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Seeing him beside Georgiana, patiently attending her as she performed, Elizabeth could not help thinking of Ben’s late father, Randall Carlton. Tears pooled in her eyes. She never truly had known the happiness she now felt. She never truly had loved anyone as she loved Darcy, and she never had felt as loved as she did in that moment. Much had happened since she was a young maiden of seventeen, marrying against her father’s advice. Yet, she did not regret a moment of her past. To have altered a single course in the path that she had chosen thus far meant that she might not have been blessed with the gift of her beloved son.

Where would I be without Ben? What would I be without Ben?

Elizabeth subconsciously touched her belly. If what she suspected was true, Ben might soon have a sibling.

Always in tune with his wife, Darcy made note of her gesture. Elizabeth often does that, he silently conjectured. Leaning forward, he whispered softly, “Is there anything you wish to confide in me, my love?”

Elizabeth raised a silencing finger to her lips. The two lovers shared a knowing smile.

Tick ... tock ... tick ... tock. As much as Darcy enjoyed such moments with his family, try as he might, he could not help glancing towards the clock atop the mantle and wondering why it loomed louder than the lovely sounds emanating from the pianoforte. The end of Georgiana’s rendition of Beethoven’s Moonlight Sonata coincided with the musical carillons of the clock.

“Bravo, dearest Georgiana!” He stood and stretched his legs, sauntered towards the instrument, and extended his hand to Ben. “It is time for bed.”

Elizabeth set aside her sewing and crossed the room to join her husband. “Georgiana and Anne, if the two of you will pardon me, I believe I shall retire for the evening, as well.”

If Elizabeth’s leave-taking came as a surprise to either Georgiana or Anne, they did not intend for her to know.

Moments later found Ben tucked in his bed, recanting a familiar refrain for that time of the evening. “Why can I not stay up a while longer, Da?”

“Ben, are we to have this conversation every night? Your bedtime is fixed, and no amount of conversation on your part will persuade me otherwise.” Darcy was adamant in that regard. It had taken far longer than he would have thought for Ben to fall asleep in his own bed and remain there throughout the night without waking and joining him and Elizabeth in the master’s suite. What was a man violently in love with his bride to do?

“But what about Christmas Eve? You promised I might stay up past my bedtime on Christmas Eve.”

“Yes, your mother and I conceded to your request to allow you to remain awake an hour past your bedtime as a part of our family’s new Christmas tradition.”

Ben yawned. Darcy and Elizabeth knew sleep would find him within seconds of their blowing out the bedside candle. His voiced trailed slowly along the path towards slumber. “This will be the happiest Christmas ever.”

Elizabeth and Darcy considered Ben’s words and both silently reaffirmed their resolve to allow for the joy the upcoming family gathering might bring. For Elizabeth, it offered second chances for healing with her dearest sister and her father; for Darcy, it promised a time for celebrating his love for his new family, rejoicing and creating memories and establishing traditions.

Darcy and Elizabeth’s sentiments sang out in harmony as both leaned forward and bestowed a light kiss on either side of Ben’s face.

Elizabeth lingered a bit longer. “Indeed, my son, this shall be the greatest Christmas ever!”