Saving Sabine

Chapter 8 - Photo of Merida

Chapter Eight

Sabine smiled as the familiarity, and the memories, of her grandmother’s farm came flooding back to her. The farm house which had once been big enough to house a small family, was now big enough for the entire extended family.

The year after Daniel and Jane had married, he and her Uncle Sebastian had added another level to Catherine’s house so that it had room for everyone.

The Alcott’s’ carriages were already outside Catherine’s house so Sabine and her family were the second, and last to arrive.

The snow that covered her grandmother’s house made everything look so majestic. The sun was setting and the small windows were illuminated by candlelight. Sabine could hardly feel the cold as she stepped down from the carriage.

Daniel sent the drivers into town with the carriages so the horses could be tended to and the drivers could get some rest. As soon as the family began their trek through the snow to the front door it opened and the Alcotts came flooding out, calling their cheerful greetings.  

Jane flew into her mother’s waiting arms as Sabine was greeted by a rounded Kitty eagerly. Her pretty, and once severely eccentric, cousin beamed happily. “It feels as though it has been an age!” she exclaimed. “You must come to London more often,” she encouraged.

Sabine laughed lightly, knowing that that would never be the case, even if she were not to become engaged in the near future. “Perhaps you should venture out to Nottingham?” she suggested comically.

Kitty grinned and subtly touched her stomach. “Perhaps we will,” she said knowingly.

Catherine ushered everyone inside and Daniel and Sebastian carried the trunks upstairs. The living room was very warm and inviting. The settees were covered in beautiful ribbons and ornaments that were yet to be hung. A tree had not been fetched as traditionally the whole family went into the woods together to select the prettiest fir.

Sabine inhaled the beautiful scents that had made their way into the room from the kitchen. It smelled like gingerbread.

Catherine hugged Sabine and her brothers as they settled in the living room. Their grandmother was now in her sixties but she still looked as lovely and kindly as ever. Her hazel eyes were wise, yet loving and her brown hair had a few strands of silver. Sabine admired Catherine so much. She wasn’t a young lady anymore, but she still managed to run a farm with little help. She also loved her because she treated her just like her other grandchildren, even though she wasn’t related to her. Her family had never treated her as if she didn’t belong.

“You’re all just in time to help us decorate,” Catherine said giddily. “We were just about to hang the ribbons and the ornaments,” she said, gesturing to the Christmas collection on the settees.

As Sebastian and Daniel returned from upstairs, they all got to decorating the sitting room. Emilia and Jane disappeared into the kitchen to fetch warm drinks and biscuits, happily chatting away and catching up. Her brothers, along with James and Henry were talking about Eton as they tied festive ribbons around the chairs of the dining table. Annie and Joseph were helping Kitty and Little J arrange the nativity figures by the fireplace.