It takes but a moment to step into Julia's room to peer into her crib, making sure his daughter is sleeping soundly, and he merely caresses one of her little hands with his thumb for fear of waking her by doing anything more. Every so often, if he happens to wake earlier than usual and has the time to spare before he has to prepare for a day at the stables, Ross will come in here and sit beside her, watching her breathe until she stirs. He knows that one day, she'll grow old enough that he won't be able to do such a thing anymore. She'll be angry when he's too overbearing, frustrated when he's overprotective; but he'll always think of this, of how small she'd been once and still is now, how perfectly she fits in his arms, and how beautiful she is every time she takes a breath.

The same will be true, too, of their second child when he or she is welcomed into the world. He can only laugh to himself when he hears Demelza call for him, checking on him, as if brewing a kettle is far too much trouble for him. While it's true he doesn't do much in the way of cooking, Ross does know how to boil water, and he doesn't bother to answer Demelza because he thinks his silence will likely speak for itself.

When he carries the finished cup of tea back into the bathroom, he lets out a heavy sigh, one that's clearly teasing. "Well enough, indeed," he tells her. "You'd think I'd volunteered to bake you a pie. That, I may have had trouble with but fortunately, I've managed to heat water without incident."