Alexander has already left and reached his office. I know because I have little spies telling me.

It's nice to be the Lady of the place. People tell me what I want to know, not like in the capital.

It's the perfect time to go out and walk in a circle. For exercise.

I also need to talk with the nanny. She must be the one that knows my Duke better than anyone else. She saw him transform from a baby to a grown man.

«It looks like it's going to snow again,» I comment while approaching the chimney. I drag a chair with me and dismiss the maids.

She looks at me and smiles happily.

She knows.

«Who told you? Was it Alexander?»

She nods, and I sigh while sitting down.

«He said he doesn't want this baby,» I point out. «Is that true?»

She tilts her head and observes me for a while. Then, she frowns and moves her hand, as if to say that these words are meaningless.

«You know him better than me. Maybe, he doesn't want to be a father. We've never talked about having children before, so it wouldn't be weird if he wanted to fool around some more time.»

She shakes her head, trying to defend her pupil, while I clench my fists firmly set on attacking him till the end.

«Do you think he will try something dangerous for the baby or me? Why can't he just accept that things turned out like this? He can't have everything under control, can he?»

She continues shaking her head as if what I'm saying makes no sense.

«How was Alexander as a child?» I ask, all of a sudden.

The nanny places her hand on the side, and she turns the palm down to show me a height.

So, Alexander was... little? I couldn't tell.

«Was he rebellious or a good child?»

Ah, she can't talk. I better ask her simpler questions, those which she can answer with a gesture.

«Let me guess,» I try. «He was untreatable!»

She shakes her head in a no.

«So, he was calm.»

She nods.

Hmm, my Duke has always been calm.

«Was he gentle?»

Yes.

«And was he cute? Will our children be cute?»

Yes. Definitely yes!

«Are there pictures of him anywhere? I haven't seen portraits anywhere. All the paintings are either sceneries or have random models.»

She scratches her cheek while thinking. Then, she nods.

Oh, are there pictures of my husband? Where?

I want one!

As she moves her forefinger in a circle, to tell later, I focus back on the main topic.

«Did he cry a lot as a child?»

I want to know what to expect. I hope my baby won't keep me up for the whole night! I will love it regardless, but I want to be prepared if this turns out to be a spoiled little brat.

No.

Oh, thank goodness.

«Was he difficult to take care of?»

No.

If I were Queen, I wouldn't have the chance to take care of my own child. I would be too busy for that. As a Duchess, I don't have too much to do.

It will be a piece of cake.

«I hope our child resembles Alexander,» I whisper.

The nanny nods, but her shoulders shrug. After all, I am cute as well.

«Even if he's unhappy with this, he will love our baby once it's born,» I continue. «And he'll decide to have other babies.»

Now, this is a big bet. But it won't be too difficult to trick my husband in bed and conceive another baby. Or two.

«I think it's a girl, but Alexander is convinced it will be a son. He said it before finding out I'm pregnant. He was probably joking. He said that he would have an heir. What do you think?»

She opens her arms and shows me her palms. She doesn't know, and she doesn't particularly care.

«Both are fine,» I shrug. As long as I can raise them. «We'll need a nanny. The maids are all sweet, but I don't feel safe by ensuring my child to a war machine. My handmaid isn't suitable either. She's both too young and also inexperienced. She knows how to serve a queen, not a little future duke.»

The nanny nods and thinks of the problem together with me.

«I've waited two days to see if the changes to my body happened because of monthlies, but it's not the case.»

She touches her chest, and I nod. My bosom grew in size, but my stomach didn't cramp. My period won't come soon.

«I've also eaten well and had little concerns. Apart from the killer, but that was more upsetting than worrying. It affected Alexander more than me.»

I'm talking alone, the nanny just nods or shakes her head. Little more than that. Yet, I'm feeling a bit more confident about what to do.

«I know how to solve this,» I shrug.

I just have to offer enough, and my Duke will accept any compromise.

«Now, where are the pictures you talked about?»

She draws me a map on a small piece of paper that I bring along in case I need to take notes. She then delivers it to me and entrusts me to a maid.

«The pictures' hall?» the girl murmurs after seeing the drawing. «Oh, sure, my Lady!»

Is there a picture hall full of Alexander's portraits? Oh, it's most probably where the faces of every Lord of Kyre are. That must be the case.

In any case, I'll probably be able to see a teenage Alexander.

«This is where the portraits of all the Lords are displayed,» the maid explains. «This is the first Lord. He built Stoneyard almost seven hundred years ago.»

Interesting, but where is my husband?

«Then, the second Lord and his wife. He decided that he needed a loyal counsellor and helper, and he found it in his wife, the first Lady of Kyre.»

«The first?»

«The first Lord was a widower when he was bestowed his title.»

«Who bestowed the title? You people always say that no King or Emperor gave him the title.»

«The people,» the girl shrugs. «He was the bravest soldier, a good general and a wise merchant. The richest in the region. After defending us from the barbaric tribes times and times again, people decided that he was the best choice as a protector.»

Oh, what a nice story.

«Where are the most recent pictures?» I inquire. There are so many Lords and Ladies, usually together in the portrait. It would take forever to reach my destination if we stop in front of everyone.

No offence, Lords and Ladies. You must all be interesting people, but priorities are priorities.

The room is long and narrow, just like a hallway. It doesn't have any door except for the one we used to get in and one smaller at the other end.

«Is there anything behind that door?» I inquire. It's rather far from here, so I can't understand if it's old and in disuse.

«There's the treasure's chamber.»

Oh, interesting. I know where to go if I decide to rob my husband.

«This is the Lord's grandfather, and also the Emperor's maternal grandfather,» the maid continues, waking me up from my daze. Oh, we're almost there.

«These are the late Lord and Lady,» she continues, lowering her tone a bit.

«Have you met them?»

«I was five when they were brought away,» she whispers. «I used to be the young miss's playmate.»

Princess Lyland's, right. So, it's like that.

Wait, where is the rest? Now, we're closer to the door, but there aren't paintings from this point on?

«Where is my husband's painting?»

The maid tilts her head, surprised. I know, right? Your Lady is quite the type. All this walking just to see the painting of a man I can touch if I want.

But we're currently not talking, so...

«The Lord hasn't commissioned a painting yet. He was waiting for the Lady.»

«Is that so?»

«Yes, it is, my Lady.»

So, there isn't a painting of a young Alexander in here. Then, why did the nanny send me here? What did she want to show me?

Ah, Alexander's parents! It must be it.

I turn back and analyse the portrait. The Lord and the Lady are sitting one next to the other. The Lord is on a big, comfortable chair. The Lady is on a smaller one, and she's sitting on the edge. They seem close, at least judging from their joined hands. They're looking at the artist, so I can see the Lord's pitch-black eyes. Just like Alexander's.

The Princess resembles her mother quite much. They both have a heart-shaped face, shining eyes and a foxy smile on their lips.

«This is the Princess's mother,» I point out. «Where is the first Lady?»

Alexander's father and stepmother died together, so it seems fitting that they're together for the rest of eternity. Still, it feels unfair for his mother. After all, she gave birth to the actual Lord.

«You haven't just tossed her aside, have you?»

My eyes are attracted by a couple of sapphires, so familiar yet foreign at the same time.