Coraline was blessed to love her job as much as she did. She had always been good with children and in spite of her low rank had a reputation as a woman of gentle kindness. Sure, Augustus had played a heavy hand in being able to secure this particular job, but Coraline had proved her worth as she had been their governess since Cass was only a few months old.

As she read the story to them she did so with plenty of inflection and enthusiasm, keeping them engaged as she weaved the tale for their little imaginations. Though Declan was still too young to truly understand what the story was about, he enjoyed the sounds she made and was nearly as attentive as his older brother.

They all looked up as someone new was allowed to pass by the guards to approach them and Coraline smiled at the tailer. He'd been here since before she was and she knew him well. Or at least knew him well in his role as tailor. She chuckled softly as his comment about their growth. "I have no doubt. I'm afraid they'll keep you busy like this for many years to come. They do grow so quickly." She looked down at the boys with a deep and loving affection.

"Not a bad time at all, please continue," she said. She scooped up Declan into her arms and gently patted Cass on the back of his shoulder. "Go stand for Mr. Demeter, you know how," she encouraged the child who did as he was asked, smiling up at Io as he did what he'd done so often before.

Coraline may as well have had hearts in her eyes with the way she watched Io and Cass. He had always been so good with them and they had never once hated the regular tailoring needed for their ever bigger and bigger clothes. And Io had such skill in his craft as well. They always looked so put together, like the little princes that they were. So handsome.

She giggled softly as Cass showed Io his muscles and bounced Declan on her hip who was still very much a baby and would need to lie down for his own measurements.

"Not at all, they're little angels," she said to Io with a soft smile. And they were, but they were also children and boys for that matter so of course there were the typical tantrums or accidents but they paled in comparison to their sweet natures. "I've been well, yes. I actually may be moving into a home closer to the palace soon," she said conversationally. "And how are you?" she returned the question.

Coraline beamed at Cass as he came back to her and she gave him a nod as he spoke to her. "Of course, as soon as we're done here, okay?" she said, understanding him as perfectly as a mother would. She brought Declan over to Io and laid him down on the man's coat, setting in beside him so she could help if he started to get too squirmy. His big beautiful eyes looked up at Io with an expression of familiarity and calm.

The turn of conversation was not one she had expected but one she was excited about nonetheless. She had liked that he had changed 'pressure' to 'desire' but now wondered which was true. She could certainly relate to being limited to your station. She might technically be a noble herself but only barely and was looked down on by those of finer nobility.

"On the contrary, you may be feel limited by your lack of title but you have something that others do not. Connections," she said with a warm and encouraging smile. "You, an incredibly handsome young gentleman, who works among not only nobility but royalty, well you have a leg up that most do not. You can use that to your advantage. I have no doubt you could charm a young lady of interest." She had plenty of words to offer in advice but there were a few things that would be important to know first.

"Do you truly want to start a family or is it more of a 'pressure' as you initially stated? And do you want to marry for love or for obligation at this stage of your life?" There was no judgement in her tone, both were perfectly suitable in their world.

Goodness. Her heart practically melted as she listened to the man's dream of the life he hoped to live. It was rare to find such romantic notions in a man. The near visible hearts in her eyes would be hard to miss as she smiled, imagining that kind of life as well. For him of course. For him...and for herself too.

She let out a small huff of understanding as he spoke about marriage being more like distant business partners. Her Augustus had married not for love but for status and she knew at least some of what that marriage was like. Her life wasn't picture perfect by any means. She had yet to marry though she had a teenage son.

"Well, I must say, she will be a very lucky lady," she said kindly. "Would it be a bonus then to marry above your station or does that not matter to you?" she asked with genuine curiosity. "With connections like yours, you could be introduced to many lovely young noble ladies who I'm sure would be more than happy to have a life such as that."

Cass was looking at Io as if he had the world's best joke and wished desperately to tell it but with a smile from Coraline he obediently decided not to interrupt and instead moved to grab some parchment and colored chalk to draw. Declan was happy as a clam as he looked up at Io during his measurements and Coraline's gaze fell on the child often enough to make sure that she if she needed to jump in to help that she would do so quickly.

"Perhaps," Coraline agreed, "But many highly ranked men care more about titles and contracts than any real affection for their wives. If the choice is between love and a contract then I daresay many young ladies would lean toward the former, especially if they have the title to carry both her and her husband," she offered her suggestion with a smile. "All I'm saying is it would be worth the effort to give it a shot. You'll never know unless you try and perhaps your soul mate wouldn't be found if you didn't allow yourself to aim for a higher ranking lady. That is, if you believe in such things," she said with a little chuckle.