Elsie really couldn't wait to open her present from Ella, but she was going to have to, since it was time for them all to head out to church. She put the box into her sitting room for safekeeping and then closed the door, meeting with Charlie as he exited his pantry and they both smiled at each other.
'Are you ready Mrs Carson?' He asked her and it felt so strange, yet wonderful, for him to call her Mrs Carson.
'Certainly I am Mr Carson,' she replied with a smile as she placed her hand on his forearm and they walked outside together, into the bitter cold.
Much as they expected, Elsie, Charlie and Ella didn't get to see each other much for the rest of the morning, as Ella had sat near the front of the church with her family, the staff to the back and the long walk home had seen the staff set off first. The staff Christmas dinner, as always, took place in the early afternoon, so Ella didn't feel as if she could interrupt them and, of course, she spent that time with her other family, playing charades and card games, until it was time for their dinner.
'Tell me Carson, how are you finding married life?' Violet asked Charlie with a smile as he walked round the dining table, pouring the family wine and seeing to their dinner.
'It makes for a lovely change Milady,' he smiled as he walked round the table and lent over Cora to pour her some red wine and he happened to glance at Ella who was sat opposite her mother and she gave him a subtle smile.
As Charlie continued to walk round, Ella's attentions turned to her twin, who sat beside her with nervous anticipation and kept occasionally catching Tom's eye as he sat three places down from her, but he looked terrified, which made Ella's heart go out to him. She knew that he was anxious about telling the family, especially Robert and Cora about Sybil's pregnancy. He still got the impression that Robert still hoped Sybil would wake up one day and realise she'd made a mistake, but she loved and adored Tom and would never let that happen.
'Sybbie, go ahead and make the announcement; what's the worst that can happen? Henry and I don't mind waiting another few days to tell Mary and Edith and the rest of them about our baby; so you go on ahead and enjoy your moment.' Ella whispered to her sister.
'Oh Aurie…well here it goes I guess.' She replied as she then cleared her throat. 'Um, everyone, um, I have something…that is, Tom and I have something that we would like to tell you.' She started nervously and everyone stared at her intently, giving her their full attention. 'I'm pregnant!'
There were cries of delight from Mary and Edith, who were becoming more accustomed to their brother-in-law, but Robert didn't look best pleased. However, Cora was ecstatic!
'Oh this is wonderful news Sybil darling!' She exclaimed as she glanced at her two youngest daughters, both now happily married and pregnant, her first two grandchildren.
There were other murmurs of congratulations from round the table, a couple of toasts and then desert was brought round the table by Charlie, Alfred and Jimmy. As the family ate their pudding, Ella and Sybil chatted about babies and about family life. At the end of their dinner, the men stayed behind in the dining room, whilst the women went into the drawing room. Ella, Cora and Sybil sat huddled together as they whispered excitedly.
'I can't believe you are both pregnant at the same time! I knew you like to do things together girls, but I would never have imagined this!' She joked.
'Shhh Mama, not so loud,' Ella laughed lightly at the excited look on her mother's face. 'It is quite remarkable really when you think about it, but I'm so glad that I won't be alone.'
'As am I,' Sybil replied as she took a sip from her cup of tea and glanced lovingly at her sister.
The men didn't join them until much later than usual, which irritated Ella a little, as she really wanted to say goodnight to her upstairs family and go to her downstairs family; although, once the men came through to the drawing room, Charlie came with them, to continue serving drinks and ensure there was nothing further that the family needed. He was always the professional, of course, but inwardly he was secretly wishing they would all retire for the evening so that he could be with his wife and daughter for the remainder of the evening.
Eventually, at a quarter to ten, Isobel and Violet decided to head home; they were grateful that the driveway had now been cleared of the deep snow by the staff, so that the car could be brought out to take them home.
'Goodnight my dears,' Violet said to the twins as she kissed them both goodnight, having said her goodbyes to the others and then Isobel did the same.
Once they were gone, Cora announced her departure to bed, exhausted after the pleasurable day they had all had. One by one everyone else parted for upstairs too and, finally, Ella could go to her mam and dad, joined, much to her joy, by Sybil.
The two girls crept downstairs, empty of anyone, so Ella hoped that her mam hadn't gone up herself yet; but that wasn't the case. As tired as she was, Elsie wanted to share her time with her daughter and wanted to give her gift to her daughter, so she was delighted when, at long last, she heard the gentle, familiar, tap on her sitting room door.
'About time girls! I was beginning to lose hope that you would ever come down,' she said as she turned round in her desk chair to look at them.
Ella approached her with an apologetic look, placed her arms around her and a gentle kiss on her cheek, which Elsie greatly appreciated, and Ella's display of affection was soon then followed by Sybil, who did the same.
'We did try to get away earlier in the evening; but Granny insisted we play a game of bridge.' Ella explained as she sat on the small arm chair that was beside the fire, as Sybil sat on the sofa.
'That's quite alright, really, it gave me the chance to catch up on my invoices and update our suppliers' lists. So at least now you will have my full attention over the next few days.' She replied with a tired smile. 'Shall I get some tea whilst we wait for Mr Car…I mean, Charlie, to join us?' She had to hide the laugh that was trying to escape her lips at her faux pas, which also made the two girls giggle.
'Yes Mam, tea would be lovely, thank you.' Ella replied as she made herself comfortable and Elsie left to make it.
As they sat in waiting, Charlie finally arrived, looking just as exhausted as the rest of them felt, but he smiled when he saw his daughter and could finally stop tending to her as the butler and starting looking after her as a father.
'I hope you are not planning a late night tonight Ella, or you for that matter Sybil; you both need your rest now that you are both expecting.' He said to the two girls with raised eyebrows and a stern tone.
'We shan't be too late Dad, don't you worry; besides, you and Mam both look dead on your feet, so it would be unkind of us to keep you up much later.' Ella said kindly as she stifled a yawn, determined not to prove her dad right.
In the kitchen Elsie was just waiting for the kettle to boil when Mrs Patmore came in unexpectedly and watched as Elsie laid out four cups and saucers on to a tray and a small jug of milk. She quietly cleared her throat to announce her presence, but Elsie still jumped a little.
'Mrs Patmore?! I didn't realise that anyone else was still awake.' She said as she felt her heart return to its normal pace.
'Well I retired to bed to read my book, but when I got there I realised that I had left my reading glasses down here.' The cook replied with a tired smile. 'Are you and Mr Carson having guests to tea?' She asked as she nodded to the tray and Elsie's blood ran a little cold at her words.
'Perhaps,' she replied casually, trying her hardest to dodge the conversation, but there was a knowing look in Mrs Patmore's eyes that said she knew more than she was letting on.
'Lady Aurelia I presume?' She said with a tone that wasn't with ill feeling, but said in a way that was trying to put the housekeeper at ease. 'Mrs Carson, it's not really my business what goes on between you and any member of the family, so I won't pry; but, I have noticed the relationship you seem to share with her and so have some of the other staff. Daisy, for example, she was asking this morning about what I thought.'
Elsie felt flabbergasted and didn't exactly know what to say to her friend. She was cursing herself for allowing her relationship with her daughter to become so complacent in regards to the other staff, but she wasn't getting the impression from Mrs Patmore that she was saying this with any malice. It was as if she was just saying it as part of an everyday conversation, so Elsie took a hold of Mrs Patmore's hand and smiled politely at her.
'Mrs Patmore, one day I will tell you the truth; but not tonight. Tonight I am going to enjoy my tea with my husband and with…with Lady Aurelia and Lady Sybil.' She had nearly taken the plunge and said "daughter" to the cook, but for now, she couldn't bear to say it and face the barrage of questions that would surly follow.
Mrs Patmore seemed happy with this explanation and gave Mrs Carson a friendly smile, a nod of her head and then bid her goodnight, whilst Elsie then turned her attentions back to the job in hand of making them tea. Whilst doing this task she thought about what Mrs Patmore had said and she decided that she wasn't going to tell the others just yet; but for now her secret was safe a bit longer and she wanted to enjoy what was left of Christmas day with her family.
She returned to her sitting room where they were discussing what Charlie was planning to do with the garden in the springtime. He was telling them about the vegetables and flower he was planning to grow and where he was going to put them and the girls were enjoying listening to him; he had even agreed to teach them a little about what he knew of plants and gardening.
'Right Mam, now that you are here, I think it's present time.' Ella said one Elsie was settled on the sofa beside her husband and having poured the tea. 'I would like you to open mine first, if you would, well, technically, it's from both Sybil and me, as she helped too, but it's for you both.' She explained as she passed the box to Elsie that she hand given to her earlier in the day.
Elsie put down her cup and carefully pulled the lid off the box to reveal a leather bound album, which, when she opened it, had many photographs in. Most of them were of Ella and Sybil playing or at their first dressage with their horses, the first time that they rode bicycles and at their birthdays. The girls had managed to find some of the butler and housekeeper, some of which included them with the girls; but the ones that really caught her attention, were the ones with Ella as a baby, sleeping in her crib, being fed by Elsie or being held by her mam. Those were the ones that really touched Elsie's heart and Charlie's too. He could see how much this gift meant to his wife and it meant a lot to him as well, as it made him feel like he truly had a family in the people he was now surrounded by.
'Oh girls this is absolutely beautiful,' Elsie said as a couple of stray tears trailed their way down her cheeks.
'Well, I remembered a while back that you had said that you didn't have many photographs of me or of us and then I came across some when I happened to be looking for something else. I hope you like it and that it's not painful for you, but I just really wanted to give you something that was special.' Ella explained as she placed a hand over her mam's, who had gone very quiet.
'No, it's not painful Ella, it's just beautiful.' She whispered as she ran a hand over a couple of pictures of Ella when she was aged about two. 'It puts my gift to you to shame.' She added as she then handed Ella and Sybil a beautifully wrapped gift each.
Ella opened hers first and felt a little confused at first, as hundreds of tightly bound letters fell on to her lap and she glanced up at her mam, who was clearly unsure of what Ella would think.
'I want you to read these when you're on your own Ella. You see, I started writing them a few days before you were born and continued to write you one every single day until your first birthday. I still don't know really why I wrote them, as I never intended for you to read them because I never thought you would find out the truth; but seeing as you have learnt the truth, well, it seemed only right that you should read them.' Elsie explained emotionally and Ella swallowed hard as she bit back her tears. She couldn't find the words to reply but gave her mam the biggest hug she could manage, which touched both Sybil and Charlie as they watched them together.
Next, Sybil opened her present, a small wooden box with a dark blue velvet cushion on the inside, protecting a small, silver carousel. She carefully lifted it out and heard it give a slight tinkle as she moved it, so she gave the key underneath a couple of turns, which made the horses turn round and it played a tune that was familiar to both girls, who looked at each other as they listened.
'Oh I know what this is!' Sybil explained. 'Don't you remember Aurie? We used to have one just like it when we were children, but Mary and Edith broke it one day when they were fighting.'
'Of course, how silly of me to forget; I used to love that and could have listened to it for hours. But Mam, wherever did you get it from?'
'I found it in a shop in Thirsk a few weeks ago; it brought back so many happy memories of the three of us that I just had to buy it for you.' Elsie explained with a smile.
The family of four sat and enjoyed looking at their presents and reminiscing over the significance of each present; it wasn't until Elsie's clock struck midnight that they all decided that it was time for them to head to bed. Elsie and Charlie had their usual early start and the girls were still recovering from their all-nighter.
'Goodnight Mam; I hope you have had a lovely Christmas Day and thank you so much for my present. I do love you, no matter what, and I always will.' Ella whispered as she and Elsie stood outside her room. Charlie had already said goodnight to his daughter and to Sybil, who had then parted for her own bedroom after wishing Elsie goodnight.
'And I love you Ella, very much.' Elsie replied as she placed a loving hand to her daughter's cheek.
It was clear to both Charlie and Sybil, that even though the mother and daughter no longer had any secrets from each other about their relationship, a lot of the pain that they had been trying so hard to abandon, still played a large part in their lives and was, in some ways, still as raw as ever.
After saying goodnight to each other, Elsie went into her bedroom to her husband, who was already in bed and on the verge of falling asleep and she didn't feel far behind him. She undressed quickly and climbed into bed beside him, where he wrapped her into a warm and loving hold and kissed her tenderly goodnight. They were so blissfully tired, that they barely had the energy to speak to each other, but Elsie was at least starting to feel the slightest bit more comfortable sharing her bed with someone.
Down the hall in Ella's room, Henry was also already in bed and he was sat up watching his wife get undressed and noticed that she seemed to wince a little as she did so.
'Are you quite alright darling?' He asked with concern.
'Yes I'm fine thank you; it's just that my back seems a little sore this evening, that's all and nothing to worry about. I'm sure that I will have plenty more of it to come over the next few months, won't I?' She replied as she then got into bed beside him and he wrapped his arm around her waist.
'Well if you're still in pain with it tomorrow, I'll nip down to the hospital and get you something.' He replied.
'It's not pain so much as discomfort; but I do wish you would stop worrying, everything is absolutely fine.' She replied as she cupped his cheek, but everything wasn't fine.
After a couple of hours of sleep, Ella was woken by pain worse than she'd had earlier, much worse. At first her mind was still fuzzy from sleep, but she quickly realised that the pain she had felt in her back earlier now felt to be in her lower stomach and seemed to be growing worse and then subsiding like waves. Then when she went to sit up, she felt something between her legs and she felt her heart jump into her mouth.
'Henry, Henry wake up!' She said urgently with a sleepy voice and was upset that her husband was still oblivious to what was going on, so she managed to lean over and give him an urgent shove, which startled him awake.
'Ella what is it?' He mumbled, still half asleep, but he was soon up and awake with her next words.
'Henry, I'm bleeding!'
Oh no folks, that's the end of the story! Cruel, I know; but what will happen? Is Ella about to lose her baby? Will Mrs Patmore ever find out the truth about Ella and Elsie? Well you'll just have to wait until the next story to find out.