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“And how was your day, my darling?” he asked as he walked further into the room.

“Why were you away for so long?” Millie crossed her tiny arms over her chest.

“I had things to do, Millie. Important things.”

Edith stood quietly, curtsied, and left the room.

Rhys walked up to Millie’s bed and crouched in front of her. “I am a marquess, remember? I have a lot of people depending on me.”

She pointedly looked away from him.

Rhys heaved a sigh. “You are the most important person in my life, darling girl. You know that. And I missed you dearly. But I cannot neglect my lands. ”

She didn’t answer.

“Was Lady Isabel fair to you while I was away?”

Still silence.

Rhys frowned, the fear in his heart growing. “What did she do?” he asked sharply.

Millie turned toward him, still frowning. “Nothing. We went for a ride every day, and then we played and slung rocks.”

Rhys blinked. “Did you, now? How scandalous.”

“She said it’s not scandalous as long as it’s with family.”

Something twisted in Rhys’s gut. Had his little girl just called Lady Isabel family? He only hoped his wife was worthy of that.

“She is right,” he murmured and caressed his daughter’s cheek.

“Why are you dirty?” Millie asked with a grimace but then erupted in giggles.

Rhys let out a chuckle. “I had to clean a lot of dirt this week, moppet.”

Millie smiled and burrowed further under her covers. “Will you sing me a song?”

Rhys nodded. “Of course, my darling girl. That’s what I came here for.”

He tucked her tighter in her bed and started her favorite lullaby.

* * *

Rhys exited the house with the bundle of clean clothing and towels that his valet prepared for him and sauntered toward the stream. He used to clean himself there all the time in the summer after a hard day of work with the farmers, but the weather was still cold in the spring, and the water was almost freezing.

Still, he had no choice if he wanted to wash off the dirt of the day and go to bed in a relatively clean state.

He took off his clothes and entered the stream. The water was so cold that he had to rush to ensure his limbs didn’t fall off from the cold. Once he was done, he donned the fresh clothing and hurried back to the house, wishing for a hot cup of chocolate or milk by the fire.

Hell, forget the drink and fire. All he wanted was to burrow inside his covers and sleep in a warm and cozy room until morning, uninterrupted.

He reached the house rather quickly and ascended the stairs taking two steps at a time. He finally opened the door to his room and… froze.

If he stood there long enough, he’d freeze quite literally.

Rhys entered the cold, dark room, trying to figure out what was wrong.

He peeked into the hearth only to realize that the fire was doused!