Pemberly Christmas- 6 Years Later

Mary looked around her mansion. It was a smaller version of Pemberly but she was happy. It was all decorated for Christmas. Harla had done a great job. Running after the twins were quite a job but Harla loved Mary's children and she could handle them. Mary was pregnant again. Brandon was at sea. She was due in a few weeks. Christmas was three weeks away. Lizzie was going to town to deliver baskets of food and Mary was going with her. A knock at the door interrupted Mary's thoughts. Lizzie was on the other side.

Mary opened the door and there was Lizzie. "Are you sure that you are up to this, Mary?"

"Yes. I am tired of hanging around the house. Let's do this."

The driver Abram helped Mary in the carriage.

Lizzie patted Mary's hand. "Mother will be here in two weeks. She is all anxious about you."

Mary groaned. "I am fine. I hope she behaves."

"Me, too."

The ride to the village was quiet and Lizzie and Mary went from door to door to deliver baskets of food. Everyone was so appreciative. Mary was surprised that she hadn't tired herself out, yet.

The carriage was headed home. They were riding back a part of the town where there were nice flats and Lizzie and Mary didn't need to deliver baskets here. A young boy that was eight years old was standing on the sidewalk and a woman was yelling at him.

"It is sad that your mother died. You can't live here anymore. There will be no money for this flat. I don't want you. I hate kids. You can go live at a Work House or an orphanage. I don't care where. Now, get out of here!"

Mary had Abram stop the carriage and Lizzie and Mary got out of the carriage.

"You are a terrible person to treat a child like that. You don't have a heart!" Mary yelled.

"Do you want this brat? I am Mrs, McDawson, a Land Lord and the child's mother is dead. Who are you to tell me what to do?"

"I am Mrs. Brandon Trent. You aren't a nice person."

Mrs. McDawson laughed. "Mrs. Trent, you say? This brat is your husband's child. You won't think you're so much now."

Mary stared at the child. He looked like her son Jacob. WAS IT TRUE? WAS HE HER HUSBAND'S CHILD?"

Lizzie was in shock as well. "Abram, go get the child and put him in the carriage. Abram helped the child in the carriage and grabbed his small bag of belongings.

"Mrs. McDawson, you are an evil witch and I pray that you have no children." Mary got into the carriage.

"I will see that my husband Mr. Darcy has your flats checked out and you had better pray that you are an honest business woman." Lizzie got back into the carriage. Mrs. McDawson was as dishonest and she had done a lot of mean things in her life. Her husband's death had been no accident.

Mary, Lizzie and the little boy were in the carriage.

"Where are you taking me?" the little boy asked.

"You are going to my house. I guess it is only fair that I raise my husband's child."

"I'm Austen." The little boy said.

"I am sure this isn't true. Brandon loves you." Lizzie said.

"Brandon and I have been married almost seven years. How old are you, Austen?"

"I am eight."

"My husband knew this child's mother before he knew me." Mary looked flushed.

The carriage arrived at Mary's house and Abram helped Mary and Austen out of the carriage.

"Do you want me to stay with you?" Lizzie asked.

"I will be alright. Harla is here." Mary felt like her world had ended. She hugged Lizzie good bye and took Austen's hand and they walked into the house. Austen was scared but Mary and Lizzie had been kind to him.

Harla greeted them at the door. "Harla, this is Austen. He will be staying with us for awhile. I am going to lay down." Mary went to her room.

Harla fed the boy and she noticed that he looked like Brandon.

A hour later Darcy came to visit Mary. Harla woke Mary up but she hadn't really been sleeping. Mary came downstairs.

"How are you, Mary?" Darcy asked.

"Pregnant and my husband has another child. Life is great."

"Let's sit down." Darcy helped Mary sit on a big red couch with birds on it.

"Mary, Austen isn't Brandon's child. Brandon has a twin brother who became a pirate and he doesn't talk about him. Austen's mother was Mona Stiles and she loved Lenton, Lenton used Mona and when she became pregnant, he left her. Brandon took pity on Mona and gave her money and paid the rent on her fancy flat .He gave her money the past few years. Brandon would have married Mona but she wasn't his responsibility. I told him that. Brandon didn't love her and I am glad that he waited for you. Mary, he loves you. Lizzie told me what happened today, well I had to come over and tell you. You are like a sister to me and Lizzie and I are here for you. Brandon will be home before Christmas. He will want to raise Austen and I hope that you will, too. Please don't be so hard on Brandon. He is a good man, that is after he met and married you."

"Thank you, Darcy. Brandon never told me about Lenton. I guess he was ashamed."

"Yes, he is. Lenton is as bad as Wickum. They used to hang out together and Lenton was a soldier but he was a deserter and almost got shot but he escaped. That is when he became a pirate. Be glad you weren't Mona .God rest her soul."

"I will be good to Austen. I promise. I know my husband wasn't always good but at least he isn't Wickum or Lenton."

"I have to go but Lizzie is coming to stay with you until Brandon comes home. You need her."

Darcy hugged Mary good bye and Lizzie came to stay with Mary. Mary read stories to Austen and treated him like her own child. She gave him cookies in between meals. She played cards and other games with him. Lisbeth and Jacob liked him and he liked them.

"Mary, you are so nice to me. I wish you could be my new mother."

"Oh, Austen, I will be. I promise. I love you." Mary hugged Austen.

Austen went to play with Mary's twins Lisbeth and Jacob.

"I am glad that you feel Austen is yours. He is a good kid." Lizzie admired Mary.

"I know. I am glad that he isn't Brandon's but in a way, I wish he was."

"You have a big heart. Mrs. McDawson has been cheating on her taxes and there is evidence that she murdered her husband. Looks like she is headed to jail."

"Good! The old bat!" Mary and Lizzie laughed.

Brandon came home a few days later. He hugged Mary and gave her roses and a gift of an emerald ring. When Austen walked in, Brandon was surprised.

"Hello, Sir. Thank you for being nice to my mother and me. Mom got sick and she died and Miss Mary said I could stay here." Austen smiled nervously.

"Of course you can. I am sorry about your mother. I didn't know." Brandon hugged him and his children came in and he hugged them, too.

"Brandon, we need to talk." Mary had Harla take the children away.

"I guess you have questions. How did you find Austen?"

"Lizzie and I were out delivering Christmas baskets. We came to Windon Village and Austen was outside and Mrs. McDawson was being mean to him. When I told her she had no heart and who I was, she said that Austen was your child. I was so upset but I bought him home and Lizzie talked to Darcy. Darcy told me that he was your brother's child and that you bought Mona her flat. You are really nice to do that. I wish you would have told me. I love Austen. I want us to raise him along with our children and the one to be."

"Mary, I love you. You are so good to understand. Of course, we can raise Austen." Brandon hugged Mary.

"Just then Mary's water broke. "Oh, no! Harla!" Mary yelled.

Mary was rushed upstairs and gave birth to a baby girl an hour later with Hara's and Lizzie's help. Mary was happy. Brandon was, too.

"Mary, we have two daughters and two boys. Are you happy?"

"I am over the moon! You are the best!" Mary laughed. Brandon kissed Mary's cheek.

Lizzie held Mary's hand. "You have a beautiful family. You are so lucky."

The other children got to see the baby.

"What are we going to name her?" Austen asked.

"Mona. After your mother." Mary patted Austen's cheek.

"Thank you, Miss Mary."

"You can call me Mommy."

"Mommy!" Austen hugged Mary.

Christmas was a week later. Brandon and Mary arrived with the children at Pemberly. Pemberly had four Christmas tress and there were presents all over. Austen felt like he was in Heaven. Mary thought the house got bigger and more beautiful every year.

Mrs. Bennett gave Austen a funny look and barely hugged Mary. She did hug Lisbeth and Jacob.

"I hear that you are adopting this boy. Why?" Leave it to Mrs. Bennett to disapprove.

"Mother, I don't care what you like. Austen is my son and if you don't want him for a grandson, that is your call. If your answer is no. you won't be welcome at my home."

Mrs. Bennett looked at Austen and she smiled. "Austen, I am your grandmother." She held out her arms out to him. Austen ran into them and he got to meet Mr. Bennett. Mrs. Bennett fused over baby Mona. She was a proud peacock.

Jane and Brimley showed up with their bratty twins. Iris made it a point to follow them around when they came to visit. She was glad that they didn't live there. She loved being a maid but she would hate to be Jane's maid.

Lizzie hugged Mary and Jane. She hugged Austen and held the baby. Jane hugged Austen.

Caroline Brimley walked in and she was with a man. Admiral Nathan Finch. Caroline had finally found someone and they were getting married the day after New Years. Truth be told, Caroline was pregnant. Lizzie was nice to her and she had hoped that Caroline was finally over Darcy.

Kitty arrived with her husband and daughter. Lizzie's whole family was here. Georgiana and Weston lived at Pemberly because Georgiana had never known another home.

Lady Catherine arrived with Annie and her husband the Duke Michael Ralston. Annie lived with her husband away from her mother and she wasn't sick anymore. Lady Catherine had made Annie think that she was sick all those years. Lady Catherine had accepted Lizzie and her family. It was going to be a nice Christmas.

The family sat down to eat the meal. Roast Duck, Ham, Turkey, potatoes, gravy, dressing, cranberry, rolls, pies and cakes. Austen had never seen a meal like this.

Darcy gave a toast. He stood up. "Here is a toast to the New Year, Lizzie's family who is also my family, my Aunt Lady Catherine, Annie and Michael, Georgiana and Weston, Caroline and her husband to be, my new nephew Austen and my niece baby Mona. May we all meet at Pemberly every Christmas forever!"

"Here! Here!" Everyone enjoyed a delicious meal. There were gifts for everyone. Austen loved the train set he got, Mary loved the dresses and hats that Brandon had bought back for her from France. The best gift of all was that he wasn't going to sail the seas anymore. He was going to be training troops for war near Pemberly. He would never leave his family again. Mary couldn't be happier.

It started to snow and there were so many presents for everyone. Life was good until Lenton showed up and wanted to take Austen with him to be a pirate when he was fourteen but Darcy and Brandon escorted him to jail. Austen joined the Navy. Caroline had three children and became best friends with Lizzie and Mary. Pemberly would live on through the centuries. as did Jane Austen and her novels.

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