Eilika sipped her tea, setting the china cup back onto the saucer with a soft clink just as Lady Alessia spoke. "Young Master Roman seems remarkably happy playing with the other children. You have truly worked wonders in such a short time, Duchess. It is rare for a child to take to a stepmother so quickly."
"It depends entirely on the person, Lady Alessia," Eilika replied, her tone poised and serene. "When your heart is guided by genuine affection, that is all you have to offer in return."
Lady Willa interjected, her smile sharp and pointed. "Your Grace, that is easy to say now, before you have children of your own with the Duke. The eldest son is the heir to the Duchy of Varos. Won't you feel slighted then? It is easy to be generous while the path is clear, but when your own children are deprived of that birthright, resentment is inevitable. Jealousy has a way of blooming where contentment once lived."
