The carriage rolled to a stop in a front of a well-kept manor house in Whitehall. James got slowly out of the carriage and turned to help Ella. She took her father's hand and allowed him to escort her out of the carriage and into the house. He led her into a large room full of stately elegant furniture. A young man, who looked as much like Ella as a boy could, stood when they entered.
"Ella-lass, this be your brother T.J.," James said quietly. Ella held out her hand for him to shake, but instead he gathered her gently in his arms and gave her a warm hug.
"I'm glad I finally found my little sister," he whispered in her ear, in a choked voice. James quickly exited the room, feeling like an intruder in a room with his own children. As he entered the foyer, 2 golden haired balls of energy came running through the front door and collided into his legs.
"Papa! Papa! Papa!" James's youngest children, Connor and Katherine cried happily, hugging his legs tightly.
"Children! Control yourselves! You know better than that!"
James looked up and saw his elegant, decorous young wife standing in the doorway with a severe look on her already severe face.
"Ach, let 'em greet their ole' da how they please, Clarisse."
"Where is this long lost daughter of yours?" Clarisse asked peevishly as she removed her elbow length traveling gloves.
"She's in the parlor with T.J. I wanted to give them a few moments to get to know each other before these little hooligans went in."
"Well we might as well get this over with. I don't see why you insist on her living here, but you are the head of the family so I'll trust your judgment," Clarisse said walking towards the parlor. James took hold of the twins' hands and led them into the parlor. Ella and T.J. had been sitting on 1 of the brocaded couches talking when their stepmother came swishing into the room, closely followed by their father and 2 roly-poly children.
"Ella, this is our stepmother, Clarisse," T.J. said, standing up to acknowledge Clarisse's presence.
"So you're Elizabeth," Clarisse said, scrutinizing her stepdaughter critically. T.J. ignored his stepmother's attitude and went and picked up the 2 toddlers.
"Katie, Connor, this is your big sister Ella. She's going to be living with us for a while. Can you say hello?" T.J. prodded gently, noticing that an unusual fit of shyness had overcome the usually vivacious and exuberant toddlers.
"Hewwo Ewwa," the twins whispered in unison.
"Hello to you too. How old are you?" Ella asked, smiling warmly at the toddlers. Something in her smile must have reached Katie, because she wriggled in T.J.'s arms and reached for Ella. Ella gladly took the little girl into her embrace.
"We're 2," Katie cried once she was secured in Ella's arms.
"Why you're close to being grown up," Ella exclaimed, causing Katie and Connor to giggle.
"T.J., would you and Ella take the children upstairs to the nursery please? All that noise is giving me a headache and we are supposed to meet with the dressmaker in an hour," Clarisse said haughtily. T.J. rolled his eyes and motioned for Ella to follow him.
"What's wrong with Clarisse? Did I do something to offend her?" Ella asked as they carried the twins up the stairs.
"No, you didn't do anything," T.J. assured her.
"She is just one of those women who never wanted children and now she has 5. She tolerated me because I was usually at school, but ever since she had the twins she can't do all the things she used to. She can't flirt at parties or wear tiny revealing dresses or stay out late because Papa expects her to actually be a mother and not leave the raising of the twins completely to the nanny. I think she hates children."
"How awful! I guess I'm not making this a lot easier on her."
"Don't let her bully you. The rest of us are thrilled you're here," T.J. said with a smile. "All right little ones, its time to play in the nursery."
Ella felt the little arms around her neck tighten.
"No! I wanna stay with Ewwa!" Katie cried indignantly.
"Me too!" Connor piped up.
"We're going to go and do boring grown up stuff. You'll have a lot of fun playing in here and we'll come see you tonight and once we get done with all the boring grown up stuff; we'll take you on an adventure. Ok?" Ella said.
The twins looked at each other and then nodded.
