26 Two months later

''Your grace, the baby is growing well.'' said a middle-aged woman in a simple dark blue gown with a stethoscope around her neck. She looked at the beautiful lady smiling at the baby bump that is very visible through the elegant gown.

''His excellency would be happy with the progress,'' the same woman added with a smile.

''I know,'' Isla chuckled, then her brows creased and her voice expressed her genuine concern, ''But I wish I could feel the baby kick.''

''You will, duchess. It's just a matter of time and place. For example, not coming out of your room or this floor is not be good for the baby. Amelia told me that you never leave the floor. I hope the duke and the second madam are not disturbing you?''

''No...I just don't want unnecessary trouble,'' Isla shook her head and put her hand on the bump. ''This little one is precious to me and I don't need the baby to be near that kind of father.''

The woman did not talk, making Isla turn to her, ''I hope you understand my opinions, lily.''

Lily, the doctor from the Elrod Grand duchy, nodded her head in understanding,'' I understand duchess.''

A sad smile came onto her lips, ''It's just you resemble the late grand duchess this way when she was pregnant with you.''

''Mother was?'' Isla did not expect her mother to be involved in this conversation.

Lily nodded, ''Yes. Then I was still an apprentice, and my master was the one who helped the duchess with her pregnancy. I was happy when the duke ordered me to come here as it felt wonderful to help another generation of the duchess lineage.''

''Oh…did I trouble mother?'' Isla asked softly. Her mother…someone who gave birth to her and died immediately without getting to know each other. She was a mysterious figure in Isla's eyes.

''No,'' Lily shook her head with a warm smile, ''Just like the little one in your belly, you were also gentle in her excellency's belly.''

''I remember at the beginning of the grand duchess's pregnancy, she was not nauseous like my master expected her to be, though you were very picky about the food she puts in her belly.'' Lily's teasing made Isla smile.

''And Your first kick...The grand duke was present that day. He threw a small party just for that.'' Lily laughed as she reminisced about the past.

Even Isla laughed along as she could not imagine that her stoned-faced and awkward father would throw a party for that.

''His excellency truly loved you from birth, and I am pleased to see the happy relationship that you have with him,'' Lily held onto Isla's hand.

''You are the first person to talk about mother to me,'' Isla revealed as she squeezed the latter's hand.

''Then I am honored, but the person who knows more about her excellency is your father, his excellency, and I am positive that he would be happy to share his memories of her with you.''

''Yes.'' At her words, Isla nodded with a soft smile and continued to rub her bump.

Since she was done with the checkup, Lily did not stay any longer and bid the duchess goodbye before leaving the room.

Once the door closed, she turned to Spencer, who stood behind her as if he had been waiting for her presence.

Lily was not surprised as she expected him, or rather the person behind him, to call her...again.

''This way, miss.'' Spencer gestured with his hand to the path of the duke's office.

''Yes,'' she sighed, quite annoyed with the man's cowardice.

Instead of properly visiting the duchess and their child, he calls her and orders for the report about the duchess' pregnancy. Lily could have denied it if she wanted to, as her masters were the grand duke and the duchess, but the duke was the father. He still has the right to know about his child, at least.

Knock

Knock

'' Your grace, the duchess' doctor is here,'' Spencer announced their presence with a knock on the door before he opened it.

Lily entered alone while Spencer remained outside.

''Your grace,'' she respectfully curtsied, and then lifted her head to the red-haired man behind the desk.

''How are the duchess and the baby?'' Dante looked up from the papers on the desk.

''The duchess is healthy, and the baby is growing well,'' Lily replied honestly.

''Then I suppose Miss Lily cannot check on my other wife?''

''The duke should be aware that I am only for the duchess, not for anyone else. His excellency would be displeased if I treat another person that is not the duchess.''

''Right..'' murmured Dante as the scene of Baron Sylvester warning him about the grand duke came to mind.

Indeed, his father-in-law was not one to be idle. But the duke was surprised as he knew how awkward and distant the relationship between the father and daughter was, more than anyone.

As the doctor at his front said, the grand duke sent her on the pretext that nothing must happen to his grandchild unless the hayes duchy would cease to exist from that very moment.

He remembered when he received her two months ago, four days after his marriage to annalise. That day was also her checkup day, but he did not know that the duchess's checkup was on the same day.

'' Who are you?'' He questioned after Spencer brought her into his office.

''I am Lily, the Elrod family's doctor. The grand duke sent me to care for the duchess as he heard that there are not enough personnels to care for his daughter, or rather they are eager to serve the mistress.''

''Watch your mouth!'' He hissed in warning. Even after his marriage, there are still people who dared to call her mistress in his front.

Not sacred by the intimidation, Lily continued, ''I only serve the duchess and his excellency.''

Dante could see the doctor did not fear him, just like the maid. Each of them from that household never put him in their eyes, and he knew the reason for that blatant disrespect.

''Her grace's check-up is today, and the grand duke does not want any mishap due to your carelessness.''

''What?'' Startled by her revelation, he turned to Spencer, who stood by her side on that day. ''I did not know that. Why didn't baron Stewart tell me?''

''Your grace should know the grand duke would not allow the duchess to be disgraced by a mere mistress. I will be staying in the duchy until her grace's childbirth and after she can handle how to care for the baby,'' Lily answered in spencer's stead.

Then he did not understand the meaning behind her words, but now he knew. The duchess must have known about the commotion that day and sent for the doctor from the grand duchy, as she could tell that he would order the doctor to check on annalise first.

Was he that predictable? Or did she no longer have faith in him to care for her?

Was he that heartless in her eyes?

Every time it was about the duchess, he began to question himself, making him feel that familiar ache in his heart.

''Alright..,you can go,'' He dismissed Lily away. In the end, the best thing he could do in this situation was to avoid the latter until her childbirth.

Since he planned to divorce after then, the baby would remain under annalise's care as the duchess could not take the child with her back to the grand duchy.

'This feeling should also stop by then.' His hand went to his chest, squeezing the dark blue vest in agony.

''Yes,'' Lily curtsied once more and turned away to leave the office.

At the same time, the door burst opened by Spencer, and his worried gaze went to Dante.

''Your grace, her grace is in the garden, and the second madam is in there.''

''What?''