A Duke, a Governess, and a Little Lady
Rating: PG-13 at most
Disclaimer: If I owned Roswell, we'd still have a show to watch.
Summary: Elizabeth Parker is a governess for Emily Burming in the early 1800s but when tragedy strikes they move 3000 miles away, to live with a cousin Emily's never met and a Duke Elizabeth might wish she hadn't.
****CHRISTMAS EVE****
Emily bounced around the nursery happily.
"Emily sit down and let me finish." Liz commanded sharply.
"We're going to have a white Christmas, Miss Beth." She said happily.
"I see that, but we'll never make it to service if you don't settle down and let me finish your hair."
Liz finished the detailed style fit for the cousin of a great Marquess. "There. Now sit there while I finish mine."
Liz donned her Christmas dress that Max had insisted she get. It did look good on her but it made her look higher in society than the governess she was.
"Are you ready, Miss Beth?" Emily asked impatiently a half hour later.
"Almost." Liz pinned her hair on the side and left the rest down. She decided that since it was Christmas she could wear what she wanted. Her hair was curled and fell neatly on her shoulders. Emily's curls did that naturally.
"Let's go, love." Liz held her hand out to her. Emily picked up Katarine who had also obtained a new dress for the holiday festivities.
Max was waiting for them by the stairs when they descended. Max couldn't believe his eyes. Liz looked like she belonged there, walking down those steps, in a dress fit for his marchioness. He wanted her there, as his marchioness, but she would never agree to it.
He knew that he had promised her to Martin but decided that he could talk it out with him.
"You look wonderful." Max held out his arm to her. He bent down to Emily as well.
"And you, you're the most beautiful five year old I've seen today." He smiled.
"I'm the only five year old you've seen, cousin." She said smartly.
"Oh well, pity for the next one, she'll have a lot to compete with."
"Thank you, cousin." She smiled up at him. "Can we go now?"
"Not without your cloak. And why are you in such a rush?" Liz asked.
"I want to see the snow, Miss Beth." Emily rested her small hands on her waist.
"Ok, come here then." Liz fashioned the cloak faster than Max had seen any body do. "Let us hurry, it's mighty cold out there." Liz stood back up.
"Ready, Max?" Liz asked.
"Yes."
****
The service was more beautiful than Liz ever remembered her services being.
"Are we going back?" Emily asked Liz.
"Yes, Isabel, and the Guerins are coming as well." Liz informed her.
Emily walked ahead to talk to Ellie and took the two-year-old Prince Christopher's hand. Ellie took his other hand. Liz buried her hands in her cloak and walked next to Maria.
They came to the outside of the church where snow had piled quite high during the service.
Christopher eyed the snow warily, and then looked up at his mother. Isabel smiled and picked up her child. He kissed her cheek and rested his head upon her shoulder.
Liz watched all this. It was uncommon for people to see the royal family show such affection towards each other. But as she had seen, the Evans didn't care about how everyone else worked.
Ellie and Emily made their way hand in hand to the carriage. One by one the ladies filtered into the carriages, children on laps, the gentlemen in the other.
Walking into the grand foyer of Max's large Estate. Shaking snow off boots and removing coats the three children made a mad dash to the warmth of the parlor.
"Presents!" The adults heard shouts.
Seeing everybody happy and settled, Liz excused herself to go upstairs.
A half an hour later she did not return.
Max went upstairs to find her. Isabel and Maria smiled knowingly at each other.
"Liz?" He knocked softly on the door.
"Come in." Liz called.
Max walked in to find Liz huddled on the window seat.
"Why didn't you come back down?" Max asked sitting opposite her.
He remembered that night three months earlier. He dreamt of it every night. Tonight though, there were people down there, people waiting for his return.
"It's a family time." She said staring out the window, looking out at the snow.
"Why don't you join us, then?" He asked curiously. Had they done something to make her feel excluded?
"Because I'm not part of the family." She said glancing at him before turning back to the window.
"Emily considers you part of her family, so in part you are." He said gently. He reached forward and caressed his cheek.
"I can't. It's a time for you to be together, Emily should get used to me not being here all the time."
"Why?" He asked concerned. His face searched hers for an answer.
"Because." She didn't answer his question.
"Max, after Christmas, I have something I need to share with you, but it has to wait. Can you wait please?" She asked taking his hand.
"Yes. But only if you join us." He tried to negotiate.
"Alright." She stood up shakily. It was then Max noticed she had been crying.
He didn't ask about it though. He would wait till the day after tomorrow and then he should know everything.
****
Max escorted down into the main parlor.
"Miss Beth! Look what I got." Emily stood by her dollhouse.
"It's beautiful." Liz gasped. She always wanted a dollhouse, Tess had one, she didn't.
Liz sat in a chair. Glancing around Liz noticed all children were with their parents. Isabel's eyes kept wandering towards the door. Liz knew she wanted her husband there to be with her. If she were married she knew she'd want him to be with her on Christmas as well.
Emily came and sat on her lap. Her head began to droop. Pretty soon she was sleeping.
All the children were. The adults moved in closer to the fire, talking about the next day plans. The duke and duchess were coming to spend the day.
Liz sat and observed the group with envy. She had never been this close with anyone besides her short time with her mama.
Christopher awakened with a start. Isabel glanced down at him and tried to soothe him back to sleep.
"Did I miss anything?" Came a voice that Liz did not recognize.
Isabel's eyes lit up as she turned around and spotted her husband.
"Alex!" She gasped.
"Papa!" Christopher shouted, climbing down from his mama's lap.
"Hi, my man." Alex lifted his son into his arms.
Isabel ran to him as well. "I thought you couldn't come." She said through tears.
"Took a lot of convincing but Mother finally convinced Father to let me come." He explained and kissed her cheek.
Max and Michael winked at each other. Maria caught it.
"You two knew?" She said pointedly but quietly.
"And if we did?" Michael asked. A tumbling block hit the side of his head.
"Ouch." Michael exclaimed rubbing his sore head. "Get over it." She told him. "When are you gonna learn not to keep secrets from me?" She crossed her arms.
"I don't know." He shrugged and shifted Ellie in his arms.
"Alex." Isabel said pulling him over to the semi circle the group had made.
"I'd like you to meet Emily." She bent down next to the sleeping girl. "She's my cousin from America. And this is her governess that came with her, but she's more of a friend, Miss Elizabeth Parker."
Liz smiled up at the Prince. "Nice to meet you, your highness." She greeted.
"And with you Miss Parker, but please call me Alex, among friends and family, I'm just Alex." He shook her hand.
"Then please, call me Beth."
"Alright." He took a seat that Max had pulled up.
They went on to talk about the day after Christmas when everyone went down to village poorhouses and distributed blankets, toys, and anything else that was needed. Liz had helped make several blankets as well as teach Emily how to make them as well.
Liz was still thinking about other things that was to happen the day after Christmas and was wondering if that was the day she should tell Max everything.
Rating: PG-13 at most
Disclaimer: If I owned Roswell, we'd still have a show to watch.
Summary: Elizabeth Parker is a governess for Emily Burming in the early 1800s but when tragedy strikes they move 3000 miles away, to live with a cousin Emily's never met and a Duke Elizabeth might wish she hadn't.
****CHRISTMAS EVE****
Emily bounced around the nursery happily.
"Emily sit down and let me finish." Liz commanded sharply.
"We're going to have a white Christmas, Miss Beth." She said happily.
"I see that, but we'll never make it to service if you don't settle down and let me finish your hair."
Liz finished the detailed style fit for the cousin of a great Marquess. "There. Now sit there while I finish mine."
Liz donned her Christmas dress that Max had insisted she get. It did look good on her but it made her look higher in society than the governess she was.
"Are you ready, Miss Beth?" Emily asked impatiently a half hour later.
"Almost." Liz pinned her hair on the side and left the rest down. She decided that since it was Christmas she could wear what she wanted. Her hair was curled and fell neatly on her shoulders. Emily's curls did that naturally.
"Let's go, love." Liz held her hand out to her. Emily picked up Katarine who had also obtained a new dress for the holiday festivities.
Max was waiting for them by the stairs when they descended. Max couldn't believe his eyes. Liz looked like she belonged there, walking down those steps, in a dress fit for his marchioness. He wanted her there, as his marchioness, but she would never agree to it.
He knew that he had promised her to Martin but decided that he could talk it out with him.
"You look wonderful." Max held out his arm to her. He bent down to Emily as well.
"And you, you're the most beautiful five year old I've seen today." He smiled.
"I'm the only five year old you've seen, cousin." She said smartly.
"Oh well, pity for the next one, she'll have a lot to compete with."
"Thank you, cousin." She smiled up at him. "Can we go now?"
"Not without your cloak. And why are you in such a rush?" Liz asked.
"I want to see the snow, Miss Beth." Emily rested her small hands on her waist.
"Ok, come here then." Liz fashioned the cloak faster than Max had seen any body do. "Let us hurry, it's mighty cold out there." Liz stood back up.
"Ready, Max?" Liz asked.
"Yes."
****
The service was more beautiful than Liz ever remembered her services being.
"Are we going back?" Emily asked Liz.
"Yes, Isabel, and the Guerins are coming as well." Liz informed her.
Emily walked ahead to talk to Ellie and took the two-year-old Prince Christopher's hand. Ellie took his other hand. Liz buried her hands in her cloak and walked next to Maria.
They came to the outside of the church where snow had piled quite high during the service.
Christopher eyed the snow warily, and then looked up at his mother. Isabel smiled and picked up her child. He kissed her cheek and rested his head upon her shoulder.
Liz watched all this. It was uncommon for people to see the royal family show such affection towards each other. But as she had seen, the Evans didn't care about how everyone else worked.
Ellie and Emily made their way hand in hand to the carriage. One by one the ladies filtered into the carriages, children on laps, the gentlemen in the other.
Walking into the grand foyer of Max's large Estate. Shaking snow off boots and removing coats the three children made a mad dash to the warmth of the parlor.
"Presents!" The adults heard shouts.
Seeing everybody happy and settled, Liz excused herself to go upstairs.
A half an hour later she did not return.
Max went upstairs to find her. Isabel and Maria smiled knowingly at each other.
"Liz?" He knocked softly on the door.
"Come in." Liz called.
Max walked in to find Liz huddled on the window seat.
"Why didn't you come back down?" Max asked sitting opposite her.
He remembered that night three months earlier. He dreamt of it every night. Tonight though, there were people down there, people waiting for his return.
"It's a family time." She said staring out the window, looking out at the snow.
"Why don't you join us, then?" He asked curiously. Had they done something to make her feel excluded?
"Because I'm not part of the family." She said glancing at him before turning back to the window.
"Emily considers you part of her family, so in part you are." He said gently. He reached forward and caressed his cheek.
"I can't. It's a time for you to be together, Emily should get used to me not being here all the time."
"Why?" He asked concerned. His face searched hers for an answer.
"Because." She didn't answer his question.
"Max, after Christmas, I have something I need to share with you, but it has to wait. Can you wait please?" She asked taking his hand.
"Yes. But only if you join us." He tried to negotiate.
"Alright." She stood up shakily. It was then Max noticed she had been crying.
He didn't ask about it though. He would wait till the day after tomorrow and then he should know everything.
****
Max escorted down into the main parlor.
"Miss Beth! Look what I got." Emily stood by her dollhouse.
"It's beautiful." Liz gasped. She always wanted a dollhouse, Tess had one, she didn't.
Liz sat in a chair. Glancing around Liz noticed all children were with their parents. Isabel's eyes kept wandering towards the door. Liz knew she wanted her husband there to be with her. If she were married she knew she'd want him to be with her on Christmas as well.
Emily came and sat on her lap. Her head began to droop. Pretty soon she was sleeping.
All the children were. The adults moved in closer to the fire, talking about the next day plans. The duke and duchess were coming to spend the day.
Liz sat and observed the group with envy. She had never been this close with anyone besides her short time with her mama.
Christopher awakened with a start. Isabel glanced down at him and tried to soothe him back to sleep.
"Did I miss anything?" Came a voice that Liz did not recognize.
Isabel's eyes lit up as she turned around and spotted her husband.
"Alex!" She gasped.
"Papa!" Christopher shouted, climbing down from his mama's lap.
"Hi, my man." Alex lifted his son into his arms.
Isabel ran to him as well. "I thought you couldn't come." She said through tears.
"Took a lot of convincing but Mother finally convinced Father to let me come." He explained and kissed her cheek.
Max and Michael winked at each other. Maria caught it.
"You two knew?" She said pointedly but quietly.
"And if we did?" Michael asked. A tumbling block hit the side of his head.
"Ouch." Michael exclaimed rubbing his sore head. "Get over it." She told him. "When are you gonna learn not to keep secrets from me?" She crossed her arms.
"I don't know." He shrugged and shifted Ellie in his arms.
"Alex." Isabel said pulling him over to the semi circle the group had made.
"I'd like you to meet Emily." She bent down next to the sleeping girl. "She's my cousin from America. And this is her governess that came with her, but she's more of a friend, Miss Elizabeth Parker."
Liz smiled up at the Prince. "Nice to meet you, your highness." She greeted.
"And with you Miss Parker, but please call me Alex, among friends and family, I'm just Alex." He shook her hand.
"Then please, call me Beth."
"Alright." He took a seat that Max had pulled up.
They went on to talk about the day after Christmas when everyone went down to village poorhouses and distributed blankets, toys, and anything else that was needed. Liz had helped make several blankets as well as teach Emily how to make them as well.
Liz was still thinking about other things that was to happen the day after Christmas and was wondering if that was the day she should tell Max everything.