Family means being cosy, warm and… safe...
She enters the entrance hall and lets the footman help her to doff her pelisse and hang it on the hanger. She does not acknowledge his greeting with anything except a very curt nod. Had it been any other day she would be nicer or politer to her servant, as she knows the magic of "being kind yet firm to your lesser, but keeping your distance with them" very much, that is a shared trait between her and Fitzwilliam, but today she becomes short-tempered and a bit annoyed with the footman who opened the door a bit late in this awfully freezing weather. The weather is getting very very cold and frosty as if that is possible and being outside means not even the thickest clothes could protect you from the sting of the cold wind. She is of a mind to leave London for the remainder of this season and takes refuge at the sunny beach of Brighton.
Fitzwilliam shall be more forthcoming with leaving London than Pemberley. She shudders thinking what their mansion is like this time of year, especially with this persistent winter.
She lets the warmth of the London house envelope her freezing body. Its warmth is not the only reason that it feels better than Pemberley with its isolated state, but it is cosier and friendlier than the latter and she likes and prefers here more because being closer to her relatives and friends is more important than being far away from the pollution of London.
She, with enthusiasm of seeing her dear husband taking steps of the left stair that leads to the library and other rooms of entertainment, suddenly feels a bit dizzy while ascending the stairs, stopping and grasping the railing rather tightly to wait for the dizziness to pass. Feeling better she continues climbing, but with more care and hesitation.
Lately she gets tired soon and despite her succeeding in convincing and improving Lady Maria's admiration of retired Colonel Fitzwilliam, the afternoon tea – annoyingly got dragged for the entire of the afternoon and evening – with her enjoyable friends didn't help her to alleviate her sleepy mind and tired body, but maybe her frustration with Lady Maria's snobbish tendency and her seeing Edward as nothing more than a second son are added factors to her exertion.
Really, the man is very charming to the point of that he would have the women eat out his hand, but God knows what he had done or told to the said lady that the woman is, correcting herself in her mind, was angry at him – fortunately all her hard work these last few weeks, especially this very afternoon has paid off well when the lady declared that he's intriguing, but infuriating – yes, Lady Maria had been very annoyed with him and now Caroline is sure she is less infuriated with him and now all Edward has to do is being the Charming man that he can be.
She is suspicious he is deliberately goading Lady Maria into a battle of wit thus seeing the Lady's ire and temper.
The deep baritone voice of her husband reaches to her ears in the form of a warm rumbling that all the thoughts of others are pushed to the back of her mind and all her mind is now to fly to his study room that now is more the family's room and throwing herself into his strong arms, but she holds back herself for a chance of sneakily looking at him while he's talking without his notice like a thief.
She takes off her boots and tiptoes all the way to his study room, surveying the room from behind the door. The boys have sat on the floor, their toys are scattered about them and they are playing with them. Her heart bursts from so much love and pride of seeing her, their little boys. She looks farther to the source of the warm and reassuring sound of her husband.
And there he is, leaning on her favourite settee – she purposely designed it to have a wonderful view of Fitzwilliam's working desk and being comfortable enough so she could sit on it for hours and hours and watch her husband's activities or listen to his voice. – and their daughter Emma has been lying on her stomach on her father, one arm of her husband is securing the baby's back to not roll back and her little head and rosy cheek has been taken purchase on his chest, above his heart, where the skin is exposed due to some opened buttons of his shirt. She is soundly asleep by the voice of her father reading the reports from Pemberley's steward.
Well, only he can read boring statements like a soothing bedtime story.
She is mesmerised for minutes or hours for she can not say by the warm and beautiful scene her family has made. Deciding she can not wait any longer, steps into the room and says, "good evening dears!"
"Mama!" both boys exclaim in unison and run to her.
Giving the big hug and kisses that she can to her little darlings and after promising to go out with them tomorrow morning to make a snowman, she lets their nurse take them to their nursery when seeing their sleepy eyes and frequent yawns.
Feeling the intense look of her husband on her, she turns around to find him standing, still baby Emma in his arms.
"Ma chérie."
She doesn't need another encouragement and soon she is in Fitzwilliams' arms and their little baby is enveloped between them. Breathing deeply his loving scent – the mixture of tobacco, books and musk. She can be forever in his arms, feeling safe and letting his warm scent wash over her senses. Caroline isn't sure whether she is dizzy from his warm and heady scent or it's like another spell for being so tired.
It seems he notices and helps her to sit. Looking with worry at her, he asks, "are you alright Caro?
"I'm just tired from all the hustle bustle of the afternoon tea and tête à tête with Lady Maria." Trying to assure him.
"And how did it go?" Inquiries he whilst he puts the baby in the cradle that they had put in the study, seeing at how they are spending most of the time in there, minding to not wake her.
She huffs, still feeling exasperated at the stubborn woman. "She finally and a bit grudgingly agreed upon Edward's being charming. Oh, what were her exact words?" She straightens her posture and mimicking the manner of speaking of the mentioned lady, says, ""he can be intriguing, but infuriating." Oh, Fitzwilliam, for only being stubborn, I can say they shall be good together."
He chuckles and says gruffly, "what did you expect from Edward's love choice?"
She sighs when he starts massaging her head and temple.
Just when she thought her husband has forgotten her being tired all the time, he opens up the object that she wants to run from, "you have been so exhausted recently."
"I shall make sure to speak with our doctor."
"Good."
He continues his ministration on her head and shoulders. After a calming silence between them he breaks it with an observation, "I wonder… your courses have not been started and are getting rather late –"
She has forgotten about her courses and it is a long time that she has given up tracking it when finding out Fitzwilliam is much better at it than her. Caroline sometimes thinks her husband is too much knowledgeable about women's matters and too much unapologetic, speaking with her about them without any blushing or stuttering, but she also appreciates his forward manner and not beating around the bush, not to mention that if he weren't the way he is she would not fall in love with him.
"I'm sure it's just a few days' delay," says she dismissively.
"But could it be that you're… with child?"
"But… but…" she is speechless. Another baby, so soon after Emma. "But it's so soon!" She exclaims and stands up.
Seeing the astonishment and distraught on her face, he smiles reassuringly and says, "well, ma chérie, it is, but I shall be with you throughout this and considering you are the one carrying the child, I shall help you however I can."
He pulls her into his arms and kisses the crown of her hair. She drowns herself in the sea of tobacco, books and musk, then whispers, "and you shall do whatever I say."
He concedes, "and I'll do whatever you say."
She draws back for a moment and says, "I'm taking you up on your offer." He grins and she, reassured by his support, gets back to being fully in his embrace.
Yes, a Brighton sunny beach is what they need.
A/N: Thank you for your feedback. ️❤️
A fluffy story for fluffy fans! ️😊