A Christmas Rose: A Dusk Gate Chronicles Novella (Book 4 1/2) by Breeana Puttroff Page B
Authors: Breeana Puttroff
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that?”
“My husband here is worrying about my hands staying warm in this cooler weather.”
“I’ll have some gloves made. Anything else?”
“Some extra pillows and blankets for the carriage, maybe? So everyone can stop worrying about whether I’ll be comfortable enough.”
“Already taken care of, honey. You enjoy your afternoon – maybe actually relax a little bit. Nathaniel should be coming back this evening.”
“Thank you.”
“Anything for you, Sir?” she asked, looking at William.
“Just for you to stop calling me that, Ruth. I’ve told you – it’s not necessary to be so formal, at least not here, when it’s just us. You’ve been a friend to us already, and I consider you as such.”
“All right, William. But do let me know if you think of anything.”
“I will.”
He watched Ruth close the door behind her, and then he turned back to his wife. “Okay. Point taken. We’ll go.”
“Good. Because I can’t wait that long to see Linnea. And I want to see Thomas, too – and your mom, Will. It would be really, really nice to talk to your mom right about now.”’
He could see in her eyes, hear in her voice what she wasn’t saying – what she couldn’t bring herself to say anymore, the thing she was trying not to dwell on. That the person she really wanted to talk to right now was her own mother.
Going to spend time with William’s mother, Charlotte, was only a poor substitute for the real thing – but it was the most he could do for her right now.
“Come here, love,” he said, pulling her up into his arms, holding her tight and kissing her. “We’ll go. And things will get better. Once the baby’s here and everyone sees that she’s safe, it will get better.” He put his hands on either side of her belly and bent down to kiss her there, too.
“She? You still think it’s a girl?”
He shrugged. “I’ll be happy with whichever one. But for now, I like thinking about a little girl with your hair and your eyes and your strength.”
“And you, wrapped around her tiny little fingers.”
“Yes, that too,” he agreed, smiling as the baby rewarded him with a strong kick, right below his hand. “See? She knows it already.”
“Maybe he’s just kicking you because you’re calling him a girl.”
“An indignant little man, huh?”
“Or a quiet, sweet, little dark-haired boy who just has to kick out on occasion to let us know he’s there and that he wouldn’t mind being part of things sometimes, too.”
“Well, you have the perfect Mama for that, little one,” he said to her belly. “She’s good at noticing the quiet ones and making them feel important, too.” He looked up at her tenderly, keeping his hand on her, smiling in delight as the baby – active now – moved and pushed against him. “Whoever this is in here is one very lucky baby to have you for a mother, Quinn.”
“You’re going to be a pretty incredible father, Will. This baby definitely lucked out in that department.”
He smiled again, leaning in close and kissing her neck. “I think we’re the lucky ones.”
“I can agree with that.”
He held her like that for several minutes, rocking her back and forth, her tummy pressed against him, both of them feeling the baby’s gentle movements. Finally, she yawned.
“Did you ever consider actually taking an afternoon nap, instead of just telling your grandmother you did?”
“Maybe I’ll sit on the couch and put my feet up. You can tell me what you’ve been doing all day.”
“That will put you to sleep for sure.”
She rolled her eyes. “Sounds like you win either way.”
He smiled and walked her over, settling her in with a blanket and pulling up the footstool for her before going back to the tray of food.
He still hadn’t gotten used to living in the master apartment in the castle. This one was even larger and more impressive than the one his parents shared at the castle in Eirentheos. In addition to this sitting room, a
“My husband here is worrying about my hands staying warm in this cooler weather.”
“I’ll have some gloves made. Anything else?”
“Some extra pillows and blankets for the carriage, maybe? So everyone can stop worrying about whether I’ll be comfortable enough.”
“Already taken care of, honey. You enjoy your afternoon – maybe actually relax a little bit. Nathaniel should be coming back this evening.”
“Thank you.”
“Anything for you, Sir?” she asked, looking at William.
“Just for you to stop calling me that, Ruth. I’ve told you – it’s not necessary to be so formal, at least not here, when it’s just us. You’ve been a friend to us already, and I consider you as such.”
“All right, William. But do let me know if you think of anything.”
“I will.”
He watched Ruth close the door behind her, and then he turned back to his wife. “Okay. Point taken. We’ll go.”
“Good. Because I can’t wait that long to see Linnea. And I want to see Thomas, too – and your mom, Will. It would be really, really nice to talk to your mom right about now.”’
He could see in her eyes, hear in her voice what she wasn’t saying – what she couldn’t bring herself to say anymore, the thing she was trying not to dwell on. That the person she really wanted to talk to right now was her own mother.
Going to spend time with William’s mother, Charlotte, was only a poor substitute for the real thing – but it was the most he could do for her right now.
“Come here, love,” he said, pulling her up into his arms, holding her tight and kissing her. “We’ll go. And things will get better. Once the baby’s here and everyone sees that she’s safe, it will get better.” He put his hands on either side of her belly and bent down to kiss her there, too.
“She? You still think it’s a girl?”
He shrugged. “I’ll be happy with whichever one. But for now, I like thinking about a little girl with your hair and your eyes and your strength.”
“And you, wrapped around her tiny little fingers.”
“Yes, that too,” he agreed, smiling as the baby rewarded him with a strong kick, right below his hand. “See? She knows it already.”
“Maybe he’s just kicking you because you’re calling him a girl.”
“An indignant little man, huh?”
“Or a quiet, sweet, little dark-haired boy who just has to kick out on occasion to let us know he’s there and that he wouldn’t mind being part of things sometimes, too.”
“Well, you have the perfect Mama for that, little one,” he said to her belly. “She’s good at noticing the quiet ones and making them feel important, too.” He looked up at her tenderly, keeping his hand on her, smiling in delight as the baby – active now – moved and pushed against him. “Whoever this is in here is one very lucky baby to have you for a mother, Quinn.”
“You’re going to be a pretty incredible father, Will. This baby definitely lucked out in that department.”
He smiled again, leaning in close and kissing her neck. “I think we’re the lucky ones.”
“I can agree with that.”
He held her like that for several minutes, rocking her back and forth, her tummy pressed against him, both of them feeling the baby’s gentle movements. Finally, she yawned.
“Did you ever consider actually taking an afternoon nap, instead of just telling your grandmother you did?”
“Maybe I’ll sit on the couch and put my feet up. You can tell me what you’ve been doing all day.”
“That will put you to sleep for sure.”
She rolled her eyes. “Sounds like you win either way.”
He smiled and walked her over, settling her in with a blanket and pulling up the footstool for her before going back to the tray of food.
He still hadn’t gotten used to living in the master apartment in the castle. This one was even larger and more impressive than the one his parents shared at the castle in Eirentheos. In addition to this sitting room, a
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