Listening to the mother and her two daughters discuss how they would care for the child in the future, Albert, being a qualified father, naturally sat quietly and listened in. Even the House-elf temporarily put aside his work, sitting nearby and listening attentively. Perhaps in the near future, he would have another duty: caring for the little master.
"Mom, were you like this before too?" Katrina asked curiously.
"How could I have been so lucky? When I had Isobel, I was completely rushed off my feet. How could I have been as happy as you are now, with someone patiently teaching you all these precautions?" Mrs. McDougal said softly, sounding wistful.
Similar conversations had become frequent lately. Mrs. McDougal was very willing to teach the young couple how to care for a child.
After the half-hour lesson ended, the House-elf silently returned to the kitchen to prepare lunch.
The three of them remained in the sunroom, chatting about trivial matters. Albert occasionally heard some embarrassing stories about the sisters' childhood from Mrs. McDougal.
Most of the time, he played the role of listener quite well.
"She's kicking me again. What a naughty child." Isobel touched her belly through her clothes, the maternal glow on her face becoming ever more apparent.
"Let me listen."
Albert gently pressed his ear against it, but there was no movement.
No, there was movement, just not from Isobel's stomach. It was from his palm. Just then, Albert felt a needle-like pain on the back of his hand. Red lines resembling blood vessels surfaced on his arm, then vanished again.
An inexplicable feeling rose within him.
The contract had been triggered.
"What's wrong?"
Isobel keenly noticed Albert's change.
"Nothing."
Albert sat back down and picked up an apple from the table. "Want some apple?"
As he