Tea in the Library

E/A

"I thought I'm joining you for tea," Edith said when she entered the library of Locksley. "Harryson will bring everything in here. Do you mind?"

"Of course, not, my love," Anthony replied, still reading some papers on his desk. "I will join you in a few moments."

"Don't rush," his wife answered. Edith took her book from the small table next to the library's sofa and started to read.

Currently she was enjoying one of these modern crime novels. She loved the twists in them and the adventurous plot. Not, that she didn't have enough adventures in her own life for five or ten novels, but she was very interested in other people's life – fiction or not. The book she had read before had been a travel report by D. H. Lawrence.

Harryson, their butler, entered the room silently and left it the same after serving the tea. He was used to his employers sitting in library together, not recognizing anybody else, but themselves or the books they were reading.

It had changed a bit after the birth of their daughter. Not only that the little girl was the shining star of the house and was loved by her parents as well as by everybody of the staff, her giggling and running were welcomed noises to the usually so quieted house.

When Edith looked up from her book some minutes later, she was indeed surprised to see that the tea had already been served.

"Anthony, my love," she said.

He turned around. "Oh, yes, of course,... Tea," he noted and put his papers away.

Edith poured tea in both cups and put the sandwiches on the plates.

"Isabella will stay at Downton tonight?" Anthony asked, while he sat down.

Edith nodded. "I'm not sure, if I like this," she confessed. "Our girl is still so small, but with two governesses in the house everything should be fine."

"Your sister is there, too," Anthony tried to calm his wife. "And you can't call your mother inexperienced. As far as I remember, she brought three girls up."

"You are right," Edith agreed and added confession-like: "I don't mind an evening on our own."

Anthony looked at her, very well understanding, what she was talking about. "Do you mind to start at once?" he asked. His mouth felt suddenly dry.

The desire, visible in Edith' eyes, was a sibling to his feelings.

"Right now and right here?" she asked.

"For a start," he replied, "yes".