A/N: I just couldn't get this story out of my head. Evelyn Napier seemed to interact with Edith a lot this season, though we never really saw those interactions. They always seemed to happen off screen. So this is what I came up with.
After her conversation with her father, Edith sat on the settee in the library, staring at the glowing fire. Although she knew she loved Michael Gregson, she couldn't help but hate him for leaving her in this position. She was angry about his lack of contact, whether it was his fault or not. Something in the back of her mind told her that she had been played for fool, once again. Only this time, the consequences were lasting.
She didn't notice anybody enter the room until she felt the settee dip. She turned to see the Honorable Evelyn Napier sitting next to her, facing the opposite direction.
"Penny for your thoughts?" he asked.
"I don't believe that much," she smiled, humorously.
Evelyn just stared at her until she sighed. "Why is that I pick people that treat me like I am nothing?"
"I assume you are talking about Mr. Gregson?"
"Not exclusively." Edith was also thinking about Sir Anthony Strallan and Patrick Crawley before him. She knew that Anthony had loved her, but he was too much of a coward to face her family's disapproval. The latter was her first love, although he never paid much attention to her. Patrick had been born to be Mary's husband.
Evelyn stared into the darkness of the room, thinking of his hopes for this trip to Downton. He had thought that perhaps this time he would be able to capture Mary's attention. Once again, she proved elusive and uninterested in seeing him as anything other than a friend.
"We accept the love we think we deserve," Evelyn replied. He broke the silence a few minutes later, saying, "I knew Mr. Gregson before the war."
Evelyn knew of Michael Gregson's situation and what type of man he was. When he first heard that Edith was quite friendly with Gregson, he had been surprised that Lord and Lady Grantham would allow their daughter to communicate with such a man. Evelyn quickly realized that they simply did not know what type of man the editor of The Sketch was. When he was the expression on Edith's face, he knew that she did not get into a relationship with Gregson with her eyes completely closed. Clearly, she was aware that he was married.
Edith looked at him with a hint of fear seeping into her eyes. She knew exactly what the heir of Viscount Branksome was implying.
"What you must think of me? I know you know that I am the one who outed Mary's….role in Mr. Pamuk's death. I never apologized to you for that, did I?" She asked, rhetorically. "I know it was more than just Mary's reputation at stake. And now, I have been having an affair with a married man."
"I was, at first. For a long time, I thought you a horrid and selfish girl."
Edith noticed that he used the past tense. "But?"
"But then," Evelyn looked into her eyes, "during the war, I knew a few of the men who convalesced here. All they could talk about was Lady Edith, who would write the letters that they could not, who would ensure that they always had some form of entertainment, and who was always worried about them being comfortable."
"And now?"
"Now, I feel sorry for you. It's obvious that you are in love with Michael Gregson. I am sorry that you are in this situation, but I am sure that with time you will move on."
Edith's eyes closed. In relief or resignation, she did not know. Relief because Mr. Napier obviously didn't know just how far her relationship with Michael went. Resignation, because she couldn't afford to be offended by his pity. After receiving the telegram confirming her fate as the town slut, Edith was exhausted.
"If you'll excuse me, I think I will go up to bed now," she said, heading towards the door. When she was about to pull the handle, she turned back to look at Evelyn.
"Mr. Napier, if I may speak frankly?"
"Of course," Evelyn looked at her curiously.
"Stop wasting your efforts on my sister."
"I had thought the two of you were over your petty fights with each other?" asked Evelyn, surprise evident in his voice.
"Oh, I am. I have no more energy to waste on my sister. However, she is never going to accept you as more than a friend." Edith pulled open the door. "You simply aren't her type."
Edith closed the door behind her before he had a chance to respond.
Somehow, in that unexpected conversation, two lost souls found an ally in each other; they were two outsiders who understood the loneliness that the other felt.