Elizabeth stood by the window and sighed. She was the odd one in the family. Everyone else was happy, already married or at least engaged. And then there was herself. Twenty years old and she had never kissed a boy. Was there something wrong with her? She felt like she was avoided like the plague, even at parties that her parents threw.
She walked over to her bed and sat down, in front of her sat the picture of herself and her sisters. She was eight when it was taken, and had hardly changed since then, the same fair skin and brown eyes and the dark hair that never sat the way it was supposed to. Her sisters had all accomplished things with their lives.
Mary was married to Matthew so she would be the next mistress of Downton. And she'd probably announce that she was expecting any day now.
Edith had that dull, old Sir Anthony, but she loved him and the wedding was in one month. It was all the family was thinking about.
And Sybil, her childhood playmate and confidante. Living in Ireland, working as a nurse, married to the pervious chauffeur and expecting a baby. It could have only been Sybil.
And then Elizabeth, poor old Elizabeth. Before it had seemed liked Edith would be the spinster sister but now she was sure that it would be her.
" Lizzie." Her bedroom door opened and she looked around.
" Hello Mama," she said, not looking her mother in the eye.
" What's wrong?" Cora asked, her youngest had been acting strange for days, with no reason that she knew of to be upset.
" It's... It's nothing," Lizzie said.
" You didn't come down for tea," Cora said.
" I wasn't in the mood for it Mama," Lizzie replied.
" You can tell me," Cora said, she sat on the bed beside her and took her hand. Lizzie nodded and looked at her mother.
" I feel left behind. Mary and Edith and Sybil, they're all so far ahead in their lives and I've been stuck in the same place for years. They're married or engaged and I've never even met a man who wasn't more interested in Mary or Sybil," Lizzie said.
" You're five years younger than Sybil and nearly ten younger than Mary," Cora said. " As soon as you started walking you were running to catch up. But the only one slow enough for you to catch was Sybil."
" And she was the first to leave, so I clearly didn't do a very good job of catching up," Lizzie said, she was annoyed, at herself, at her sisters, at everyone because she was younger and she wasn't doing what they were doing.
" You've never been good at being patient," Cora said, with a smile.
" I know," Lizzie said, slightly ashamed. " I just really can't stand it at the minute Mama. I feel alone. Everyone has someone except me. And Sybil's letters aren't the same as her really being here."
" I think you miss her more than I do," Cora said.
" We used to talk every night before we went to sleep. I miss that. Mary and Edith aren't very good at listening. They are both rather selfish at times," Lizzie said, honestly. Her sisters didn't have the time for her anymore. No one had the time for her.
" I know what they are like. You can always talk to me," Cora said. Lizzie was different to the other three, she was a lot more timid for a start, probably due to the domineering personalities of her sisters. She preferred the world in a novel than the real world and Cora had never saw anyone as musically gifted. She was different, she was a lot more jumpy than her sisters and could often be found climbing trees outside, she said it was more peaceful than inside. She deal deal well with arguing or gore, that's why she stayed with her Granny when Downton was used as a convalescence home.
But overall she was a sweet and innocent young thing and Cora wanted to keep her that way as long as possible.
" Even Mary and Edith sometimes get along now. I don't think I belong here all the time," Lizzie said.
" Of course you belong here. I think we just need to find you some company your own age, with similar interests. I'll see what I can think of. Now what is that book sitting there?" Cora asked, trying to change the subject to something she knew her daughter enjoyed talking about.
" Little Women. I'm rereading it. I can't ever imagine us being in that situation. But Mary is Meg and though I hate to say it Edith is Amy. Sybil is clearly Beth because she has a heart of gold. And that leaves me as..."
" Jo. The book lover. The one who leaps before she looks," Cora said.
" I'm not like her Mama," Lizzie said, picking up the book and looking at the illustration on the first page, where the sisters were gathered around the fire.
" You are more like her that you think Lizzie," Cora said, running a hand through her daughter's hair and standing up.