Page 112 of The English Queen

“Well, it’s good she is their mother then,” Martin said. “I am glad to see you looking well, Beth. If the two of you ever get up to Amsterdam, know you are always welcome to visit. And that includes the little one. I am sure you’ll be quite busy, though.”

Beth nodded. “Oh, probably.”

“We will get up there. We might have to see what you are up to,” Louis said, almost kindly. “It was a brilliant performance. Your muse must have really been some woman.”

“She was the most wonderful sort of woman. Her husband knows he is the luckiest man.”

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“Hold this child,” Rita declared, handing Nina to Louis. They sat in the Balmoral gardens. Beth’s feet were on a lounge chair. Louis sat on the chair’s edge, talking to Elliot. Rita felt the need to make him uncomfortable by putting him on baby duty.

“Oh… okay,” Louis stammered.

He held little Bernadina gingerly.

“She’s fine, Louis. She’s nothing. But I need to go back in and deal with my pump. I will come right back to get my share of this rare sunny day,” Rita said.

“I can take her,” Beth offered.

“No. Make him practice,” Rita wagged her finger.

“Got it.” Louis nodded, as if she was sending him off on a military mission.

He did like to be ordered around.

Rita went to the room where she’d been dealing with feedings. She appreciated this place and the change of pace. She intended to stay in Lauderdale after the boys returned to Eton. She longed to leave the baby with her mother so she could ride again. She was trying to build up a supply to make that easier. The baby miraculously slept through the night, allowing Bruno to do an early morning feed with a pumped bottle. Rita packed the pump when he arrived.

“You need help?” he asked.

“No, darling. But thanks. I ran the pump parts to the washer. Actually, can you run these to the fridge?” She held the pumped bottles.

“Yes. A lot today.”

“Banner day,” Rita laughed. “Filling up my stash.”

Rita returned to find the baby with Louis. He looked slightly less concerned.

“She was an angel,” Beth gushed. “So lovely.”

“Of course, she was,” Rita said as Louis looked like he was about to hand her over.

“No, no, keep her for now. It suits you.” She took a seat, happy to have free hands.

Louis blushed sweetly and looked at Nina’s little olive face, asleep against his chest.

“See, you do fine,” Bruno said. He plopped next to Rita. “Bottles have been secured.”

“I am getting better, I guess?” Louis asked.

“You will be fine when it’s your own. She is quite happy at the moment, though.”

“It’s almost unfair how much surface area you have,” Bruno said. “More room for her to spread out.”

“She is warm,” Louis remarked. “Like a boiler.”

“Babies are like that, yes. They don’t regulate heat like we do,” Rita said. “But she is splendid to cuddle.”

Beth waved her arms. “Hand her here. No one argue with me,”

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