Title: The Gaoler's Daughter
Fandom: Downton Abbey
Word Count: 588 words
Characters: Edith Crawley, OC
Summary: "You are a good, kind, clever girl."
Notes: Spoilers for 2x03. Written for the prompt edith/happiness OTP at the Downton Abbey Comment Ficathon. It's also been forever since I've read The Wind in the Willows, so I hope I don't mess this up too badly. The usual disclaimers apply.
It happens almost entirely by accident, a most serendipitous event: she is helping the nurses with the linens when she spots the fallen book, picks it up quickly, careful not to disturb the soldier attempting to rest. "I wonder how this ended up here," she says to no one in particular, running her fingers along its spine.
"I asked for it, and one of the maids brought it in from town," a voice responds, soft and low. "I hope you don't mind. I didn't intend to insult your library's offerings and greatly appreciated the scientific volumes you delivered, but I wanted a little piece of home. My apologies - I'm afraid you will have to trust me at my word when I say that I'm usually not this impolite. I'm Captain Percy Thompson."
"I'm Edith Crawley and believe me, there are far worse things my father would take offense to, the least of which would be reading a children's book. Are you comfortable? Is there anything you need?"
"I'm quite taken care of, thank you. Everyone has been very good at that, I assure you. But if I'm not distracting you from your greater duties, there is one small thing..."
"No, of course not - that is, I would be happy to help. To be honest, I'm still figuring out what I'm doing here myself."
"Aren't we all?" She thinks she must have said the wrong thing, is prepared to make amends, but he continues without so much as a pause, as if to say we're all prone to missteps. "Lady Edith, if you could be so kind as to open the book to chapter eight?" She finds the page, looks up as he adjusts his position in the bed, realizes in an instant why Toad and Rat and Mole had been dropped so unceremoniously on the floor. Captain Thompson's limbs are shaking, forearm to finger.
"Ah, I was hoping to avoid the revelation of my predicament. But please don't worry yourself, Lady Edith. The doctor assures me it's just temporary, and I've found that once the book is in my hands, I can manage well enough. Besides, it doesn't hurt that I know most of it by heart, read it cover to cover for my youngest sibling for years. It was her favorite. And here I go rambling on again. I do apologize, Lady Edith. It's been some time since I had the need and opportunity for prolonged conversation."
"Captain Thompson! I am certainly not that cruel. Here, I will read to you." And then - "That is, if you don't mind."
He doesn't, not at all, seems to rather enjoys it in fact. He speaks to her after, telling stories of his darling sister long dead of influenza, of his hopes and dreams to finish his study of chemistry and physics. She doesn't understand it all, finds that she doesn't have to, not when it is easy to do this, to listen and to ask and to learn. And then, as she kindly excuses herself when Cousin Isobel comes calling, he smiles and says, "Lady Edith, let it be known that you are a good, kind, clever girl."
She turns back, if just for a moment, because it wouldn't do to keep the others waiting- "Now, Captain Thompson, you cannot possibly think we'd let you leave Downton in a washerwoman's rags!" He laughs, warm and rich, and she finds herself smiling in return. Perhaps she just might be finding her way in this world after all.