"So, Victoria dear... how is Victor?" Nell enquired in a studied, disinterested tone as she poured the tea.
"Asleep at the moment." Victoria responded hastily moving the ornate cup under the amber stream before it poured out onto the carpet. Mrs. Van Dort was overdoing the whole "faintly distracted" routine again in an effort to appear ladylike. Now there was another reason Victoria was glad her mother was not here. She would have thought Victor's mother was mocking her. She sipped her tea and tried not to shudder as she put it down. It was Darjeeling oversteeped by about five minutes and therefore bitter and undrinkable. It was no wonder Victor had been nearly as extactic over her tea as he had been over...other things. Victoria made a mental note to find a tactful way of introducing better methods of making tea to the Van Dort household. "I think he shall mend soon."
"I should think he would, the way you've been taking care of him." William commented dealing with Nell's tea in his usual manner, 4 extra lumps of sugar.
Nell huffed. "Yes, thank you dear but I still say that such things are best left to servants. I mean what is the point of hiring them if they don't do things for you?"
"Our servants have plenty to do already, darling." William put in gently. "You're very good at keeping them busy. Besides it clearly makes Victoria happy to nurse Victor herself and since they've already been married it's not as though she'll come across anything she hasn't already seen eh?" He gave Victoria a wink and a slight nudge. Victoria blushed and giggled softly into her tea cup.
"Really William!" Mrs. Van Dort cried turning purple. "I'll not have discussions of such tawrdy subjects when we are using my best china!" She paused a moment and turned to Victoria, "But as long as we are on the subject, Victoria... shall I be a grandmother any time soon?"'
"It's not...entirely impossible at this point." Victoria responded in as even a tone as she could. The beuatiful sound of Victor's bell resounded through the parlor. "Do excuse me."
"Did you need something, Victor?" Victoria asked perching herself by Victor on his bed.
No but mother has a carrying voice and I thought you'd probably had enough of that particular conversation.
She smiled and kissed his forehead softly. "You thought correctly. I do like your mother, Victor. But her obsession with grandchildren coupled with a...very bipolar sense of propriety makes one unsure about what to say next. However do you and your father cope?"
We have our ways. I say as little as possible and father just says whatever he likes and lets her get upset if she wants to. He believes she rather enjoys her own indigantion and I don't disagree with him.
"I suppose I will figure out my own method eventually. At least she likes me."
How can she help it?