"Edith has risen from the cinders in the hearth to be kissed by her very own Prince Charming."
Bertie Pelham wasn't sure what he had done to deserve this wonderful woman who was in the car beside him. The wedding dress (which she had looked absolutely spendid and beautiful in) was gone, and replaced by a neat blue suit. He made a mental note to himself to let her know that he liked her in any color, but there was something about her in blue. It would always take him back to when she walked by him in the tunnel and she had caught his eye once again.
An agent's life was quite different from the life he had lived in the army, Bertie had decided soon after he took on the role. While his love of organization and order had come in handy, Bertie wasn't ready for the loneliness that had taken over. Sure, he had people he spoke to on a normal basis- but none were truly his friend. He had a feeling that most of the aristocracy he came in contact with felt sorry for him. It wasn't his fault... it had more to do with the lifestyle of his cousin Peter... but it was his life now. Every once in awhile he would ring up his buddy Daniel from the army and they would have dinner together, but it was still lonely.
Growing up as a mummy's boy and the son of an agent, Bertie really never looked to find a mate. With his overdomineering mother watching him like a hawk, he was simply afraid to bring one home. He had a few crushes and danced with a few, but he never had found one that had stolen his heart.
Until that fateful day of the shooting on the grounds... When he had heard that Lord Sinderby had had another guest, he was sure he would be dropped from the list once more. It wasn't unusual since he was just the agent, but surprisingly he was still invited. He stood in the background and watched as they were split- simply thankful for the invitation to the shooting and dinner- although that meant white tie and he hated the idea of wearing one!
When he heard Charlie Rogers say he wanted to be left alone with his shooter, Bertie realized that he had an opportunity in front of him. One of the ladies- he believed her name was Edith- didn't have a partner. Taking a deep breath, he asked if she would like to join him. To his delight, she went along. The shooting passed quickly- almost too quickly- and he had immensely enjoyed getting to know her. She was rather persistent with her questions, but they were easy to answer. It didn't suprise him to hear that she worked for a newspaper later- the questions and her curious manner had lent herself to that kind of work. She was a modern woman who had no need for a man, and that was that... or so he thought...
Several months later, Bertie was in London on official business. He was about ready to wrap up the trip with a new book to read on the train, when he spotted her. The lady that had invaded his thoughts was walking his way. This was the perfect time, the perfect opportunity, and he would have to do it. He spoke up and the conversation passed quickly, like a dream and the invitation to a drink led to a fun-filled night at her magazine office.
That night had changed things for him... and Edith he had later learned. Edith had told him one night several weeks ago that he had been her prince charming that night. He hadn't tried to take over, he had only come to help... and what's more, he believed in her. Bertie smiled at her, kissed her softly, and said, "I only did what was needed. I treated you like I wanted to be treated... As an agent, I was overlooked many times, and I knew you needed the encouragement, the belief to make it through... and besides it was easy to do..." Edith had simply leaned in and kissed him deeply before saying, "I had closed the door to ever falling in love and you opened it again with your gentle caring loving ways."
While the door had been opened that night, it would be several more weeks before they saw each other again. Bertie had had a conversation with Daniel about Edith and his buddy's advice had been to take it slow. With Edith being a modern woman, it might be better for her to show him she was ready to take the next step. So began a courtship of letters between them... Bertie writing of news of Brancaster, Edith with tales of the paper. When he learned of another opportunity to go to London, he took the chance and let her know. He was delighted to learn she would love to see him again. He had to calm his heart down, but he was hopeful.
Edith was once again in blue as they walked around the park. Easy conversation about life and family became their centerpiece. When she invited him to her flat, he knew he opened the door a little bit further. With their first kiss, he knew he was falling for her. He could see in her a hesitancy, a denial, so he chose to stand by her and keep fighting for her. She was worthy of the fight... he wasn't sure of her past, but he knew the lady he knew now was worthy of a fight over her.
At her inviation, Bertie came to visit the family. At the dinner table he was slightly astonished to hear the lack of planning. He couldn't help it- the agent in him took over- and he was giving out orders. It wasn't like him to speak up, but this was his love's family and he really didn't want them to be a made a fool of- much as he knew Peter was at Brancaster. If he could save Edith from that horror, he would do so by speaking up. After the success of it, Tom had come up to him to thank him for his help with organizing it and that was enough for him. He would later recieve a personal letter from Cora acknowledging the same thing. Edith would tell him later that he had astounded her with his ability to organize and even boss around Mary and he had grown more lovely in her eyes. But still something was holding her back...
Marigold... the darling daughter of Edith... she was what was holding her back. Bertie hadn't known that she was the daughter then... but something was holding her back. Bertie would look back at his next moves and realize that he had moved too quickly, too fast. So many changes had come to his life- all of the sudden he had gone from a commoner to a high rising aristocracy- and he wasn't sure how to handle it. It overwhelmed him, and in the process, he overwhelmed Edith. He could see her hesitation, could hear it in her voice, but he pressed forward. There was mistakes on his part... and he had to be forgiven for them.
When he had recieved the phone call from Mary, Bertie was shocked. Ever since he had walked away from Edith, he had been trying to find the courage and the nerve to ask for her forgiveness. He had been in the wrong almost as much as Edith, and he now could see it. Even the thought of his mother's reaction to Marigold couldn't scare him away... he had waited all this time for the love of his life and he found her. She wasn't perfect, but neither was he. He would take the chance and meet her again at the Ritz. He would lay his heart on the line, and hopefully she could pick up the broken pieces and put him back together again. It was all he could ask for... if she turned him down... he would become a better man for it.
By the end of the night at the Ritz, plans had been made. They would go to Brancaster and meet his mother and her parents would be invited. They would announce their engagement formally to the world and hopefully wed soon. Edith had accepted his apology and had called him her Prince Charming for doing so. Bertie had laughed it off and said "If I'm a prince it's only because I have you in my life... Being around you makes me want to be the best version of me..." Edith had kissed him tenderly and said, "I'm glad Marigold will be raised by a man like you... for she will know how a man is to treat a woman just by watching you."
From then on, it had been a whirlwind. Before the formal announcement, Bertie had taken the time to ask Robert for his permission to marry Edith. It wasn't exactly neccessary, he realized, but he wanted to do it properly. He had taken the time to properly repropose to her after his mother's startling turnaround and give her the ring that now graced her finger. Edith had been shocked by the size, but Bertie had told her "only the best for my princess." He had even worked out a way for Edith and Marigold to spend a week at Brancaster (Rosamund volunteered to come as a chaperone since Cora was busy with the hospital) so he could get to know her better before the wedding. By the end of the week, not surprisingly, the little girl had him and his mother wrapped around her finger.
It had a been a whirlwind year for them. From their first meeting, Edith had known there was something special about Bertie. It had taken her longer for her to fall for him, but she had. She had known love with Michael, but this was different... more special. She had found in Bertie the other piece of the puzzle she was missing. Marigold had filled part of it, but it had taken opening her heart to the love of Bertie that had filled the rest of the hole. She had risen from the ashes of broken relationships, an out of wedlock pregnancy and many other mistakes and been kissed by her own prince charming- Herbert Pelham, Marquess of Hexham.
My first venture into Downton Abbey. I love Bertie and that quote from Robert stuck with me until this came tumbling out. Reviews are much appreciated!