Written for a new challenge community on LiveJournal: The Empty Pale
Challenge 001: "Live through this, and you won't look back."
Summer, 1920
Sarah O'Brien lay half on her stomach and half on her side in the long grass with her skirts fanned out beside her. She felt like she was a child of twelve again with the daisies and buttercups dotted about her, woven into the grass carpet like some of her finest embroidery. She held her head in the palm of her hand and looked down at the woman beside her. The lightness she felt by being out here and away from all that was troubling them was certainly reminiscent of a more uncomplicated time in her life. But she was happy, of that there was no doubt. Lady Grantham lay on her back next to her maid, her arms folded over her stomach and she stared up at the clear blue sky above her. Sarah had of course laid a soft quilt underneath her so that Cora's fine summer dress wouldn't suffer from stubborn grass stains. The older woman twiddled a daisy in her fingers as she took in a deep breath.
"It's so beautiful," she murmured.
"Yes. Yes, you are." Cora smirked and twisted her head around to look up at Sarah.
"You know what I meant!" She reached up to playfully tweak the younger woman on the nose.
"And so did you." Sarah looked so serious, reminiscent of when in 'duty' mode and Cora's heart ached at the reminder of all the troubles waiting for them when they returned to the house.
"I love you," the American said earnestly and she twisted herself round to lie on her side and face Sarah.
"And I love you. More with every passing day an' more than I ever thought it were possible ter love someone."
"We will get through this my Darling, I promise you. There will be a time where all of this bother will be but a distant memory."
"I wish I could be so sure." Sarah was interrupted by the distant peep of a train coming in from London and she sat up to see the plumes of smoke billowing through the Yorkshire landscape as it meandered its way to the station.
"I wish I could take yer away and have you all to meself, if only fer a little while." Sarah sighed as Cora sat up beside her and leaned her head on her shoulder.
"Maybe you can, I'll be needing to visit Sybil soon and you know that Robert won't come. I'll see what I can arrange once we get back."
"Won't that cause more upset?" Cora leaned in close and pressed her lips firmly to her lover's.
"No more than there has been already." Sarah wrapped her arms around Cora's waist and pulled her closer. She kissed her with the passion she'd been trying to reign in since the last time they'd been able to be alone together. They fell back onto the quilt and let the moment take them over. What a novelty it was to make love on a secluded hillside on a warm English summer's day with a steam train's whistle peeping in the distance! Yes, they would get through this together, spurred on by the knowledge that it will all be worth it in the end.
