Page 142 of Duchess Material

“I couldn’t really bother.”

No, he’d been too busy babysitting Lucy and worrying she would vomit. He’d spent more time figuring out what he could grab to catch her sick. It was a game with only losers.

“Ah, you’re all old and wise now,” Bruno snickered. “Has marriage gotten to you, Winston?”

“No, no. Don’t blame Lucy. I was all-to-glad to have her back, as per usual. She’d been gone an eternity. And, anyway, I barely saw her in the three days before she left.”

The King looked genuinely pained. “I know I have been putting a lot of miles on Natalie and… well, Lucy by-proxy. The girl looks run-down. I suppose I never factored how this would affect a normal person.”

Rita nodded. “I would normally say Lucy operated on fumes, but you’re right, Robbie. She looked a bit down. Is everything alright with her, Winston?”

“Just knackered. She’s still asleep. I didn’t want to wake her, Mum.”

“Well, Natalie’s schedule will slow in a month. She can take a breather,” the King said.

Winston nodded.

“How is she liking the house? Has the staff been making her feel at home?” Bruno asked, kindly.

He was always worried about people integrating. He’d been an outsider, too.

“She isn’t sure what to do yet. She’s still thinking like a guest. I hope she comes around. I’d like us to spend a lot of time here with our children then way you did with us, Mum.”

“It takes time to get used to having a staff like that,” the Queen said. “Especially for an American. She’ll manage in time.”

The King chuckled. “Or she will still infuriate some of the staff with her insistence on doing everything herself. Thirty-three years of this, Vanora.”

“I know, I know. I am different. My point is that Lucy will get it.”

“Have you given any thought to living arrangements now? Maybe moving out of bloody Kensal Rise?” Rita asked.

“Not immediately.”

“Oh, Winston, you cannot raise children there! They’ll be drug across town to find a proper school—”

“What if we just wanted them to go to the local school, mother? Is that so bad?”

“Why, so when Natalie pops out children, yours will whinge they aren’t able to see their friends? I know how this goes, sweetheart. Have you thought about moving to be close to Windsor? Closer to us in the country?”

“Mum, we live in London. We love London.”

“Natalie will be at Frogmore as soon as she and Ed—”

“Can we not make assumptions, cousin?” The King glared at Rita.

She rolled her eyes. “We’re all thinking it.”

Bruno shook his head. “Lay off him. There is no rush. They have time before they’re carting home a new-born. You cannot help yourself, mi amor. Slow down.”

“I know Lucy wants children, so I just assume.”

Winston lacked a poker face. The other men at the table didn’t get it. Rita and Vanna stared at Winston, one another, and back at Winston, knowingly.

“Oh, well, maybe not forever?” Rita smiled slyly.

Winston neither confirmed nor denied it. Instead, as time went on and more people arrived, he worried about Lucy even more. Fearing she was unwell, he picked up something bland-toast, jam, and butter—along with some fizzy water and brought it upstairs to her.

“Don’t make me get out of bed,” Lucy said.

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