Merry Christmas, My Love

December

London, England

Dear William

The streets and the homes are decorated for the holiday. Christmas is three weeks away. One cannot go too far without seeing festive garland on the storefronts or electric candlelight in the windows. I am hoping to find two trees: one for the office and one for the drawing room at home. Normally, I do not think of Christmas as anything special until this year William when I know you will not be here to fill your belly with Ivy's cooking or drink your fill of the whisky I always gift to you.

Let me say that I am glad that your year is nearly completed. I have missed you and cannot wait until you come home. I am eager to show you all I have learned since you left last January. I am not talking about work although you will be proud to know (or maybe not) that my business has taken off, finally, and I can start being choosier about the clients that I take on. Clarence is an excellent accountant and general assistant. Better now that my firm is making more money than when I was managing Nash's.

As for Nash, he should be released sometime in February. He has friends in high places, so they pulled some strings and shortened his sentence from 18 months to the nearly 11 he has served. He tells me he is going to Ireland after he is released to stay with his cousin who helped him establish his business many years ago.

The new acting Detective Inspector Alexander Blake seems to think he will not be acting much longer. I only hope you know that whatever you decide concerning your future with Scotland Yard or the New York Police Department that you have my full support. However, we can have that discussion when you return.

If I do not say it: Happy Christmas. It's strange that we will not be seeing each other this year. I will miss you so much, William, however I hope that you will have a happy holiday. Not too happy, though, as I plan in the future for us to never be apart during Christmas. I have come to realize that it is the time for family. I suppose Christmas never really felt special, especially after my mother died and then my father only a few years ago. As you probably may have guessed Christmas was regarded as another day after my mother died. My father would always work on the day, and I would be at school as a convenience. After I turned 16 that's when father began to pay attention to the holiday as you were always here sharing dinner and then you would have those long conversations with my father until you either returned to your room at the boarding house or stay the night in the room next to mine. From the first Christmas without my mother when I was little, Ivy tried to make the day a real family holiday, and she usually succeeded in making me feel as though all was well.

Incidentally, did you know I still have the brooch you gave me the Christmas I turned 21? Although I have never worn it, it has been safe and sound tucked away in my jewelry box. I only have to open the box to see the pretty blue stone pinwheel. I remember when you gave it to me. You told me that the blue matched my eyes. I wear my beautiful brooch now almost every day as it makes me feel like I carry a piece of you with me.

I have a gift for you, but you must come home before I give it to you. I know you think me cruel keeping this very special gift from you, but I want to see your face and be with you when you open it. Therefore, I will hold you to your promised return date of January 25.

I am happy to hear that the Secondment has been successful. I am also encouraged that you have been asked to stay on and will be given a Lieutenant's rank if you do. I am sure that has made your decision to come home difficult. However, that is why I hold your gift close to my heart and will not present it to you until you appear on my doorstep. I look forward to a future with you. We will have that discussion and how things have changed for both of us since you left last January.

I know I do not tell you this often enough to you, but I hope you know that I love you, William. I always have but I was just too stubborn and afraid to let you know in those exact words. When a woman tells a man that she is in love with him, too, it opens doors to some things but may close them on others. However, I have faith that you will listen to me and know me enough that I realize compromises may be necessary for us to be together. Compromises on both sides.

Happy Christmas, love. I am learning that there is more to life than work. I will count the days until I see you. I miss you.

Love

Eliza

December

New York, USA

Dearest Eliza

I was so happy to receive this letter. New York must look a lot like London with the lights and evergreen trees abounding in people's homes and in the streets. I have always been proud of you. I admit I did find your interference with my cases at Scotland Yard annoying, but I would never have realized how deeply I love you without it. I will be even more proud if you let me start out by saying I love you and I miss you as well. It's good to hear you love me in writing as infrequently as it is. I cannot wait to hear 'I love you' from your lips next month when I am standing in your drawing room sharing a whisky like the old days.

You are correct in that the position offer is tempting me to stay in New York. However, your letters have given me encouragement that you want us to be together now as much as I. We will discuss our future when I come home in January.

Happy Christmas, love, or Merry Christmas as they say here in the New York. I have accepted an invitation to Christmas dinner at a friend's house. So, I will not be alone. My friend's name is Matthew Johnson. He is married with two small children. I look forward for them to meet you one day. His home is warm and welcoming, and his wife is a wonderful cook. I promised last time no more teasing you until you cook for me again as I know you've been practicing since your last letter a month ago. However, even if you never learn to cook properly, just being with you in a home, together, would suffice and make up for any lack of cooking skills. I'm serious Eliza. I would not let a little thing like your lack of cooking a smoked ham keep us apart.

I admit that the last few months, your letters have given me hope that we are meant to be together. There is no better Christmas present for me than seeing you, kissing you, and holding you in my arms upon my return.

I have a gift for you as well. It will keep until I return to watch you open it.

Loving you with all my heart

William

Eliza put the old letters away in the desk drawer of their living room. She looked over at William laying on his stomach explaining how the new train set worked to their eldest child, William, Jr. Eliza smiled as she saw that her husband looked almost as amused as their five-year-old. Eliza laughed aloud as smoke rose from the top of the smokestack filling their drawing room with an unforeseen mist and foul smell. She waved the odor away and smiled at William when he caught her eye. He gave her a looked that revealed to her how much that little function was a surprise.

"Mama", said Anna aged 2 years as she reached up to her mother to be picked up and cuddled on her lap.

"What's papa doing?" Eliza asked as she noticed Anna, a miniature of her mother, pointed to the smoke and the noise of the train's gentle clickety clack on the track. Anna laughed her tinkling little laugh and told her mother she was going to see her papa.

William sat up and then took his little daughter into his arms and sat her in the well of his crossed legs. She looked up with worshipping eyes and chattered asking what Will's new toy was all about.

"Eliza….yes, Anna….no that's Will's…all right. Will, show your sister how it works while I talk with your mother."

William, Jr. looking annoyed that his sister was infiltrating on his time with their dad started to complain. He saw the reproachful look in his father's eyes and then said, "Yes, papa."

William, Sr. smiled and rising patted his son on his dark curls and rose leaving Anna with him but maintaining a watchful eye on them both, so his daughter did not just reach out and grab the cars away from her brother.

Eliza handed her husband a cup of tea. William took a seat next to his wife and accepted the tea.

"Thank you," William said.

Eliza sighed and leaned back on the couch her head resting on the back.

William leaned back to join Eliza his head a little lower so he could have eye contact with her.

"Anna gets to be more like you every day. Did you hear her talking and talking? That must have been what you were like when you were her age. No one getting a word in at all."

Eliza playfully slapped her husband's bicep in response.

"Will is just like you. I have never seen a five-year-old brood like that."

"Eliza, how many five-year-olds have you actually seen?" William laughingly asked as he eyed his wife.

"Well…" she equivocated. "All right, William, my love, you got me. I haven't seen many five year olds other than ours, but I think I am right nonetheless."

William laughed ruefully and took a sip of his tea. "You are always right, my love, always."

He then leaned over to his wife and kissed her. While in the midst of their kiss they heard two little voices and Anna's hands clapping.

"Yuck," signed Will.

Anna giggled. "Mama…Papa."

They broke the kiss, and both rose to grab a child. William swept his little daughter into his strong arms and Eliza clasped her son's dark curly head to her breast and kissed it.

Later, when the evening shadows grew outside and the children were tucked in their beds remembering the wonderful Christmas day they had, Eliza and William lay in each other's arms in their bed. A fire leant a glow to the room and their shadows flickered on the wall while they had made love.

Now, Eliza lazily stroked her husband's encompassing arm with her head against his bare chest.

Quietly, she said, "I guess I'd better give you your gift before the clock strikes midnight and it is no longer Christmas."

William held his wife tighter in his arms. He stroked a strand of golden hair lying on her pillow.

"I won't say anything if you don't if you give it to me later. I don't want to let go of you. Besides, I didn't give you your present either and I must have spent all day shopping for it. You know, you are a very hard person to find a gift for?"

"No, I'm not. You're not that easy yourself, husband. However, I don't have to leave this bed to give you your gift," Eliza whispered as she looked up at William lovingly.

"What?" William asked looking down at her with a smile and gathering Eliza even closer to himself.

"Well, let's just say this time next year we will have to get one more present under the tree."

"No…really…Eliza?" William asked turning over to look his wife in the eye.

"Yes, by my calculations, the new child will be here in late September," Eliza answered. She stroked the side of William's face and let her forefinger rest on his bearded chin.

"I guess we'll have to get the cradle out of the attic," he murmured as he raised his hand and stroked her cheek with his thumb.

"William, are you happy with our expanding family?" Eliza asked looking into her husband's eyes which were dark in the firelight.

"Yes." He kissed her softly and quietly. "I was happy the minute you said you would marry me and come to New York to live with me. Everything else since has been icing on the cake."

"Merry Christmas, my love," Eliza said and put her arms around him and drew him into a long kiss.