Author's Note: Happy reading.
3 January 1926
"Oh, Anna, he is absolutely beautiful and so precious," Mary shakes her head, her voice no higher than a whisper as she sits in one of the armchairs with Johnny nestled in her arms while he sleeps, her index finger caught in his grasp as she watches him suck a dummy. "I know circumstances were rather different when I was in your shoes and Master George was this age, but I still remember him being just like this. So calm and peaceful and innocent. Sometimes, I wish I could go back to when he was this small, but then I think about how tremendously fun he is at this age and that thought leaves my mind completely. Besides, it won't be long until this one gets here."
Curled up on the sofa with a cup of tea in hand, Anna gives her mistress a smile and settles further back into the cushion behind her. "At the risk of being impertinent, does Master George know about the baby? Or have you and Mr. Talbot decided to wait for a while?"
"No, he knows and he couldn't be more excited," Mary replies. "Only, when we sat him down and told him the news, he wanted us to promise that the baby will be a boy because he spends so much time in the nursery with Miss Sybbie and Miss Marigold and he's tired of girls. I don't really blame him, the darling, he is quite outnumbered up there and they force him into tiaras, but I'm not in control."
"Master George is a lovely little boy. I'm sure he'll love the baby no matter what."
"Not that he has much choice in the matter."
They laugh at that and Anna shakes her head as she sips her tea before she looks at the pile of truly beautiful baby clothes once again. "I can't thank you enough for allowing Mr. Bates and I to have these, m'lady, I haven't felt strong enough to go into the village yet, so Johnny has been wearing the same few sets of clothes since we brought him home and I was starting to feel quite down about it. These outfits are going to look so beautiful on him though, they really are, and I'm positive he'll feel much warmer in them than anything I make him."
"Please, Anna, don't discredit your abilities because you're a very capable mother and that's not why I brought you the bag of clothes," Mary tells her, bouncing the baby in her arms when he whimpers until he settles down again and takes hold of the front of her blouse. "He seems content enough to me in this little set you knitted him. I realise things are rather different at the house and you and I have very different lives, but even I know that babies don't need clothing made from the finest materials or with the most extortionate price-tag. Clothes are clothes and as long as the baby is warm in them, that's all that matters. You're doing a marvellous job, I promise you."
"I suppose that's true," Anna hums in response, running her thumb around the rim of her teacup. "Thank you."
"You're most welcome," Mary replies before she cradles Johnny closes as she stands from the armchair, patting his lower back through the cardigan he has on, and waits for Anna to set her teacup down on the table before easing him into her arms and resting a hand on her shoulder. "I shouldn't have stayed as long as I have done, not when you're still recuperating, so I'll take my leave and let you get a bit of rest. I think I can see myself out, it shan't be a problem, but please give Bates my thanks for the tea when he comes downstairs."
Cradling her son to her chest and kissing him softly on the forehead, Anna nods when she looks at her mistress again. "I will, m'lady."
"Thank you," Mary smiles before running the back of her finger down Johnny's cheek. "Until we see each other again, little one."
She makes her way across the room then, Anna following her with her eyes until she ventures out into the hallway and her focus turns back to the little boy nestled in her arms. He must have decided his nap is over because he's staring up at her from the confines of his blanket, the yawn he lets out causing his dummy to fall from his mouth before he cuddles closer to her to share her warmth. "Decided to join the land of the living again, have you?" She murmurs as she lowers her head to brush her nose against his blonde wisps of hair and breathe him in, her hold of him tightening when she pulls back again to look at him. "Mummy does think it's a bit unfair though, my love, you sleeping the whole day away like this and then waking me up all through the night when it's my turn to get some sleep."
Johnny just blinks at her, completely unbothered.
"Complaining about his sleep schedule again, I see," She looks her husband's way at the sound of his voice and smiles at seeing him in the doorway in nothing but his undershirt and trousers. Truly, it makes her all the happier he chose to sit and read upstairs until Lady Mary took her leave. She thinks he looks absolutely gorgeous, his hair all unkempt and his sleeves rolled up to his elbows, but she has a sneaking suspicion her mistress may not have shared her sentiments. His cane tapping against the floor manages to pull her from her thoughts and she watches him approach the sofa before he sits down beside her and makes himself comfortable, his arm sliding around her shoulders on instinct, and she closes her eyes when he kisses her on the brow. "Has Lady Mary given us all those clothes for him?"
"Yes, she has, and I've taken a look through them and they are absolutely gorgeous," She tells him. "I remember seeing Master George in some of them when he was a baby and thinking he looked lovely, so I can't wait to put them on Johnny when he grows into them."
He chuckles and reaches out to stroke their son's face. "He's still so small. It may be a while before he does, sweetheart."
"I know and I'm not really in any hurry for him to grow up," She says. "We waited so long for him. I want him to stay small forever."
"Me too, but I'm afraid that's not quite how it works," He sighs. "We may just have to start trying again in a couple of months."
She looks at him. "For another baby, you mean?"
"Mmm…" He hums, brushing her hair from her face and tucking it behind her ear. "I wouldn't mind having another if you wouldn't."
"No, I wouldn't mind having another baby at all," She laughs gently. "And, given my age, I don't think we should waste a bit of time."
He feels a surge of happiness. "We should start consulting the calendar once things start evening out again."
"I think that's a good idea," She replies before drawing their son closer with a smile. "How about you, little man? How do you feel about a baby brother or sister?"
Neither she nor John can help but chuckle when, as if on cue, Johnny whimpers and his face crumples.
"I realise he's just hungry, but that timing couldn't have been better." John teases, tightening the arm around her shoulders.
"Tell me about it," She smirks as she unbuttons her blouse and frees her arm from the sleeve so she can move her underthings to one side. It takes her moments to get their baby latched on and settled, the action second nature to her at this point, and she curls into her husband's side before a wave of tiredness hits her suddenly and she yawns softly into the side of his neck. "I have never been so tired."
He buries his nose in her hair. "Why not get some sleep while he eats? I'll be here, so he'll be fine."
"Would you mind? I only need ten minutes." She mumbles.
"Of course, I don't mind," He can't help but roll his eyes good-naturedly. "Sleep, darling."
"Thank you. I love you."
"And I love you. More than you could possibly imagine."
Author's Note: Thank you for taking the time to read. Reviews appreciated.
