November 1920

Mary and Matthew were awoken to the sound of giggling coming from the other side of the door.

"What is that?" Matthew asked groggily, rubbing his eyes.

"That is a very excitable birthday girl and her brother." Mary replied, pulling on her nightgown and dressing gown before throwing Matthew's pyjamas at him.

Once he was dressed, Mary opened the door and smiled at Lottie who was bouncing up and down.

"Hello darlings." She grinned and lifted Lottie into her arms.

"Mama! It's my birthday!" Lottie exclaimed giggling.

"Really? And just how old is this birthday girl then?" Mary asked, settling back down on the bed with Lottie before lifting George on as well.

The little girl held out four fingers and Mary and Matthew gasped.

"No, that can't be right!" Matthew exclaimed. "That's one, two, three, and four. Our little Lottie can't be four!"

"I am." She giggled and Mary laughed too.

"Well then, the birthday girl has spoken."

"Presents?" George asked and the parents shared a look.

"Darling, it's Lottie's birthday. The presents are for her." Matthew explained, smiling as a pout came across George's face.

"But there will be cake." Mary smiled as a smile swept back across George's face. "I'll be back in a moment. Honestly Matthew, this child of yours has a hold on my bladder."

"Papa? Why does Mama always call Baby your child? Isn't it hers too?" George asked, frowning.

Matthew chuckled and ruffled his hair. "Yes my Prince but only when it suits Mama."

"Girls confuse me." The five year old frowned and Matthew laughed.

"That doesn't change my boy."

Mary returned and smiled at the scene. Lottie was rambling about a doll's house that she was hoping to get for her birthday (it was obviously downstairs) and Matthew and George were sat close together, listening intently to the small girl's words.

"Mama, what I really want for my birthday is for my baby brother to be here." George said when he saw Mary walk through the doors.

"No it'll be baby sister!" Lottie exclaimed.

"Brother!"

"Sister!"

"Brother!"

"Sister!"

"Stop it both of you!" Mary exclaimed and the children immediately stopped, turning to look at their mother. "It doesn't matter if you have a new brother or sister, you will love it just the same and Papa and I will as well. And Georgie, Baby won't be here until March, do you know how long that is after your birthday?"

The young boy seemed to think for a moment. "Two months!"

"Good boy, now both of you apologise to your mother." Matthew said, looking at his children.

"Sorry Mama."

"Sorry Mama."

"Thank you, now Lottie, what pretty dress shall we wear today?" Mary asked and headed back towards the nursery with Lottie in tow.

Later, the family had gathered in the library to allow Lottie to open her presents. They were waiting for Violet to arrive, spread out around the fire.

Edith sat reading in the armchair nearest the fire and Cora sat on the settee next to her, smiling at Lottie. The birthday girl was sat on the floor with her brother, her eyeing the pile of presents excitedly and him eyeing them with envy. Isobel sat on the settee on the other side of the fire smiling at her son and daughter-in-law.

Matthew was sat in the last armchair and, knowing her grandmother needed a seat, Mary had opted to stand.

"Darling please, I'll stand." Mathew protested, moving to stand up.

"No Matthew, I can stand for an hour or so." Mary replied, moving to lean on the arm of his armchair.

"Darling, you haven't even been stood for two minutes. Here." He extended his hand as he had done so many times when they were alone.

Mary smiled and took it, settling down comfortably on his lap. She smiled as his hand came to caress her protruding belly. "Tell me if I get too heavy."

"You know I won't."

"Presents now?" Lottie asked, bouncing up and down and causing the adults to chuckle. She'd been quiet for so long that Mary was almost tempted to allow her to open one when Carson stepped in, announcing Violet.

"Well hello." She took a sweep over the room and smiled affectionately at Lottie. "Mary what on earth are you doing?"

Mary rolled her eyes as her grandmother settled down in the seat next to Isobel.

"Lottie? Why don't you start? Leave that big one for last." Mary smiled and Lottie jumped up, pulling apart wrapping paper.

She made her way through the extensive pile of presents, thanking each person with a kiss.

She opened the last small present and everyone in the room gasped.

"Pretty." Lottie smiled, holding up the chain and watching the pearl swing inside the heart.

"My goodness that must've cost Sybil a fortune." Isobel stated, looking at the necklace.

"No, it didn't." Cora commented, smiling sadly.

"Papa gave it to her for her fourth birthday. Lord, I remember being so jealous of that necklace. He never gave me anything so nice." Edith explained, the same sad smile upon her face.

"Mama?" Lottie held out the necklace and the accompanying note to her mother who took both. She clasped the necklace around Lottie's neck before reading Sybil's script aloud.

To my darling niece,

Happy birthday! I am very sad that I am not there to see you turn four. You must be such a big girl now. I hope you like your necklace because it's one very special to me. You see my papa, your grandpapa, gave me that necklace for my fourth birthday and I loved it a lot.

I want you to have it because, now that I live far away, I'm not very near Papa anymore. So you must promise to look after it and wear it every time you go to visit Grandpapa.

Have a wonderful birthday my darling. Uncle Tom and Siobhan send all their love.

Lots and lots of love,

Your favourite aunt,

Aunt Sybil

"Well I dare say she's turning Lottie against you Edith." Violet commented.

"Hmm, it certainly does make the book pale by comparison." Edith replied.

Lottie frowned and went over to her aunt. "I love my book Aunt Edith."

Edith grinned and hugged the little girl once more. Mary felt tears spring to her eyes at the sight of her sweet, darling daughter.

"Darling? Are you alright?" Matthew asked, noticing the tears in her eyes.

"Oh yes, I'm perfectly fine. Just that the little one seems to have brought out quite the emotional side of me." She smiled tearfully and brushed her hand through his hair. "How about you open that big one now, princess? It's from Papa and I."

Lottie's eyes lit up and she ran towards the large packet before stalling and turning to her brother. "Will you help me Georgie?"

The young boy jumped up and rushed over, helping his sister tear the wrapping off a parcel taller than the both of them.

"Oh my goodness!" Lottie exclaimed, looking at the large dolls house. "It's so big!" She rushed over to her parents and clamoured up onto Matthew's other knee. "Thank you Papa! Thank you Mama! Thank you Baby!"

The adults chuckled as she embraced and kissed both of her parents before reaching down to kiss Mary's bump.

"My darling are you sure you're alright?" Matthew asked later on. Everyone had struck up conversation whilst Lottie played with her new toys.

"I have a slight headache but I'm fine darling." She had begun running her fingers through his hair again.

"Do you want to go and lie down?"

"Darling." She reprimanded and Matthew sighed.

"You seem to have a fascination with hair. Not only mine, but you're constantly running your fingers through the children's as well." He commented, smiling at her.

"Hmm, I guess you're right. If it's irritating you, I can try and stop." She replied, dropping her hand from his hair and attempting not to let her face fall.

"Of course not, I find it rather soothing." He took her hand in his and brought it to his mouth, gently kissing it.

Mary looked back to Lottie and George smiling with a hand rubbing over her bump. "I can hardly believe Lottie's four, she's grown up so quickly. And Georgie's nearly six."

"It's rather difficult to believe that we created such darling children." Matthew chuckled, the hand that was not holding Mary's rubbing over the bump.

When Matthew glanced back at Mary, it was to see tears running down her face. He tugged her closer and wrapped his arms around her. "My darling, what is it?"

"Just that, I'm so glad that you're here and that you made it through that hell. I don't know what I would have done without you. Truth be told, I made myself ill worrying that Lottie would never get to meet you." She nestled her head in his shoulder and concentrated on the feeling of his hand running over her back and the sound of his soothing voice.

"Darling, I'm here now and I'm perfectly fine. All of that is so far behind us. I love you and I love the children. I promise you that I am never going anywhere again alright? This is where I want and need to be. With you, my darling, darling wife."

Matthew caught his mother's eye over Mary's shoulder and smiled and the look of concern on her face. He kissed Mary's hair and smiled. Yes, this was his home.