"Of course..." She stood up and swang Niamh into the air gently, then wiggled her, earning a big grin from the babe. "Ye can hold me princess, I will hold me prince." She passed the chunky girl over, who looked up at Lorn with wide, inquisitive eyes. She was a miniature of her mother. Then Karen moved to pick up Harold and began to bounce him, "Aboom, boom, boom." Harold cracked a smile too, then stuffed his fist in his mouth to gnaw on his knuckles. He held up his spitty hand then and Karen laughed softly. "Ye may keep that, young man."

She sat on the floor again and Harold was laid out on the blanket. He started flailing his limbs and cooing. One thing was clear, she was able to raise happy babies despite her grief.

Lorn smiled brightly reaching out for the baby girl.  "Well, hello there little miss."  He held the infant with a secure and experienced hold, yet gentle as well.  With his free hand he tapped her little face with a little childhood game he remembered.

"Eye winker, tom tinker, nose smeller, mouth eater, chin chopper, and..." he tickled under her little chin, "gully gully gully."  His eyes  holding laughter and teasing tones as he did it again and again like he had done it for Heidi often, and someone years ago had done the same to him when he was a tiny guy.

Glancing a Karen he laughed and smiled, relaxed and enjoying himself.  "I don't know who it was that taught that to me, but it tends to get a giggle to most little ones."  He explained with a wink.

Niahm gave a wide grin to the man who was playing such a game with her. Karen gave a soft laugh as her eyes met Lorn's; there was true laughter dancing in her dark eyes. "I think she likes it, Lorn," she said, tilting her head. Her eyes soon looked right through him as another man's face shifted over his... The dark-haired handsome man that had been her husband. She blinked a few times as she imagined it was he who sang to the little one and not her employer.

After a few blinks, the vision faded and it was Lorn she saw instead.

Karen's smile slowly dimmed and she looked back down at little Harold and then up again after a long pause. "I wonder sometimes if things will ever be normal again... I don't think I would turn something like this away as normal... that is... the sound of a babe laughing."

Lorn chuckled as the little one reacted to his silliness.  Then he looked at Karen and saw her expression changed.  He reached for a toy and swayed it in front of the baby as he listened to Karen's words.  His own expression changing remembering the first months... the first year of time after losing Cressida.

After a moment, he spoke.  His voice quiet and understanding.  "Everyone grieves differently.  For me, it was remembering I had Heidi and I have focused so much on this place, the horses, and my gal that I have let most everything that reminded me of our life together slide away.  It was too painful.  I've tried to keep in touch with family, on her side and mine, but not in person since the funeral.  Buying this place and getting out of London was an escape as much as a start over."

He looked at his sleeping daughter and then at the babies, and then to Karen again.  "I am only recently starting get into the community here this last six months.  Making new friends.  But there isn't a day that I don't think of what this would have been like with my late wife beside me."

"Let yourself grief and try and let the smiling memories slip in more and more.  Start making new memories with those around you."  He securely held the baby and reached over to put his hand on her hand.  Then gave a brief squeeze and pulled away realizing that was past proper behavior.

"I'm sorry, I shouldn't have done that."

She listened to his words, quiet as he spoke. Her eyes were soft and solemn as she gazed at him. When he put his hand over hers, she felt her innards clench a little at the warmth of his skin against hers. She was almost depressed when he pulled it away. Karen shook her head, "I won't say a word if ye don't." Part of what got her into her current mess was being starved for human contact... She hadn't been in love with Fred, but the idea of being with someone... not being lonely. What if she could have that without the trouble? Friends... Yes...

Karen then sighed, wishing he could stay just a little longer, but knowing at some point he had to get his little girl put to bed. The poor, wee mite. "I should put the babes in their beds... Ye should probably get yer wee one to bed too." It was clear that she was saying this with reluctance, but with the hour growing late, and that attraction she wasn't supposed to feel... she needed to put distance between the two of them. She stood, lifting Harold up and placing him against her shoulder.

Lorn glanced over at Heidi and with his own reluctant nod.  He had enjoyed the company and time with Karen and her own little ones.  He stood up after the baby was securely in his mother's arms.

"Yes, I should."  He agreed.  "But don't forget that you will need to arrange to have the twins stay with the nanny for you to come to the stables every couple of days for an hour or so learning to ride a horse."  He smiled.  Plus he hoped to see her around  the house and property from time to time.  Though he wasn't going to say that out loud for worry of being over the proper.  He enjoyed visiting with her.

He reached over and picked up his hat and put it on his head so he would have his hands and arms free to carry Heidi.  Reaching down gently he picked her up as a fragile doll and put her against his chest.  She wrapped her arms around her father's neck and laid right down her head to his shoulder still basically asleep. 

Lorn smiled at Karen and nodded.  "Thank you again for the dinner and company."  He headed toward the door.