1932
"Look at this" Edith said "Look at the legacy you've created"
Cora smiled. "Oh it is wonderful, isn't it?" Even when she was now sixty-five years old, her mother was still the most beautiful woman Edith had ever met, inside and out. Her hair had still only just started to turn grey, and her wrinkles were barely noticeable with such a smile beaming from the middle of her face "And you must be so proud, all those Gregson and Pelham girls running – and crawling – around"
Edith smiled as she thought of her girls. Marigold was soon to be ten – and very gifted, or so she was told by the teachers at her school. It was a relief that even though it had been so much trouble to figure out how it was going to work, the result was a perfect end to an ordeal. Violet was seven years old in a month, and had both the Crawley and Pelham look to her. Emily was five, and followed her sister everywhere. Isabella was the splitting image of her grandfather, Robert, which most found hard to believe, but when shown a portrait of Robert as a child next to her, were left shell-shocked. Rosamund, or 'little Rosie' looked like a little Edith, and was only one years old. "Yes, it truly is"
"Happy birthday, Aunt Cora!" Mother and daughter turned around to the image of Rose and Atticus standing illuminated in the light. "Rose!" Cora cried, and immediately jumped up to embrace them both. "How are you? How are the Children? Oh I have so many questions. We haven't seen each other for so long!"
Edith let them wonder off and walked herself towards the centre of the Party. There were many faces she had not seen for a long time. Anthony Gillingham, Evelyn Napier, Aunt Rosamund , even uncle Harold had come all the way from America to his sisters birthday. There were also many faces she saw regularly; such as Mr and Mrs Bates, Cousin Isobel and Lord Merton, Tom and Laura Branson. Mary was there with Henry too, and George and Robbie were hanging around their feet as children do. George was eleven now, and Robbie was seven. "Hello Mary" Edith greeted Mary, smiling warmly. They had scrambled, fought and hugged their way to a rocky relationship, and were still trying to smooth it up a little. They certainly were doing a lot better these days.
"Hello Edith. Doing well, I hope?"
"Yes, very well indeed. How's Henry and Toms business been going?"
"Alright. There were some financial troubles before, but the shop has expanded. They bought a neighbouring store. They're actually in the process of combining them right now."
"I knew they'd do well" Mary smiled a true smile. Edith returned it. "And the children are well?"
"And as mischievous as ever!" Mary laughed "you have no idea how difficult little boys can be! And together…"
"Oh but I do know about little girls! At least Marigold is sensible. Must be influence from Sybbie. Speaking of Sybbie, can you believe Sybbie is twelve?"
"I know! You should have seen Tom speak when someone – I forget who – asked about her. I had never heard him so proud! Although I suppose that means that twelve years ago, Sybil died."
"Oh I miss Sybil so much. I often think what it would be like if she were here now. At least Tom's happily married to Laura now. Imagine if I had've written a story about it. 'My brother-in-law ran off with my editor'" Mary gave a chuckle at that. After a short silence, Edith then said "I'm going to head over to Isobel now. I'll see you around" and with that she weaved around Mary and stepped towards Isobel, Lord Merton and Dr Clarkson in what appeared to be the middle of a discussion about spondylolisthesis. "May I interrupt?" Edith said.
"Oh! Edith! How lovely to see you!" Isobel said enthusiastically. "We were just having a very interesting conversation and back pain diagnosis and treatment! Care to join?" Edith tried her hardest not to laugh out loud. "Well, I would. Bertie sometimes experiences back pain. But I must go and greet some other old friends first." She walked over to the side to take a breath of fresh air. She could go over to her Mother, Uncle Harold, Aunt Rosamund, Rose and Atticus who were talking merrily, or she could go over to her father, Anthony Gillingham and Evelyn Napier who were drinking and conversing in the corner. There were many other friendly faces among the crowds of people, but Edith felt like a moment alone. She looked around, and spotted the fountain about 500 metres away.
It's funny how ripples work, Edith thought to herself, hand in the water. Sort of like families. One person says or does something, and it grows into a beautiful creation. Unlike ripples, however, families were not clean and smooth, and did not have perfect precision. Ripples also eventually faded. She remembered what Mary had said before, about how twelve years ago Sybil had died. Though there had been many births in her family these past couple of years, death had not left the Crawley family untouched. Shrimpie. Grandmother Levinson. Granny. Oh, Granny, It was so strange without her.
Edith remembered that night three years ago. She had been torn with despair, because it seemed impossible that Granny could die. Her soul, strange though it may sound, felt… immortal. She tried to remind herself that she should not dwell on death, but on the life lived by the deceased. That's what everyone said to do.
To stop the tears from overflowing from her eyes, she thought of all her parents' grandchildren running around. There were her girls, Mary's boys, Sybbie and Kieran (Tom and Laura's son) and Rose's children Victoria, Anthony and Jacqueline. There was Charlie, the Bates child as well. He had grown up with the Talbot and Crawley children at Downton, and so was part of the family too.
"Edith?" said a voice. Edith looked up.
"Hello Bertie. I was just thinking about old times." Edith laughed. "It's Ironic, isn't it"
"How?" he said, a puzzled look on his face.
"Well, we always celebrate moving on to a new chapter of our lives by dwelling on the past. It seems sort of ironic to me." Bertie smiles.
"I suppose you're right, my love. Shall we go back to the Party, or do you want to talk?" Oh, I love his kind, considerate ways so much. I hop up and kiss him to show him. He smiles. I notice he seems to be growing a moustache. It would suit him. "Lead the way, Sir Pelham" And off we go, Lady and knight, back to the laughing and drinking and old faces and new ones.