I'm sorry that I "disappeared" for a while, but there were some things, which needed my attention and caused a kind of writer's block. Hope that I've got the time to answer some PMs within the next days...
Enjoy the oneshot below. (Actually I'm completely AU in respect of Edith/Anthony, but this little plotbunny didn't want to disappear.)
Will you ever forgive me?
There she was. Sir Anthony Strallan caught sight of Edith Crawley in an unexpected moment.
Week after week and month after month he had been able to avoid meeting her, even seeing her by chance. He had moved to London right after the miserable event and returned to his home only occasionally.
People used to forget easily, if other things caught their attention. And so, even his walk out of the wedding with Lady Edith wasn't a daily topic any longer.
His friends agreed with his decision. They supported him in many ways, but none of them ever spoke directly about that particular incident.
Anthony's eyes followed the woman, who walked on the other side of the street. Edith looked splendid. Her modern, blue coat suited her as well as the corresponding hat. She smiled.
She was a happy and successful young woman.
Of course, he knew about her journalistic career. The daughter of an Earl writing for a newspaper was something the people loved to gossip about. Her first published letter had impressed him very much and he had read every of her articles since then - again and again.
Everything, he had in mind for her, had happened. She was a lively person in high spirits. He was pretty sure that there was a young man, who had already caught her eye. Edith's self-assured appearance impressed him deeply and once more, he congratulated himself to his wise decision. His plan had proved to be a success.
Just in the moment he wanted to tear his eyes away from her, Edith looked up. She spotted him immediately and hesitated for a second. The glint that appeared in her eyes greeted him tenderly. It was definitely an unconscious reaction, a shadow of her former feelings.
The next minute she recognised him. She stared at him and her look became cheerless.
Anthony's heart nearly broke, but he forced himself to be strong. All that had been was gone now. He had done everything for a reason. He wouldn't spoil this now, because of a weak moment. And yet, every fibre of his body longed to cross the road, to go to her.
For a single moment Edith seemed to feel the same, but she stopped before she made the first step towards him. Her eyes focused his image and narrowed. Her smile had dispeared.
He knew her well, very well. So, he was aware of her thoughts in this particular moment.
Will you ever forgive me?, he thought – very well knowing that she never would.