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He could be distant and abrupt, determined to keep his emotions locked away, and yet he remembered every ridiculous detail of their first meeting. He noticed whether she had clothing. He arranged for her family to attend their proper wedding. He cared for Felix with quiet diligence, even while insisting he did not want a child of his own.

Olivia reached for a piece of toast and tried not to think too deeply about any of it. For now, she would enjoy breakfast with her sister and her husband, learn the grounds of Glenmore, and wait for the right moment to speak privately with James about Felix.

There would be plenty of time for difficult questions.

At least, she hoped there would be.

James had been working in his study for nearly two hours when Olivia entered without ceremony, and he looked up from the estate accounts with an expression that made it clear he had not been expecting company.

The room was quiet except for the crackle of the fire and the scratching of his pen, yet the moment she appeared, his concentration fractured. He disliked that. He disliked even more that he had begun to expect her presence, to notice the sound of her footsteps in the corridor and wonder whether she would come looking for him.

"What is it?" he asked, leaning back in his chair, his voice cool and clipped.

Olivia closed the door behind her and approached the desk. She did not appear intimidated, which James had already learned was one of her more infuriating qualities.

"I wanted to discuss a few things about Felix," she said, resting her hands lightly against the back of a chair. "The cottage needs some changes if he is to remain there. There should be better arrangements for bathing him, somewhere for his clothes and blankets, and perhaps a proper nursery rather than simply a room where a cradle has been placed."

James studied her for a moment. Of course she would have noticed everything within an hour of seeing the child. Olivia possessed an irritating ability to look at a problem and immediately find all the ways it could be improved.

"Do whatever you wish with the cottage," he said, returning his attention briefly to the accounts. "If you want it altered, have it altered, and I shall cover the costs."

Her eyebrows lifted slightly. "That was easier than I expected."

"I have never objected to practical improvements," he replied dryly. "My objection is to anything that draws attention to Felix."

Olivia's expression became more serious. "Then there is the wet nurse."

James stopped writing. He already knew where this was going. "What about her?"

"I do not think she is the right person to care for him," Olivia said, stepping closer to the desk. "She believes the mark on his face is some sort of fairy curse. She thinks of him as a changeling."

James's jaw tightened, though he kept his voice measured. He remembered the woman's remark and the look on Olivia's face when she had heard it. She had been furious, although she had concealed it remarkably well. "As long as Felix is safe and properly fed, I do not see the difficulty."

Olivia stared at him as though he had just suggested leaving the baby in the woods. "You do not see the difficulty?"

"He does not understand what she is saying yet," James replied, "Her words cannot harm him."

"I disagree." Olivia folded her arms, and James recognized the posture immediately. She had made up her mind. "He may not understand her words, but I understand them. And I will not have someone caring for him who looks at him and thinks there is something unnatural about him. That is not nurturing at all."

James felt the familiar irritation rise within him. Not because she was entirely wrong, but because she was forcing him to deal with a problem he had deliberately chosen to ignore. He had found the nurse, ensured she was discreet, and confirmed that she was competent. That should have been sufficient. Yet Olivia was not interested in sufficient. She wanted Felix surrounded by people who cared about him, and James had no sensible argument against that.

"If you insist upon replacing her," he said at last, leaning forward with his forearms against the desk, "then you will interview the other wet nurses with me. You will make certain they are willing to be discreet, and you will choose one you trust."

Olivia's expression softened immediately. "You will let me?"

"Yes." James picked up his pen again. "I will handle the first nurse's replacement. You may deal with the rest."

"Thank you," she said, smiling.

That smile irritated him far more than it should have. He had begun to notice that Olivia's gratitude affected him, and he disliked the sensation because it suggested he was becoming emotionally invested in her approval.

He gave a curt nod instead. "There is no need to thank me. It is your responsibility as duchess to oversee the household."

Her smile faded slightly, but she nodded. "Very well."

James watched her for a moment before deciding that there were matters of considerably greater importance to address.

"Speaking of your responsibilities, I shall show you what your duties are concerning the Delves name."