41. Christmas Day

Christmas Day dawned with the snow still falling, though not heavily.

We rose, washed and dressed and gathered for church, though this time, Mr Hopley and his assistants took us in the landau and the brougham. We had Mr Barthomley and Mr Adams accompany us, and a young man who escorted both of the twins.

After church, we reconvened in the parlour and exchanged gifts - nothing too ostentatious, we each gave little gifts - after all, if you have riches and privilege, what more do you need? I gave presents that people would remember me for. To each of my sisters I presented a piece of jewellery, a memento of my love for them. Charlotte and Caroline each received necklaces, and Hermione a locket - for which she immediately demanded a miniature portrait of me, which Caroline agreed to paint and I agreed I would sit for. The twins received matching jewelled combs like the ones I had seen in Portugal, which they insisted on wearing for the rest of the day.

I gave Helena a pendant, a piece of crystal with a lock of my hair embedded in it. I had it made some years ago, but kept it to give to her when the opportunity presented itself. This appeared to be that opportunity. She immediately removed the pendant she had been wearing and replaced it with my gift.

For myself I received several gifts which my sisters had embroidered - shirts mainly, all beautifully worked, and the twins - who are most capable at that sort of thing - wrought a selection of neck-cloths, which are always acceptable.

My mother presented me with two gifts. The first was an elegant long-stemmed pipe, of the kind known as a church warden, with a walnut wood bowl and an ebony mouth piece. It was not a large pipe, but the bowl was big enough for our customary night-time smoke and it was decorated with a fine silver wire. The other present was a locket with a miniature of herself, a most accurate likeness, that Caroline had painted. It was not intended to be worn around the neck, but I told her that where-ever I travelled, it would be somewhere about my person.

That afternoon we played parlour games, blind-man's-buff, what-am-I, pin-the-tail-upon-the-donkey, and charades. We sat down to a Christmas feast, which I, as the head of the house, gave thanks for and then we ate.

It was very much a traditional meal, with a large fat goose as the centre piece, beef, venison, pork, and all of the trimmings - roasted and boiled potatoes, sprouts, peas and carrots. The wine flowed and we enjoyed our meal. It ended with a tray of mince pies. It has long been a Rogeringham family tradition that everyone present takes a pie, and gifts it to the person on their right, so I gave mine to Charlotte.

Afterwards my mother, my sisters, our guests and I gathered at the piano in the parlour and we sang as Charlotte played.

After spending Christmas away from England for so many years, on nights in barracks, or doing rounds of the sentries, this was what coming home meant to me. That Helena was a part of it, increased the joy I felt, but having my sisters about me as well, even though they might be going their own ways in the coming year, meant that that Christmas was likely one of the best I have ever known.

Eventually, after we had all eaten our fill, drunk our drinks and laughed and sang and danced, it was time to retire.

I bade farewell to our guests - the vicar and his wife, Emily Dodgson and her daughters, (who had moved back to their own house on Christmas Eve) they were conveyed home in our brougham. After that Helena retired for the night, then my sisters each gave their farewells and went to bed. I shared a final brandy with Mr Adams, Mr Barthomley (who seemed more confident in my company, though that may have been the quality of the port that he had consumed) and the young man who had been the twins escort (for the life of me I cannot recall his name), before they too, went to their rooms.

Finally, I ascended the stairs - slightly drunk, full, tired and very, very happy.

Helena was already in my bed when I got there. She was in the same mood as I was though, and instead of a frantic coupling, we kissed and cuddled, and then had a slow, sleepy fuck before falling asleep, together.