“I received a letter from my man in America.” Lord Andrew said. “He has found a possible house for us. It will not be as grand as this one. It would barely count as an estate.” He picked up his piece of toast. “Yet, it will be a good roof over our heads. And it is in a good, clean, and safe neighborhood.”

Lady Eliza raised her gaze at that last line. “Define safe.”

He met her gaze. “Safe.”

She exhaled a soft breath. “Do you mean it?”

He smiled. Just a small smile. Just a little shy. “I do.”

“Is he sure? Is he really sure?”

Lord Andrew reached over and touched her hand. “We will be safe.”

***

There were so many other questions Lady Eliza wanted to ask. But she knew better than to ask it in front of May Rose. As it was, May Rose looked far too interested in the vagaries of their conversation.

Lady Eliza picked up her fork. “Well, that is very good news. After all, it would be a shame to leave this place and move into a city where we have to worry about pickpockets and murderers.”

May Rose rolled her eyes. “Is that all? I thought it would be something more interesting than that, especially after all of that deliberate talking over my head and behind my back.”

Lord Andrew bit into his toast. It didn’t quite hide his smile, but it made it a little less obvious.

“It’s going to be awful to be an adult.” May Rose said. “Always talking about the most boring things. Never anything fun or exciting.”

“Excitement is overrated.” Lady Eliza said.

May Rose didn’t bother responding to that. She just gave her mother a “You’re kidding, right?” look.

“It is something that you will understand better when you have a home of your own. You will find peace and joy in the ‘most boring’ things.”

“Never. Not ever. If I found boring things interesting, it would mean that I’m half-dead. No thanks!”

Lady Eliza frowned. “Does that make me half-dead?”

May Rose ate the last piece of her potato before answering. “No, because you are you. You aren’t me.” She said it in such a matter-of-fact way. It almost felt like an insult, but it also felt like a simple statement.

Lady Eliza had no idea how to respond to it. “We will discuss that later, May Rose. Eat the rest of your food.”

***

Lord Andrew watched his wife and daughter. His heart swelled with love for them both.

If he is right, I will not have to leave Eliza at night anymore. We will be able to share our bed again. Oh, how I have missed it.

I have missed her.

No more risks. No more dangers. No more wondering if I will die alone on the streets or be changed into a monster. I will not be a hunter anymore. I will just be a husband and a father. I will just be any other man. I will be just me and that will be enough.

Lady Eliza looked at him again. No crystal, no diamond, no crown, no diadem could have matched the beauty of her eyes. The light in them. How they sparkled.

If he had been eating alone with her, Lord Andrew would have gone to her and kissed her repeatedly. But they were not alone. May Rose was right there. The servants stood nearby.

He smiled.

Later…