its 1799. were alomst at the tuen of the century. Its almost the Election of 1800. Not that it matters to Eliza. women cant vote.
May 1799
Eliza flicked through a calendar.
"Is something planned?" Alexander asked her. He was writing a letter to a friend on the desk in their room. She only got used to calling it their room again recently.
Eliza shook her head. She felt nauseous.
"I'm going to have a nap. If William gets cranky, feed him. That always works", she laid down on the bed. Alexander smiled at her.
"So i can't nap with you?" He pouted.
"There's 6 kids downstairs that need supervision", she reminded him.
"I don't really think Philip needs supervision", he reasoned as if it made a difference. Eliza laughed.
"He came back drunk just 2 days ago. Yes. He needs supervision", she closed her eyes.
"He's old enough to drink", he sat beside her, rubbing her back.
"Doesn't mean I have to like it", she groaned. "Don't stop".
Eliza fixed her hair before going downstairs. Alexander had taken every cushion off the couches and all the blankets from upstairs.
"What?" Eliza frowned. How did she not hear them making a fort?
"We made a fort! We're fighting the British", John exclaimed. Alexander grinned at her.
"I see that", Eliza nodded.
"Come join us", Alexander waved her in but James stopped her.
"What's the password?" The boy asked her. William waddles out of the fort giving her a hug. Eliza picked him up.
"Is it Rochambeau?" She smirked. Ever since the boys were told the stories of the battle of Yorktown, they used the same password for everything.
John nodded.
"Yes. You're allowed in", he told her. Alexander moved over to give her space. She sat in his lap, lying against him. He wrapped his arms around her. He frowned, feeling her round stomach.
"Betsey?" He questioned her. Eliza nodded. The children were none the wiser.
"I love you", he kissed her hair. Eliza smiled. "I love you too". She never felt more comfortable than in a makeshift fort. William kissed her too.
"I love you too, my sweet boy".
"Do you love me mommy?" James asked her. Eliza nodded. "I love all of you".
"I'm not ready to tell people. Especially Peggy and Angelica", Eliza immediately told him once they were alone in his office. She sat on his office chair, writing a letter as he spoke it.
"Okay. That's fair enough. Don't leave it too late to tell them though. They'll be more furious with me for not telling them", he laughed. Eliza sealed the letter and put the wax stamp on the envelope. She turned around to her husband.
"It's kicking if you want to feel it", she didn't have her corset on while she was napping. Alexander felt her stomach, grinning.
"It amazes me every time. We made that", he kissed her stomach.
"I'm your Papa. I love you our little baby. I promise I'll be good to you, I'll always be there", he whispered to it. Eliza ran her fingers through his hair.
"You're a great father. I couldn't have asked for a better one", she smiled at him.
September 1799
Eliza rode with Angelica and Alex to her sister Peggy and Stevens' house.
"How long are we staying for momma?" Alex asked her. She smiled at her boy.
"Just a few days. We'll be back by the time your Papa is home", she squeezed his hand. John, James and William were staying with Angelica. Philip is old enough to stay home.
"I can't wait to go on the swing. Did you remember when we built it?" Alex grinned. Eliza nodded. The years fly in.
"Before I know it all of you will be married and I'll have grandchildren", Eliza smiled at Angelica. Her daughter would get any man when she was old enough to court. She inherited the looks from her aunt Angelica.
"Betsey!" Peggy yelled, hugging Eliza just as she got off the carriage. Eliza laughed, dropping her bags on the stone pavement.
"Aunt Peggy!" Angelica exclaimed hugging her. Alex grinned, he took off his hat and bowed. He had learnt from Alexander how to act proper. Peggy ruffled his hair.
"Well aren't you growing up quickly?" She hugged him. Alex laughed.
"I missed you too. I got your letter", he took the bags inside. Angelica insisted on helping carry the bags too. Peggy wrote letters to all the kids.
"I remember being jealous that Angelica would get letters and not us", Peggy reminisced.
They sat in the parlour. Angelica, Stephen and Alex went outside to the swing they built years ago.
"How are you feeling? You look good", Eliza asked Peggy, taking a cup of tea from her. Peggy sighed.
"I have to take it day by day. The pain in my knee is manageable today. Some days I'm stuck in bed", Peggy had been suffering from gout just like their father did occasionally.
"Father seems to get better when he doesn't drink red wine and eats less meat. Maybe try that. I wish I could take the pain away", Eliza smiled at her. She tidied the place up for Peggy.
Eliza went to the kitchens where the cooks were making dinner. She checked their progress.
"What are you making?" She asked the head cook.
"Pheasant on the bone, with roast potatoes and green beans, Ma'am", the woman replied. Eliza nodded.
"Okay, did you accommodate the 3 extra guests? That doesn't look like enough", Eliza frowned.
"I will do it right away, ma'am. We weren't informed of any guests. Please accept my apologies", the woman peeling potatoes grabbed extra. Eliza shook her head.
"I'll help", she peeled the extra potatoes.
Eliza called Angelica to come in from outside.
"Angie you need to set the table!" She called to her. Angelica ran in.
Eliza helped to serve the dinner.
"You don't need to do this, Eliza. Being here is for me is enough", Peggy smiled at her. Eliza sat down opposite her. Stephen was at the top of the table. The children were beside them.
"Thank you for having us", Eliza smiled before eating.
"You're welcome here anytime", Stephen smiled at her.
They played cards for the afternoon. They taught Alex how to play.
"I won", he exclaimed, grinning. Angelica went to bed early. Eliza smiled at him.
"Good job! Shall we play again?" She asked as she shovelled the cards. Peggy shook her head.
"I need to go to bed. Please don't feel like you need to too. The pain gets worse when I get tired", Peggy explained. Stephen kissed her Goodnight.
…
"We stayed up for about another hour after you went to bed", Eliza recounted the next morning. She had prepared breakfast with the servants.
"You know they can make breakfast", Peggy laughed. Eliza nodded, laughing.
"I think it's a force of habit", She explained.
Alex yawned, looking like he had been up all night. He was up 4 hours past his normal bed time. It always shows. Eliza laughed at him.
"Good morning", Peggy said in a cheerful voice. The teenager groaned. Angelica sat on the floor as Eliza braided her hair.
"Do we need to do our studies while we're here?" Alex asked before taking a bite of toast. Eliza hummed. Alexander would say yes without a second thought.
"If you want to. I'm not going to force you to do them", she reasoned with them. Angelica sighed.
"Yeah but Papa will inspect our work when we get back", she told Alex. Eliza nodded.
"That's true". Alex came downstairs with a notebook, the bible and a law book. He read the bible, taking notes as he did so.
Angelica took the law book, reading through the case studies.
"Momma did you know that when you married Papa you became his property! That's crazy", she looked up to see her reaction. Eliza's smile dropped for a moment.
"Yeah I know. That's why your father gives you away when you're getting married. I'm Alexander's property and so are you", she reminded her. Angelica nodded.
"I guess it makes sense. Papa makes all the money. He has to look after his property", she smiled. Peggy laughed.
"And he did a great job doing that", she rolled her eyes. Angelica frowned, ignoring her. She knew there was a scandal but didn't know what it was about. The boys knew the full story.
"Yeah.. momma doesn't like when we talk about that", Alex said, not looking up.
Eliza smiled.
"It's fine", she lied to them.
"I'm going to rest by the fire", Peggy told them as she limped to the parlour. Eliza sat with her. She knitted a scarf for Stephen.
"How serious is this?" She asked Peggy.
"I just need to rest. I'll be fine", Peggy smiled at her. Eliza stared at her for a moment before focusing on her knitting.
"Anything interesting happening recently?" Peggy asked. Eliza ran a hand over her stomach. Her stays were limiting how much she could feel the baby. Her dress expanded at her chest and did a great job of hiding the baby bump.
"I'm pregnant. I wanted to tell you in person", Eliza told her. Peggy grinned.
"What!" She exclaimed. "You were here all day yesterday and never told me?" Peggy shook her head in disbelief.
"The kids don't know. Normally I tell them. Peggy I don't know how to feel about it. Alexander and I are still on rocky ground", Eliza teared up. Peggy smiled at her.
"This baby is a sign from the lord. You are healing. It's a blessing, Betsey", Peggy sat beside her and hugged her.
"You're going to name her Peggy if it's a girl right?" She laughed. Eliza laughed with her.
"It better be a girl. I can't handle anymore boys", she is surrounded by them.
"I noticed Angelica is studying law", Peggy commented. Eliza nodded.
"And why shouldn't she?" Peggy sighed.
"Don't get her hopes up. You know just all well as I do that our sister Angelica would have loved to study law too. Women aren't allowed in colleges", Peggy warned her. Eliza shrugged.
"Even if she only uses it to have intellectual conversations then so be it", Eliza smiled.
Peggy nodded in agreement.
"Momma can we go outside?" Alex ran in to ask her. Eliza nodded.
"Why don't the three of you go to the village? I'll give you money", Eliza suggested. Angelica grinned, appearing beside him.
"Yes let's go", Angelica bounced on the spot. Eliza gave them money and waved them off.
"How far along are you?" Peggy asked once they were alone. Eliza hummed.
"About 7 months", she answered.
"I should have the baby around November", she continued. Peggy nodded.
"I'm going to be an aunt again", she smiled.
…
"Alex, carry those bags out to the carriage", Eliza instructed her son. Peggy hugged her and the kids before they headed back home.
"Write to me as soon as you have the baby. I'll be right there to see my nephew or niece", Peggy whispered to her. Eliza nodded.
"I will", she promised.
"Momma I forgot the book", Alex gulped as he searched the bags. Angelica frowned.
"Which one?" She held the items he had taken out of the carriage.
"Put everything back in the bags. You're getting dirt on them. We'll have Peggy send the book in the mail", she warned him. Alex shook his head.
"No Papa will be mad at me. Please can we go get it", he begged. Eliza shook her head.
"Absolutely not. You will face the consequences for your mistakes. Here's what you are going to do. Explain to Papa what happened and what you are going to do to fix it as soon as you get home. Preferably do it privately", Eliza explained to him. They were nearly home. They couldn't turn around.
theres another baby on the way!
Peggy is sick. oh no!
is Alex in trouble?
