Edith was so excited. Anthony had been in London on business for almost five days and was coming home to Locksley tonight. She couldn't wait. It was the longest they had been apart since marrying the year before. She double checked that everything was ready: the candles, a few rose petals to spread on the bed so that it was fragrant, the housemaid knew to make up the fire there while they were eating dinner so the bedroom would be warm and welcoming afterwards. The dinner itself featured all of Anthony's favourite dishes, including Apple Charlotte.
Samson had taken Edith down to the station to meet Anthony in good time. She could hardly keep herself ladylike when the train pulled into Grantham station. She wanted to jump up and down and look for him like a little girl. At the other end of the platform, behind the clouds of steam, she saw a tall man get out of the first class carriages, but he was with another woman, so that couldn't be Anthony. But…there were no other single men…and…no!
Anthony saw Edith waiting on the station platform and walked his companion up to her, smiling in his usual amiable way.
"Edith, my dear, how lovely of you to come and meet me. Have you brought Samson, or did you drive yourself? My wife is a very accomplished driver. Let me introduce you. Edith, this is Consuelo, Duchess of Marlborough; Your Grace, may I present my wife, Lady Strallan."
The Duchess, who was a head shorter than Anthony, but at least a head taller than Edith, extended her hand to shake Edith's with a friendly but controlled smile. She was indeed as beautiful as Anthony had once described her. Edith knew that she had once been considered the most astoundingly beautiful woman in Europe, and her statuesque loveliness had not abandoned her with age. Edith was a little taken aback to be so suddenly introduced to a duchess and with so little warning, but she thought she had handled it well considering. But the surprises were not all over yet.
With a sheepish little grin, Anthony dropped the bombshell.
"I've taken the liberty of inviting Her Grace to stay for a few days, dearest. I hope that won't put out any plans."
"Not at all, it will be a pleasure." Edith's smile froze slightly. So much for a romantic and passionate reunion she thought. She turned and led the little party to the waiting car.
.
"I've heard it reported that Sir James Barrie said that he would wait all night in the rain, to see Consuelo Marlborough get into her carriage" said Anthony, at the end of a speech praising her.
"Jimmy was a darling, no pun intended. But he was also a bit of a flirt. I think he only said that to try to get me to be nice to him" replied the Duchess with neither arrogance, nor false modesty.
"I still remember meeting you at the Londonderrys' Ball in '96. I have to say I agree with Sir James" fawned Anthony.
"Well, one doesn't keep one's looks by staying up all night. If you'll excuse me Lady Strallan, Sir Anthony, I think I'll retire. Thank you, my dear, for the most delicious dinner. The Apple Charlotte was wonderful."
"Thank you, Your Grace. I will be sure to tell Mrs Rich. She will be pleased."
There was an awkward silence once Consuelo had left the room.
"I'm sorry to have dropped this on you, my dear. There was no way I could let you know in advance. She…well, I met her a couple of days ago at a dinner, and then this morning…well her coming to stay was only a last minute decision" Anthony stuttered.
"I had planned things to welcome you home" Edith began in a moderately hurt voice.
"I know…and that Apple Charlotte was gorgeous; a very kind thought, thank you."
"There's more in the bedroom, if you too would like an early night?" Edith bowed her head shyly but then raised her eyes flirtatiously, hopefully.
"Oh, an early night would be wonderful, my dear, I'm so very tired. London is so noisy these days, that even once you've got away from some dinner or other, you still can't get to sleep because of all the cars and things. I'm longing for a quiet night."
And that's the end of that thought Edith.
"Then you shall have a quiet night, my love" she said in a tone more acidic than she intended "and I will sleep in my own room to ensure it. Good night."
With that she too left an astonished Anthony by himself.
.
For the first time in her married life, Edith did not come down to breakfast. She asked her maid to bring her a tray in her room. She just couldn't bear to watch Anthony go all puppy-dog again over That Woman (as Edith had begun to think of Her Grace).
She had spent a bad night worrying. At dinner she'd been embarrassed by Anthony's obvious admiration of Consuelo. What made it worse was it was justified. The Duchess was the most beautiful woman she'd ever met. She was more regally beautiful than Mary and yet somehow more smoulderingly sultry than Sybil, and Edith, like many, many women before her, hated Consuelo for it. After dinner she'd been annoyed at the wrecking of her plans to seduce her husband and enjoy his homecoming. But once she was in bed, alone again for the first time since leaving Downton, in the dark, she began having very frightening thoughts. Had Consuelo seduced Anthony in London? Were there other reasons to explain why he seemed to have only eyes for her? Had they had intimate relations in years gone by, and this was a meeting of old flames? Uppermost in her mind was one question: why was she here?
When Edith did go downstairs, the breakfast had been cleared away and there was no sign of either Anthony or Consuelo.
"Oakley, do you know where Sir Anthony is?"
"I believe he is taking a turn around the grounds with Her Grace, my lady" the old butler answered.
Edith thought for a moment.
"Has the Duchess visited Locksley before?"
"Not to my knowledge, my lady, and I've served here for thirty five years."
"Before I married him, did Sir Anthony often have single ladies to stay here?" Edith tried not to let her real meaning show too obviously, but wanted Oakley to know what she was asking.
Oakley straightened himself a little.
"Never! Since the first Lady Strallan died, you have been the only lady, the only woman ever to visit Sir Anthony even for tea, let alone an overnight visit."
Edith sounded far away as she said "Thank you Oakley". But the butler wasn't quite done.
"With respect, my lady, may I reassure you that Sir Anthony is what might be called a One Woman Man."
"We're all capable of change though, aren't we, especially when confronted with 'The Most Beautiful Woman in Europe'?" Edith muttered before retreating into the Library.
Oakley shook his head sadly. The young ones are so prey to their emotions he thought, but I've done what I could. The master's on his own for this one.
.
I sort of promised that the next story would be After the Ball is Over, but I hope you don't mind having this little one in the meantime. It was inspired by what Anthony said in the 'lost' scene where he says he "first met the Duchess of Marlborough at a ball of Lady Londonderry's in '96. She was the loveliest woman I ever set eyes on." Consuelo, Duchess of Marlborough was considered to be the most beautiful woman in Europe. She was American born, like Cora, and her marriage to the Duke of Marlborough was an arranged and unhappy one. That's her portrait up there. You can read more about her in Wikipedia.