“Cook will be pleased.”
“I should thank her. I haven’t been down to the kitchens since…” She paused. “Since I arrived.”
They ate in silence for several minutes.
Owen found himself noticing things. The way she tucked that errant strand of hair behind her ear. The grateful sound she made when Peters brought tea. The gradual easing of the tension in her shoulders as the food did its work.
“Why haven’t you been eating?” he asked quietly.
She paused, considering. “I truly don’t mean to skip meals. But Evie needs so much attention, and when she finally sleeps, I find myself just… sitting. Watching her breathe. Making sure she’s all right.”
“You can’t watch her every moment.”
“Can’t I?” She met his gaze. “She was abandoned once already. Left on a doorstep with nothing but a note and desperation. I won’t let her feel unwanted again.”
The fierce protectiveness in her voice stirred something in his chest. This woman, who’d taken in a stranger’s child, was slowly killing herself with exhaustion to ensure that the child felt loved.
“She won’t remember these early days,” he said carefully.
“No. But I will.” She took another bite, then set down her fork. “Every time she cries, I wonder if her mother heard that sound. If it broke her heart to leave. Or if she was already gone, and someone else made the choice.”
“Does it matter?”
“Yes.” She looked at him with those too-perceptive eyes. “Because either way, someone gave up on her. And I won’t be another person who does that.”
They finished the meal in relative quiet. Owen watched her eat with an odd sense of satisfaction. Color was returning to her cheeks. Her hands had stopped trembling.
“Better?” he asked when she finally pushed back her plate.
“Yes. Thank you.” She rose, smoothing her skirts. “I should get back. Mary’s new, and Evie can be particular about?—”
“Duchess.”
She paused and looked back at him.
“Tomorrow, you’ll take breakfast in the dining room.”
She lifted her chin. “Is that an order?”
“It’s a request. And tea. And dinner.”
“I can’t leave Evie for every meal.”
“Then bring her with you. Or have Mary bring her. But you’ll eat properly.”
“Why do you care?” Her words were soft and tinged with hints of true curiosity. “You left me alone for a year. Why does it matter to you if I miss a few meals?”
He didn’t have an answer to that. Owen couldn’t explain the surge of concern when he’d seen her swaying on her feet or the protective instinct that had risen when her stomach growled.
“Evie needs you healthy,” he said finally.
“Of course. For Evie.”
Something flickered in her eyes. Was it disappointment?
“It’s always about duty with you, isn’t it? You remind me of my father.”
She left before he could respond.
