“Oh, it's lovely!” Ellie exclaimed. “It's such a beautiful…a beautiful…” She looked to Charles who was no help at all. “Rabbit?”

“Exactly.”

Ellie let out a relieved breath.

“I saw one in the garden. I thought you'd like his ears.”

“I do. I love his ears. They are very pointy.”

Judith's face turned serious. “Mama told me you drank some bad milk.”

“Yes, it's given me a horrid stomachache, I'm afraid.”

“You must always smell milk before you drink it,” Judith instructed. “Always.”

“I certainly will from now on.” Ellie patted the little girl's hand. “I appreciate your advice.”

Judith nodded. “I always give good advice.”

Ellie smothered a laugh. “Come here, poppet, and give me a hug. That will be the nicest medicine I've had all day.”

Judith climbed onto the bed and snuggled into Ellie's embrace. “Would you like a kiss?”

“Oh, indeed.”

“It will make you better,” the little girl said as she planted a loud smack on Ellie's cheek. “Maybe not right away, but it will.”

Ellie stroked her hair. “I'm sure it will, poppet. I'm beginning to feel better already.”

As Charles stood in the corner, silently regarding his wife and cousin, his heart swelled to overflowing. Ellie was still recovering from the worst attack of food poisoning he'd ever witnessed, and here she was, cuddling his young cousin.

She was amazing. There was no other way to describe her, and if that weren't enough, she was clearly going to make the best damned mother England had ever seen. Hell, she already made the best wife he could ever have imagined.

He felt his eyes grow suspiciously moist, and he suddenly realized that he had to tell her he loved her. And he had to do it now, this very instant. Otherwise he was certain his heart would burst. Or his blood would boil. Or maybe all his hair would fall out. All he knew was that the words “I love you” were welling up within him and he had to say them aloud. It just wasn't something he could contain within the boundaries of his heart any longer.

He wasn't sure if she returned the sentiment, although he suspected that if she didn't, she felt something at least close to love, and that would be good enough for him right now. He had plenty of time to make her love him. A lifetime, in fact.

Charles was coming to greatly appreciate the permanence of the marriage bond.

“Judith,” he said abruptly. “I need to speak with Ellie right now.”

Judith turned her head toward him without relinquishing her spot in Ellie's arms. “Go ahead.”

“I need to speak with her privately.”

Judith snorted in a vaguely insulted manner. She climbed off the bed, turned her nose up at Charles, and said to Ellie, “I shall be in the nursery if you need me.”

“I shall remember that,” Ellie replied gravely.

Judith marched to the door, then turned around, ran back to Charles, and kissed him quickly on the back of his hand. “Because you're such a sourpuss,” she said, “and you ought to be a sweetpuss.”