The realization that they could be together freely did more to upset the household routine than the threat of further arguments. In the following days, they became downright infatuated with one another. Without a worry hanging over their heads and no need to bother with the little book, they felt a sense of freedom they'd never known in their marriage.

While the kids didn't know for sure what was happening behind closed doors, they knew something had shifted. The older ones knew enough to be properly unsettled though could block it out of their minds enough to know that the constant smiles meant everything was okay. The younger kids were more confused than anything wondering why story and playtime seemed to be getting shorter and shorter.

"Let them be, Chrissie," Tora scolded as her little sister went to make another attempt of fetching Cedric and Evangeline.

"Papa promised," Chrissie said. "Why aren't they here like they said they would?"

"They'll be here. You need to be patient."

And they soon were, though not quite as put together as they had been at dinner. Cedric's shirt was wrinkled and Evangeline's hair was no longer pinned neatly in place. The sight made Simon roll his eyes, but this still beat the yelling. He'd rather give up time with his father for Evangeline's sake than because he was held up alone in his study.

"Are you ill, Evangeline?" Sebastian asked as he walked up to her, scrutinizing her flushed face.

"I'm quite all right," she said, unable to resist catching Cedric's eye and sharing a smile.

. . .

"You ought to have a bucket of cold water poured over you the both of ya."

Evangeline's eyes widened and her cheeks reddened at Mrs. Blatherwick's comment. She'd only been in the kitchen five minutes and had hardly said a word. "What's brought this on?"

"You realize you've been humming since you come down?"

"Is that a problem?"

"I just want you to know you and Mr. Brown aren't as discreet as you might think."

"We're married," Evangeline said in defense. "It's not entirely a secret, not that it's been an announcement either. What's it matter to anyone else?"

Mrs. Blatherwick sighed. "Just be careful around the kids. They're beginning to ask questions."

"… What kind of questions? Which kids?"

"Mostly the little ones. Wondering all about where you run off to or why you forget they're in the room."

"What did you say?"

"That it's none of my business. You won't see me gettin' caught up in this."

"I'll… have to have a talk with them if Cedric agrees."

Changing her demeanor, Mrs. Blatherwick chortled. "It was never like this before."

"How do you mean?" she questioned, though suddenly nervous.

"He never ran around like this with Mrs. Brown. Not even when they were first married."

Turning back to the frying pan before the egg she was preparing for herself started to burn, Evangeline said quietly, "It's not any of my business what their relationship was like."

"He never brings her up?"

She thought back to a couple of weeks before. "Only recently. And only because I made a fuss about him not. But never about such private things. I'm not sure I'd like to know."

"You've always seemed so concerned you weren't enough for him. I thought you'd like to know what a charm you've put on him."

She gave an awkward smile. "A strange sort of compliment."

"I do sympathize, Evangeline." Having worked side by side for years, the cook never took to addressing her formally. "I know the waiting wasn't easy."

"Was that obvious, too?"

"To an old hag like me."

Bringing her plate over to the table, she said, "You're hardly an old hag."

"Not yet, but I've been around twice as long as you."

"I love him," Evangeline said. "I know we've gone a bit mad, but it's so nice not to be fussing with the days. It's not going to last, either. I'm starting to feel the baby. I've got an appetite like Sebastian."

"I've noticed."

"I suspect morning sickness is next. I can't see Cedric wanting to be near me when that happens."

"He's used to that sort of thing," Mrs. Blatherwick said. "But you might not be as wanting."

Evangeline shifted in her seat. "I feel uncomfortable with this kind of talk."

The cook gave what for her could be considered a tender smile. "You always were a bashful one."

"I don't see you offering any details about your private life with your husband."

"He didn't live long enough to tell many stories."

"I'm sorry."

Mrs. Blatherwick waved her hand. "Never mind. Comes with war." Sitting back in her chair, he smiled, looking off to the side. "We were sweet on each other, though. He might have been able to make a proper housewife out of me."

Swallowing the bite of the egg she'd taken, Evangeline asked, "Why didn't you remarry?"

"Didn't have the heart for it."

She looked down.

"Don't look so disappointed. Ain't saying Mr. Brown was only forced to marry you. He was sweet on you for months."

"I know that now."

Mrs. Blatherwick continued. "I never planned to marry, you see. I didn't go looking for him. It was back in the army. He'd always make an excuse to come and see me, bringing the other boys their soups just so he could talk to me. I caught on quickly but loved to watch him squirm. Then finally he decided to tell me the truth. Told me he'd fallen in love and intended to marry me."

"So soon?"

Mrs. Blatherwick raised an eyebrow. "A lengthy courtship compared to you and Mr. Brown."

"Quite right."

"If not for the war, I might have been more stubborn, but truth be told, I was smitten with him, too."

Evangeline smiled.

"We had the Cap marry us and we got three glorious days on leave." She smirked. "We had you lovebirds beat, I tell ya. Didn't leave our room any of that time."

To her own surprise, Evangeline found herself smirking, too. "You didn't have seven children poking about."

"I'll give you that."

"I am envious of that," she admitted. "Tease all you want, but Cedric and I don't have a lot of extended amounts of time alone. But I shouldn't complain. I'm bound to have more time with him than you did with your husband."

"You already have."

"You mean you weren't even married a year?"

"Five months," Mrs. Blatherwick said with a sigh. "Five wonderful months before he was sent to the frontlines."

"I'm so sorry, Mrs. Blatherwick."

Not one to get overly sentimental, the cook shrugged. "Five more months than I ever planned on having with a man."

"I almost feel guilty… between you and Cedric, I'm the only one who hasn't lost a spouse."

"I pray you never will."

"I'd rather Cedric go before me. After all we've been through with the baby I know he couldn't get through it a second time. I think he still worries about the next months constantly but won't say it. I feel him get up in the middle of the night sometimes. He doesn't go anywhere, but I can feel him watching me or I'll notice him staring out the window. I haven't wanted to bring it up."

"And I wouldn't unless he does."

"I want him to know that I'm there for him."

"You know how he is. He needs his space now and again."

She knew this well. "I'm just glad he isn't avoiding me completely anymore. We did talk some things over."

"It'll take time." Standing up, Mrs. Blatherwick patted Evangeline's shoulder before returning to her work. "And if you're really concerned, just let him know you're awake one of those nights. Just let him know you're there."

Evangeline nodded.

"With any luck, he'll want to take his mind off his troubles," she winked.

Even after the extent of this conversation, Evangeline shrunk into her shoulders. "You're wicked, Mrs. Blatherwick."

A moment later, Mrs. Blatherwick was behind her, fixing her dress. "I'm not the one who doesn't know how to re-button a garment."

Evangeline's hand flew to her mouth at the realization but found it in her to be able to laugh. "Perhaps you were right about the bucket of water."

. . .

"I had a chat with Mrs. Blatherwick today."

"Did you now?" Cedric asked, hardly even half interested as he climbed on the bed and crawled over to where Evangeline was sitting on the edge, kissing her neck once he got there.

She chuckled, but said, "We need to be serious for a moment."

He stopped, pausing before he moved to sit next to her. "I'm listening."

"She said the younger children have been asking her why we're so distracted lately."

Cedric sighed. "Chrissie, I presume? We have been slacking with her storytime."

Evangeline nodded. "I suspect it was her given we have."

"We'll have to be more mindful."

"We've been getting careless. The whole conversation began because she caught me with uneven buttons. I only found that out after we talked."

"Good heavens…" but the longer the thought sat with him, he found amusement. "Her and Cynthia must have their thoughts about us."

"She never mentioned Cynthia, but yes, Mrs. Blatherwick is having her fun."

"Is it horrible of me that I don't feel much embarrassed?"

"I wish I could say the same, but I didn't run out of the room or anything."

"We aren't doing anything wrong. If not for the children we wouldn't have to give it a second thought."

"That's what I said."

Resting his chin on her shoulder, he said, "You're not suggesting we stop, are you?"

"Absolutely not!"

He laughed.

"I know it won't be the same in a little while. And that's okay."

"Our time will come again."

"I'm glad to hear it," she replied, turning her head to kiss him. "We'll just need to have a talk with Chrissie and perhaps Sebastian as well. Nothing too detailed, but innocently explain that married people sometimes need time to themselves. Aggie won't know the difference."

"Sounds good to me. We'll talk to them tomorrow."

"Good…"

Sensing the incompleteness in her tone, Cedric picked his head up and asked, "Is there something else?"

"No," she answered quickly.

"What is it, Evie?"

She smiled. He'd taken to this nickname as of late – another benefit of their newfound time together. He was smart knowing she couldn't deny him the truth when he addressed her this way. "It's none of my business so I don't expect an answer… but were things… ever this way between you and Agatha? The way you and I have been behaving…"

She regretted it as soon as the words were out of her mouth. Cedric's shoulders tensed and made space between them.

"I don't see why that matters," he eventually said.

"It doesn't," she said remorsefully. "As I said, it's none of my business."

Meeting her eye with a serious yet apologetic gaze, he said, "It really isn't…"

She nodded as she stood. "Let's forget I said anything. I've got to do my nightly routine, anyhow."

. . .

Evangeline woke when she heard the creak of a floorboard. She stirred and opened her eyes. To no surprise, she saw Cedric over by the window, staring out intently.

Her first response was to close her eyes again and let him be, but then she remembered what Mrs. Blatherwick had said about simply letting him know she was there. It's not as though he'd left the room to go down to the study. Perhaps he didn't want to be alone.

She got out of bed quietly, grabbing her robe from the bedpost and pulling it onto her shoulders. Cedric didn't seem to notice her until she was at his side.

She didn't say anything, only looked up at him sympathetically as she rubbed his back. He seemed grateful for this, putting his arm around her in response and pressing his lips atop her head.

They stood together for quite some time, the silence comforting more than tense. For as wonderful as the past couple of weeks had been, there was something to be said about simply being in the presence of one another again.

"How have you been feeling?" he asked after a while, his voice rough and dry.

"Hungry."

He chuckled at this.

"There's no need to worry right now, Cedric."

"I'm trying to be good about it."

Tucking her hand in his, Evangeline said, "I promise to be honest with you if something doesn't feel right."

"Thank you."

"Come back to bed now. You said you have an early day."

With a forced smile, he said, "In a little while. You go on."

She agreed, standing on her toes to kiss his cheek before letting go of his hand. But before turning back to bed completely, she said, "I'm sorry again for what I brought up earlier… about you and Agatha."

"This isn't about that," he assured her.

"All right," she nodded. "I just wanted to be sure."

"But…" he said just as she climbed back under the covers, though he didn't turn around. "Where did that question come from all of a sudden?"

More embarrassed by the truth than having asked it at all, she answered, "Mrs. Blatherwick made a joke about it… saying I put a charm on you."

To her surprise, when he did turn, he chuckled. "I'm glad you still like to do the errands. We could never let her into town with all the gossip we're creating."

Evangeline laughed too, albeit uncomfortably.

"We'll have to strive for more propriety."

"I agree."

Cedric smiled again, though still had a sad air about him. "Get some sleep, darling."

Knowing she'd pushed enough for one night, she closed her eyes and let him be.