The Restless Viscountess

Epilogue

"I may not always be with you 

But when we're far apart

Remember you will be with me

Right inside my heart"  Marc Wambolt, Poems from the Heart

—-

Epilogue

 

Five Years Later

December 25, Derbyshire, 1856

"A watched pot never boils," mused Emmett from the settee in the drawing room. Bess shot her husband an irritated glare. She had been waiting at the window for hours in between greeting their guests.

"I know that," snapped Bess, "but I want to be here when they arrive."

Emmett abandoned his newspaper and rose from the settee so that he could join his wife. "Bess, the snow is horrid. Even if they are on their way, they will not arrive today. Not with this weather."

The snow had been dreadful for days. Bess had been watching the ominous clouds hatefully, wishing that they would leave her county alone so that her children could finally return.

It had been five long years since all three of her children had been home. Ascot House had felt empty for five long years. Of course, it was never empty. Bess and Emmett were always entertaining their family members, but they were not the same as her own children.

How she missed them.

It was Christmas Day, and this reunion had been planned for months. David was to finally return home with his family and Alexandra was to visit with hers. Imogen, who returned home every Christmas with her family, was to meet with her siblings in her London before they all travelled to Ascot together.

At least if they could not be home on Christmas, they could be together elsewhere.

Bess turned away from the window and sighed, resting her head back on her husband's chest. "I just wanted them to be home with us this Christmas," she murmured.

Emmett pressed his lips to Bess' temple. "Everyone else is here. Cheer up. We will see them."

Bess took a deep breath and nodded, choosing to focus on the other members of her family that had trekked through the snow over the past week to spend Christmas with them.  

She smiled when she saw Charlotte and Nate by the pianoforte. Charlotte was sitting on the stool playing carols while Nate leant on the lid. Charlotte and Nate had only recently returned from an extended trip to London. They were spending time with the families of the gentlemen Georgie and Lizzie were courting. Meanwhile, Edward had been given his first opportunity to run the estate. Edward was still unattached. He very much reminded Bess of Nate when she had first arrived at Ascot. Carefree, debonair, and very charming.

"Aunt Bess." Bess' attention was grabbed by the calling of her name. Bess saw Rebecca standing at the door motioning for her to follow. She supposed it was time to go downstairs to prepare their Christmas dinner.

"Alright, anyone who wants to help cook is most welcome to come downstairs," Bess announced. She stood up on her toes and kissed Emmett's cheek before going to leave the drawing room. She heard movement behind her so she supposed that there were a few volunteers.

"Are you alright, Aunt Bess?" asked Maggie as they all started down the servants' staircase.

"Maggie, you did not need to help," Bess said, avoiding the question. "You have the baby to tend to." After a few years of being a family of four, two new additions had recently joined Maggie and Max's family, Charlotte, their daughter, and the latest, their first son.