The days following the birth of his son had Harrison in a very fine mood indeed. He pretended to go about his business, but the truth of it was that he took advantage of any opportunity to look in on Adelaide and baby Taran.

He could not help himself.

This morning marked three days after the birth, and he had been trying to undo the things he had started with his solicitor for Richard’s bribe when he had the strongest desire to go and see his son. So up to his wife’s chambers he had gone.

Adelaide had finally lost the look of extreme fatigue in her features, though, as he understood it, she was still sleeping a great deal. But she had not taken with fever or infection, which was a great blessing in his mind, and now she need only recover her strength. Harrison took breakfast and dinner with her every day in her rooms, and as the days went on, she spoke less and less, keeping her attention more on the baby than on him.

He did not mind. Taran was a marvelous child, and he was fascinated by him too.

Although, to be fair, a newborn did not do very much, though there was great satisfaction in holding him.

Harrison moved toward Adelaide’s chambers quietly, unsure if she or the baby would be resting. But when he gently knocked, a reply from within told him to enter, so he did.

Adelaide sat in bed, holding a sleeping Taran, looking the very picture of motherly bliss. She smiled at Harrison. “Well, if it isn’t the new papa. Come to see your son, my lord?”

“And my wife,” he said easily, striding toward them. “How are you both?”

“I am tired,” she answered at once, though she looked better than he had seen her look in days. “And he is insatiable. I have just fed him, and now he sleeps, but he will wake up in less than an hour and act as though he has not eaten in the entire time he has been on this earth.”

Harrison chuckled and came to the bed, running a hand over her hair as he looked down at their sleeping son. “Well, he will probably grow out of that just in time to fall back into it as a child.”

“You are so encouraging,” she grumbled. She pursed her lips for a moment, reached up to take Harrison’s hand from her hair, holding it tightly in her own. “Basset, I’ve something I need to say.”

She hadn’t called him Basset in a few days, and the return to it felt almost cold, though he knew he should not overthink what had to be a habit. “All right.”