Enid woke up alone and incredibly sore. After she redressed the night before, a footman guided her limping back through a back door that led to a small bedroom within the children’s nursery wing. It was a room bigger than the one she shared with Myra. A bed large enough for her, the children, and perhaps a certain man who she hoped was being a better father. A little bookshelf with children’s picture books, a small rocking chair, and a dresser where she found they moved her uniform and her articles of civilian clothing.

It’s not long after that hears a gentle knocking at her door. A young woman with light brown freckled skin, green eyes, and sandy blonde hair waves at her.

“Hello, you must be the new nursery maid.” Her soft voice was far too cheery, but Enid took it with a smile. “I’m the children’s nanny, Ines. I’ll be showing you around. The children should be awake.”

Was she nervous? A little. She hadn’t taken care of children outside of a few summers of babysitting in high school in her first life. 

“You’re noble, right?” Enid just assumed, at least. Usually, nobles would get positions higher, like being a nanny.

The young woman, Ines, nods. “Yes. I come from a Baron family in the Southern Isles.”

Enid should’ve guessed from her accent—it wasn’t thick, but it definitely was there

Ines paused for a moment before adding, “I’m glad you’re here and not the Grand Duke.”

“Hmmm? Why is that?” Enid asked, curious.

“He scares me,” she whispers, “don’t you think he’s scary?”

If only she knew that she slapped him, although his response had more of the flair of an overbearing Duke. 

She gave an awkward nod; it was earlier morning when she washed up in the small attached bathroom in the room, then dried off and dressed in her uniform. She wore her cleanest apron, the only one without food stains. Tied her bonnet neatly with her curls tucked back. She looked like a servant of the dukedom—and not a woman who had her employer’s cock in her mouth.

Enid followed her though the large, sunlit nursery. All the colors were soft and pastel. The walls were painted with murals of stars, baby animals, and flowers. Wooden toy lined the shelves, a rocking horse sat near the hearth. It was like another world, unlike the old, noble interior of the rest of the estate.

The Duchess must have designed this room.

“Nico, I believe is in the reading room,” Ines said, pointing to a door with a sign is barely legible children’s writing ‘Library’ on it. “He always goes there after morining toast.”

Enid quietly stepped inside.

She saw a small head filled with dark curls sitting at the table. Nico has his legs tucked under him with a picture book in his lap. A stuffed gryphon was tucked under one elbow. 

She tried to be as quiet as could—she didn’t want to break his concentration. But she made the mistake stumping her slippered foot against the corner of the door, letting out whispered curses.

He looked up, and when their eyes locked, his eyes lit up instantly.

“Enid!”

Ah…going against a Duke was worth if was for a boy that smiled this bright. He scrambled to feet, ran to her, arms spread wide. She caught him before he could trip or fall, lfiitng him in a hug where he felt weighless.

“You came,” he said, giddy. “You really came!”

Enid smiled, “Of course, sweetling. I was just…preoccupied.”

By my own thoughts and your father.

Nico buried his face in her shoulder. She balanced him as walked the two of them from the readng room.

“Are you my nanny now?”

Enid laughed softly. “More like your nanny’s helper.”

“That’s ok. Nannies are scary sometimes. You’re squishy.”

She blinked and tilted her head as she looked down at him.

He nodded into her shoulder. “Like a pillow that smells like bread.”

she didn’t know whether to laugh or cry.

Ines, waiting for the two, led her to the nursery cradle.

“That’s where she stays?”

“Who, Nico?”

“The baby, Sisi!”

Ines chuckled, “Anastasia. She’s awake. Would you like to meet her?”

Enid hesitated for a moment, then nodded.

After a bit of convincing, she let Nico down and left to explore toys in the room. She slowly bent of the cradle. The first she heard of a soft, incoherent babble. Then, little hands having in the air.

Anastasia Rhadros. Such a tiny baby. Hr white-blonde hair is fuzy and stuck up like a dandelion. Her cheek are round and flushed, her eyes a soft blue.

She had her eyes.

The Duchess’s.

Enid slowly stepped closer. The baby blinked up at her, then gave a delightful squeal.

“Buh-buh!”

She had two bottom teeth growing from her gums.

Enid’s heart melted.

For once she udnerstood that grumpy old duke. She two would fight the world for a baby this precious.