Zelda glanced towards Alfred again, but immediately regretted it — his hands were in his pockets in that way they sometimes were when he was unhappy. She wanted to explain herself but it was hard to find the words. She'd been caught off guard, although she should not have been, because this was what married people did. Caroline's arm in hers was a little reassuring, and Zelda settled into it, reassured by the physical contact. It was a big change. And she'd wanted it for so long, but it was still a big change and — children were a bigger one.

"It's not that I never want a nursery," she said softly, unsure which of them she was directing it at — what she wanted to say outright was does Evander want children right now? but that was too inappropriate for her to ask in front of Evander's brother.

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