The Nanny of House Herzen - Chapter 71
Beth let out a chuckle and replied.
“No, Madam handled it with much more composure than you did, my lord. She just wants to make herself presentable before seeing you.”
“Presentable, my foot…!”
Carius finally let go of Beth and sighed in relief. He ran a hand through his disheveled hair and repeatedly asked.
“Tell me the truth. Is she hurt? Is there any injury at all?”
From inside, a maid’s voice called out.
“You can come in now, my lord.”
Beth stepped aside, and he hurried over to the bed. As he got closer, he noticed the hem of Evelyn’s house dress was stained with faint blood. Panicking, he grabbed her shoulders.
“…Are you alright?”
She nodded with a radiant smile.
Carius let out a deep breath, pulling Evelyn into a tight hug. He buried his nose in her neck, feeling immense relief that she was still warm and soft, and he desperately prayed.
“Hold me. Let me know that I haven’t lost you, that you’re still here with me.”
Evelyn, sensing his near breakdown, lifted her weary arms to hug him back like a child seeking comfort. She knew he was holding back tears and reassured him repeatedly.
“I’m here. I’m right here with you.”
Carius ran his hands over her back, almost frantically, as if she might vanish at any moment. Collecting himself, he kissed her cheeks, forehead, and nose with fervor.
“I love you, Evelyn. I should have said it before we parted…”
Evelyn beamed like a sunflower soaking up his affection. Then she finally asked.
“Aren’t you curious about the baby?”
Only then did Carius remember the baby and awkwardly straighten up.
The midwife approached, proudly holding a swaddled infant. The baby, now asleep, was astonishingly tiny, but with a head full of dark hair that unmistakably resembled his own.
Evelyn said slightly smugly.
“I’ve given you an heir. A Herzen’s son.”
Carius paused for a moment, looking at Evelyn, then broke into a smile as radiant as hers. If his mad father had been alive, he would have surely bestowed an estate upon her.
Then the midwife’s voice broke through.
“Would you like to nurse him, Madam?”
Evelyn’s eyes sparkled with joy. She was so eager that her fingers fumbled while opening her dress. Despite being surrounded by her husband, the midwife, Beth, and the maids, she wasn’t embarrassed to bare her b****t.
She smiled secretly at her husband as she saw the drop of milk on her n****e. Thanks to his preparations, the baby would nurse with ease.
“Hand me the baby.”
Evelyn carefully took the infant. She let a drop of milk fall onto the baby’s tiny lips, and he instinctively responded, stirring slightly.
She gently guided her n****e into his mouth. Even in his sleep, the baby reflexively latched on and began to suckle.
“Huh…”
Tears welled up in Evelyn’s blue eyes. Carius lovingly wrapped his arm around her shoulders and kissed her tear-streaked cheek.
“Thank you, Evelyn.”
Evelyn turned her tear-stained face to kiss him. It didn’t matter who was watching. The intense happiness she felt was unlike anything she had ever experienced.
* * *
After hearing the news of the birth of the young Duke of Herzen, the king was overjoyed and sent gifts and a letter.
“I bestow a name upon my newly born subject, which you should consider an honor. Will you refuse if I wish to be the godfather?”
The letter included the name ‘Friedrich’.
Carius read the letter, then looked at Evelyn with a frown.
“I’ve already agreed to be the godfather to the crown prince, so it wouldn’t be appropriate for His Majesty to be our child’s godfather too. Let’s stick to our plan and ask Duke Celsius instead.”
Evelyn, finding it difficult to defy the king’s wishes, smiled awkwardly.
“Do you think that’s alright?”
Of course, Carius didn’t seem concerned.
“It’s fine. I expected this, but we didn’t finalize the name….”
Evelyn, though, beamed at the thoughtful letter and the cartload of gifts that accompanied it.
“I’m fine with that. How about we use the name we had prepared as a middle name?”
Carius still looked grumpy but nodded in agreement. Thus, the baby’s name was decided as ‘Friedrich Marius Herzen.’
“Shall we call him Fritz for short?”
Evelyn asked, softly calling the name to the sleeping baby.
“Fritz… when will you open your eyes and see your mom?”
Just then, the baby in the cradle stirred, his eyelids fluttering.
“Oh my! Look, Carius! Fritz is trying to open his eyes.”
As the couple watched in amazement, Friedrich Marius Herzen opened his eyes for the first time, ten days after his birth.
Evelyn marveled at the obsidian-like sparkle in the baby’s eyes beneath his jet-black hair.
“Oh my, he looks just like you.”
Carius had an expression caught between joy and uncertainty, unable to decide how he felt.
