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“You will ruin that coat,” she mused at him from the doorway.
“I have several others.” Gregory did not look up, carefully balancing the topmost block. “He has decided that I am to build it exactly seven blocks high before he is permitted to destroy it. Quite the little architect, I must say.”
“He has very particular standards for a child who cannot yet properly walk.”
“He gets that from his mother, I think.” Gregory glanced up at that, something warm and unguarded in his face that had not been there, Phillipa thought, the very first week of their marriage, when he could barely look at this same child without flinching. “I used to think I would never manage this. Sitting here.”
“And now?”
“It’s gotten easier.”
The tower reached seven, and Theodore demolished it instantly, blocks scattering across the floor in every direction. Gregory laughed, and began to gather them up and start again.
Phillipa watched him a moment longer than she meant to, something in her chest aching with tenderness.
He had made so much progress that it was endearing to witness.
In a strange way, things were much better now than they were before. Yes, there was the looming threat of Dornet hanging over their heads and Phillipa was nervous about the ball, but when it came to the three of them, things had begun to make much more sense.
Phillipa didn’t want to get ahead of herself, but it almost felt like they were a family now. A proper one.
A strange, anxious feeling appeared in her chest.
What if it all goes wrong?
She didn’t know what the source was, but that was the reality of anxiety. It appeared whenever you least wished for it to.
“Your Grace?” Martha appeared in the doorway. “You are being called downstairs. You have a guest.”
Gregory’s head snapped up at that. “Who is it?”
“Duchess Augusta, Your Grace.”
“Oh,” he seemed to relax immediately at that. Phillipa did not read too much into it, and headed downstairs.
“I just wanted to come visit, and see if you needed any help with the preparations,” she said, smiling. “How is it going?”
“It’s.. well, I think we are good on the arrangements,” Phillipa admitted, her mind still trailing back to Gregory. “Come sit down, we can talk over tea.”
“Is Gregory home?” she asked, as though she could read her mind.
“Yes.. he is upstairs,” Phillipa replied. “He is with the baby.”
“That’s endearing,” Augusta said in a gushing tone. “I’m very proud of the both of you, you have taken this role as a stand-in parent very well.”
Phillipa blushed. “How are things with you?”
She wanted desperately to change the conversation topic away from herself.
“Oh, you know. Just busy. Our little one keeps us on our toes at all times,” she admitted with a smile. “I’m looking forward to the ball, though. I’m sure it will be the event of the season.”
“If it helps me raise enough money for the orphanage, I hope so,” Phillipa said, earnestly. “That is all I care about, and that is the only reason I am spending so much effort on this.”
“I know,” Augusta replied.
Phillipa didn’t tell her about the guest she had invited. It was best to keep it to herself, for now.
“I’m sure Gregory is super proud of you as well,” Augusta rambled on. “You have so much compassion, and that is a really attractive trait. I’m sure he loves this about you.”
