“That’s not what bothered me,” Edward said shiftily. “What could he be digging right now in the snow? The ground is frozen. He can’t be planting, can he?”
“You’re the one with all the estates. I’m sure something has to be planted in winter.” I hadn’t thought of that. I’d been too busy being offended by the way he’d spoken to me.
“I’m no botanist, but this doesn’t seem like the weather for plants,” he said pointedly. We walked for another ten minutes without finding the pond Dr. Stanton had spoken of. At that point, Edward’s teeth were chattering so loudly that I took pity on him.
“Let’s go have a cup of tea,” I suggested.
“Yes, your special tea,” Edward said with emphasis, "and a spot of breakfast. I wouldn’t worry about Mrs. Winters. I think you have her wrapped around your finger regardless of how she acts. Remember, we Brits show our love in strange ways.”
“Whatever, and it’s only special tea because it helps me feed my daughter.” I stuck my tongue out at him.
“Well, aren’t you fancy?”
“Are you staying for New Year’s Eve?” I asked him thoughtfully. Getting through Christmas would be the hardest for him, but New Year’s would be a close second.
“Yes, but I plan to get very very drunk,” he told me seriously.
“Good.”
His eyes narrowed in suspicion at the lack of a lecture. “What are you up to?”
I dashed forward, before he could pepper me with more questions and ducked into the mud room, shrugging off my coat. Edward could get drunk on New Year’s. Especially since I planned to invite Tomas. With the baby at home and me nursing, I wouldn’t be able to partake in the same festivities, but that didn’t mean Edward couldn’t have a friend there. Maybe I could even invite Lola. I doubted that Alexander would let Clara make the trek, and she had a baby of her own at home. The thought filled me with sadness for a moment. Of course, she couldn’t come. They would be at Balmoral. I was lucky that I had Edward with me now. Next year, I’d have to convince Smith to go to Scotland with the rest of our friends. I suspected our prolonged absence from them had more to do with Smith’s concerns about the dangers that surrounded them than the convenience of getting back and forth to London. Seeing Edward had proven to me that wouldn’t work. I needed my friends. They were my family. I would just have to show Smith that.
I was already in the kitchen by the time Edward had gotten off his boots and left them by the door.
“Your tea is on the table.” Mrs. Winters nodded toward a porcelain teapot, steam rising from its spout, before turning to Edward. “And what will you be having, your highness?”
“Please don’t call me that,” he said grimly. “I’m just Edward.”
I couldn’t help wondering if that meant he was questioning his place in the royal family. I shook off my concern. He just needed more time.
I poured myself a hot cup of tea, wrapping my hands around the bone china teacup and relishing how the heat radiated through my frozen fingertips. Breathing in the minty scent, I took a long sip. I hadn’t known what to expect from the herbal tea, usually I preferred something stronger myself. A nice Darjeeling, maybe. But I found the Mother’s Tea refreshing and floral. I’d been supposed to be taking cups of it a couple of times a day but I kept forgetting. I looked up to Mrs. Winters. “Thank you.”
“You need to be having it a couple of times a day according to the box,” she said to me. “Although there are other more natural ways to handle—”
“I think this will be enough,” I interrupted her. I couldn’t imagine that Edward would want to sit through a conversation about breast-feeding.
I finished my first plate of breakfast and stood to make more toast. Mrs. Winters swatted me away, ordering me back to the table so she could do it for me. She was delivering it to me when Smith arrived with Penny in his arms.
“I’m afraid she needs you,” he said.
“That’s okay,” I said, standing to reach for her. But as I did stars appeared on the edges of my vision and I lurched forward, catching myself on the table before I fell. I was dimly aware of concerned cries all around me as I pressed my palm to my temple. I took a moment and straightened up, blinking rapidly. My head felt fuzzy as though I’d had too much to drink. After a moment, it seemed to mostly pass. “I’m okay. I think I stood up too quickly.”
Smith hovered next to me protectively, insisting on carrying Penny into the other room where I could sit and nurse her. He stayed there, watching me like a hawk for further signs of distress, and despite my attempts, I found my eyes growing heavier and heavier.
“Did you get me the wrong medication?” I asked him sleepily.
“I don’t think so.” He frowned. “I took it out of the bottle marked Sertraline.”
“That’s the right one,” I said slowly. It was getting harder to think. “I just thought maybe you accidentally gave me the sleeping pill.”
“Are you tired?” I didn’t miss a hint of pride in his voice. “I did keep you rather busy last night.”
“That must be it.” Truthfully, it probably was. It had been a while since I’d exerted myself so physically.
“Finish up, and take a nap,” he said to me.
“But tomorrow is Christmas—” I protested.
“I can handle everything,” he said. “You need to rest—” He leaned down to kiss me and whispered “—because I plan on doing a lot of very wicked things to you tonight.”
I sighed happily.
“What were you and Edward doing out there anyway?” he asked. “Couldn’t wait to play in the snow?”
“That reminds me, he wants to sled. Do you know if the stables may have something like that?” I asked, feeling sleepier and sleepier.
“Stables?” he repeated. “You didn’t go all the way out there, did you?”
“No.” I yawned. “Rowan stopped me. What is he up to anyway? We were trying to figure out what you plant in winter?”
"Planting? You don’t plant anything,” he said.
I opened my mouth to tell him about the shovel and the dirt, but found myself too tired to speak.
“Give me the baby, beautiful,” he ordered me, “and take your stubborn ass to bed for a while.” He saw me all the way up to our room, coming in to tuck me under the covers. Penny squawked a little before settling happily against her daddy’s shoulder. I blinked up at him, trying to memorize the moment of seeing my husband with our child, but it was too hard. I was too tired and everything was too fuzzy, so I stopped fighting and let go, knowing that Smith would be right there when I woke up.
25
Smith
Christmas morning was a leisurely affair. Penny woke us early, and we took our time to gather around the Christmas tree in the sitting room. Edward made coffee that was mostly palatable—as long as I added enough milk to it. Belle contentedly sipped her herbal tea while Penny lay on a blanket staring up at the mesmerizing lights of the Christmas tree. I paused, leaning against the door frame and watched my wife and her best friend, laughing over some inside joke I wasn’t privy to. I’d been dreading the holiday, with everything going on, but now, it felt like I’d already been given the only present I wanted: to see her happy.