"Penny for them."
Deep and soft, Charles' voice interrupted her reverie and she looked up from where she had been focused on their three children cuddled together while Mary stretched out on the other half of the bench, all four occupants having fallen asleep not long after they set off for their journey home.
"Just remembering something you once asked me," she offered with a sweet smile.
"About?"
"Furry babies."
His look was one of amused confusion. "Furry babies?"
"Mm. We were curled up in bed in the Chester Street flat and you asked me if I wanted it to always only be you, me, and Barley or did I want babies that weren't furry."
"I remember that. What made you think of it?"
She nodded her head in the direction of the backseat. "Just looking at the little pile of Carson's back there and how I can't imagine life without them."
He reached over and took her hand. "Me, either. I always knew I wanted to be a dad, but I had no idea what it really would be like."
"What surprises you most?" she asked, pushing herself closer to him.
"Well, they're quite funny, clever funny, amusing, not to mention being incredibly sweet and loving." Recalling a recent conversation, he glanced down at her with a gentle smile. "You know, JoMo and I were talking about this very thing last week. He asked me what was the best thing about being a father."
Elsie's stomach twisted into a knot. "What did you tell him?"
"I told him it was two-fold."
"Go on."
"Well, there's the needing, them needing you and you needing them. Their needing you to feed them, to carry them, to teach them, to soothe and comfort them, which in turn is also why you need them. Nothing compares to them lighting up when they see you and getting to celebrate in their little triumphs and milestones."
"First words, first steps, first Christmas mornings."
"Exactly, but also just the everyday things. Bird giggling because he finally understood the point of a knock-knock joke or Livy climbing one limb higher than she ever had before on the big tree."
"Yes, yes. I know exactly what you mean. Poppy mastering tying her shoe after only being shown twice."
"Yes."
"So what is the other best part?"
He looked over with a sweet smile as he admitted, "Sharing it with someone, sharing it with you. Getting to love our children together and seeing all of the things I love about you in them. Finding out there is no limit to how much you can love another person and the little beings you have created with them."
"You are positively the loveliest man, Charles Carson." Leaning over, she kissed his cheek and then wrapped her arm around his, leaning her head against his shoulder before surprising him by admitting, "I just wish you hadn't told him any of that."
"What, sweetheart?"
"I wish you hadn't said those things to him."
"Why?"
Sitting up, she turned and looked in the opposite direction, cursing herself for encouraging the conversation. "I can't. I promised Phyllis."
"What did you promise her?"
She turned back, glancing over the seat to make sure the children were all still asleep.
"You can't tell him, can't let on that I told you anything. I mean it, Charles. Not a word. She made me promise."
"I won't. I won't say a thing, but you have to tell me now."
"He can't…they can't have a baby."
"What?" His voice went up an octave and filled the car as he tried to process what she had just said.
"Shhh, and keep your eyes on the road, honey," she urged as he continued to look at her with shock.
Returning his attention to the drive, he repeated the question in a softer voice. "What do you mean they can't have a baby?"
"He's the reason they haven't gotten pregnant. He's sterile."
"No." His shoulders fell. "Oh, God. Poor Joe."
"It's why he hasn't been himself lately. His heart is broken."
Charles let out a sigh before admitting, "I think mine is, too."
Elsie pushed herself closer to him, her head once again resting against his arm. "You can't let on that you know. He has to be the one to tell you, honey, and I don't want to tell them we're trying for another."
Lifting his arm, he encouraged her to rest against his chest as he gently stroked her arm. "No, no. I won't say anything." He shook his head, letting a small silence pass before he whispered, "He would have been the most wonderful father, that's the saddest part of all."
"I know. I asked Phyllis if they'd consider adopting, but I think they need time to come to terms with this first. To grieve, in a way. They so deserve to be parents and there are so many sweet little children out there who deserve to have parents like them."
Pulling her tighter against him, he could only manage a kiss to her head in response.
"It's not only them I'm worried about."
"What is it? Mary?"
"No, no. I've come to terms with that. We'll deal with whatever comes along. If I could manage Becky all those years, I can manage her." She had to swallow hard before admitting, "I'm worried about Lily."
"Why are you worried about Lily?"
"Something's not right. She had trouble getting up from the sofa last night."
He frowned. "She's over seventy and weighs more than a small car, Elsie."
She squeezed his thigh. "Not funny and it's not that."
"What do you think it is?" His chest tightened at the notion that there might truly be something wrong.
"Well, I never could get a straight answer in terms of why they were in London. Whenever I asked Violet and Isobel they both changed the subject, and then last night I asked Purley if she was alright and he just gave me this look."
"What kind of look?"
"A look of, I don't know. Sadness? Or surrender? And after we got the children from them and said goodnight, you were ahead of me on the stairs, but I looked back and Lily had her face in her hands and was crying." Tears fell down Elsie's own face as she remembered the emotional parting. "She has been far more of a mother to me than mine own ever was. I can't bear to think of her hurting or losing…"
"Shhh, shhh, sweetheart, there's no use in getting upset until we know something for sure." Charles leaned over and kissed her head. "I'll ask Robert when I call to let him know we arrived home safe."
"I need her."
Elsie's whimpered words made his chest tighten even more.
Here I am! Here I am!
How are you today, sir?
Very well, I thank you…
Run away! Run away!
"See? You hide your hands behind you and then whenever you say, "Where is thumbkin? Where is thumbkin?" Livy Carson enthusiastically pulled one hand from behind her back and stuck out her thumb as she attempted to explain the motions of the song she, Poppy, and Pete had just sung for Mary. "See? You put out your thumb and then you put out your other thumb, and then they talk to each other and say 'Here I am! Here I am!' She bent one little thumb as though bowing to the other as she continued, "And you say, 'How are you today, sir? Very well, I thank you' and then you put them back behind your back and you say, 'Run away! Run away!' See?"
As she had since they had all awoken from their naps, Mary simply stared at Livy as though she was a creature from another planet.
"They're like little people and they talk to each other, but it's really just your fingers." Poppy added, although her efforts were in vain as Mary refused to participate.
Clearing her throat to insure her husband didn't miss the raised eyebrow she was sporting, Elsie turned to look over the seat's back and watched her children continue their unflagging attempts to engage Mary in a bit of fun.
"What songs do you like to sing, Mary?"
The little girl glanced in the direction of the front passenger seat, but refused to respond.
"I guess she doesn't like to sing songs," Livy announced, throwing her hands up in disbelief.
Charles slightly tilted the rearview mirror to take in the scene in the backseat. "Let's let Mary be. She isn't used to be jumbled up with a bunch of monkeys."
"I not a monkey, Daddy!" Pete called out with a giggle.
"I don't know. You love bananas, Mr. Pete, and Livy thinks she needs to climb everything like a tree."
The younger twin grinned and wiggled her eyebrows, not unlike her father often did.
Elsie made a point of watching Mary during the silly exchange between her husband and children, and while her little mouth maintained a sour line of judgement, the child's eyes did soften as she looked back and forth between the laughing man and the giggling on the other side of the seat. Catching the little girl's eye, she gave a gentle shake of her head and smiled which seemed to inspire a lowering of the little one's guard for a moment as the corners of her mouth turned up ever so slightly, but the moment was lost as Poppy suddenly announced:
"Not me. I'm a little kitten."
Elsie shifted in her seat and gave her daughter a wink. "You are a little kitten, sweet and soft and cuddly."
Pulling into the driveway, Charles put the car in park before turning back to address the children. "Speaking of kittens, Mumma cat has been enjoying a quiet house for the last few days and the kittens are still very little so we need to be calm and quiet and not bother her when we go inside, alright?"
The three Carson children nodded their heads, although Mary remained unresponsive.
"Let's all go in and potty and then we can change into play clothes and put on our wellies so we can go down and see Gran Bill and the animals."
"Pigs!" Mary abruptly yelled, startling all of them.
Charles chuckled, "Yes, petal. We'll go see the pigs."
Carrying the phone's base in one hand, Charles held the receiver to his ear as he made his way to the opening into the corridor she he could watch his children crowd around their mother at the closet door to see the kittens as he waited for his call to Robert to connect.
"Here, Mary, come here, baby, and you can see the kittens."
It took a few more prompts from Elsie, but the little girl finally stepped close enough to look into the closet just as Hilliard answered the phone.
"Good afternoon, Hilliard. It's Charles Carson. Is his Lordship available? I just wanted to let him know we made it home safe and sound."
"I'm afraid he just left, Mr. Carson, but I will certainly relay the message."
"Ah, very good. Thank you. I don't suppose Lady Grantham is there?"
"She is, actually, although she was just about to leave."
"Ah."
There was a short silence, followed by Violet's voice on the phone.
"Charles! Can you hear me?"
He smiled at the familiar greeting. "Very well, milady. I was calling to let you know we made it home, safe and sound."
"Oh, very good. And Mary, is she…alright?"
He glanced up to see the little girl lean against his wife for a moment, only to pull away abruptly and back up against the wall. "She is fine. Still getting her bearings, I think, but I'm sure once we take her to see the animals and she plays for a bit, she'll enjoy being here."
"Of that I have no doubt." Violet assured him. "I hope you know how much we appreciate this Charles."
He was slightly surprised by the sincerity of her statement having assumed she wasn't in favor of her granddaughter being sent off to their muddy farm.
"She needs stability and nurturing, and a kind, but firm hand. She's a spirited child, but that seems to be manifesting itself in willfulness lately. I'd like to blame Cora, but she can't help being ill and Robert, well…" she let a sigh finish her thought.
"Robert loves her very much, milady, but he needs to focus on finding a good Nanny and taking care of Cora until she feels better. I promise we will take very good care of Mary in the meantime."
"I know you will, Charles, and please tell Elsie how very grateful I am. I know it won't be a picnic."
"Two year olds in general are a challenge, milady."
"Very true, but I'm putting my money on your fiery Scottish lass being the victor in this battle."
Charles chuckled. "I agree."
"Well, don't hesitate to call…"
He stepped back away from the corridor and lowered his voice as he gently interrupted her. "Actually, milady, there is something I wanted to ask."
"Yes?"
"Lily."
Violet was silent for a few moments, but when she did finally speak, her tone had taken on a somber quality. "She's not well."
"Elsie picked up on that. And that's why they are in London?"
"Were. They took the train back to Whitby not long after you left. I arranged for her to see a man in Harley Street."
"I see. How ill is she?"
His heart sunk as he heard a small, mournful inhale of air on the other end of the line.
"Like Mother?"
Violet cleared her throat before answering. "Not in her breast like Joan. It's only in one kidney now, they think, but given her age and health, surgery to remove it would be too risky, although they are quite sure it will spread."
Charles felt his knees begin to buckle and quickly moved to a nearby chair and placed the base of the phone back on the table. "Can they do treatments? Could she get radiation like Mother did?"
"She doesn't want that. She remembers just as you and I do how awful your mother suffered. She just wants to be kept comfortable and spend as much time as she can with those she loves."
The only other time in his life he had heard Violet Crawley cry was when he had called from the London to tell her his mother had slipped away in the middle of the night, and now hearing her small pants and sniffling on the other end of the line, "Bloody Cancer" was all he could manage as his own throat began to tighten.
"Bloody Cancer, indeed."
"Thank you for telling me."
"She doesn't want a lot of weeping and wailing on our parts. You know her. She's far more worried about the rest of us than she is about herself. She mentioned Elsie in particular. I know how very close they've become."
Charles rested his forehead against his hand, his tears falling on the wooden table below at the thought of breaking the news to his wife. "She's going to be devastated."
"Well, then she and I will be in the same club," Violet admitted with a sob. "I'm sorry, Charles. I really do have to go."
"Of course, milady. Again, thank you for telling me and we'll keep you updated on how Mary's doing."
"Thank you. Give Elsie and the children my love."
Returning the phone to its cradle, Charles wiped his face before rising and returning to the end of the corridor.
"Everything alright?" Elsie called as she and the children began making their way towards him.
"Oh yes. Just fine." He pulled Pete up into his arms, hiding his face in the crook of his child's neck as he turned towards the back of the house, his red eyes hidden from his wife as he led them towards the other end of the house, managing to sound as cheerful as possible as he announced, "Let's all get changed so we can visit the farm!"
Elsie backed away, rubbing her chin as Mary kicked and thrashed about in the floor, wailing like a banshee.
"What in the world?" Charles ducked into the master bedroom while the three Carson children stood in the doorway, their little eyes wide as they took in the hysterical child.
"I helped her out of her dress and tights with no fuss, and I had her facing out in front of me," Elsie explained. "but when I tried to get her to put her feet in these little dungarees she flung her head back and bashed me in the chin and fell to the floor and started…" she gestured in the direction of Mary, "…well, that."
"Mary? It's alright. It's alright. Calm down." He knelt down near the child and tried to pat her shoulder, but she kicked in his direction. "Okay, okay. You're alright. You don't have to put them on. Just settle down, sweetheart. It's alright."
"Jesus," Elsie whispered as she folded up the little pants and tucked them back into the box of the girls' old clothes she had retrieved from the back of the closet.
Breathing heavily, the little girl halted her movements, although she still glared back and forth at the adults.
"We don't want to get your beautiful dress muddy when we go see the pigs, do we?" Charles lifted the pale pink velvet frock from the edge of the bed. "Would you like to pick out what you want from the box? Livy and Poppy wore these clothes when they were your size and we have some wellies that will fit your little feet. If you put on some play clothes we can go see the pigs and pet the horses and feed the chickens." He maintained a kind smile as he waited for her to respond, but after a few uncomfortable moments, added, "You're going to catch cold if you don't put on some togs, sweetheart. Don't you want to go see the pigs?"
Her movements were slow and cautious, but Mary eventually sat up and moved to her knees, lifting her arms toward Charles while still giving Elsie a challenging glare.
Swallowing her ire, Elsie glanced over at her bewildered children as Charles pulled the little girl against him. "It's alright, sweet peas. Daddy will deal, will take care of Mary. Come with me and we'll put on our wellies and coats." The children out the door, she turned back to Charles with a look of frustration as she asked, "Do you want us to wait?"
"No, no. Go on down. We'll meet you."
Almost out of the room, she looked over her shoulder with a small grin. "Good luck."
All three children sitting on the little bench next to the door, she was helping Pete into his boots when Livy spoke.
"Is she a naughty girl, Mumma?"
Elsie hesitated but finally gave her head a shake. "No. She's not a naughty girl. She's just a little scared because she doesn't know us very well. We just have to be patient and kind and set good examples by being well-behaved." Leaning over and kissing each child, she gave them a collective wink as she turned back and opened the cupboard door. "Let's see if Mumma cat is still sleeping like she was when we first got home."
The kittens were each tucked up against their mother nursing as the children crowded together for a look.
"They're bigger, Mumma," Poppy noted.
"They are. We'll let them be with their mumma for a few more days and then I think you will be able to hold them."
Livy leaned against her mother, their faces only separated by a few centimeters. "Are they going to live with us forever?" She rested her little hands on either side of Elsie's face, as her lips breaking into a sweet, but pleading smile. "Please, Mumma? Please, please, please?"
Looking back at Livy, she couldn't help but grin as she leaned forward and rubbed her nose against her daughter's. "I don't know, baby. We'll see. I have to talk to Gran Bill and Daddy about it."
"Hope is going to live with us, isn't she? Even if the other kittens go back to the barn with Mumma cat?"
"I think I can talk Daddy and Gran Bill into that, Popsydaisy."
In the end, Mary chose a rather worn pair of pale blue corduroy pants and a thick jumper in yellow, although she put up quite a fuss before Charles finally got her feet into a pair of dark green Wellington boots.
"Careful, sweetheart."
He reached out and wrapped one of his large hands around the little girl's middle and helped her climb to the second rung of the pig pen fence so she could look over at the snorting animals.
"Oink! Oink!" Pete called out as he pulled on his Daddy's pants so he could receive the same boost.
"Come here, little pig, little pig." He swooped Pete up while keeping a hand around Mary.
Holding onto the toddlers at the same time was no small feat, Mary doing her best to try to climb up and over the fence as Pete put his trust in his father's grip as he occasionally released his hold on the wooden slat in front of him as he continued to oink and talk to the large, hairy animals below.
"Do you two want to come feed the chickens with the big girls?" Elsie called from outside the coop in which the girls were presently collecting eggs.
"Me! Me!" Pete called out, suddenly leaning away from his father, while Mary gave a pointed "No" and continued her efforts to climb over the top of the pen.
"Hold on, Bird!" Charles managed to get his hand around the back of the little one's overall straps, but Mary now had her arms wrapped tightly around the upper wooden slat and before Charles could get purchase of one of her limbs, the little girl suddenly flipped over the top, her body twisting in the air until she landed face down in the muck inside the pen.
"Mary!"
Charles abruptly plopped his son onto the ground, but as he lifted his foot to step onto the first slat and boost himself over, Elsie was suddenly on and over the fence, quickly pulling Mary from the mud as a boar approached.
"Here, honey, here!"
The muck cake little girl handed over to her husband, Elsie quickly climbed back over and out of the pen as the large animals began making their displeasure at the intrusion known through a serious of grunts, stomps, and snorts."
Breathless, Elsie placed a hand against her heart as she gave the little girl a look over. "Is she alright?"
Bill suddenly appeared with a towel which was used to wipe the grime off the little girl's face. "You took quite a tumble there, little miss."
"Look here, Mary. Here, sweetheart. Look at Uncle Charles. Are you alright? Are you hurt?"
"Icky."
Elsie and Charles each let out a relieved sigh as the relatively calm child wrinkled her nose and held out her hands in disgust.
"The muck's so thick in there, I'm sure she didn't hurt anything," Bill assured them as he gave the little one a pat on the back.
Elsie reached over and ran a gentle hand over Mary's hair. "You gave Aunt Elsie a scare."
With no warning the little girls suddenly reached out and wrapped her arms around Elsie's neck.
"Oh, goodness. Alright." Elsie muttered as she and Charles exchanged surprised looks, although both laughed as Elsie noted, "She would finally warm to me when she's covered in pig poo and mud."
Poppy and Livy were gathered a few feet away, having backed up as they caught a whiff of their house guest, but their brother was unfazed as he made his way over to his parents.
"Girl, say 'Oink! Oink!"
"Her name is Mary, silly boy." Elsie remarked, as her husband picked up their son.
"Oink! Oink!" Mary made the noises and quickly looked to Pete for approval.
"Go," the little boy made snorting noises which were immediately followed by giggles from himself and Mary who happily complied with her own version of a snort.
Thrilled to see the child finally interacting with one of their children, Elsie and Charles both placed their wiggly cargo on the ground where the two children continued snorting and oinking until Pete suddenly clapped his hands and threw his arms around Mary who froze, her own arms at her side.
Charles took a step forward to break up the embrace, but Elsie stopped him with a gentle pull on his hand as she whispered, "Wait."
It took her a few moments, but Mary eventually wrapped her arms around Pete, a warm smile filling her dirty face.
"You're a sweet friend, Petey."
Looking up to accept his mother's approving smile, he suddenly cried, "Go see the chickens!" and before Mary could respond, he was practically dragging her by the hand towards the coop.
"Now wait, Bird. Let Mumma come with you."
"I've got them," Bill called over his shoulder as he and the twins followed the toddlers.
Exhaling dramatically, Elsie looked at her husband. "Well, that was exciting." Her smile went unmatched as Charles turned back to the pen. "Honey?"
"That could have been a disaster if you hadn't been here."
"What?"
His knuckles were white, his grip on the fence was so tight. "I should have had a better hold on them. She might have been stomped by that boar if you hadn't been so fast over the fence."
She placed a hand on his back as she stepped closer to him. "Don't do that. Don't blame yourself. She shouldn't have tried to climb over and Bird was being a wiggle worm. It wasn't your fault."
"But this damn hip kept me from getting over the fence faster."
"Again, something out of your control and I was here so it doesn't matter."
He glanced over at her, but then gave his head a frustrated shake as he looked back at the pig pen. "Poppy and Livy asked me about it the other day."
"About your hip?"
He nodded. "We were walking out to the meadow to get Barley and I noticed Livy was lagging behind. I turned and looked over my shoulder and she was mimicking my walk."
Elsie's cheeks flushed at the thought. "Oh, honey, you know she wasn't being cruel."
"No, of course not. I know that. It was just the first time I was aware that they were aware."
"You said they asked about it."
"Well, I asked Livy what she was doing and she said, 'Walking like you' and Poppy said 'Watch, Daddy, I can do it, too, and then Livy asked me why I walked differently than Andy or Gran Bill."
She reached over and stroked his hand until he released his grip and let her slide her palm against his. "What did you tell them?"
"The truth. That I got hurt a long time ago and had an operation to fix it and because of the way it was fixed I walk a little bit differently than Andy and Bill."
"Did they push you for details?"
"No," He admitted as he turned and leaned against the pen.
"Well, then, that's alright." She waited for some sort of response, but when she received none, added, "I really don't think it is any different than when they mimic my accent."
"They do that?"
She laughed, "All the time. I often stand just outside the nursery while they are playing and listen to them. I tell you Poppy has me down pat." She adapted a lighter voice as she demonstrated a slightly exaggerated and childlike take on her own speech, complete with lightly trilled r's and oohs in the place of oh's. "Sit down on your tushies, my wee ones, and eat your yummy porridge so you'll grow up big and strong.' And you should hear Livy do you!" She deepened her voice as she offered, "No more talk of poo or boogies, Miss Olivia. You are a little lady, not a hooligan." They both laughed as she explained, "It's what children do. They are little mocking birds of those they love most." She began rubbing his back as she asked, "Why didn't you tell me when you came back inside or later that night?"
He shrugged his shoulders. "I didn't want to talk about it."
"Why not?"
"Because it upset me. I thought they hadn't noticed it…or that they just accepted it as part of who I am and that they loved me in spite of it."
Elsie moved her arm to his waist, leaning her head against his shoulder. "But they do accept it, honey, and there's no 'in spite of it' necessary. They love you because you are their daddy. Their wonderful daddy, I hasten to add, who reads them stories and kisses their owies and plays cowboys and Indians. You just happen to walk a little differently than their friends' daddies. Your hip plays no part in whether you are a good father or not."
"But I'm always going to be the Daddy who can't run with them, can't swim as fast, can't climb a tree," he gestured to the fence, "or even climb over the side of a pig pen."
She tightened her embrace and ran her free hand up his chest as she confided, "Last Friday when I painted their tummies for Welcome Home Surprise Day, we were talking about how we hoped it would make you laugh and Livy said, 'I like it when Daddy is holding me and he laughs. I feel his happy in my heart."
Charles looked down at her, his bottom lip jutting out. "She said that?"
Elsie nodded. "She did. That's what matters. You just keep holding them and laughing and reading stories and kissing owies and being a cowboy. I can do the odd running, swimming, or climbing."
He was leaning over to kiss her when a squeal sounded from the coop followed by Mary tearing out of the structure, her little fists full of feathers and three angry chickens in her wake.
"Or not so odd running," Elsie called back with a smile as she took off in the direction of the shrieking child and mad fowl.
A fair amount of Fairy liquid soap having been added to the bath tub, Elsie was relieved to see a bright smile on a now muck free Mary's face as she clapped her hands, delighted to see the suds float through the air as she and the twins giggled and squirmed in the water.
The scare in the pig pen and the hug Mary had given her in the aftermath had boosted her hopes that things would go fairly smoothly for the rest of the child's stay. It was clear to her that the little girl felt more comfortable with Charles, but little by little, was warming up to her, and as she carefully poured a final cup of warm water over the child's dark hair, it occurred to her why. Sitting back on her heels, she was returning a sweet smile from Mary just as Charles appeared in the doorway, Pete on his hip as they watched the girls happily frolic.
"I want to play in the bubbles!"
Charles grimaced. "I don't know, Baby Bird."
"Oh, I think it's fine." Elsie quickly countered. "They're little and he takes baths with the girls all the time."
"But I doubt Mary has ever seen a little boy, you know…"
"Naked?" She chuckled as she turned and reached out to take her son from her husband. "It's not a bad word, honey." His face still in its worried state, she chided, "Don't scowl," Turning her attention to a wiggling Pete, she twisted the little boy around to face her. "Okay, okay. Raise your arms, Baby Bird," she prompted as she began to pull the little boy's jumper over his head, earning a giggle as she employed a silly voice to say, "Skin a bunny rabbit!"
All four children splashing and laughing, Charles sat down on the closed toilet lid, urging Elsie to lean back against his legs.
"Worry wart," she teased.
"Hmmph. If you keep name calling you won't get a shoulder rub, smarty pants."
"I take it back!" she promised with a giggle as she leaned her head back in search of a kiss which she soon received.
Rubbing her shoulders, he leaned down and whispered in her ear, "I don't want to jinx anything, but I think it is going pretty well."
"It is. As long as we let her dress herself and don't experience another pig pen diving competition or chicken attack." The words had no sooner left her mouth than Mary let out a blood curdling scream.
"What is it, baby?" Elsie quickly moved to her knees as she called out to the child who wore a face filled with a combination of horror and confusion as she pointed at a standing Pete's little genitalia and began repeating the word, "Worm! Worm!"
"Good God!" Charles practically knocked Elsie over as he reached to pull Pete from the water.
"Calm down, Charles. Calm down! Just sit down, Bird." Elsie directed her child as she reached up to stop her husband. "It's alright. Just hold on." Her attention going to Mary, her voice was soft and soothing as she pulled the little girl to her. "It's alright, sweetheart. It's alright."
"Worm!"
She was fighting her own laughter as she looked over Mary's shoulder to find the twins both giggling.
"It's not funny, girls." Charles' voice was stern as he stood over the tub.
Elsie reached over and patted his leg, "It's alright, love."
"Elsie…"
"It's alright." She turned back to Mary. "That's not a worm on Pete, sweetheart. He's a little boy and you are a little girl and little boys and little girls have different parts where the tinkle comes out."
Livy held her hand over her mouth, but couldn't keep a giggle from escaping, earning her another stern look from her father.
"Just like the boy horses and girl horses and girl cows and boy cows, and the pigs and the chickens and the rooster on Gran Bill's farm, on animals and people, boys have one kind of tinkle part and girls have another."
Mary turned and looked at Pete who had managed to remain quite passive during the whole event. "No worm?"
He shook his head as he moved back to his feet, pointing at his little penis and announcing "Pee pee," which he followed by pointing at Mary and announcing "Tutu."
"That's right, Bird. Boys have pee pees and girls have tutu's."
Mary pointed down at herself and gleefully announced, "Tutu!" before pointing at Bird and announcing with equal glee, "Pee Pee!" and then turned to the twins and announced, "Tutu!"
"Alright. Very good. That's enough show and tell for one bath." Charles cheeks were red as he pulled four towels from the cupboard before turning back to his wife and declaring, "Pete will take a bath by himself from now on."
"Oh, Daddy, it's only a big deal if you make it a big deal," Elsie offered, doing her best to keep from laughing as her husband reached past her to pull first Livy and then Poppy from the bath.
He let out a huff as he glowered at her. "I knew we shouldn't have let them bathe together."
"Oh stop. She had to learn some time."
"I would have preferred that some time not be while she is under our roof." He declared as he reached down to pull Mary from the water, but almost lost his grip when she pointed at him and, much to his wife's amusement, shouted "Pee pee!"
The children were seated around the small play table from the nursery that Charles had moved into the dining room when Elsie and Beryl began passing out their little filled plates.
"We have ham and peas and mash and if you eat all of it and make a happy plate, we have a really yummy pudding for after." Having made sure each child had a napkin, fork, and cup of milk, she had just turned from the table when Poppy called out, "She won't hold our hands, Mumma."
Turning around, she found Mary with her arms folded, a disgruntled look on her face as she looked back and forth at Pete and Poppy's extended hands.
"It's alright," Charles quickly assured them as he watched from his seat which was nearest to the children's table. "You can show Mary your prayer and if she wants to do it with you tomorrow, she can do it then."
Receiving and encouraging nod from their mother, Poppy and Pete reached across the table to complete the triangle as all three children bowed their heads and recited:
Thank you for the world so sweet
Thank you for the food we eat
Thank you for the birds that sing
Thank you, God, for everything. Amen.
Prayer finished and the rest of the adult table seated with loaded plates, Elsie had just joined them when she looked over to find Mary staring up at her.
"What do you need, sweetheart?"
"Sit with you."
Taking the child's hand, she led her back to the table. "You don't want to sit with me. You get to sit with the big girls and Pete at your own table, just like a little lady. Now let's put your napkin in your lap and here's your fork," she put the miniature utensil in Mary's hand. "And after we eat, we're going to play games." She gave the little girl's back a gentle pat before turning around and heading back to the table. Having just taken her seat, Elsie was returning her own napkin to her lap when Poppy suddenly called out, "Don't…" which was followed by the crash of Mary's plate against the wall just below the dining room window.
Looks exchanged among the adults, Elsie and Charles both pushed back from the table at the same time.
"I'll…" he looked up at his wife questioningly. "Do you want me…?"
Elsie took a deep breath, "No. I'll handle it." Returning to the children, she briefly registered the obstinate look on the Mary's face which she chose to ignore as she turned to the twins.
"What happened?"
The children were still in shock as they looked up at their mother as Poppy answered, "She just picked up her plate and I told her don't, but she just threw it."
"She didn't say anything?"
Livy and Poppy both shook their heads.
Elsie looked at the glob of potatoes which had fallen into a pile with bits of peas and ham stuck in it before simply nodding her head and stating, "Right."
The entire room was quiet as they watched her return to her seat and once again tuck her napkin in her lap.
Charles opened his mouth to speak, but was preempted by his wife.
"Just eat, Charles. Everyone who has food in front of them eat up."
Beryl and Bill exchanged amused looks, each pulling their napkins to their mouths to hide smiles.
Only a few seconds had passed before another crash was heard, followed by the sound of liquid dripping off the window sill and onto the small pile of previously discarded food, as well as the floor.
"Mumma!"
At the sound of Livy's cry, Elsie stood and leaned to the side until the children's table was in view, again noting the offending child's challenging expression before focusing on her own children. "Just eat your supper and drink your milk." Well aware that all eyes in the room were once again on her, she wiped the corners of her mouth and gently placed her napkin to the side of her plate before calmly rising heading into and down the corridor.
"Should I…"
Charles was unable to finish his question as Beryl shook her head, loading her fork and smiling as she advised, "I think we best do what we've been told and eat up."
Pete's wooden high chair had been stored in the nursery closet six months before, but it now took up the middle of the kitchen floor and faced away from the dining room where Elsie had placed it upon her return. The collective adults' eyes grew large as they noted the leather belt she pulled from over her shoulder and placed on a nearby counter.
"Honey." Charles reached out towards her as she passed him, but she merely shook her head as she made a bee line for the children's table.
"If you can't act like a big girl, you get to sit in the baby chair." Elsie softly, but firmly stated as she lifted a surprised Mary from her seat which resulted in the child kicking and arching her back, cat-like screeches coming out of her mouth as she was carried across the large room.
"Elsie!"
"Please don't yell, but do come here, Charles. I need you to put the tray on after I get her in the chair."
He found her calm demeanor bewildering, but quickly made his way to her side. "Are you sure this…."
"I'm quite sure," she interrupted as she struggled to keep the child in the seat while waiting for him to push the tray into place. "Hurry, please."
Tray secured, the little girl continued to screech and squirm, her legs pushing against the wooden foot rail as she tried to stand.
"No, ma'am." Elsie pulled the belt from the counter and gave the little girl's legs a painless, yet firm tug until her bottom was back in the seat. Quickly weaving the belt in between chair's back slats and across the child's tummy, she buckled it in such a way that Mary could still move, but not climb out.
"Surely there is another way to deal with this, Elsie."
"I'm sure there are many ways to deal with this, but this is how I am dealing with it."
"Elsie…"
"Honey, just sit down and eat your dinner, please. I promise she is not in pain. She is just restrained from making any more messes."
Refusing to acknowledge the fit still being thrown, Elsie took a rag from the sink and wiped off the tray before picking up a plate containing the remaining ham she had cut up for the children. "We don't act ugly in this house. If you'll eat some ham I'll give it to you, but if you are just going to throw it on the floor, I won't. Do you want to eat some ham?"
"NO!"
"Suit yourself." Plate back on the counter, Elsie returned to her seat, managing a smile as she looked at the distressed faces in front of her. "Don't pay her any attention. That's what she wants. I know it is distracting, but please eat up." She met her husband's worried look and shook her head. "She's fine, honey. Now, we are in for a treat because Auntie Bee brought an apple tart for pudding."
Charles continued his protest. "She has to eat, Elsie."
"She's been given two opportunities. If she prefers to act like this instead of eating, that's her choice. Maybe she'll behave differently in the morning when she's really hungry."
"Why don't we have pudding and coffee in the sitting room?"
Elsie's announcement inspiring everyone to quickly move in an effort to escape the presence of the screaming child, the Carson children soon gathered around her, their little hands covering their ears as they took turns giving worried looks over their shoulders at Mary.
"It's alright, I promise. Why don't you go with Gran Bill into the sitting room and play one of your new games, sweet peas, and then Mumma will bring you some apple tart."
Watching her children quickly exit the room, she turned to find Beryl waiting for her by the sink.
"Shall I dish up the pudding?"
"No, no. I'll do it. No need for you to suffer this anymore. Go on in and play with the children. Charles and I can handle things in here."
Waiting until Beryl was gone, a still clearly upset Charles joined his wife in clearing the dining room table, his eyes repeatedly drawn to Mary.
"She really has to eat, Elsie."
Elsie shook her head. "She really doesn't, Charles. If we give in she'll just continue to misbehave."
"But she's only little."
"She's old enough to make the decision to throw her plate and cup against the wall, so she's old enough to deal with the consequences."
"Just let me see if I can calm her down. Maybe if I hold her in my lap and feed her she'll eat."
Elsie stepped in the space between the now whimpering little girl and her husband. "We made a deal. If she came to stay with us, she was subject to the same rules as our children. She eats what is put in front of her."
"But…"
"No buts."
"Elsie…"
"She needs to know that we aren't going to cater to her and she needs to accept that we are the ones in charge, not her."
"This seems cruel."
Elsie shook her head. "I've not harmed or bullied her, Charles. Restraining her like this is keeping her from lashing out, and it is also letting her know she is not in control of the situation. I know you don't like it and it is making you uncomfortable so why don't you take the coffee into the sitting room? I'll bring in the pudding and then deal with…this," she nodded towards the high chair.
"You're sure?"
"Quite. Please just trust me."
He looked back and forth between the crying child and his wife once more before nodding and picking up the coffee tray.
Pudding delivered to the other room, Elsie closed the door that separated the kitchen and dining room from the rest of the house before pulling a chair from the table and moving it around to the other side of the high chair which now held a red-faced, but only lightly whimpering child.
"What are we going to do with you, Miss Priss?" Elsie sighed before scooting her chair a bit closer to the child, her voice soothing and sweet as she reached out and gently rubbed the little girl's leg. "I know this is scary. You keep putting your trust in those who are supposed to care for you and they keep letting you down, don't they, baby?"
Mary's little face relaxed a bit at the sound of Elsie's kind voice and the warm smile she was offering.
"This is a new place and you don't know us very well, but Uncle Charles and Aunt Elsie are going to take very good care of you and we really do want you to be happy, baby. We want you to play and have lots and lots of fun while you're here, but you have to be nice, sweetheart, and you have to follow the rules just like Livy and Poppy and Pete. Do you want to have fun and play and pet the kittens and take more bubble baths?"
Mary's bottom lip curled, but she nodded in the affirmative.
"Then you have to do what you are told and be a nice girl. You can't throw your plate and spill your milk. You have to eat like the big girls and Pete so you'll have lots of energy to run and jump and play tomorrow."
It took a few moments, but the child eventually nodded her head and in a soft voice said, "I be a nice girl."
Elsie smiled at the child. "Okay, sweetheart." The high chair tray removed, she reached around and unbuckled the belt before pulling the little girl into her arms, patting her back as she whispered into her ear. "I want to be your friend, Mary. And so do Pete and Livy and Poppy and Uncle Charles. We want you to have lots of fun while you are here with us." She shifted the child to her hip and moved to the counter where she pulled over a plate with a small bit of leftover ham and mash. "I know you're hungry. Do you want to eat some bites with Aunt Elsie?"
"Yes."
"What's the magic word?"
"Yes, please."
"Good, clever girl," Elsie gave her a sweet smile before leaning over and kissing her head.
"Everything alright?"
Charles surprised them both as he called out from where he stood in the partially opened doorway.
"I think so."
Mary looked up at him, an earnest look on her face as she announced, "I be a nice girl."
Making his way to the other side of the room, he tickled her under her chin. "Very good, sweetheart. That's very good."
"You're going to eat some bites and then you are going to help Aunt Elsie clean-up under the window, aren't you?"
There was no hesitation as the little girl shook her head yes as she popped a few cubes of ham into her mouth.
"And tomorrow, we're going to get up and make a yummy breakfast. Do you want to help Poppy and Livy and Aunt Elsie make muffins tomorrow? You can help pour in the flour and sugar and help the big girls stir?"
"I help!"
Charles' relief was palpable as he wrapped an arm around his wife's shoulder and kissed her brow. "I never should have doubted you."
"I didn't mean to shut you out, but I needed her to decide she trusted me and that I really do want her to be happy. She's had three women she's depended on so far in her little life and each one has deserted her in one way or another between Clara moving away, Cora getting sick, and then that awful Nanny Eunice. So asking her to trust me is taking a lot of courage on her part and I don't want to let her down."
"As if you could," Charles whispered as he leaned down and kissed her cheek and then Mary's. "That makes absolute sense, but never would have occurred to me in a million years."
"As a child, you never had to question whether you were loved or not. Your mother was always there." Elsie leaned her head against Mary's as she looked up at her husband, a lump building in her throat as she admitted, "It only occurred to me today how very much Miss Mary and I have in common."
Mary had eaten all the ham and potatoes and was finishing up a large helping of apple tart when Poppy, Livy, and Pete made their way into the kitchen with their empty plates.
"Did you like your pudding?" Elsie asked with a bright smile.
The children nodded, but were quiet as their mother placed Mary on the floor next to them.
"Is girl in trouble?" Pete asked, reaching up to hold his mother's hand.
"Bird, you are such a silly billy. Her name is Mary and no, she's not in trouble." She knelt down and pulled all four children to her. "Mary is ready to be friends and have lots of fun with us, aren't you, Mary?"
Looking back and forth at the children, she shook her head and whispered, "I be a nice girl."
"We're going to start fresh, okay? I know today was rough, but I want you to think for a minute what it would be like if you were by yourself and away from your house and your toys and Mumma and Daddy."
"I wouldn't like it." Poppy answered as Livy nodded in agreemeent.
"Right? So the best thing we can do to make Mary feel better is continue to be sweet and patient and show her how happy we are that she is here."
Beryl, Bill, and Charles had quietly filed into the other end of the room, watching intently as Pete wrapped his arms around Mary's shoulders just as he had earlier in the day, only this time she readily returned the embrace.
"Sweet friends," Elsie murmured as she ran a gentle hand over each of the children's heads.
Livy reached out and tugged on Elsie's skirt. "Mumma, where is she going to sleep?"
"I've actually been giving that a bit of thought," Charles announced as he crossed the room. "If Granbill will help me, I think we should move Bird's crib out and put the full size bed from the guest room in its place and all four of you can sleep in the nursery so the big girls can keep an eye on the wee ones and Mumma and Daddy will be right next door. What do you think, big girls?"
"So we will all cuddle together like the kittens?" Poppy asked her father with an excited grin.
Pulling his oldest up into his arms, he gave her a kiss and agreed, "Four cuddly kittens."
"Please, Mumma? Please?"
Elsie looked up at Charles with a frown. "No more baby bed?"
"He did fine sleeping with the girls at Isobel's house, honey, and besides, he's really too big for the crib."
"I'm a big boy, Mumma!"
Elsie sighed, but managed a smile as she turned to Bill. "Do you mind helping Charles move the beds?"
"My pleasure," he assured her.
"They'll be putting it back up before you know it," Beryl promised as she crossed the room to take her friend's hand.
"I hope so." Elsie admitted with a sad smile.
While Charles and Bill moved the beds and Beryl took the other three children back into the sitting room for a last game of Candy Land, Mary and Elsie set to cleaning up the base board under the window, each of them using a rag to wipe down the window sill and floor until all of the sticky milk was removed.
"You're a good helper, Miss Mary. Are you going to help your mama with the new baby?"
The little girl's face drew up into sour pucker. "No baby."
Elsie shook her head with a smile. "I'm afraid you don't have much say in that, sweetheart, but babies are wonderful. They are sweet and soft and when the baby gets bigger, you can play with it. Play house and play games and sing songs."
"Mmm…no thank you."
"Well, maybe you'll change your mind when you see the baby and can give it kisses."
Elsie had to bite her lip not to laugh as the child gave her a doubtful look.
"Come and get Mumma and Daddy if anyone needs anything, alright?" Elsie leaned over and kissed each of her children, reciting their usual pledge involving stars, snowflakes, and strawberry seeds before reaching Mary. "Are you alright, sweetheart? You'll wake up Poppy or Livy if you need to go potty or if you need a drink of water?"
Mary nodded her head, squeezing the stuffed dog she had been playing with earlier in the morning.
"Remember we're going to make yummy muffins in the morning and then we're going to paint pictures in the studio. Sweet dreams, lamb. Night-night."
"Night-night." Mary answered, but her little eyes filled with tears as Elsie began to move from the bed.
"Girl is crying, Mumma," Pete called out.
"What's wrong, baby?" Elsie returned to the bed and gently patted the little one's tummy.
"I want you."
"Shhh…shhh…it's okay. It's okay, sweetheart." Elsie pulled back the covers and cradled the little girl in her arms. "We can rock-a-bye for a bit."
"I want to rock-a-bye, Mumma." Pete called out, not sure he was too keen on his mother giving Mary more attention than him.
Elsie shot Charles a knowing look and whispered, "Green-eyed monster." Turning to her son, she beckoned for him to join her. "Come here, then. I think Mumma can manage to rock-a-bye both of you."
His wife tucked up into the rocking chair with the two younger children, Charles scooped up Barley and placed him on the bed before climbing in between his giggling daughters. "I'm afraid you beauty girls are just going to have to snuggle with Daddy and Chum."
"Mumma, will you sing the Pick-a-No song?" Pete requested as he reached up and patted her cheek.
"The Pick-a-No song?"
Livy twisted around to look at her mother. "He means the Pinocchio song."
"When You Wish Upon a Star," Poppy further explained.
"Oh, okay." She shared a warm smile with her husband as she added, "But you girls sing it with me."
Closing her eyes, she leaned over and kissed Pete's head and then Mary's as she was joined by the small sweet voices of her daughters as they sang:
When you wish upon a star
Makes no difference who you are
Anything your heart desires will come to you…
All four children fast asleep in the other room, Elsie and Charles both wore contented smiles as they slid beneath the covers and curled around each other.
Nestling her head against her husband's chest, she let out a sigh. "What a day. It's good to be back in our own bed."
"I'll say," he agreed as he leaned over and kissed her head.
Lulled by the familiar sounds from outside, as well as the gentle breathing of his wife, Charles was almost asleep when Elsie suddenly whispered, "I never got to ask how your conversation with Robert went."
Feeling him tense against her, Elsie stomach twisted and her chest tightened. "Tell me what he said, please, honey."
He tightened his embrace as he admitted, "Robert was out, but I spoke with Violet. It's not good, sweetheart. Not good at all."
Feeling Elsie begin to tremble against him, Charles shifted onto his back and pulled her on top of his body, his large, warm hands rubbing up and down the length of her back as he felt her tears soaking into his vest; his own pooling onto the pillow beneath his head.
I have never been more concerned/interested about how a chapter is going to be received.
I know one reader might fly from New England and ring my neck, but she knows I really love her more than chocolate.
The beginning and the end of this were what I had preconceived before I began to write the chapter, but the middle took some interesting turns. Amazing what things come about without you knowing you knew them.
As always, the reviews are such a boost and motivator, but ultimately I am just so happy others are enjoying being back in this universe along with me. SO MUCH LOVE AND THANKS TO YOU ALL.