“Thanks, Charlotte.”

“Congratulations.”

She greeted me with a tender smile and scooped a little bit little bit of the soup with the spoon earlier than she blew on it. I used to be actually grateful since, frankly, I didn’t even have any power to carry a finger, however this felt a little bit burdensome nonetheless.

“Enable me.”

Then, Gellerhard all of the sudden snapped in.

“Me too!”

Carl additionally ran for the candidacy and Charlotte instantly turned her head in the direction of the Duchess Dowager with a face that requested; ‘what ought to I do?’

“Effectively then, I’ll ask the Duke. I believe it might be okay for the 2 of you to spend a while collectively now.”

Charlotte’s intervention was thought of even by Gellerhard, who hated her, so Gellerhard took Charlotte’s place as a substitute. A tray was placed on his thigh and Carl, who had been sitting subsequent to me, was finally pulled down by Charlotte.

“Eat the soup and get to sleep as soon as extra. Don’t fear about the rest.”

“Sure, Mom.”

“I’ve additionally despatched a message to Viscount Bentta, so they are going to be right here quickly sufficient.”

“Thanks.”

“Now, relaxation up.”

The Duchess Dowager, who was involved that Carl would finally annoy me, picked the kid up and went out with Charlotte. Solely a single maid had stored her place by the door whereas all the opposite maids had gone away. Then, Gellerhard started stirring the soup with a spoon.

“It doesn’t look very appetizing although.”

Heh—Gellerhard snorted as he made a quite pointless quibble. I noticed his dissatisfaction with Charlotte that had melted into the poor soup.

“I’m hungry, oh—”

As I pressed my lips collectively, the soup lastly entered my mouth. It was a bit scorching, which made me merely swallow it complete, so I didn’t even know what it actually tasted like.

“Do chill it a bit extra.”

“Sorry. Hoo hoo—”

As if he was exhibiting off his superior lung capability, the soup that he had blown on for a very long time turned lukewarm. He was a person who knew nothing of any center floor. Effectively, when did he ever nurse and feed somebody like this? I calmly accepted and ate no matter that he fed me. His remedy was so clumsy that he had scooped out an excessive amount of soup which finally ran down my mouth and he additionally moved the spoon incorrectly that made a noise as quickly because it hit my tooth or lips. Nonetheless, the look of Gellerhard, who appeared to be very apologetic at any time when he made a mistake whereas nonetheless attempting to be cautious and cautious, was a bit cute.

I finally emptied the soup and with Gellerhard’s assist, I sat again on my again. The mattress appeared to have cooled down a bit, so I modified the new water tub and slowly buried myself within the heat, fluffy bedding earlier than letting myself go to sleep. In my sleep, I assumed that I might barely hear the lullaby which I normally sang to Gellerhard and Carl earlier than.

* * *

The subsequent time I wakened, it was already morning. The maids wiped my face and physique with towels soaked in water and Mrs. Might vigorously excused her absence by saying that the Duke left this morning on pressing enterprise and that he had initially supposed to remain by my aspect the entire time. I knew that Gellerhard was busy, so I wasn’t actually irritated by his absence, however he simply stored letting Mrs. Might hold her eyes on me. On prime of that, she had been actively making excuses for him whereas understanding the truth that the opposite maids would prick their ears and overhear it.

It was solely after consuming breakfast and shifting across the room two or thrice with the assistance of the maids that my vitality returned to my physique little by little.

“What in regards to the child? I need to see the infant.”

Now, I might already maintain the infant in my arms. A maid hurriedly went exterior and shortly after, the Duchess Dowager in addition to Carl got here in with the infant. Carl was smiling broadly as he grabbed the hem of my garments.

“Did you sleep effectively final night time? I’m so blissful to see that you simply’ve woken up from a superb night time’s sleep. Charlotte’s soup will need to have labored fairly effectively.”

“I suppose so. I slept effectively and I felt quite gentle within the morning too.”

“Mandy, hiya!”

“Hiya, Carl. Are you right here with the infant?”

“I used to be so blissful that I wished to see my youthful sister ever because the morning. I got here together with her as a result of Mrs. Might introduced her.”

“Oh, my goodness.”

When a second little one was born, it might be mentioned that the primary little one would really feel a scarcity of consideration in addition to a way of loneliness, however she was additionally Carl’s half-sister. Subsequently, I turned nervous, however luckily, Carl appeared to love his sister. Carl, who had cheeks similar to ripe apples, urged me whereas tugging the hem of my skirt.

“Mandy, shortly—”

He urged me to sit down down shortly and see the infant. I climbed onto the mattress and sat with my again towards the cushioned head and Carl immediately took the seat subsequent to me. The Duchess Dowager, who was already sitting on the mattress, slowly held the infant out into my arms.

“Oh, my God…”

The newborn had the scent of heat milk and was startlingly little. Her palms and toes have been surprisingly small, together with her all 5 fingers and 5 toes every as tiny as a millet. The newborn’s pink soles and palms have been all tender and mini too. The kid’s eyes have been closed, maybe as a result of her eyelids have been all swollen or maybe since she had been asleep, however her lips have been continuously munching round.

“She was named with Theodora.”

The Duchess Dowager mentioned to me as I used to be quietly taking a look at her little one’s face. When a child was born, they might normally be named by the eldest individual throughout the family, so it will need to have been come up by the Duchess Dowager herself.

“Theodora.”

“Theo-do—”

By some means, she even had a really pretty identify. As I carved my child’s identify in my coronary heart, I smiled on the Duchess Dowager and thanked her earlier than she responded with a smile on her face to me in return. Carl known as out his sister’s identify after me, however the identify ‘Theodora’ appeared to be too lengthy for Carl to pronounce abruptly.

“Theodora—your sister’s identify is Theodora. Theodora.”

“Sure, Theodora.”