The Restless Viscountess

Epilogue

Maggie scoffed. "Max can tend to him for an hour or two," she retorted. "I am sure they will be here, Aunt Bess," Maggie said confidently.

"Thank you, dear," Bess replied sadly.

When they reached the kitchen, Bess set everyone to work. Charlotte and Rose, like they did every year, set to work on making the filling for the lemon meringue pie. Rebecca set to work on glazing the ham and Maggie was firing up the stoves ready to cook the vegetables.

Bess distracted herself by making several pounds of pastry, both sweet and savoury. She had taken herself over to the far bench so that she could work by herself, though she was not left alone for long.

Marie joined Bess. She set aside her glass of wine and began to knead the pastry with Bess. Marie had moved from Bath back to Ascot House eighteen months ago, after the loss of her husband, Stephen.

Stephen had passed away peacefully at the old age of six and seventy. Stephen had known it was his time for a while, and Marie, Derek, and Rose were by his side as he died.

His loss was felt deeply within their family. Stephen had been the comic relief at their dining room table for a long time.

Thankfully though, Marie had not returned to her old bitter self. She had graciously agreed to have Stephen buried at the Ascot cemetery beside Derek and Rose's son, Matthew. Although Bess knew Marie had reservations about Stephen and her previous husband being buried in the same cemetery, but she understood why Derek wanted his father beside his son.

Both Rebecca and Max had honoured their grandfather in the names of their children. Rebecca had since given birth to a daughter, a younger sister for James and Simon. She had been named Alice Stephanie. Maggie and Max's newborn son had also been named for their late grandfather.

Bess was certain Marie would stay in mourning for the remainder of her life. She wore a fine, black velvet gown, and the onyx pendant that Bess had given her so many years earlier. It was fortunate the stone was black.

While Bess and Marie had not always gotten along, ever since Marie had moved back to Ascot House, they were closer than ever. Marie understood longing for one's children.

"Darling, you can still have a merry Christmas without the children here," Marie said tenderly.

Bess frowned and paused her kneading. "Marie, I was so looking forward to this. It has been years. I have five grandchildren that I have never met!"

Bess looked forward to every letter that her children sent her. During their travels, David and Elena's brood had grown to five. Alexandra and Joaquín had also had two children. The news that the English queen had given birth to an heir had been printed in the newspapers in England. Bess had learned the news of her grandson from the newspapers before Alexandra's letter had reached her.

Those sorts of things broke her heart.

While she could not change either Alexandra or Imogen's living arrangements, she was so thankful that David was returning home permanently after five years abroad. He and Elena had travelled the Mediterranean, but now that their oldest daughters were ready to enter the schoolroom, they had decided it was time to return home to Ascot.

Bess was very anxious to meet her son's three newest children. Their son had been born in Portugal while they visited with Marisol and Carlos. He was named Joaquín, but his British father called him Jack. Their daughter Gabriela was born in Barcelona and their newest addition, Ariana, was born only a few months ago in Madrid.

She was also very eager to meet Alexandra's two children. Alexandra had given birth to a son a year into her marriage. The birth of an heir was met with jubilant celebration throughout Spain, as they had spent so long without a Prince of Asturias. Their son was called Nicolás. Two years later, Alexandra had given birth to Princesa Isabella.