seemed too boyish!”

“No boy in Treven wears baby dresses, Wendy.”

“Not all dresses are the same. Back then, off-shoulder dresses were my dream. Now they’re everyday wear.”

Wendy joked, pointing at her exposed shoulders with her needle. What was a common style for adults was an object of admiration for children.

Wendy grinned as she stabbed the cloth that was trying to become underwear again.

“Anyway Celian, I’m so excited about your baby. Just wait, I’ll definitely complete this underwear.”

“Alright, I’ll look forward to it.”

Celian smiled and lowered her eyes to her needlework. Once the excitement passed, she felt somewhat embarrassed.

When meeting Wendy, she would act like this once in a while, like an unbridled colt. While it was partly because she was comfortable with Wendy, it was more because Wendy was the only one who could alleviate her loneliness.

A yawn escaped. Wendy noticed quickly and spoke up.

“Are you tired? They say pregnancy makes you sleepy. I must have stayed too long.”

“It’s fine, it’s too early to sleep now.”

Unfortunately, Celian, who tried to maintain the same distance Izer kept, had just one problem—sleep.

She couldn’t sleep without Izer. Though she had slept fine at the ranch, in the much more comfortable bedding of the mansion, she would toss and turn, drifting in and out until Izer came. She couldn’t take sleeping pills while pregnant, so it was maddening.

Izer noticed her condition after just a few days.

From that day on, his pattern became extremely regular. He would lie in bed before midnight no matter what, and wouldn’t get up until after seven in the morning.

When she insisted she could sleep alone to her husband who now skipped meals despite sleeping longer, Izer threw out just one expressionless comment:

‘Seems the baby doesn’t think so.’

It was rather dry words for speaking about a child of his own blood. But Celian, judging it pointless to say more to the highly sensitive Izer, let him do as he wished.

Anyway, she planned to move rooms after the baby was born. Newborns need care even in the middle of the night, and a wet nurse alone wouldn’t be enough.

Until then, rejecting the baby’s wish to be with dad felt too cruel……

Her increasingly slowing hands stopped. Just as Wendy was carefully rising after seeing her head drop,

Someone entered through the open door. He approached the sofa with quick steps while giving Wendy a brief nod of greeting.

It took less than a minute for the man to lift his dozing wife and lay down his unwashed body. 

 * * *