The Nanny of House Herzen - Chapter 73
With another nursing period beginning, Evelyn was destined for an even longer breastfeeding duration than before. Her husband would only give up his morning snacks after her milk increased to the point where she fell ill with a fever from overproduction.
Evelyn gave an awkward smile.
“It seems like I’m producing more milk with the second child. When I had Johanson, I could almost manage alone without much help from the nurse.”
The nurse clapped her hands in recognition.
“I’ve heard about that! It’s the first time I’ve known a noble lady to breastfeed herself. It’s quite remarkable, Madam.”
People often forget things, especially in a grand noble household like Herzen’s, where stories are told in whatever manner they wish.
Evelyn had worked hard over the past few years to craft a narrative that made Johanson unequivocally her daughter. The tale was that the Duke lost his first wife and child simultaneously and found solace and healing through Evelyn.
Carius didn’t particularly like this narrative, but to Evelyn, Johannson was the most important. She wished that no one would know Johanson had another surname until she grew up.
So Evelyn simply smiled.
“With my milk flowing so well, it would be a waste not to use it.”
The nurse found this amusing and laughed along. Evelyn looked down at Fritz, who was nursing vigorously, and added.
“He’ll likely fall asleep soon. You could come back a little later.”
“Shall I?”
After the nurse left for a bit, there was another gentle knock at the door. Evelyn looked up to see her husband.
“I heard we have guests?”
She glanced back at Fritz and asked, as he came over and wrapped his arms around her. The warmth of his chest pressed against her back.
Carius stood behind her, brushing his cheek against her white cheek, and looked down at their nursing son. He felt both proud and a bit jealous.
Evelyn, finding his mixed emotions evident in his eyes, gazed at him in amusement.
He was absurdly jealous of his son. Fritz was his biological son, so he never had been this way with Johannson. His jealousy towards Fritz was on another level. Even now, he was sliding his hand towards her thoroughly cleaned b****t, making his intentions clear.
“Don’t,” Evelyn said coldly.
He finally answered her earlier question.
“Now that the child is born, His Majesty will surely use any excuse to summon me again. We can just placate the messenger and send him away.”
It wasn’t unusual for her husband to disregard royal commands, and Evelyn had long decided not to let it bother her. So, she simply repeated herself.
“Don’t touch it. I just cleaned it.”
He froze for a moment. Evelyn replayed her tone in her mind, wondering if she had been too harsh, but she didn’t feel she had said anything wrong.
If anything, it was her husband who was out of line. He had already indulged his desires that morning…
But now, with his head resting on her shoulder, he remained silent and still. Surely, he wouldn’t be petty enough to get angry over something like this.
Although he might act differently around her, he was generally ten or twenty times more forgiving than his reputation suggested.
Ignoring him, Evelyn lifted Fritz to her shoulder and gently rubbed his back. The sleepy Fritz let out a small burp and then resumed nursing from the b****t his father had coveted.
Carius watched Evelyn gaze lovingly at their son and eventually stood up without a word.
Loud hoofbeats could be heard outside. As expected, a royal messenger had arrived.
“…Carius?”
Evelyn called after him as he walked towards the door, but his reply was cold.
“Later.”
She clicked her tongue in disbelief as the door shut with a bang. She tried to recall if her husband had ever left her like this, showing her his back.
He never had. Carius had never done such a thing.
* * *
It was only after feeding Fritz to his fill and putting him down for a deep sleep that Evelyn left the nursery.
Back in her bedroom, Evelyn opened her calendar and counted the days. There were just two days left until the date the midwife had mentioned they could resume their marital relations.
A difference of two days shouldn’t matter much, right?
Despite how he had coldly left her earlier, Evelyn missed his embrace. Every time he nursed from her and showered her with heated kisses, she had been helpless against him.
This time, she wanted to be the one in control. She wanted to make him beg for forgiveness for leaving her like that, to make him realize that only she could affect him so deeply.
Soon, she heard the clatter of hoofbeats again. Her husband had sent the royal messenger away faster than she thought possible. Tonight, she would reward him.
He was like a contrarian; he responded better to rewards than punishments.
With that decision, Evelyn called for her maid.
“Ellie. I’d like to take a bath. Could you prepare the new scented oil we brought in last time?”
Ellie hesitated before asking.
“Right now, Madam?”
Evelyn blushed slightly at the maid’s question. It was indeed earlier than usual, but she was eager to dissolve the awkward tension between her and her husband.
