"Have you been doing this all day?" Sybil heard a smug voice behind her ask. She turned to see her fiancé standing in the hallway, a steaming mug in his hand. He was still in his work suit; he must have only just got in. She turned back to the tree.
"So what if I have?" she teased, retrieving a bauble from the box at her feet and hanging it on an empty branch. It was becoming hard to find empty branches at this stage.
She heard Tom come up behind her and slide his arms around her waist. "Well it looks beautiful," he murmured into her ear, before kissing her on the cheek. She smiled, toying with her next bauble.
She could feel his damp hair against her cheek; it must have been snowing outside.
He drew back, taking in her work. Almost every inch of the tree was covered in something colourful, and he grinned.
"You had fun, didn't you?"
She felt he was teasing her, but couldn't help mirroring his smile.
"Tease me all you like," she said. "But I never got to do this! The servants would always decorate our tree back home, and I was never allowed to help."
She stepped up onto the stool to her left and placed a paper star at the top, the finishing touch.
"Except there was this one time, when my father was out for a Christmas hunt and mother was off somewhere... and I snuck into the living room and the maids let me join in."
She laughed at the memory. "Later father walked in and saw me dancing about with tinsel in my hair, and he didn't even tell me off! He just smiled and shook his head."
Branson grinned. "So even as a child you fraternised with the lower class."
"Oh, come off it!" she retorted, pushing him away playfully.
"Well I'm glad you can finally fulfil your dream," he said solemnly, before bursting into laughter, "of decorating Christmas trees."
She ignored him, still smiling.
"I'm going to go and get changed."
Sybil grabbed his arm, reeling him back in for a kiss. At times it was hard, when Branson was at work all day. Of course, she wasn't one to play the bored spouse- she kept herself busy through various events and charities, and after the wedding she would be a full-time nurse. But it was the frosty evenings, when Tom was here, that she looked forward to the most.
A days worth of passion revealed itself as the kiss deepened, and they both jumped slightly as Tom's mother entered the room.
"Watch it you two," she warned, smiling. "You may be engaged but you're not yet married, mind."
Both Sybil and Branson peeked at each other, struggling not to laugh. Tom winked and left the room, and she turned back to the tree in an attempt to calm down. Tom's mother, Aileen, was just putting a small package beneath the lowest branches. There weren't many presents, and although Sybil didn't care how many gifts were exchanged, she couldn't help but notice the contrast between her old home and her new one. Christmas would certainly be different this year- it would be her very first away from Downton. She could almost picture the events that would unfold back home: the Christmas ball, the large Christmas dinner and the many visitors they would receive. With that thought came a pang of homesickness. What would she miss out on this year?
Aileen straightened up beside her. "I'm glad to have Tom here for Christmas," she confessed. " He hasn't come home for a long time... and this year seems like a dream- too good to be true."
Sybil smiled affectionately at Mrs Branson. Although Tom's mother had been openly against their relationship at the beginning, she had slowly accepted the idea and it was clear she had come to see Sybil as a headstrong woman rather than a foolish girl. And now Mrs Branson was not only accepting of her, but she had come to confide in her. Sybil couldn't be happier.
"I'm glad you're with us, too," Aileen said, placing a hand on Sybil's cheek.
"I'm glad to be here," Sybil replied. And she meant it. Yet Aileen was already turning to leave the room. Sybil smiled to herself; Tom's mother never stayed still for long.
As his mother went out, Branson came back in, and on seeing her fiancé Sybil realised she had meant what she'd said. This Christmas wasn't one she would spend staring out at the snow, imagining a new life for herself. This Christmas, she would be living it.
"Tom!"
On hearing his name, Branson turned around and Sybil ran towards him. Despite only wearing a light dress, Sybil was unphased by the cold night air, and the flecks of snow drifting past.
"What are you doing?" Tom asked, clearly amused.
Without hesitation, Sybil kissed him deeply. "I'm saying goodbye," she said, when they finally broke apart. He couldn't stop grinning.
"Again?"
She simply smiled and kissed him once more. Until they were married their parents had forbidden them to live together, and every night Tom walked to the small apartment he owned just a few streets away.
He was about to leave once more, when he hesitated, as if remembering something.
"I picked up your Christmas present today," he said, glancing at her slyly.
Sybil felt her eyes light up. "Nothing too big, I hope."
"Not big, but exciting all the same."
He reached into his coat pocket. Noticing, Sybil put a hand on his arm.
"Oh don't give it to me now," she pleaded. "I have to wait until Christmas."
The passion in his eyes startled her; all the playfulness had gone.
"I'm sorry, but I can't wait any longer."
"Besides," he said, "This isn't exactly a Christmas gift. This is something I should have given you a long time ago... and now that I can give it to you... well, I just can't wait."
Her look of confusion faltered as he sunk to one knee in the snow.
"Sybil Crawley," he said intently. "Will you marry me?"
They both knew what her answer was but to have this moment, to have him propose to her was something she would never forget.
"Yes," the word escaped her mouth. "Yes of course."
The box in his hand held a beautiful ring - small, yet elegant all the same - and Sybil felt her eyes well with tears as he slipped it on her finger.
A group of carollers turned into the street, their hymns high and beautiful, and as the engaged couple embraced, Sybil knew with all certainty that to spend Christmas with this man, the man she loved... well, there was really nothing better.