"What do you think of the name…. Fred?"

Lady Larkin barely raised her eyes at Sir Harry from her work at her needle point. She had grown, by her how estimates, as large as a cottage; her time would come at the end of the month.

This was the first time they had spoken of names at all.

Sir Harry turned to her from his position where he had been looking out the window.

"Hmmm… Fred. A nice, strong name. I believe it means "peaceful"…. Were you thinking Fredrick, or maybe Alfred?"

Larkin lowered her eyes again.

"Actually… I meant if the child were a girl."

After a long silence, she had to glance up at him. He had gone back to looking out the window, a sweet smile playing over him face.

"So, more like Winifred?"

Larkin beamed, excited he accepted the name. "Actually, perhaps Frederique? I wouldn't want to be accused of stealing the name of our beloved princess…"

He nodded.
"Little Lady Fred…. But, what if it is a boy?"