The
Twelve Stories of Christmas – Day 9 Laura Trodbottle
I sat next to
the kitchen fire and sighed as I was able to finally ease off my feet. It may
have been a holiday, but mother and I had to work all the harder to keep the
house running. However, now that the breakfast was over and whatever Ella had
been up to had been stopped, I could rest. Ella was spending most of the day
with Rose so I was free to go out and spend it as I chose in the village. I had
been invited to a few different parties, but James and I had decided to go to
the Nasher’s.
They were James’
uncle, aunt and cousins and they always had good food and lively music since
two of the boys played fiddles. Mother was to come with us, but she seemed
rather down today and I could only guess that Duke Edward’s depression had not
only gotten the best of him but of her as well. I hated Lady Sarah and Brianna.
They ruined everything. I smirked as I thought of what Ella had attempted
earlier and a part of me, well most of me, wish she had succeeded. I would have
taken the proceeding anger gladly if only to know that Lady Sarah had gotten a small
piece of what she deserved.
“Laura,” James
called opening the door to the kitchen.
“Here,” I stood
from the rocking chair and bundled myself against the cold of the wind that
followed him in.
“Close the
door,” I scolded. “Do you want me catching cold?”
“Catching cold,
no,” he said stepping closer and encircling me with his arms, “Now, being cold
and seeking me as a remedy to that problem that I can withstand.”
We stood there
for a moment or two but as the far off bells struck the hour, I pulled away.
“We best be
going. I would like to get there before the sun sets, and missing your uncle’s
stories would ruin my entire night.”
“Do you truly
find him so entertaining?”
I laughed. “Yes,
his stories are hilarious, surly you see that.”
“I suppose,” he
grimaced, “but considering that most of them are about me and they all hinge on
me falling in a mud puddle or being stepped on by a horse, I would rather he
skip them.”
I laughed and
took his face between my hands. “Is it truly so hard working for your uncle?”
“It is when he
embarrasses me in front of you.”
“Oh James
please. I already know all the worst you offer, so surly a few more embarrassing
stories, especially on Christmas, will do my opinion of you no harm.”
He snorted but
let me go so that I could bundle in my coat, scarf and gloves. I quickly spread
some of the hand cream Rose had so thoughtfully given me and then ran to meet
him at the stables. James had already hitched up the wagon and I jumped up to
sit next to him. Mother was snuggled in the back, with a blanket and knitting.
It was a fairly long ride to the village from here and she often tried to stay
out of our conversations so that we would have some privacy. However, this day,
Rupert, Duke Edward’s personal servant, came with us to the party and mother
was talking happily with him, so why she had brought her knitting was beyond me.
I sighed and
wished that mother would find someone else. She kept father’s memory close and
I suspected that her heart was drifting toward another, but of course it was
the one person she couldn't have. Duke Edward was noble for heaven’s sake. It
just seemed so stupid to allow herself to give into her attractions, when there
were many available bachelors in town. The butcher had been widowed two years
ago and the farrier had never married, but at the way he chased women, he was
obviously not opposed to it, just bad at it. She would easily be able to rope
him in, but no, she remained blind to all of them because she could only see
the one unattainable member of her world.
We made a quick
stop to pick up Rupert’s family. For such a quiet man, he had a very busy and
loud family. He already had five children and another on the way and his wife was
more talkative than mother, though soft spoken. It was truly an odd
combination. Once they were settled in, James drove the horses on and we lurched
forward. The two draft horses were excited, since we only used them to pull the
wagon during the winter and they treated it much like a game. I laughed at
their playfulness as they pranced through the snow and threw it up in the air,
covering us in the wet, white powder.
Once we reached
the village, it rang out with “Merry Christmas!” and “Good tidings to you and all
of your kin!” We answered likewise and were soon in front of James’ uncle’s
house. Pierce Nasher greeted us jovially and ushered us into an already packed
house.
“Please, throw
your coats anywhere and join in the carols whenever you feel like it. James, I
know that you will be stuffing your face for most of the night, so go enjoy
yourself.” He shoved James towards the food table and I was lead to where
people were singing and dancing to the notes of the fiddle. Pierce did not
disappoint me at all that night and soon I was laughing so hard that I was
crying. Then dances were called for and the singing stopped. Jigs took the
places of carols and everyone joined in the fun. James spun me around the floor
and at times I felt like I was flying.
As the night
aged and people were beginning to settle down, I sat with James and looked
around. Everyone was in merry spirits and seemed content. We all had jobs to go
back to in the morning. Hard jobs for many of us, but we hardly let that darken
our moods. This was Christmas. This feeling of contentment and connection to
the one’s around you. The only thing I would have changed would have been to
have Ella and Rose there. They were my best friends in every way, but it was
like I lived two lives all the time and it was exhausting. Their world was so privileged,
formal and miserable and then I come here, where everyone has a right to
complain but it was joyous, carefree and poor. Of course, I realized that such
were the foundations of Christmas. It was the shepherds that got to witness the
miracle first, not the rich or the powerful. The miracle would have been lost
on them.
“What do you
think about so hard my dear?”
“Deep thoughts
my love.”
“Harsh?”
“No, glorious,” I
yawned as I said this and he laughed.
“Come, I believe
I must return us all to our rightful places.”
“Oh, can we not
stay for but a little longer?”
“No, for you are
falling asleep. Besides, my aunt looks positively exhausted by your mother and
Rupert’s wife.” I followed his gaze and giggled at what I saw. My mother and
Rupert’s wife were both talking at the same time, while James’ aunt looked
between the two of them, trying to figure out who to look at.
“Oh, I suppose
that we must then.”
“I’ll hitch up
the horses then and you round up the friends and relations.” I did as told and
ten minutes later we were all piled into the wagon and heading back to the
estate. They were noisy as they discussed how wonderful the party was.
“They seem happy
do they not?”
“Oh yes, happy
indeed. I only wish that they were not so loud.” James said this with some mood
that I could not determine and so I shrugged it off and looked above me at the
stars. One of them, though heaven only knew which one, was the Christmas star
and it gave me comfort to know that it still shone. I closed my eyes for a
moment and just took it all in. The laughter of a good party, the strong
presence of the man I loved, the swing of the wagon lanterns to the horses’
gate. Yes, this was Christmas and I never wanted to know one without such a
feeling.
No comments:
Post a Comment