"Branson! Come in here immediately!" The shouting was enough. What could this be about now? The article maybe? Surely it couldn't be about Sybil. No one knew. Did they? Tom shook his head, straightened his back and walked along the corridor leading towards Mr Carson's door at the end. Whatever this was about he knew there was no time left to make up excuses, after all this was the third time Mr Charles Carson had called him. The walls of the hallway itself were plastered with "the very thoughts from the company" as Mrs Hughes had told him on his first day at the paper, Tom never thought to argue with her about this but he knew this wasn't the case. The words on the walls did however contradict the statement considering they were all from well-known articles from famous newspapers. As this was the hallway of a local paper he doubted their writers ever came up with anything near as inspirational as what was plastered on its walls.
After reaching the door Tom hesitated. He didn't know whether this was caused by nervousness or just apprehension. No sooner had Tom raised his arm and poised himself to knock the door, it was thrown open by Charles.
"Mr Branson. Why do you think I've called you in here?" The look on his aged face was hard to read. But, Tom got the feeling it wasn't for anything good.
"I don't know sir." A tight ball of nerves was growing in his stomach as the whole room came into focus. Behind Mr Carson was Lord Grantham. The patron for The Downton. The richest man in the county. Sybil's father. Lord Grantham's face, unlike Carson's was as stern, cold and unforgiving as the last winter when Tom's car got trapped on the motorway in over two foot of snow. This wasn't going to be fun but when is meeting the father of your girlfriend for the first time ever very pleasant. Thoughts kept running through his mind about what he would say and if he might possibly get out of the room, alive.
"Mr Branson it was brought to my attention yesterday by Thomas that you and Lady Sybil are involved. Naturally I thought this a preposterous accusation so I –" Carlson continued to speak but Tom knew what was coming. Whilst he had walked Sybil home the night before she was sure that she had seen Carlson and Mr Bates. She had been worrying about it the whole way back. Not because she'd get in trouble but because Tom's job would be on the line if her father found out. "- so I telephoned Lord Grantham to find out if he knew about this affair. He did not. So, he insisted on coming to talk to you himself" Carlson had made the situation seem much less intimidating then it really was.
"Carlson I'll take it from here, thank you". Lord Robert Grantham stood up and shook the hand of Tom's editor and sent him out the room. "So, Tom. As Mr Carlson said, I am here to talk to you about Lady Sybil." Tom nodded, Lord Grantham didn't sound angry but the look of disapproval on his face told a different story. "What is it that you like so much about her then Branson? Is it her innocence? Her money? Her political side? What!?" his tone was getting louder and colder with every syllable. Tom opened his mouth to speak only to be cut off again. "The very idea of your relationship is preposterous! You are not able to support her Tom! Do you hear me? You are not of an appropriate class!" Sybil had said that her parents were stuck in the past but Tom didn't realise it was this bad.
"Lord Grantham, with all due respect sir. I love your daughter with all my heart and I'm pretty certain that she loves me. I love her because of who she is, not because of what she has to offer me. Nothing you do will change how we feel about each other or stop me from trying to be with her." Tom stood his ground but he could feel the nervous ball in his stomach twist tighter. Lord Grantham reached into his pocket and pulled out his cheque book. When Tom noticed him doing this he was horrified.
"How much will it take for you to leave my daughter alone."
"Your Lordship I will not take your money."
"Tom Branson. You will leave Lady Sybil alone." The emphasis that Lord Grantham put on the word Lady made Tom feel extremely uncomfortable and inadequate. Tom stood almost motionless as he watched Robert take out a pen and start to write down a large number on a cheque.
"Your Lordship. I stand by my word. I will not be swayed by anything that you offer me. I will continue to see Sybil weather you like it or not." Tom's fists were clenched together against his jeans. Lord Grantham looked up, put down his pen and looked Tom fiercely in the eyes.
"You will be the ruin of her. You will never have my blessing. And you best make sure that you have a spare bed in whatever squalid place that you live. Sybil will probably be joining you soon. After I speak with her, and she makes her choice. Be prepared for the responsibility that's about to come your way Mr Branson." Robert swiftly made his way to the door and walked out of the room, slamming the door behind him with an extreme force that Tom could have sworn the walls shook.
Tom pushed his hand through his hair trying to take in what had just happened. The last time Robert had mentioned Sybil he didn't give her the title 'Lady' and this worried him a little.
"What have I done?" he muttered to himself, Tom realised that what Lord Grantham had said about being Sybil's ruin would probably end up being true. But it was love and love defeats everything apparently thought Tom. He pulled out his phone and checked the time. It was nearly two o'clock in the afternoon, he would still have time to catch Sybil before her shift at the hospital finished so he could warn her about what was to meet her when she arrived home. Tom was going to insist that he accompanied her home and stood by her side whilst Lord Grantham tried to break her down into the old fashioned role that Tom and Sybil both resented so much.