She didn't think she'd forget this day as long as she lived. And it wasn't just the fact that she'd had a baby today, although that was certainly something she couldn't possibly forget. Part of it was having that baby in Lady Mary's bed wearing one of Lady Mary's nightgowns after having her water break all over Lady Mary's Aubusson rug. She was sure Mr. Carson had blustered about it all and equally sure that Mrs. Hughes had been her usual calm, straightforward self in return. By the time they'd come to see her and her son, though, they were only full of congratulations, as was everyone. Anna had never felt so loved and cared for by everyone, upstairs and down, and in turn, she'd never felt so much love and care for the wee little thing in her arms.

She smiled down at her sleeping infant and kissed him lightly on the forehead, then looked up when John came into the room again. They'd carefully got her moved to the cottage after she insisted Lady Mary couldn't be turned out of her own room for too long. Lady Mary had tried to argue, but Anna wouldn't be swayed and then John had needed to help his Lordship dress for dinner. The Earl had offered to dress himself or have someone else do it, but they all knew how that would go, especially if he dressed himself. So John had gone, and honestly, she hadn't minded. She'd had some time to be alone with her son, to consider each of his tiny fingers and his tiny toes, to marvel at the perfectly formed fingernails, to wonder which of his parents he was going to look more like when he grew up.

"Comfortable?" John asked, and Anna looked up at him. Truly, she wasn't very, and she didn't think anyone expected her to be right now, but she knew why John asked. He always asked. It was a habit for them, one that she'd almost developed a superstition about. If he didn't ask, she was nearly guaranteed a bad night's sleep, and then she was guaranteed a bad day after.

"Come and sit with me," she said, rather than answering him, and carefully moved to the side of the bed to give him room. It took some time and effort and she winced as she did, but eventually she was resettled and the baby was too. He had of course chosen that moment to decide that he was hungry, so it took a bit longer to settle him against her breast, but soon enough he was content and she glanced up at John as he carefully sat down next to her. He ghosted a gentle hand over the baby's soft, fuzzy skull as he smiled at their son with love and devotion. John was besotted, and she loved him even more for it.

"You didn't answer," he said, looking up at her with a bit of worry mixed with all the love. "Do you need the doctor?"

"No, John," she assured him. "I'm comfortable. Couldn't be more."

He settled in next to them to watch their son feed and she considered her words. She couldn't be more comfortable, couldn't be more happy, couldn't be more content, couldn't be more anything in this moment. She couldn't be more.