Lady Denham did not particularly like being away from home, especially in the winter. She despised Christmas, parties, and gift giving as unnecessary extravagances. The late Lord Denham would refuse to buy gifts for her on Christmas, preferring instead to lavish her with them every other day of the year. She missed him every hour of every day. Only the ocean air at Denham House allowed her to feel like some small part of him was with her in this world.
All the bustling, smiling people made the loss of her husband all the more acute, and yet she couldn't help admitting that she enjoyed her growing family. Esther and Babington were so happily married and in love that their happiness had begun to radiate outward and fill all those around them with feelings of affection and contentment as well. Lady Denham approved of this inwardly, while still putting on a face of disaffection, as was her habit. She was so pleased for her niece, knowing herself how rare and beautiful a flower was one born of true love within the marriage vows. Watching the holiday festivities on the streets of London, she held her heart aloft, drifting in memories and emotions she had thought long since put to bed. It was a warm feeling, full of comfort yet with a tang of loss and regret.
Drawing her mind from her reverie as she felt the carriage stop in front of Bedford Place, she wondered if her letter had ever reached Edward, wherever he now was. As much as she despised him, she felt that he had a right to know that he was soon to be a father. Bracing herself for the snow when the door opened, she disembarked and made her way into the holiday festivities.
Warm, spicey air touched with evergreen brushed her cheeks as she entered the foyer. She gave her luxurious fur cloak to a footman and retaining her silk shawl as she entered into the sitting room and greeted her hosts in her usual manner.
"Well Mr. Parker, I'm glad to see you up and about, especially today. I hope you enjoy your Yuletide gift from the Babingtons." as Sidney was opening his mouth yet before he could speak, she continued, "No need to thank me for the suggestion, I'm sure it will 'inspire' in some way." Smirking at him with her last remark she turned and took a seat by the fire.
Sidney continued to look at her, brows furrowed and jaw tight. Choosing to observe the room from under his thick eyelashes rather than to comment on Lady Denham's tone or lack of decorum since he was well acquainted with her barbed tongue. Shrugging his eyebrows he preferred to sip his wine in peace especially after the knowing looks tossed his way by all the adults in the room. The children brought him a gift that had been placed on a table near the Christmas tree. He untied the ribbon around the box and found a leather folder filled with lined paper. The top sheet had a note in what he immediately recognized as Charlotte's handwriting which read: Happy Christmas to you Mr. Sidney Parker! I hope that you find much use with this paper until you have no further need of its assistance. Thank you so much for inviting me to stay through the holidays with you and your family. Affectionately, -Charlotte Heywood.
The thoughtfulness of the gift held him speechless. Sidney Parker was never one to be ashamed of any apparent shortcomings, he saw them, rather, as opportunities in disguise. He felt keenly the depth of feelings that this small gesture stirred in him and was so lost in it that he had not heard the room go quiet around him. He looked up to see what had happened to find the entire room looking through the sitting room double doors across the foyer to the stair case. Or, to be more precise, to the woman on the stair case.
At first Sidney didn't realize who it was, he only saw the red evening gown sliding softly across the marble floors. He dragged his gaze upwards and saw how the deep ruby satin hugged the shapely thighs and generous, yet lithe hips of its bearer. Her hands were clasped in front of her in her white evening gloves, fingers clinching together slightly, yet modestly. The high waist of the gown was accentuated by an embroidered piece of silk, sparkling gently in the candle light. Sidney knew it was Charlotte when he saw her necklace. The same one she wore to Vauxhall Gardens the last time they had danced. A tendril of her chestnut hair lay across her chest and he followed its coiled slope up to the frame of her neck and the gentle curve of her chin. Cheeks rosy and lips moist he knew she was watching him, and he could feel the entire room watching them both but he didn't care.
"Well Miss Heywood," the voice of Lady Denham pierced the rosy haze in his brain and brought him back into his skin. "I see that our Christmas gift has had the intended effect! This entire room is speechless at your entrance. I daresay that color becomes you very well indeed as Esther thought it should, and is most festive for the season.'
Charlotte's cheeks were nearly the color of her skirts by the time Lady Denham was done congratulating herself on her choice of present.
"Happy Christmas, Miss Heywood!" Tom practically shouted from the fireplace finally breaking the tension enough that Charlotte was able to gather herself and break into a large welcoming smile at the greeting.
"Happy Christmas Mr. Parker! Mary this is truly a lovely surprise! I am so pleased to see dear Lady Denham and Lord and Lady Babington! What a merry party we will be indeed!" Charlotte sounded as though she was positively bursting with happiness, though Sidney noted that her exuberance had become more tempered with age and experience than it was last summer. Customary greetings were exchanged and Charlotte seemed to have much to say to Esther so Sidney did not have an opportunity to approach her. Rather he made himself content to watch her from across the room. Quietly observing each turn of her cheek, deep intake of breath and cheerful smile and her laugh filled his heart with a lightness that he was unaccustomed to. After what seemed like ages dinner was announced.
Soon enough Arthur and Diana joined them, bemoaning leaving their hearth in this weather, even for a jolly family gathering for the holiday, and worrying about how long they could stay with the condition of the London streets becoming worse by the minute. Their faces finally rounded to smiles when Tom announced that they could all stay over if necessary, as the men could walk down the way to the club for the night and leave all the bedchambers to the ladies if necessary.
"Shall we all go through? I do hope that dear Miss Lamb is alright. She said she felt unwell and has not come down for dinner. Sidney! Please escort my dear Mary to the dining room," as he moved to escort Charlotte himself.
Frustrated, Sidney glanced over to Babington who was bowing before his wife to take her hand, but watching the scene from the corner of his eye.
Dinner was much longer than expected. Sidney found himself listening intently to every word that dropped from Charlottes lips as though it were the most precious sound in the world to him. Especially since she was seated next to him so it would have been unseemly of him to stare at her during their meal. From this vantage he was able to observe each small reaction she had to her meal, tiny sounds of appreciation and pleasure that she made, likely without even realizing it. Sydney found himself unerringly speaking French and Spanish throughout the meal, much to his own frustration, though he knew it was because some part of him was so greatly engaged elsewhere that he could not find the right words in English.
When their meal was over, rather than retiring to smoke in the library the men joined the ladies back in the drawing room to exchange more gifts and play some party games. Yet before anyone could sit, Tom announced that they would first be making a short trip to the music room.
Upon first entering the music room it appeared to Sidney that Tom and Mary had purchased a new pianoforte. It had a large ribbon on top and a card which explained that it was a gift on loan from the Darcy's in order to aid Sidney with his business affairs until he fully recovered from the accident. It functioned much as a piano, with keys, yet when pressed, each key would stamp a corresponding letter onto paper which fed through the machine itself.
Each key had an engraving of its letter upon its surface and by pressing sequential letters, one could write a letter or transcribe with much more ease than expected. The children immediately took to writing out an alphabet to see what each letter looked like when it was printed while Tom and Mary tried to keep them from breaking the unusual, and likely quite costly piece of equipment. Sidney was flabbergasted at how thoughtful his family had been, though inwardly he laughed because it would take more time for him to use the machine effectively to be worth learning than it should take him to recover. He put his hands in his pockets and realized that he still had a small box in his right jacket pocket.
It had taken him weeks to meet covertly with the goldsmith to create this gift to his specifications. Each piece was meticulously crafted, sized, and considered. He had thought to wait until they had a moment alone within which he could give his gift to Charlotte, but something about this night, everything about her was magnetically pulling him towards her.
When the party once again gathered in the drawing room with the little tree, Sidney set down his brandy and made to cross the room to where Charlotte was sitting by the fire with little Henry in her lap.
Sidney had not made it three steps when they heard the bell ring at the front door. Everyone stopped and looked up at one another.
"Who could possibly be calling at this hour?" Mary asked out loud what everyone else was thinking.
The snow was coming down heavily outside the windows, and the drawing room had fallen silent. Everyone was waiting to see who was calling. Soon enough however, the doors opened and it was announced that it was Mr. James Stringer.
"Goodness Mr. Stringer what on earth! And on Christmas too? Come in! Come in! You are very welcome!! Have some mulled wine and warm yourself! What brings you to London? How did you end up here?" Tom was full of questions, but more pressingly, what had happened to cause Mr. Stringer to call at this hour and in quite a state of distress.
He looked as though he had been walking outside in the snow for quite some time and was most grateful to his hosts.
"I apologize Sir, Ladies, for my sudden appearance. I was on the coach from Sanditon and a wheel broke on the carriage so we the passengers were obliged to walk the remainder of our journey through the snow. I got quite turned around you see, on my way to see you, Lady Denham, but then saw Russel Square and remembered how close it was to Bedford Place so I made my way here. I don't wish to trouble you all however, just let me warm myself and I'll be on my way."
"Nonsense Mr. Stringer! You are very welcome! Please take your ease! Are you hungry? We have finished supper but I'm sure we can find something for you if you so desire!"
"We were not expecting you until Tuesday Mr. Stringer, and though I appreciate your industry and fortitude, what brings you here so soon?" This from Lady Denham.
"Yes, my Lady, I was to see you on Tuesday, but I had plans to see Lady Susan and Miss Heywood tomorrow."
"I wonder why she didn't mention it to me," Charlotte began, "Susan and I had plans to take tea tomorrow afternoon."
"Ah....y-yes, Miss Heywood... I daresay she... well..." He couldn't stop staring at Charlotte and appeared to be struck dumb. Mr. Stringer visibly straightened, took a breath and started again. "Um, my apologies, Miss, I did not see y-you... Happy Christmas Miss Heywood, you look lovely this evening."
"Thank you, but I don't understand what is happening. I did not know that you were coming to London."
"Ah, yes, Lady Worchester was wantin' me to see some of the finishing pieces she wishes to incorporate into the building of her summer home in Sanditon. And I was also here to escort you personally back to Willingden after the holidays Miss Heywood."
"I appreciate your efforts Mr. Stringer, but I do not require an escort..."
"Well I do!" Lady Denham interrupted. "At this time of year in this weather we would be fools to not travel with an extra able-bodied man at our disposal!"
Sidney then stood after processing the conversation, "Then what about two."
"My dear brother I don't believe it would be productive to your recovery to be out and about so soon, and so far from home!" Tom continues, "what if you were to fall again?"
"Then I would have, in the carriage with me, the most attentive of nurses in Miss Heywood. I am certain it will be well," Then he steps beside his brother and says under his breath, "besides I have some business in Willingden myself. Personal business..." As he gives Tom a knowing look.
Tom returned it with a brilliant smile, turned to the Christmas tree and began to hand out more gifts. He even disappeared for a moment and returned with a wrapped box for Mr. Stringer containing a fine bottle of brandy, then insisted he have a glass of Mr. Parker's own bottle that was already open. The children were first to bed, hanging socks on the mantlepiece for some reason which Mary explained was for the Christmas fairies to put treats in while the children slept.
Lady Denham and the Babingtons left with Mr. Stringer in tow next, Esther claiming that all the excitement had tired her out and Mr. Stringer was obviously spent from his long walk in the snow.
Charlotte stood in the foyer with Mary waving goodbye to their guests and watching the snow dizzying to the ground in an ever-thickening blanket outside.
The streets were silent. Not the silence of an empty theater, waiting for the curtain to part. Nor the silence between two people waiting to see who would speak first. But rather the silence that only a supremely heavy snowfall can bring. Where everything is muffled and softened around the listener. Charlotte was mesmerized by the snow, following the currents of air behind the carriage as it pulled away with silent hoof beats on the woolen ground. Landing gently on the hand rail to the stairs by the open front door.
This silence was warm. Charlotte was surprised that she didn't feel chilled at all. She vaguely noticed Tom and Mary leave and go upstairs, the servants also disappearing into the halls, yet still she stood. Watching the snow.
At the edge of her awareness she felt her back begin to warm up a bit. This made her realize how warm she was, standing on the stoop with little more than her shawl and gloves. She was dimly aware that this was due to the heat inversion during heavy snowfall, and the lack of wind. The warmth behind her increased slightly and she realized that this was because someone was standing behind her.
She closed her eyes and breathed in deeply. The crisp smell of frost, dusty woodsmoke, a brush of evergreen, beeswax, coffee, mulled red wine, brandy, and something deeper, muskier. A subtle fragrance that tugged something deep inside her. Something impossible to touch with your fingertips.
"Charlotte..."
Barely a whisper yet she knew the owner of that baritone. She didn't turn, knowing he stood behind her, but not touching. She felt a smile curl her upper lip. She felt him on her right side and opened her eyes to see him holding a small parcel in front of her.
She gently picked it up from his palm and turned into his arm as he stepped beside her so they faced each other in the still open doorway.
"Happy Christmas Charlotte."
She gently tilted her right ear to her shoulder and said, "Though I appreciate the gesture of whatever is inside this package, I need no gifts from you, Mr. Parker- ah, Sidney."
Her smile was genuine, yet her eyes did not lift from the box in her hands.
"Your good will, and your family, your friendship- these things mean more to me than any gift ever could. I just wanted you to know that."
"Open it. Please."
"Very well then."
She set to it. The wrappings gone, the box opened and inside was a bracelet and a ring mad of woven metals. There was gold and silver to be sure, and what Charlotte could only assume was rose gold. The metals were forged into thin bands, woven together to look like knotted waves with scattered diamond chips on the bracelet and a pale blue sapphire the color of the sea on the ring. On closer inspection Charlotte could see engravings on the bands of the bracelet. Starting from the top band, she could see that it was Shakespeare's Sonnet 116.
"Oh Sidney," she could feel her eyes welling with tears, "It's so beautiful!"
Sidney took her hand in his. "I had hoped you would remember. Your words, your voice- it brought me back Charlotte. You. You brought me back. I cannot fathom myself existing in this world without you ever again. I hope that this will remind you always of this. Of my devotion, to you, to life, to the hope that we could be together. Charlotte, would you please do me the honor of making me the happiest of men and becoming my wife?"
Only now did she look up into his eyes. Hers were brimming with tears, but the smile on her face outshone every light he had ever seen.
"Of course! Of course I will marry you! But we must tell my father!"
Sidney took her cheek in his hand and pressed the softest of kisses to her lips. She tasted sweet and frosted. He intended for the kiss to be gentle but she reached up and firmly held the back of his head and neck deepening the kiss until it took his breath away.