And the rating has already taken a jump...
So, so grateful for all the lovely feed back and encouraging reviews. Updates won't come as fast and furious as this as we go, but wanted to go ahead and share this one today. If you have the chance to jump over to Tumblr, I have a photo of Poppy and Livy accompanying this story update post under elliehopaunt.
So on with the sex and schmaltz...
The sun was barely peeking over the horizon when he felt Elsie stir against him. They had fallen asleep quickly; each wrapped in the other's arms after such an emotionally tumultuous day, they hadn't moved from the same position all night.
His hand was warm and comforting as it slipped under her light flannel pajama top and ran up her spine.
"Mmmm…what time is it?"
He twisted his head and was just able to make out the hands of the alarm clock on the bedside table. "Six. A little after."
She shifted so that her leg rested on and over his good leg, her foot gently rubbing against his calf. "Are we going to church today?"
He let out a sigh. "We probably should, but after yesterday, I don't want to leave the house. I really don't want to leave this bed."
She let out a light chuckle. "Not sure our children will be very accommodating of that."
He snuggled down into the bed and let his hand slip from her back to her ribs. "I haven't heard a peep, yet."
She nuzzled his nose with hers as she reached under her top and moved his hand to her breast. "We might have at least a half an hour."
Her optimism was rewarded with a series of light kisses up her neck and towards her ear, his thumb running gentle circles over her nipple. "You'll have to be very quiet, Elsie."
Her hand gliding over his stomach and into his pajama pants, her palm slid over his hardening erection and garnered a deep moan from her husband.
"Shhhh…you're the one who needs to be quiet."
"I wasn't ready for that, you sneak," he whispered as he deftly unbuttoned her top, his mouth going to the spot where his thumb had recently been centered as she pulled her arms from her sleeves.
"Ooh, that feels good, honey."
"Good," he whispered before suddenly ducking beneath the covers and slipping into the space between her open legs. "I like it better when you wear a gown." He teased as he quickly removed her pajama bottoms and knickers.
She let out a hiss as the combination of the room's cool air hit her now uncovered body as her blanket hooded husband pressed his mouth to her sex.
Pressing one hand firmly against the wooden headboard, she wove the fingers of the other into his thick head of hair as she whispered. "Oh, honey…"
His masterful ministrations soon had her lifting her pelvis in a rhythmic manner and she was reaching down to encourage him back up when their bedroom door suddenly opened.
"Mumma?" Livy's little voice was laced with concern as she took in the large, wobbling form on her mother's side of the bed.
Upon hearing her child's voice, Elsie's hands sprang into action as she grasped at Charles shoulders in a desperate attempt to alert him of their current predicament.
The twins thankfully stayed in their current position in the doorway and didn't venture any further into the room as Charles scrambled up the bed, careful to cover Elsie, his body blocking his daughters' view before moving back to his side of the bed.
Sheet and blanket tucked under her chin as she met the puzzled looks of her children, Elsie broke into a bright smile as she sang the sweet sing-song phrase with which she woke them every morning.
"Good morning! Good morning!"
Reassured by the familiar greeting, the girls repeated it back, their trilled Scottish R's like those of their mother managing to make their parents smile even given the awkwardness of the situation.
"Did you have sweet dreams?"
Livy, ignored the question, her curiosity piqued by her father's extremely mussed hair, and her mother's oddly covered body. "What was Daddy doing under the covers?"
Elsie and Charles' faces were a matching shade of pink as they glanced at one another.
"Mumma wanted me to fill her hot water bottle and I was looking for it down at the bottom of the bed."
Nodding, Elsie reached over and gave her husband's blanket covered thigh a grateful squeeze for his quick thinking.
"It's on the table." Poppy informed them as she pointed to the red rubber appliance sitting less than a foot away from Elsie on the bed stand.
"Well, no wonder Daddy couldn't find it!" Elsie offered with a forced laugh.
Livy gave them each a steely stare before suddenly dismissing the experience by giving her head a quick shake as she declared, "You're silly." She was well into the room and grasping at the covers to pull herself up onto her mother's side of the bed when Charles suddenly reached over and patted her head.
"Hold on, Liv." The only parent dressed, he knew it was up to him to get the girls out of the room so he moved swiftly out of the bed while carefully keeping his still moderately aroused front turned away from his daughters as he fetched his dressing gown from the nearby wing chair. "Why don't we go get Pete and Barley, put on our wellies and coats, and go see the goats and let Chum have a wee?"
"In our pajamas?" The girls cried together as Livy quickly slid down from her half ascent up the side of the bed and back to her sister's side.
"In our pajamas!"
The parents shared relieved smiles as the little girls excitedly disappeared down the hall which was followed by their brother's happy cry and a bark from Barley as they opened the door to the nursery.
Charles shook his head with a laugh. "Well, that was a close call. If this baby is ever going to get made, we probably need to start locking the door."
"You think?" She began searching for her pajama top as she sighed, "I suppose now that everyone is up I might as well make breakfast."
"Pancakes?" Her husband asked hopefully.
"Well, you were well on your way to earning pancakes before we were interrupted."
"It was absolutely my pleasure, sweetheart, I assure you, but I'd still love pancakes."
"Of course- and bacon." She promised with a laugh.
Charles stretched across the bed and kissed the top of her head. "God, I love you. And I know we're up in plenty of time, but let's stay home from church today. We'll light a fire and just spend the day all together."
Elsie nodded, "That sounds wonderful."
Charles turned back before he was out the door. "Maybe we can finish where we left off tonight."
"It was lovely…"
"While it lasted," He offered with a wink before heading out the door.
Elsie had just managed to get her arms into her pajama top when a red faced Charles suddenly returned.
"What is it?"
"I'm just going to wash my face and clean my teeth before our children demand good morning kisses."
With a crinkle of her nose, Elsie chuckled as she agreed, "Good plan, Mr. Carson. Good plan."
She wasn't sure if there was more flour in their biscuit mixture or on the floor, but the mess created while making the peanut butter biscuits and chocolate icing was worth getting to spend some early afternoon time alone with Poppy after the upsetting experience at bedtime the night before.
She had just finished sweeping when she looked over to find Poppy pulling her arms out of her jumper.
"The oven makes it very hot in here, Mumma."
"It does." Elsie agreed before lifting her daughter onto her hip. "Tell you what. It's nice and cool outside. Why don't we see if Livy and Pete want to go on a walk down to see Gran Bill and the mumma cat. She should be having those kittens any day now and I bet Daddy will take our biscuits out of the oven if we ask him sweetly."
Poppy nodded her head eagerly as they made their way towards the kitchen doorway.
"Honey?"
Charles, Pete, and Livy soon appeared from the other end of the house, the boys each wearing a small cowboy hat and holding a toy six shooter while Livy wore a headband sporting three bright colored feathers and carried a small wooden bow to go with the empty quiver on her back.
"Sure smells good in here. You two are going to put Auntie Bee out of business."
"That is some hat, Daddy." Elsie noted with a lifted eyebrow and a sly smile.
"You like it, little lady?" He asked in a bad American drawl which drew giggles all around.
"Mmmm…maybe you could wear it later tonight." She leaned up and kissed his cheek before whispering, "And only it."
Their playful exchange was interrupted when Poppy announced their plan to her siblings. "We are going to see Gran Bill and the mumma cat. Livy and Pete, do you want to go?"
"I want to see mumma cat!" Livy cried quickly pulling off her Indian attire.
"I'm not invited?" Charles asked with a playful scowl.
"Well, you see, I need a big, strong cowboy to fetch the biscuits from the oven when the timer goes off."
"Ahh…" He looked down at Pete. "Do you want to stay here with Daddy and play more cowboys or do you want to go with the big girls and Mumma to the barn?"
Wrapping his arms around his Daddy's legs, Pete was quick to answer, "Cowboys!"
Charles reached down and scooped the little boy up into his arms. "Pistol Pete and I will watch your biscuits, ladies."
"Just don't eat them while we are gone, Daddy." Livy warned with a teasing grin.
"And stay out of the chocolate, please." Elsie added as she herded the girls through the doorway, pausing briefly to kiss both her husband and son. "Please try to keep Daddy out of trouble, Baby Bird."
The trip to the barn was disappointing as the mumma cat was nowhere to be seen, but Gran Bill assured the little girls that he was certain she was alright and had probably just found a warm, safe place to have her babies. Having fed the chickens, collected eggs, and brushed the horses' tails, the girls gave Gran Bill goodbye hugs and kisses as he promised he would call and let them know as soon as the new kittens had arrived.
Making their way back into the house, Elsie let out a gasp as she rounded the corner to the kitchen to find Pete sitting on the counter, one of his hands and a small spoon, as well as the bottom half of his face and the neck of his shirt covered in chocolate as her husband was bent over reaching for a tea towel from the drawer.
"Peter Matthew Carson!"
Charles stood and spun around, immediately spotting the impetus for his wife's cry.
"Pete!"
The little boy's eyes widened as he looked back and forth between his mother and his father.
"Charles!" Elsie's attention turned to her husband.
"I just gave him the spoon." His cheeks reddened as he admitted, "You returned sooner than I expected."
Exhaling slowly, Elsie's voice was calm, but cool as she asked, "Would you please go help the girls wash their hands and then bring them in here?"
"Do you want me to take Pete?"
"I'll take care of Pete."
"I'm the one who gave him the spoon…"
"I know."
"If you're going to be upset…"
"Oh, I'm not upset with Pete."
"Ah." He took a breath, and then a step towards her, "Honey…"
She stepped back, her tone even colder as she repeated her request. "Will you please go help the girls wash their hands? They are covered in farm muck."
He opened his mouth to speak, but the look on her face soon made him reconsider. Feeling on unsure footing, he slowly made his way out of the kitchen.
Turning back to her son, Elsie broke into a smile of resignation. "Oh, Baby Bird, you are a little chocolate monster."
Big blue eyes staring up at her, he offered the spoon. "Sorry, Mumma."
Kissing the little one's head and then the corner of his mouth, she chuckled as she assured him, "It's okay, baby. You can have what is left on the spoon. It's pretty yummy, isn't it?"
The child nodded, a bright smile taking the place of his fearful look as he lapped up the remaining chocolate.
She was wringing out a warm cloth when the twins and Barley entered the kitchen, gasps falling from the girls' mouths as they took in their chocolate covered brother.
Elsie quickly turned and waved away their concern. "It's alright. It's alright. Here." Reaching into a nearby drawer she produced two spoons which she dipped deep into the bowl before handing them to the girls. "Fair is fair, but don't let Barley have any. Chocolate isn't good for chums."
Still unsure of his fate, Charles remained in the doorway watching his children devour the icing as his wife began to cover the biscuits with the remaining chocolate in the bowl.
Her task soon finished, Elsie stripped Pete of his shirt and quickly wiped his face and hands before placing him on the floor near his sisters. Picking up a frosted biscuit from the plate, she made her way to her husband.
"I knew you would let him sneak a taste," she whispered as she held the biscuit up to his mouth. "I just didn't think you'd give him a spoon. Luckily, Pop and I made double what was actually needed."
Taking a bite, he slid a hand around her waist and then onto her bum as he pulled her towards him. "So I'm not in trouble?"
"Not big trouble. I just wanted you to let you stew for a minute, although I do think cleaning up the girls and the icing bowl while I get Pete a clean shirt might just get you back into my good graces." She teased before pushing the remaining bite of biscuit into her own mouth.
"Consider it done, milady."
He gave her bum a squeeze and was kissing her when he heard Livy laugh and announce: "Daddy squeezed Mumma's tushy!"
The silly events of the day had ended in naps for the children and Charles while Elsie retreated to her studio to finish up the proposal boards for her trip to see her publisher the following week. Having given the eighteen paintings one last look over, she carefully wrapped them in thin cotton fabric and assembled the portfolio as she tried to ignore the swarm of butterflies currently fluttering about her stomach as she prepared to share the work with her husband for the first time.
"Hi, Mumma."
Elsie jumped, Livy's greeting from the stairwell catching her off guard as she entered the sitting room.
"You made Mumma jump, Livy Loo. Did you just wake up?"
The little girl nodded as she set aside the large book of nursery rhymes she had been reading before carefully making her way down the five steps that separated the bookcase enclosed landing from the bottom floor.
"Everyone's still asleep so I sat on the stairs so I could hear Poppy or Daddy or Pete when they wake up."
Elsie placed the portfolio on the seat of the sofa before pulling Livy up into her arms. "You are so very, very clever, sweetheart."
Returning her mother's hug, the little child pushed herself up to look at the portfolio on the sofa over Elsie's shoulder. "What's that, Mumma?"
"I was going to show it to Daddy, but I think you might just be the perfect person to look at it with me."
Moving to the kitchen, Elsie laid out a clean table cloth before beginning to pull the paintings out of their protective wrappings.
"Ooh! It looks like Gran Bill's farm!"
"Do you think so?"
"Yes because that's where the pig pen is and that's where the horses live and there's the water trough."
"What about the animals?"
Livy giggled, "I love the little kittens!"
Elsie smiled brightly as she ran her hand gently over her daughter's curls and onto her back. "You want to know their names?"
"Uh-huh."
"Well," she pointed at the two small calico kittens, "this one is Po and this one is Ollie."
"And this one?" Livy pointed at a slightly smaller black kitten with white tipped ears and tail.
"That is Pee Wee."
"Pee Wee." The little girl laughed heartily at the name.
"And the little bitty white kitten is named Hope."
"Four kittens, eh?"
Charles' sleepy voice surprised both mother and daughter.
"Daddy, look at Mumma's farm pictures!"
He rested his hands on Elsie's shoulders as he reached the table and began to survey the paintings. "Oh, honey…"
"Just a minute…" She reached over and pulled a small stack of paper out of the back of the portfolio. "You and Daddy can read the story with the pictures."
Elsie laid out the first four pieces of text under the paintings they were designed to accompany as Charles lifted Livy into his lap so they could read the story together.
Their delight was obvious as they both laughed and giggled throughout the entirety of the story allowing Elsie to breathe a sigh of relief as they reached the final page. She was about to ask what they thought when Poppy suddenly appeared.
"What are you looking at?"
Livy twisted around in Charles' lap to look at her sister. "Poppy, come look at Mumma's story!"
Elsie lifted Poppy into an empty chair as Charles stood to push the one Livy now occupied closer to her sister's.
The parents watched on in surprise as the girls took turns reading the text aloud. The words weren't long or complicated, but both four year olds were both reading at a pace neither of their parents had witnessed before.
They were in the middle of the third set of paintings when Poppy suddenly turned to Livy. "That silly goose is just like Lady and the lady duck is like Aunt Izzy."
Livy nodded. "And the farmer is just like Gran Bill and even the lady farmer is named Bea like Auntie Bee!"
Charles wrapped his arms around Elsie's waist and whispered into her ear, "And those cats and their little kittens seem awfully familiar."
"You mean Mister, the tall Tom with the dark patch on his head and his little calico sweetheart Missus?"
"I do. And Po, Ollie, and Pee Wee are rather reminiscent of some sweet peas I know, but this Hope…"
Elsie gripped his arms tightly and took a deep breath. "Well…"
"Just shows how badly you want it and I do, too." He kissed her cheek before promising, "But we're going to do more than hope. We're going to make it happen."
Elsie tipped her head up and kissed his jaw just as Pete called out from the nursery.
"We'll see what Mr. Pete thinks of the story, but something tells me it is going to be a unanimous rave," Charles assured her as he kissed her neck before heading back through the house to retrieve their son.
The rest of the story finished, Elsie set out the first four paintings and text again as they waited for Charles to return with Pete.
"Mumma?"
"What, Liv?"
The little girl broke into a knowing grin as she asked, "Are we the kittens?"
"Hmmm…could be. What do you think?"
"I think Poppy is Po because she likes to cuddle and I am Ollie because she is always silly and bouncing and jumping around and Pete is Pee Wee because he likes to cuddle with Po and play with Ollie and that is how Pete is- always wanting to be with either Poppy or me."
"And P for Poppy, O for Olivia, and another P for Pee Wee!" Poppy announced joyfully, quite pleased with herself.
"My very smart and sweet girls," Elsie whispered as she gave each a squeeze and a kiss on the cheek.
Livy twisted around in her chair. "But who is Hope, the little bitty kitten?"
Poppy squinted for a moment and then her eyes suddenly flew open as she gasped. "Mumma! Are we going to have a new baby?"
"Oh, Pop…"
Charles carried Pete into the room, unsure of what had transpired as he watched his daughters hopping and squealing around Elsie's legs.
"What happened?"
"A cart has been put before a horse." Elsie said with a sigh before leaning down and pulling the girls to her. "Look at me, sweet peas. Maybe someday we will have another baby. Daddy and I want to…" she glanced up at Charles with a sweet smile, "We really, really want to, but if it happens, it won't be very soon."
Poppy's little face crumpled, "But when?"
"Hopefully by the time you and Livy are six or seven."
Livy let her little head hang as she dramatically declared, "But that is forever!"
Charles crossed to the girls, lowering Pete to the floor before crouching down so that the whole family was on the same level.
"But just think, girls. If the baby is born when you are a little older, you'll be bigger and be able to hold it by yourselves and Mumma and I will need your help rocking the baby and giving it baths and bottles…"
"And changing nappies." Elsie added with a smile.
"Ew! You get to change the nappies, Poppy!" Livy squealed.
"No!" Poppy laughed and pointed at her brother. "Pete can change the nappies!"
"Alright, alright," Charles shook his head as he and Elsie shared a grin.
"Daddy, why don't you help our wonderful little readers here share the story with Baby Bird and I'll start putting together some sandwiches for dinner?"
"Absolutely. Now nobody touch." Charles warned as he lifted each child into a chair. "Let Daddy move the pictures, okay?"
Elsie was pulling bits and bobs from the refrigerator as she heard the children and Charles discussing the story.
"Who do those goats remind you of?"
Poppy was the first to answer. "Aunt Phylly and Uncle JoMo because she takes all those scraps of clothes he tries to eat and uses her teeth to tie them together to make blankets for all the animals just like Aunt Phylly makes us clothes and like she made the tree quilt."
"And those horses are Aunt Cora and Uncle Robert because she has beautiful blue eyes and he is silly," Livy added.
"Oh, and the pigs!" Poppy gushed.
Charles laughed, "Don't tell, Mumma, Pop, but I think next to the cats and their kittens, the pigs are my favorite."
"Me, too, Daddy." Poppy admitted with shining eyes. "That big lady pig is so sweet and she calls the kittens "peanuts" just like Miss Lily calls us, and she has a little pig husband just like Mr. Purley and he is sweet, too," she observed before adding, "and Drew the boy hedgehog has ears like Andy and he loves Rosie, the girl hedgehog who has big, round eyes like Daisy."
Livy also noted, "And the man duck named Doc loves the lady duck named Bell, so he has to be our Doc because Auntie Izzy is Bell and our Doc loves Auntie Izzy."
Charles raised his voice, although he was certain Elsie had been listening to the conversation all along. "How clever is your Mumma to make all these funny, sweet animals just like our funny, sweet friends?"
The final reading of the prototype book completed, Charles helped Elsie rewrap the paintings and put the portfolio back together as the children headed to the nursery to play.
"It's sweet and funny and the characters are all very endearing, sweetheart."
"Even the honking goose?" She asked with a raised eyebrow.
"Especially the honking goose. I love that you named her Your Majesty. Oh, and those big eyes she has…"
"I'm glad you like it, but I won't let it be published without everyone's permission."
Charles grimaced. "No one outside of our friends will recognize…"
"Maybe not, but it's the right thing to do. I'm taking it over to Beryl and Bill in the morning. I told Phyllis I had something to show she and JoMo when they come to dinner tomorrow night, and then I'll show it to Andy before he drives Daisy and the children and me to the station on Wednesday morning. The Crawleys and Lily and Purley will see it that day before I take it to meet Mr. Parkinson that evening, that is, if everyone is alright with it."
"Why are Lily and Purley going to be in London?"
"You know, I have no idea. Isobel mentioned it in passing on the phone the other night. I haven't told our wee ones yet and Isobel said they are keeping our visit a secret from them, as well."
"I can hear the squeals now- both theirs and Lily's."
"You really don't think Violet will throttle me for the goose?"
"Are you kidding? You made her, Lily, and JoMo the heroes of the whole book." Charles assured her, squeezing her hip as he passed her on his way to the hutch for plates.
"I hope you are right."
Charles turned back with an armful of dishes, a concerned look on his face. "You still alright with taking the children to London by yourself?"
"Daisy will help."
"I know and they'd miss Lily and Purley, but it would be much easier on you if Daisy just stayed with them here during the day on Wednesday and Thursday."
"Believe me, I am not relishing the idea of dragging three small children through King's Cross, but Isobel hasn't seen them in more than a month and Violet basically told me I didn't have a choice. Besides, with Cora on bedrest I think she and Robert would appreciate a distraction and I know they like for Mary to be around our relatively well-mannered children."
"Relatively." Charles said with a laugh.
"Well, one never knows what Miss Olivia Violet might have up her sleeve."
The plates distributed, Charles pulled Elsie into an embrace. "Which is one of things I love most about her."
"Me, too. Except when she gets on one of her poo kicks."
Charles let out a groan. "God. 'How would you like to eat poo with noodles?' I still can't believe she said that in front of Isobel."
Elsie chuckled, "Well, Isobel laughed."
"I know, but…"
"She loves attention."
"She's going to get some firm attention on her bottom from my hand one of these days."
His wife snorted as she playfully smacked his chest. "The day you spank any of our children is the day that Bill's pigs sprout wings. You are all talk when you are in a huff, but we both know you don't have it in you. She'd look up at you with those big blue eyes, curl her little mouth into a frown, and you would fall apart."
"I know. I know." He shook his head with a grin.
"What if this next one likes to talk about poo all the time?'
He laughed. "Well, then Livy will have someone with whom to chat."
"Ha! That works out." Elsie shook her head at her husband. "So, Mr. Carson, we've traveled to Downton and attended a fair, breached the subject of mortality with at least one of our children, almost made love, eaten too many pancakes and then too much chocolate frosting, and now we are talking about poo. No one can ever say things are dull around here."
Charles was opening his mouth to agree when they heard a crash from the other end of the house which was immediately followed by a bark from Barley and the twins shouting in unison, "No one's hurt!"
"Point proven!" She commented as they smiled at one another.
"I'll go." He volunteered as he set off towards the nursery.
Returning to the kitchen counter, she had just begun cutting up an apple when she heard a soft moan coming from the vicinity of the front door. Making her way down the corridor, she placed her hand on the front door's knob when she heard the same sound only louder coming from the closet. Opening the door and pulling the chain to light the overhead bulb, she was startled to find Mumma cat on her side, the poor creature writhing atop an old thermal blanket in the back right corner of the small space.
"Oh, poor kitty," Elsie cooed, lowering herself to her knees. "When did you sneak in here?"
She continued to watch as the animal squirmed and twitched until finally curling up into a ball with her tail tucked up against the corner.
"Mumma?"
Elsie looked up to find Poppy standing at her shoulder, Barley at the little girl's feet. Worried Barley would distress the mumma cat, she gave his head a quick scratch before ordering, "Barley, go to Charles. Go find your chum." The dog followed her command and trotted back towards the nursery.
"What is it, Mumma?"
"Come here, sweetheart." She lowered herself into a cross-legged position and pulled her daughter into her lap. Resting her chin on Poppy's shoulder she explained, "Mumma Cat must have snuck in here sometime today and she did find a nice, warm spot to have her babies, just like Gran Bill said."
"She's having her babies?" Poppy looked up over her shoulder at her mother.
"I think so."
The little one leaned over and turned her face towards the other end of the house. "Livy! Daddy! Pete! Come quick!"
Elsie turned in the same direction and called, "Honey, will you please close up Barley in the back of the house?"
Livy practically dragging Pete by the hand as Charles shut the door and followed behind, the entire family soon gathered outside the closet.
"Mumma cat is having her kittens right now!" Poppy informed them, pointing towards the corner.
"Oh! Scooch over please, Pop!" Livy begged her sister and Elsie soon had all three children piled into her lap.
"Everyone be very quiet. We don't want to disturb Mumma cat. Having babies hurts."
"It does?" Livy asked as she looked up at her mother.
Charles gave Elsie's shoulders a squeeze as he lowered himself to his knees behind her.
"It does, quite a bit, but as soon as you get to hold and kiss your new baby, you forget all about that part." She kissed each of her children on their necks as she wrapped her arms more tightly around them.
"Look," Charles whispered, reaching over his wife's shoulder to point as Mumma cat suddenly moved to reveal four little wet furred kittens which she soon began gently licking.
"Awww…" The children all sighed at once as the leaned forward as far as their mother's embrace would allow.
"Will you go get a towel out of the bathroom, honey?" She asked Charles over her shoulder. "And then a little dish of milk."
He soon returned with what she had requested and set the items down next to her before gently lifting each child from her lap.
"Here, Mumma cat." Elsie shifted to her knees and placed the dish near the new mother's head before gently lifting a small gray female kitten into her hand, carefully dabbing it with the towel before returning it to its siblings. She repeated the action with the next kitten, a light marmalade male who made the children giggle when he yawned and let out a tiny yelp.
Another little gray girl wiped clean, she gasped as she picked up the fourth kitten, a little white bundle who felt lighter and cooler in temperature than the other kittens. "Oh, no."
"Honey?" Charles quickly lowered himself next to her.
"I don't think she's breathing, honey." She whispered as she turned and placed the kitten in Charles' large hand.
"Oh dear, little one." He pushed himself onto his feet moving quickly to the kitchen where he fetched a tea towel which he wrapped around the animal before holding him to his chest, his fingers gently massaging the limp and still body.
The children soon congregated in the doorway of the kitchen, their little faces full of concern as they watched their father pull back the towel and begin to gently rub little circles with his index finger on the kitten's chest.
"Breathe, little one, breathe." He whispered as he cradled the animal to him.
Lifting his head, he met Elsie's worried gaze.
Her lip caught firmly between her teeth, she was reaching down to gather the increasingly distressed children when she heard her husband gasp which was followed by the little kitten making a tiny sound.
"Welcome to the world, little one." His voice was soft as he continued to gently stroke the tiny animal, a smile on his face as he looked up at his family. "Come here, sweet peas. Come meet Hope."