Together At Last

This is a story of what I hope will happen now that Edith is finally with her daughter. It will also feature my ideas/hopes of what will happen at the Abbey and when or even if Edith will return home. It is set directly after Season 5 episode 6.

Chapter 1

She had finally got her dream, Edith Crawley was with her daughter, something she had dreamed about since she gave birth almost 2 years previously. At this current moment in time the two of them were in a hotel room in York, somewhere they were staying just for the one night, as it had only been the previous day that they had left. Edith was watching her daughter play with her teddy bear on the floor of the room when she turned to her and said "So, Marigold, where do you think we should go next, London maybe, or Paris, we could even go to the states?"

Marigold just looked up at her mother and smiled, not having understood a word that she said and then carried on playing, an action which made Edith laugh.

A few hours later, the two of them were in London, having just walked out of Kings Cross station.

"Welcome to London Marigold, now come on, there's somewhere that I would like to take you"

Edith then hailed a taxi, giving instructions to drive to Michael Gregson's house, which she had never sold, in the hope that he would one day return, something which she now knows will never happen. After a quick 30 minute drive they arrived at the house, and after paying the driver Edith, picked up her daughter and grabbed a hold of her case and walked up to the top step. She then looked around her to make sure she wasn't being watched or followed and went inside the house.

"Do you know where we are Marigold darling?"

"No"

"This house used to belong to your father, before he died, and this is where we shall stay until I can think of something more permanent, now let's go put you down for a nap and I shall call upon someone who owes me a favour"

A little while later, while Marigold is asleep there is a knock on the door, Edith answers and it is a young man, about the same age as Edith.

"Edith, I was shocked to hear from you, as well as shocked to hear that you are in London"

"Hello Henry, it is good to see you again, please come in"

"Thank you"

Edith then lets the man into the house, he takes off his hat and turns his nose up at the dusty smell a house adopts after not being in use for a long period of time.

"What is this place Edith, it doesn't seem to be a good enough place for a lady to stay?"

"It's a long story, please follow me"

She then lead him into the only room she had made a start on cleaning - the sitting room. After she herself had taken a seat on the couch, she invited him to sit next to her.

"Will you please explain why it is that we are here?"

"This was the home of the editor and publisher of The Sketch, Michael Gregson, he left it to me in his will, we were, I suppose you could say, a couple"

"I noticed you used the past tense there"

"Yes, I found out a few day ago that he had died, after being missing for over a year"

"Goodness gracious, I am so sorry for your loss"

"Thank you, however, there is more to the tale"

"I do apologise, please continue"

"Before he went missing, we had relations of an intimate nature, we weren't even married, it just sort of happened, then he went missing and shortly after I found out that I was pregnant, and in secret I had a daughter, my Marigold"

"You had a child!"

"Yes, I gave birth in Geneva, I was going to have her adopted out there, but I couldn't do it, so I brought her home and one of Downton's tenant farmers has been caring for her. When I found out that Michael was indeed gone, I couldn't handle it anymore, so I took her and ran"

"Oh Edith, it sounds like you've been through an awful ordeal"

"I have"

"I still do not understand why it is that you have asked me here"

"I was wondering if you could send someone to do some shopping for us, I need some more clothes, and Marigold will surely need new things too, as well as the fact that we will be needing food"

"I can give you one of my servant if you'd like"

"No, I know how to cook and clean, besides the fewer people who know where we are, the better, will you do it?"

"Yes, I shall get one of my maids to fetch the things you require, saying simply that a friend has fallen on hard times, how old is the child, Marigold did you say?"

"Yes, and she is 20 months and 3 days old, her birthday is February 3rd"

"Someone will be by this evening with your most urgent things, but for now, would you like me to go and fetch some food for you, you must be starving"

"You don't mind"

"Not at all, besides I have the day off today, there was an oil leak at my law firm"

"Thank you, and Henry, you cannot tell anyone I am here, I mean it, I do not want anyone knowing my whereabouts, and if anyone does ask for a name, say that I am Miss Sybil Gregson".

"Okay, I shall be back shortly"

"Thank you again"

Edith then showed him out of the door and went up to Marigold after hearing her whimper.

End of Chapter