Cooking aromas wafted up the stairs from the kitchen. Thomas lifted his nose and drew in a large sniff. "Mm... there is no better smell than roast pork at this time of year."

"I couldn't agree more." Rebecca placed the vase of yellow and pink flowers in the centre of the mantel. "Does this look out of place? There are only cherries and witch hazel flowering in the garden at the moment, and these are the best blooms I could find."

"They look beautiful." Thomas kissed her. "Just like you." He grinned because her cheeks flushed. "The whole room looks magnificent." He took Rebecca in his arms and twirled her around the dining table.

"Thomas," she giggled. "What has gotten into you?"

"Ah... I know something you don't." He grinned down at her. "I'm not going to tell you. It's a surprise." Thomas let her go, and headed to the door laughing as he went.

"You can't do that." Rebecca stood with her mouth agape. "Thomas! You can't say that, and then leave."

The only reply she got was the sound of his booming chuckle.

*

The room was filled with laughter and chatter. The main meal was delicious, and the dirty china had been cleared in readiness for plum pudding and brandy sauce.

Edmond stood up and clinked his glass with his dessert spoon. "If I may have everyone's attention?" He looked around the table. His parents sat with Thomas and Rebecca. Father Hampton sat beside the Dowager Stephens. Tommy, Andrew, Izzy and Simon were all at the other end of the table beaming up at him, and his lovely wife sat across from him with a shy look on her face. "Hannah and I have some very welcome news."

Rebecca gasped and put her hand to her mouth. She turned to look at Thomas. He kept his gaze on Edmond.

"We are going to be parents."

"Oh my! Oh my, Thomas!" Rebecca gushed.  She and Alice both squealed, leapt to their feet and rushed to their children. Alice to Edmond and Rebecca around the table to her daughter. She wrapped her arms around her. "Hannah, this is wonderful news. Oh my, I'm lost for words. I'm going to be a grandmamma. Alice we are going to be grandmothers." Rebecca laughed. "Well, you already are. This is my first time and so exciting." Tears rolled down her face. She straightened and looked over at her husband. "This is why you were dancing all around the room earlier."

"Yes." Thomas pushed his chair back and lifted Rebecca in a hug. "What better gift could we have at Christmas?"

They settled down as the dessert was brought into the room. "Have you written to Julia and Shay to tell them the wonderful news?" Rebecca asked, as she lifted her spoon and looked over at Hannah.

"Yes. I wrote to them yesterday. I suspect my letter won't reach Julia for a month, and Shay will get hers, at best, in a week, with the snow as it is."

"There is more good news," Edmond said. He looked around at them all. "Do you remember my school friend, Samuel Denyer?"

"Oh, yes." Alice sighed and shook her head. "Such a sad lot of happenings with the whole family. All dead in a matter of eighteen months. First his father, then the earl disappearing, and possibly murdered, and his poor brother Frederick, dying of that mysterious illness. Terrible. Absolutely terrible. And I heard his stepmother's brother was also murdered.  Surely there isn't an unluckier family in all of England."

"Samuel is found, mother."

"What?" Charles Witherspoon gasped. "You mean they found his body?  It's been three years!"

"No, father. He is alive." The table erupted with everyone blurting out question after question. Edmond laughed, held up his hands and shook his head. "Please. Let me tell you what I know." He waited for the noise to quieten. "I received a letter from him four days ago, telling me he has returned and is well. Samuel said he was going to Northumberland. He didn't know when he'd be back. He hopes to catch up with me when the season starts. Apparently, he has been home for two months, and has put all his time into sorting out the issues caused to The House of Irvine. The letter only stated that George Somersby and Caroline, Samuel's stepmother, were not brother and sister, but rather husband and wife. Which means her marriage to Samuel's father was not real." More gasps of shock went around the table. Edmond continued, "He did not go into much detail, other than to say he has a lot of work ahead of him, and that he would explain everything when we see each other next. The only thing he did say, was that his disappearance was not of his doing."

"Oh, my goodness," Alice gushed.

"It can only mean one thing," said Charles. "He was kidnapped and held prisoner somewhere."

"I do hope that isn't the case," Thomas exclaimed.

"When we were at school, Samuel told me he didn't trust Caroline and George. He suspected there was something not right with them." Edmond looked around the table. "I think his involuntary disappearance had something to do with them. I'm sure Samuel will tell me the truth of it, when I see him."

"I should have told Julia and Shay of this news, though I suppose they wouldn't remember him." Hannah smiled over at Edmond. "I completely forgot to put this in my letter because I had other news that was more pressing."

"Have you thought of names?" Izzy called from the far end of the table. "If it's a girl I think you should name her Elizabeth."

"And Tommy for a boy."

"No Andrew!"

"Simon!"

Everyone laughed. Thomas shook his head. "I think you lot should leave the naming up to Hannah and Edmond." He nudged his head at the children. "Hurry up and finish your pudding or there'll be no barley sugar."

Congratulations Edmond and Hannah!!

Photo taken from Englishstuff.com