She sat down in the new rocking chair, a piece of furniture she�d never envisioned when she redecorated the parlor after her marriage to Royce. The baby fixed her blue eyes on her mother as if waiting for further conversation.
�We�re his heart, you know, the heart he said was broken and then turned to stone. And he�s our heart, too, darling Kate. Someday you�ll understand how blessed we are to be a part of his life. And I hope that one day you�ll look up and see a man like your father coming toward you. . . he�ll ask you to dance. . .and you�ll know immediately he�s the one with whom you�ll dance through life.�
�Mrs. Wardell, would you like for me to take the baby upstairs now?� Elspeth, the new nanny, stood in the doorway.
Victoria smiled. �My daughter and I were just discussing her future husband. I�ll bring her upstairs when we�ve finished our talk.�
Elspeth hurried away.
Victoria smoothed the baby�s soft auburn hair. �No doubt you�ll have many beaus, so you must listen to your heart.� Her arms tightened around the tiny miracle in her arms.
Kate yawned, her bottom lip quivering pathetically. �Sweet girl,� Victoria murmured. �I listened to my heart about your father and then, later, about you, and now it�s overflowing with pure joy.�
Closing her eyes, she pictured Royce�s face. Then, unhurriedly, she began to rock their daughter.