She had just finished nursing the babe and was curled up on her bed around the wee one. The baby kicked and flailed about and made baby faces, and stuck her tongue out and... Ahh, she couldn't help but fall deeply in love with the baby that wasn't even her own. "I wish you were mine," she whispered to the child, knowing she didn't understand of course but it didn't matter to her.

Then Iris began to sing a lullaby the her. She had a rather lovely voice and it carried over into the hallway but she didn't care, she had a heart full of mother's love for Emma. How could you meet someone just once and know? She knew the child was not a replacement for hers but she didn't care about that either.

When the last strains of the notes faded away and Emma slept, she smiled and just... watched her sleep.

That peace and quiet was soon disturbed. There had been muffled voices two doors down. A male voice, mostly, and occasionally a soft female voice replying. But the male voice was growing louder and louder, until it was shouting and quite audible throughout the house: "- to pull yourself together and stop pitying yourself!" Silence for a moment. "Alice!" Silence. Then the slamming of a door.

Tobias stood on the landing, leaning over the banister and breathing heavily.

The baby woke with a start and began to cry at the loud noise presented outside the door. Iris scooped her up and began to rock her. She was still dressed in her every day clothing, though she had just been contemplating changing into her nightgown, so she was decent when she opened the door and peered out. She saw Tobias standing there, heard him panting.

Emma gave a few whines as she opened the door further, but the babe had calmed down. "Mr. Appleton? Are you quite alright?"

Tobias looked up when he heard Emma cry and quietly cursed himself. He leaned over the banister again and looked at the stairs without seeing anything. Then when the door opened, he looked up once more. "Aye, I'm sorry about that..." he said, quite embarrassed. He straightened himself, despite feeling almost too tired to do so. "I'm about to have a drink. Will ye come down and join me. I'd like to spend some time with Emma." And show her that at least one parent cared, he added bitterly in thought.

"I can..." She stepped out of her room. The baby was looking around with wide eyes and working her little tongue in her mouth. She assumed by drink, he meant spirits, but wouldn't be surprise if tea was involved instead. She adjusted her arms around the baby and said, "She has just eaten, so she has a happy belly I think." She couldn't help the look of adoration she cast the child, caressing her head and smiling at her the way a mother would.

He watched her adore the babe and couldn't help his frustration rising again. Why couldn't Alice be like that?

Once they were downstairs Tobias opened a cabinet and took out a bottle of brandy and two glasses. "Brandy? Or tea? I sent Jenny too bed. She's poorly, so we'll have to help ourselves."

"I will have a little brandy... Please." She had not taken up libations before but she was sure she would be fine drinking a small amount. she moved to sit down and then rested Emma against her shoulder, rubbing her back in small circles. She watched him from where she sat, quiet for the moment. She did not want him to go through any trouble making tea on her behalf.

Tobias poured her half a glass, and himself a full one. He wasn't used to drinking often, but he could use it now. Then he moved to the sitting area and handed her her glass. "Would ye like sum't to eat as well? There's cheese in t' kitchen."

"Oh, no thank you. I am still full from supper," she murmured as she took the offered glass. "Thank you." She took a sip, swallowed, and her eyes watered just a little as the liquid burned down her throat. She coughed just a little, and then her belly felt warm. Oh, it was calming. No wonder men liked their spirits. She remembered how her husband used to drink brandy or port wine. She moved to set the glass down and then shifted Emma from her shoulder, gently to the cushion next to her. Her hand stayed on the babe's belly and rubbed soothing circles.

"Very well." Tobias sat down with his own glass and watched her and Emma. "Emma seems much improved since ye've come," he commented. "She doesn't cry as much and as long as before, and she looks fatter already." The poor babe had looked ill-equipped for survival when it had first come into the world, a little premature and rather too skinny and small.