"I say, he is a bit small, Garrick," Cynric Tavington said to his son as the two of them observed Katherine playing with the toddler William just outside the back of the estate. The man had never quite taken to Garrick's wife, even if the match had been a wise one in the eyes of the aristocracy. To him, she was much too soft and her misfortune in bearing heirs had done little to help. And now it appeared to him that his only grandson was taking more after her in stature and mannerisms than his father. Katherine looked every inch the aristocrat, and was most certainly a pleasure to the eye. But in Cynric's view, she was far too kind.

"Father, he is only three," Garrick responded with a light air of defence. "He has time enough to grow."

"Garrick, when you were his age, you were several inches taller, and looked significantly healthier," His father replied in a flat tone.

Garrick sighed, but continued to watch his wife and son.

"He is only getting over a cold," He spoke quietly.

"Exactly my point," Cynric replied. "And anyway, why has your dear wife not left him inside with one of the servants? Does she wish to become ill as well?"

Garrick bit his lip, looking down and away from his father while Katherine chased a giggling William around a rosebush before he dodged behind a large rock. Smiling to herself, Katherine began to wander around, pretending to not know where her son had run off to.

"Now, where has my little Will gone," She asked, looking in a nearby shrub.

A muffled laugh issued from behind the rock. Smiling to herself, she walked up to the rock and peeked behind it.

"Ah ha! There is my little angel," She said with a chuckle.

"Mama!" He reached up to her. "Up, please…"

"All right…" Katherine reached down and picked him up, kissing his forehead but pulled away when he sneezed, rubbing his nose.

"Mama, I'm sleepy," He murmured, resting his head on her shoulder.

"Yes, I believe it is time you had a nap," She said, reaching up to stroke his dark brown hair.

Turning toward the house, she started along the path towards her husband and father-in-law.

"Already tired, is he," Garrick asked as she approached them.

"Well, he has been up since six this morning, and it is almost noon," She replied.

"Very well." Garrick nodded before turning his gaze to a servant who was making their way towards them.

"Master Tavington, dinner is ready."

"Thank you, Blythe. We'll be in shortly. Though I would like it if you could take my son in and up to his room. It is time he had a good nap."

Blythe nodded but before she could take William from his mother, Katherine shook her head and said, "No need to take him, I will bring him up myself. Just go on ahead and make sure everything is in place," She finished with a smile.

Blythe looked over at Katherine and then over at Garrick who shrugged and nodded in response, dismissing her with a wave of his hand before he turned to his wife.

"I'll see you shortly then."

"Indeed…" She responded with a small, formal smile; it would have been warmer, but the presence of Cynric and the cold air he seemed to always have about him always seemed to unsettle her, and she resorted to manners of propriety. It didn't help that Garrick himself seemed to get in a mood whenever the Tavington patriarch came to visit.

Bidding them a quiet good bye, Katherine took William back into the house, up a flight of stairs, past several corridors to his room.

"Mama…" William pulled away from her shoulder, yawning sleepily. "Tell me a story."

"Not right now, my dear," Katherine replied with a chuckle, setting him down in a little chair and stooping to remove his black, silver-buckled shoes. "Perhaps later, when your grandfather has left."

"But I can't sleep without a story." Her son protested.

"Well then, you will just have to stay awake," Katherine said in a teasing voice.

"Mama," William frowned, "please?"

"I am sorry my dear, but not now. Still," She spoke, sitting down in a rocking chair next to his bed, "I think you will be able to go to sleep without it. Come here."

Smiling eagerly, William walked over to his mother and clambered his way into her lap, where she wrapped her arms around him.

"Close your eyes..." Katherine whispered in his ear, kissing his cheek.

William did so obediently and waited silently for whatever was to come. Slowly, Katherine began rocking them back and forth, humming softly as she stroked her son's dark brown hair, knowing that within minutes, he'd be asleep. Sure enough, little William's eyelids began to droop and he shifted, trying to bury himself further into his mother's arms while the relaxing, soporific humming of her voice lulled him further into slumber. When at last his breathing had slowed and he was all bur curled up in her lap, Katherine carefully took him and tucked him into bed.

"Sleep well, little one," She whispered, tracing the outline of his left cheek with her finger.

Turning to leave, Katherine startled at the sight of Cynric standing only feet from her, observing her silently through steely eyes.

"Still here Katherine," He asked, his voice crisp with a bitter taste to his words.

"I am sorry, sir." Katherine bowed her head apologetically. "I wanted to make sure he was asleep before I left." She answered truthfully. "He has had trouble lately getting to bed, and becomes afraid if I simply leave him in bed awake. Otherwise, he is perfectly fine."

"Katherine, you could have allowed Blythe to take care of it. I am sure he would have been fine," Cynric spoke with a patronizing voice as he walked up and stood next to her, looking down at his sleeping grandson.

"Perhaps…" Katherine bit her lip nervously and attempted to look away from him.

"My dear, you are too soft on him," Cynric smirked, placing a hand on her shoulder while Katherine did her best not to squirm in response. "Let him be, and if he wakes, so be it. He will learn fast enough. In the meantime, let us go back downstairs. After all, it would not be wise of you to stay up here and catch the same cold your son is getting over," He spoke, holding out his arm for her to take.

Nodding wordlessly, she reluctantly took her father-in-law's arm and allowed him to escort her from the room where a silent meal awaited them in which Cynric left shortly thereafter and Katherine was free to go upstairs and check up on her son. Finding him still asleep, she left the room, finding Blythe in the hallway, dusting some of the portraits.

"Blythe, could you come here for a moment," She asked.

Giving a small nod, the servant shuffled over to her and gave a small curtsy.

"Is there anything I can do for you, mistress?"

Katherine wrung her hands nervously before asking, "Am I too soft on him?"

Blythe lifted an eyebrow in confusion.

"I'm sorry?"

"My son… Do I worry too much for him," She explained, hoping for an honest answer. Blythe herself was about her age and already had a young girl of her own who was a couple years older than William.

The servant hesitated before looking up at her mistress and shrugged.

"I suppose it would depend on how one views good parenting. Though he does see more of you than the servants. But it's not necessarily a bad thing. Of course, we have to let them grow and learn on their own sometime. Still, I believe it to be a good thing that the young master knows you better than he does me." She finished with a shy smile.

"Thank you, Blythe," Katherine replied, her blue eyes sparkling. "My apologies for asking such a question. I guess part of this is… Garrick's father."

"I understand, my lady." Blythe said with a nod. "And yes, I suppose he is more the traditional type. Though it seems as if many of your class are."

Katherine laughed.

"Indeed, he is very traditional. I just want William to be happy, and know that his mother is not a governess."