“A long time ago.”
“She survived, but was always weak blooded afterwards and never fully the same. I hate to tell you about this, but you need to know that when you’re with child, you’ll need to take very special care. Much more than most women do.”
“I shall.”
“For a lot of years I’ve saved up my extra money—all of my bonuses and those two big rewards I collected when I was a marshal—so that I could hire a private doctor from the East to watch you for the last part of your term and deliver the baby when the time came. I’ve got enough money to do it twice. Maybe three times.”
Tears filled Beatrice’s eyes. Of the many kind and thoughtful things that her father had done for her during her lifetime, this was perhaps the kindest and most thoughtful one of all.
“Don’t get upset.”
“I’m not
