Disclaimer: I don't own Grantchester or any of it's characters, I get no financial gain from this nor seek any. I'm just a girl with too much love for these characters and a blank word document that called out my name.
Warning: This fic will contain period typical homophobia.
A Vase of Peonies
By WillowQuill
"How long?"
"What do you mean?"
"How long Sidney, until someone else finds out?" Mrs. Maguire's words were filled with a quiet, almost fearful intensity.
This was a conversation Sidney hadn't expected when Mrs. Maguire put two and two together. Anger and disbelief, perhaps- but fear and what seemed almost like forced disgust?
"How can you expect me to house a- a-" sputtering Mrs. Maguire stopped herself with a sour look, "Mr. Finch, in this town? If I found out who else will? It's only a matter of time before the whole town will be talking. He reflects on all of us Sidney, not just me, but you too. And the church!" Gesturing to the walls around them Mrs. Maguire sputtered, "I can't do it. I just can't Sidney. Beneath whatever saviour act you're trying to pull I know you feel the same."
"Don't tell me what I feel." Repulsed Sidney stared down at Mrs. Maguire in horror; "He's our friend, does that mean nothing to you?"
"Of course it means something! I cared about him!" her voice and expression curdled. Sidney didn't think even she could quite believe the words coming out of her mouth.
"And that friendship's changed now? He's the exact same as he was, the exact same man. The only thing different now is that you know."
"He's one of them." Mrs. Maguire hissed.
"He's a person!" Sidney's voice rose to a shout. Throwing his arms out he stared down at his housekeeper incredulously, "You can't kick him out for loving!"
"Loving the wrong kind Mr. Chambers." Her voice calmed. Taking a long, painful breath Mrs. Maguire looked up at Sidney once more with an expression of finality. "He can not stay here. It won't be."
Sidney opened his mouth to rebut.
"When do you want me out Mrs. Maguire?"
Turning, Sidney and Mrs. Maguire watched a timid head poke out from the nearby kitchen doorway.
Sidney- panicked- scanned Leonard's face. He swore Leonard's eyes looked redder than normal, but the voice that came from the vicar was calm and measured.
The hallway fell silent for a moment. Sidney turned from Leonard to stare down Mrs. Maguire whose lips seemed ready to fall off from their wordless pursing and working.
"Thursday." The word seemed to force itself out of Mrs. Maguire's mouth, uncertain but firm.
Sidney's jaw clenched and the silence that fell again became stifling around the three.
"Thursday then." Leonard's eyes looked past them as he nodded. Just as he had appeared, he disappeared back behind the wall, leaving Sidney to stare at Mrs. Maguire a moment more before he too left, turning on his heel and stomping down the hallway.
A/N: Ms Maguire in canon- if she is aware of Leonard's sexuality- seems to be at least tolerant to it if not vocally supportive (that's what I got from her stealing his tin at least), but let's roll with this shall we? I don't think it's that far of a stretch in a small community in the 1950s for her to be influenced by social expectations into acting bigoted. Especially if she considered putting her foot down better for them all in the long run. Thankfully Sidney isn't having any of that shit.
I will try and update fairly regularly! Thanks for reading. :)