Disclaimer: I don't own Titanic.

Historical Notes: Samuel and Jeanine Murdoch only had one grandchild. His name was Samuel Scott Murdoch. In this chapter Samuel "Scott" Murdoch will make a brief appearance. He was the son of Samuel Murdoch Jr. and Martha Patience Scott Murdoch. Samuel "Scott" was born in 1917 and died in 2010. We're changing a bit of history for this chapter, so Carrie has some interaction with her cousin.

Children in Edwardian England and in America still played with toys when they were twelve years and even into their fourteenth birthday in some cases. With this in mind, Carrie and her cousin will have a typical Edwardian Christmas a child could have known from this time in history for an upper middle class family.

The Christmas dinner is filled with Edwardian holiday specialities from goose, a special stuffing of chestnuts, pork and apples with fat and salt sprinkled over the top of the bird. Minced pie, plum pudding, and other treats were also on the menu for an Edwardian Christmas dinner.

Buche de Noel was a standard Christmas desert. The cake was shaped like the yule tide log. This cake is a flourless chocolate cake rolled in whip cream. It also often had powdered sugar to resemble the yuletide log.

Oranges were a rare treat and given as a Christmas gift to people around England during Christmas. In some parts of the world, people might only have an orange once a year due to the high cost of them.

A popular gift for girls around the world was books by LM Montgomery. She had published Chronicles of Avonlea in 1912, which held short stories from the books published earlier on in the series.

Some musical records that were available for purchase in 1912 were It Came Upon a Midnight Clear, God Rest Ye Merry Gentleman and One in David's Royal City. They were played in some homes around Great Britain. Items such as these would have been expensive and could only been afforded by the upper middle class, gentry and the nobility.

The records would have been played on what was called a phonograph in the earlier 20tth century, which is now known as a record player.

Musical studies were a highly valued skill for young ladies in both the Victorian and Edwardian eras. Musical talent was used as a way to entertain family, and eventually, when a young lady became older, to entertain a suitor in her parents' home for an evening in.


Chapter 9 - Happy Christmas!


"Mr. Wilde, might I have a moment of your time before you and Miss Murdoch depart for the train depot?" Miss Carson asked.

"Of course, Carson. What can I do for you?" Henry replied.

"You see, sir, my trial period ended three weeks ago, and you have yet to tell me if-,"

"If your staying on. Of course. I'm sorry. With the holidays and the busy time of late, I completely forgot. If you desire to keep your post here with us, we'd be delighted. If your happy with the terms of your employment that is," Henry replied.

"I'm very pleased, sir. I'm grateful for the chance to work in such a fine establishment," Miss Carson remarked.

"Very well. Carrie, we're going to miss our train if you keep dawdling," Henry called.

"I'm here, Uncle Henry. I was just getting Miss Carson's Christmas box," Carrie replied. She handed the small parcel over to the housekeeper, who hadn't expected any gift from her employer or his ward. "Happy Christmas Miss Carson."

"Thank you, Miss Murdoch."

Henry handed Miss Carson an envelope with her gift. "Happy Christmas, Carson. We'll see you next year."

"Thank you, sir." Miss Carson replied. Opening the envelope, Miss Carson found some money and a roundtrip train ticket to visit her family. With Christmas in the air, Miss Carson found her employer to be more generous than anyone she'd ever met before. But after all Christmas was indeed near.

Dalbeattie, Scotland

Snow glistened on the ground in Dalbeattie, Scotland. The nip of the crisp air welcomed visitors from near or far. Coming home was a special time for the Murdoch family, especially this year after they'd lost William. Carrie and her guardian were due to stay with them for a few days.

The bells were heard from the sleigh outside the front window. Captain Samuel Murdoch saw his grandchild, or who appeared to be Carrie, stand after her guardian and step out of the sleigh. "Jeannie, they're here, Carrie's home!"

Jeannie exited from the kitchen, clearly with flour all over her apron. They'd expected the train to be late. Since it was never on time and when you wanted it to be late just once it was clearly early. "Samuel Murdoch, they can't be here. The train wasn't due for another two hours."

"They are. See that girl bundled in the blankets, Mother," Margaret commented.

"Yes, I do suppose it could be Carrie. My how she's grown."

Meanwhile, outside, the snow and ice that had collected was quite slippery. "Be careful, Uncle Henry," Carrie called, worried Henry would fall and hit his head or even break a bone.

"I'm fine, Carrie, just fine," Henry replied after gaining his balance by taking ahold of the picket fence around the front of the home.

"Mr. Wilde, if you step on the walk I'll hand Carrie over to you, for safety reasons," Samuel suggested. With a nod of the head, Carrie was swiftly lifted into her Uncle's arms and then given to Henry before she was sat back down on the ground.

"You didn't need to do that," Carrie responded.

"We didn't want you to hurt yourself either, young lady."

"Yes, sir."

The nip of the air was getting to the two guests that had traveled the far distance. Carrie was obviously beginning to show the signs of weariness when she let out a yawn. "Mr. Wilde, why don't you take Carrie inside, I'll take care of everything here."

"I don't want to avoid assisting you with our luggage," Henry replied.

"Nonsense, you're both our guests. Inside the both of you. Mother and Father will be dying to see Carrie and yourself," Samuel replied.

"Thank you."

Samuel Murdoch returned to the tasks at hand before he to could enjoy the heat of the warm fire in the parlor.

"Come in here, Carrie, is that you?" Samuel, Sr. asked, not believing this was his grandchild from a few months prior.

"It is me, Grandfather. I just grew," Carrie replied when Henry assisted Carrie with the removal of her coat.

"Mr. Wilde, good to have you with us," Margaret Murdoch stated, still giving the man who had taken Carrie into his care the ever watchful eye of still wanting to protect Carrie from any harm, knowing Will would want nothing less from his favorite sister. Especially after Carrie ran away and it was cleared up. Margaret was still was concerned for Carrie and most likely would be as long as she drew breath.

"Thank you for having us. I only wanted Carrie to have a family Christmas that she deserves," Henry replied.

"So do we all, very good sir," Samuel Murdoch, Sr. chimed in before he turned to Carrie. " I do believe there's someone waiting for you on your bed."

Carrie's face simply lit up before she bolted up the stairs, not looking back or speaking to the elders. "Carrie, walk when you're inside," Henry warned.

Not a sound was heard in reply until Carrie came down the stairs minutes later holding the latest doll from Paris. The gift was priceless to her, since it was a gift from her father.

"Thank you," Carrie said, hugging Samuel with the greatest gift that he could give her. The one she never knew of.

"Your father bought it before,- um well, he passed. We never knew about the doll until it was shipped here from the new owner of the house. A very pretty present from your daddy. He was always trying to give you nice presents," Samuel informed the group, trying to keep his own emotions at bay. The pain was still real, and the gift was priceless to Carrie. The one toy she'd never play with but would simply admire since it was a gift from Will.

"Carrie?"

"Grandmother!" Carrie exclaimed, rushing into the opened arms that gave the greatest hugs in the world. Jeannie Murdoch recalled the joy was back but not the sparkle in the sweet blue eyes that was most likely lost forever. This was going to be the hardest Christmas of all.


Christmas Day - 1912

Christmas day had finally arrived. For the Murdoch family it was met with the joy of the family gathering together once again. The day started like any other morning minus the fact that the Murdoch home was filled to the brim of relatives and other people who'd traveled far to come and see them. After the family had their breakfast, they made there way to chapel. Seeing friends and other people again was hard for the family. Everyone would stop and speak with Henry Wilde after they learned of his guardianship of Will's daughter. The praise was clearly known around Dalbeattie and to Carrie when the locals hailed her father a true hero. He had a duty to Carrie his daughter and decided to go down with his ship. The risk was high they all knew, but it still didn't seem fair. The look in Carrie's eyes and those of her family was a clear sign of the pain that still resided in their hearts and would without a doubt remain for the remainder of their days.

After returning from church, items were put in the oven and finishing touches were made to the Christmas dinner Jeanine had spent days working on. Since not all the family could attend, it was special just to have most of them at home that year. The women cooked roast goose, and a special stuffing with chestnuts, pork and apples along with bird fat and salt that was placed on the bird for roasting. The women also made gooseberry and bread sauces, with dinner rolls, steamed vegetables from the family's summer garden which were preserved for the winter months, minced pie, plum pudding and buche de noel for dessert. along with some other Christmas treats for the family in the wee hours of the morning. A feast worth having was one worth waiting for Jeanine Murdoch said once too often when her husband would try and sneak into the kitchen for a morsel of Christmas dinner.

"Carrie lass," Samuel, Sr. called to his eldest grandchild who was playing a game of checkers with her cousin Loraine.

Carrie quickly rose to her feet and came to assist Samuel with what he desired. And at that very moment the retired captain was trying to scheme his way into getting a cookie from the side covered. "Yes, Grandfather?"

"Would ye be a good lass and fetch me a cookie from the larder? Grandmother is keeping them for tea time. I'm hungry ye see, and dinner won't be on for a good while now," Samuel pleaded with Carrie, who saw the disapproving glare her guardian was sending her.

Carrie turned back to Samuel with a shrug of her shoulders and a sigh. "I'm sorry, Grandfather, but you'll have to wait just like the rest of us."

"I understand. You're such a good lass. Go and play with your cousins."

"Yes, sir."

Christmas dinner was finally served, but it was quite a somber affair on that cold December day. With two places that remained empty, it was a constant reminder of Carrie's parents who had died within eleven months of each other. To bring joy to the table, Samuel, Jr. thought back to his own times with his older brother and knew the standards must be kept up for the sake of the children.

"My that was a fine Christmas dinner," Samuel Murdoch, Sr. remarked, wiping his face of any remaining morales left behind. "You have outdone yourself again, my dear."

"Thank you, Samuel," Jeannie replied, blushing like a schoolgirl, still very much in love with her husband. That couldn't be said about all marriages, but the Murdochs were proof of a loving home and that marrying your best friend worked out better in the end for all.

While most of the family had chatted away, Carrie sat and stewed. Gazing at the two empty seats across the table from her hurt the most. Last Christmas was the happiest since her parents were in love. The laughter from her father and the love Hannah gave to Will was evident. Now being back in Will's childhood home was more painful. Carrie sat and played with her dessert, and by now her Aunt Olivia had caught on. This was not the Carrie she knew nor the others knew. "Carrie, are you feeling alright?"

"What?" Carrie turned her head up in joy that someone had spoken to her, but it still hurt. Since Olivia Murdoch and her sister-in-law Hannah Smith Murdoch were best friends. "I'm fine Aunt Olivia."

"You don't seem well, are you sure?" Olivia pressed.

"I'm fine!" Carrie snapped. Pushing her chair back from the table, she bolted upstairs in tears. The cries were heard by all. It was too much for Carrie to be back in her father's home so soon, but everyone knew she needed her family.

"I'll go and speak with Carrie," Henry stated.

"No, I'll go," Olivia interjected.

David Murdoch turned to his wife and sent her a glare warning her not to interfere. "Olivia, let Mr. Wilde attend to Carrie. He is her guardian."

Olivia simply nodded her head. Never in all her days had her husband spoken to her in such a tone. David feared Olivia might tell Carrie the forbidden truth. The one truth that she was never to learn. "Yes, dear."

It was obvious Henry knew Carrie and the pain she felt. Everyone in the family could see that. Henry silently rose to his feet and excused himself from the family dinner. Reflecting back on it, caring for the child had proven difficult at times but was well worth the reward in the end. "We'll wait for you and Carrie in the parlor to open presents," Margaret declared, trying to distract the rest of the family from the current situation.

Others went around their business when Henry heard the cries of pain. The likes he hadn't heard since Carrie had come to live with him. When Henry found the room Carrie shared with her cousin Loraine he found her on the double bed curled up with the doll her father had ordered for her, bawling her eyes out. It was clear Henry needed to fix this and fast. But how? He couldn't bring Will or Hannah back, but he knew he could comfort Carrie. "Carrie, tun and face me," Henry instructed, while getting a cloth wet to place over her eyes.

"Carrie, please face me," Henry asked again, and then she finally obeyed.

"I want to go home, please," Carrie begged Henry. Henry sat on the edge of the bed and placed the wet wash rag over her eyes.

"There now, Carrie. Everything will be alright. I know it hurts right now, but it will get easier in time. You'll never forget your parents or stop loving them. I know it hurts," Henry replied in a soothing manner he used when he showed affection for his own late daughter.

Unbeknownst to Henry and Carrie, a family member saw the exchange and knew what he had to do. A once in a lifetime offer needed to be made. Even though it could mean losing Carrie forever, her pain was too much for this person. It was a thought well worth exploring for the sake of the child's long term happiness.

"Do you want to go back down stairs?" Henry asked., removing the wet wash rag from her eyes once Carrie had calmed down with Henry's words, which soothed her more than anything any other person could have said.

"Yes, please."

Henry nodded and smiled. "Wash your face, and then we'll go back down. I take it you'd like to find out what Father Christmas left you," Henry said. Without needing to be told twice like any child, Carrie quickly got up from her bed and rushed over to the basin still filled with some water.

"I'm ready," Carrie declared.

"Alright then, let's go and have Christmas with your family and if you truly want to leave early we can, but if we don't, then you can have a surprise tomorrow."

"I'll stay."

"That's what I thought," Henry replied, smiling. It brought joy to him to see Carrie desire her Christmas surprise. A gift from Henry that would take Carrie and Henry on a adventure to Glasgow.

Once the pair made their way back down stairs and into the family parlor, it was clear all was forgotten. No one questioned Carrie about what had happened, but they knew it had to do most likely with the death of her parents. "Who would like to be Father Christmas this year?" Samuel Murdoch, Sr. asked, Not finding any volunteers to take the role. "David, it's your turn."

"Of course, Father," David replied. Standing from his chair, he went to retrieve the Christmas stockings that hung on the mantle. "These are heavy, Father Christmas must have had a good working year," David said, passing out the stockings to the children and the adults in the room.

"Go and open it up ,everybody!" Jeanine beamed. Seeing the joy of the children and her grandchildren was enough for her. Everyone found a Christmas orange, new Christmas knitted hats for the children, a four pence and peppermint stick. The adults found, like the children, an orange, but they found scarves and hard taffy inside their stockings.

"What did you get, Scott?" Jeanine asked her youngest grandchild.

"Well, my son has an orange, and mittens," Samuel, Jr. remarked, onto the toddler in his arms. "What do you say, son?"

"Thank y-ou," Scott replied, tired and ready for his nap.

"I'll put him down, Samuel," Olivia offered.

"Thank you. You'll open your presents later, Scott."

"Father Christmas was very generous this year!" Loraine declared.

"He sure was, look Loraine a four pence, a new winter hat and candy! This is the best stocking I've ever received," Carrie replied, a smile all over her face.

"Then you must have been a good girl, Carrie, and you too, Loraine," Margaret replied.

Both girls nodded their heads, all smiles. In all the excitement, Henry had forgotten about his own Christmas stocking that was handed to him by David Murdoch. He never expected it and left it laying by his side. "Mr. Wilde, what did Father Christmas leave you?" David asked.

"I'd forgotten!" Henry replied, feeling a bit embarrassed that his stocking still lay there unopened.

"What did you get, Uncle Henry?" Carrie asked, rushing to Henry's side. She wanted to see with joy. "Let's see then. I have an orange, a new scarf and, oh, Henry's hand reached in one more time to find something thick. "A book! Father Christmas was quite generous this year!"

"Loraine, Carrie, be my elves and hand out the presents," Samuel senior asked the children, who quickly obeyed. Out of all the chores in the Murdoch household, this was the one favored by all, especially at Christmas time.

Both Loraine and Carrie spent the next few minutes handing out presents around the room., making a pile of their own gifts and also handing out the ones they had made to their family.

The gift exchange began. Loraine opened her gifts first since she was the youngest in the family present at that time. Loraine's parents gave her a store bought dress and porcelain doll, a tea set and watercolor paints and paper from her grandparents, a dictionary from her Aunt Margaret, pulled taffy and an embroidered handkerchief from Carrie, a skipping rope from Mr. Wilde and sheet music from her Uncle Samuel.

"Thank you! Loraine beamed at the presents she had received.

All the people in the room replied with the common response of ,"You're Welcome," and some even said, "I hope you enjoy it."

Carrie was next. "Go on and open your presents, Carrie," Samuel, Jr. urged. Carrie sat there wanting one present that couldn't be found under the tree or fit in a Christmas box. Henry saw this distress and quickly came to her side. "Would you like for someone else to go before you, dear?" Henry asked. Carrie simply nodded her head. Even with the joy she still found sadness overwhelmed her. The memories were too much to bear for some.

"Father, why don't you go next," David suggested.

"Why, no, let your mother, son. Jeanine, love, open your presents, will ye, for me?" Samuel asked.

"Yes, of course. The family sat around and watched, most of the adults sitting on the chairs while Henry sat next to Carrie on the floor with her presents still sitting wrapped. "Oh, Carrie, these are beautiful," Jeanine remarked. The new place mats and pot holders were just right. "It's just what I wanted and needed too."

"You're welcome, Grandmother," Carrie replied. A low tone too obvious by the way she didn't take much interest in the day's events. Henry put his arm around Carrie's shoulders, and she sank into his chest, sitting next to him on the floor. Just as she'd done the last Christmas with her father who loved getting down on the floor to sit with the children. Henry didn't mind since it reminded him of his own Christmas with his family when he'd told them about the holiday to America. It was one of the best days until it destroyed his family and his career on the sea, but now it was all in the past. After the loss of a wife and daughter, to now be given the chance to love Carrie as his own daughter. The little girl who needed a loving parent.

Jeanine also received a painting by her granddaughter Loraine of the family home in Dalbeattie, along with a pen and stationey set from her son David and his wife Olivia, a new Sunday dress and hat from her husband Samuel with the help from their daughter Margaret. A new cookbook from Margaret and perfume from Paris from her son Samuel, Jr.

"Mr. Wilde, where's your present for Grandmother?" Loraine interjected. Curiosity simply like in past times had gotten the better of Loraine, making her ask questions she should not be asking of her elders. With quick thinking Jeanine, saved the day. "Mr. Wilde does not need to give me a present, Loraine dear. He brought mine, which is a gift enough for us all, to have Carrie here. Thank you for bringing her home. Even if it's just for a few days' time."

Henry offered a smile and looked down at Carrie, who had now started to look at her gifts impatiently. "You're welcome, and Carrie is a true delight."

"Aye, that she is."

The list of relatives went around the room. Margaret opened her gifts, and she received a new hat with hat pins from her parents, a necklace from her brother David and his wife Olivia, a pendant from Carrie and Mr. Wilde, sheet music from her brother Samuel, Jr. who everyone knew thought music was the height of life since he was a music teacher, and an embroidered flower from Loraine, very basic but very nice with the details.

Then it went back to Carrie who still sat with Henry on the floor. The face that had been filled with sorrow now turned into one with an upbeat smile and surprise when she opened her presents. From her Aunt Margaret the newest first edition of Chronicles of Avonlea by LM Montgomery, a new hat and coat with flowers on her new hat much like the ladies wore in the cities and a new coat from her Uncle David and Aunt Olivia, a tea set, watercolor paints and paper from her grandparents, a new skipping rope and sheet music from her Uncle Samuel and last but not least the largest box left from Henry, which left Carrie speechless of new ice skates.

"Carrie what do you say?" Samuel, Sr. questioned Carrie who just stared at the skates in shock. Henry could tell his gift topped the others by Carrie's reaction. "Thank you, oh thank you all. Thank you, Uncle Henry!"

Carrie gave her guardian a hug around his neck. He made her day even though it was obvious to the others that their gifts were clearly not the favorite, which hurt. "You're welcome. Now please put the skates away and thank everybody else."

Carrie obeyed and thanked the others again.

Once everybody else in the family had opened their gifts, Carrie knew that one gift was left lying on the arm of the wing chair. Clearly vacated by Henry when he came to sit with her earlier. "Wait, there's still one present," Carrie commented to the adults who'd started to clean up the paper and toss it into the fire.

"Alright, everybody, let's sit back down," was the comment heard from a tired Jeanine Murdoch.

Carrie went to get the forgotten present and ran back to Henry placing it in his hands. "Happy Christmas, Uncle Henry."

"Thank you, Carrie, but you needn't get me anything. Just your smile is enough," Henry replied, opening the small parcel. Carrie had taken a great deal of thought, and the look of a smile was clearly a priceless gift. "But how?" Henry asked.

"Aunt Sylvia helped me," Carrie replied.

"What do you have, Mr. Wilde?" Margaret inquired.

"Carrie's given me a photograph of herself and a nice new frame. Very nice, thank you. Thank you, Carrie. I'll cherish it always."

"You're welcome," Carrie replied.

Now that the last present had been received, the cleaning up resumed, and Christmas paper burned in the fireplace

For the rest of the day, the family sat around listening to records with Christmas carols, including "It Came Upon a Midnight Clear", God Rest Ye Merry Gentleman", and "Once In David's Royal City" were played on the phonograph while the children played checkers and the men played cards or just relaxed.