A/N: Oh Gods how I felt for these two in the most recent episode of Downton. I still feel like there's a lot more in store for both of them, ultimately, as usual, ending in ruin. But for now, enjoy this thing I wrote. Because, unlike the rest of the fandom, I don't hate Sir Anthony for doing this. I'm frustrated with him, but he did it for her.
Anyhow, this is meant to be a very short one-shot. I apologize for how everything looks on the page - I'm not a fan of how does their formatting most of the time. But I hope you enjoy this.
SPOILER WARNING for S3:03.
Disclaimer: Regrettably, the characters in Downton Abbey do not belong to me - they belong to Mr Julian Fellowes. If I owned them, I would take much better care of them.
The tears stung as he walked hastily from the church.
He had seen it in her beautiful brown eyes, the moment her heart broke.
The fault was his alone.
All along, it had been his frail hope, his selfishness that kept him close to her; the undoing of their relationship was also now to be blamed on him.
Sir Anthony Strallan had allowed himself to fall in love with that charming, young woman six years prior. And it was through his own fault that he had been unable to let her go.
Even when he tried, her unfailingly appealing charms had convinced him that they might have had a chance. Her family had opposed the match since he came back from war, and who could blame them - and Lady Violet, every bit the viper he knew her to be, convincing him at the crucial moment that leaving was the best option.
He almost thanked Robert, for trying to have him reconsider.
He almost did.
But it was Violet that gave him the chance to get away. And so he got away, and subsequently got his way: giving the love of his life the chance to live hers. Truly live it, with men and women her own age, away from Downton, away from him.
He had only broken her heart in the process.
But his heart had broken when he made the choice to call it off. And it broke, time and time again, whenever he tried to finally put an end on it.
There was always that part of him that had known he would have been so, so very happy with her - if he had allowed it to continue.
Anthony's walk turned into a run, as he escaped the view of the church where he was certain the family was by now in uproar. That, or his dearest, darling Lady Edith would have fled back to Downton in tears, shaken by his terrible humiliation.
He could hardly believe what he had done.
It was for the best.He reminded himself.
It was for her.
But no matter how he tried to reason with himself and his broken heart, he still remembered the way she smelled, sweet and inviting, when he leaned forward to say goodbye. He told her that God should bless her - always.
All he wanted was that she find what was best for her.
That she would find love with someone deserving of her.
And finally, he thought. No matter what happens for her now, that dear girl... I will always love her.
Always, and never.