Just a little something leading up to ANDITH fest, which starts Aug 18th . I own nothing. I did borrow, for the most part, a line from one of my favorite movies which was released in 1942.
With a heavy heart, Anthony Strallan drove towards his fiancee's flat. He and the young lady were to be wed in less than a month but after much deliberation over the past few days, the older gentleman had convinced himself that Edith would come to regret marrying a man nearly twice her age. Maybe not today. Maybe not tomorrow but soon and for the rest of her life. And a life of disappointment and regret was not what he wanted for lovely Edith Crawley.
This wasn't the first time he'd considered ending their relationship. If he was honest, the thought had crossed his mind on several occasions. Whenever someone cast a sidelong or disapproving glance at the couple while out together, the poor man's heart wavered. Many nights, after an evening spent with the Crawleys, Anthony lay awake replaying the snide remarks made by certain members of her family as wave after wave of guilt and shame washed over him.
It wasn't that he didn't love her, he did, with every breath left in his tired old body but therein lay part of the problem. Nearing fifty, the better part of Anthony's life was behind him but his darling Edith was youthful and vibrant with a bright future ahead of her and she deserved the opportunity to live life to the fullest. Which, in Anthony's opinion, wouldn't happen if she tied herself to an old codger.
So the baronet, noble fellow that he was, decided to set the young woman free. Without him holding her back, there'd be no limit to the what strawberry blonde might accomplish. Perhaps she'd realize her dream of becoming a renowned journalist or a Pulitzer prize winning author.
Though on the verge of tears, Anthony gave a small crooked grin. His Edith was intelligent and certainly knew how to turn a phrase. He was especially proud of her poetry. Her ability to convey such depth of emotion using so few words was just one of the many things he admired about her. Actually, the older gentleman thought the woman quite perfect in every way. Smart, caring, and beautiful, the middle daughter of Lord and Lady Grantham was everything he desired in a partner.
Anthony bit his trembling lower lip and brushed away the fresh tears brimming in his eyes. He mustn't be selfish. He needed to do what was best for Edith and that meant letting her go.
He patted the inside pocket of his jacket checking for the note he'd written explaining the reasons for his decision. This wasn't Anthony's first attempt at setting the young woman free and though dropping off the letter while Edith was at work seemed cowardly, he knew it was his only option. He'd never be able to make a clean break in person. One look into those warm chestnut brown eyes or a lingering touch of her hand and his heart would win. Again.
Arriving at his destination, he nearly ran to the front door. After faltering for a moment, he stooped down to drop the letter through the mail slot when he heard Edith call his name.
"Anthony, what a pleasant suprise!"