Edith's breath hitched in her throat as she walked into Brancaster for the first time as the Marchioness of Hexham. She faltered for a moment, Bertie stopping slightly ahead of her and turning to his wife, unsure as to why she'd stopped moving. She stared at the entrance for a moment, not sure whether she could will her body to carry on walking. The door opened with a bang, and out ran Marigold, barrelling past her new stepfather and into her mother's legs. Suddenly everything was okay. As far as the world knew, the Marquess of Hexham had accepted his new Marchioness' ward and was perfectly willing to let the little girl grow up at Brancaster.
"Auntie Edith! You're back!" Marigold exclaimed as her mother picked her up and set her on her hip. Edith kissed her daughter's forehead before looking over at Bertie.
"I am, my darling. Are you going to say hello to Uncle Bertie?" Edith cooed, walking over to where Bertie was stood, grinning from ear to ear.
"Hello, Miss Marigold. Do you like your new home?" He asked the little girl. Marigold simply nodded in response. Bertie walked up the steps to the door quickly, walking in as it opened in front of him. He took Marigold from Edith's arms and put her down, letting her run inside to carry on with whatever she had been doing before they had arrived home. He then turned to his wife.
"Come on" He said, raising his eyebrows quickly.
"What?" Edith asked, walking up to him.
"I'm carrying you over the threshold, darling, it's tradition" Bertie replied, picking her up and carrying her through the door, before gingerly placing her down in the entrance hall. The door clicked close behind them and the footman that had opened it had disappeared. Edith looked around, properly taking in her surroundings. She'd never done that on her last visits to Brancaster.
"I forgot how beautiful it is here" she murmured as she took hold of Bertie's arm and walked with him up the grand staircase. As they walked along the corridors, they could hear Marigold's giggling coming from the newly refurbished nursery. Edith had been adamant that Marigold would attend the local village school, something Bertie thought very modern but wonderful all the same. Bertie knew there had been talk in the village of the 'modern Marchioness', Edith's cosmopolitan reputation preceding her. She would carry on writing her column, but Bertie knew his wife would take her new role, as Marchioness and wife, very seriously. To Bertie, Edith had a passion for life he had rarely seen. He knew it was tough for her, having to keep the secret about Marigold. He hoped he could provide her with the support she needed. As long as she was happy, he would be.
Edith blinked a few times before properly opening her eyes. She looked around briefly before remembering where she was, and she sunk back into the bed. She felt an arm tighten around her shoulder.
"Good morning" Edith muttered, sitting up slightly, propping up a pillow to support the small of her back.
"Good morning, my Edith" Bertie replied, doing the same with his pillow. Edith smiled. She liked the sound of 'my Edith'. Sir Anthony had called her 'sweet one', she had been Michael's 'darling', but she was Bertie's Edith. No longer the tragic, lonely middle sister.
As Edith sat there, Bertie's arm around her shoulder and cup of tea in her hands, she wondered what higher power had decided that she deserved it - that she deserved Bertie. When she'd fallen in love with him, and he with her, Edith couldn't quite believe what was happening. A lovely, charming, attractive man was falling in love with her, and she with him. The fact that Bertie became Marquess, and Edith now outranked Mary was the icing on the cake.
Edith was brought out of her daze by Bertie speaking to her.
"Are you going to take Marigold down to the school today for her first day?"
"Oh, yes. I'd like to speak to the teachers too. I'd like to help out in any way I can" Edith replied, looking over to see Bertie's reaction.
"Sounds like a splendid idea" Bertie said, smiling as his wife drained the last of her cup of tea and got out of bed.
"I'd like to get involved with the school. Education is so important and I want to make sure all the local children get the education they deserve" Edith replied, tying her dressing gown around her waist tightly, sitting down at her new vanity to start doing her hair for the morning. Before Bertie could reply, Edith's new Ladies Maid Willow walked in.
"Morning your ladyship, your lordship. I'm sorry to interrupt but I need to do her ladyship's hair" She said nervously, hanging about in the doorway, holding a dress.
"Do come in, don't worry about him" Edith replied, beckoning the young woman over. Willow walked over and began to pin Edith's hair, Bertie looking on in wonder.
"I was always fascinated about how you got your hair like that" He mused quietly from the bed. Edith rolled her eyes.
"Shouldn't you be getting dressed?" She said, making eye contact with him in the mirror.
"Yes dear…" Bertie replied, reluctantly getting out of bed and walking to his dressing room.