Mrs Emilia Cheetwood, Sir Anthony Strallan's eleven years older sister, hadn't known what to do when she heard her little brother interrupt his and Edith's wedding ceremony. She had sat in consternation as Anthony talked earnestly to Edith, and Edith told him how happy they would be.
She heard Reverend Travis tell everybody to step back, but that seemed to be the signal to Edith's grandmother, the Dowager Countess of Grantham, to step forward instead. Emilia heard her telling Anthony that this was the best thing he had come up with in months.
"Thank you, Lady Grantham!" Anthony answered.
Hearing her little brother say that made Emilia's blood simmer. Being thankful to that horrible woman, for helping him ruining his own life as well as Edith's! This was just a little too much for Emilia Cheetwood to take. So she went forward to the altar herself and put her arm protectively around her little brother's back. Edith was still holding his hand, telling her Granny that she couldn't let him go.
"Calm down, sweetie pie!" Emilia said very softly to Anthony. She talked in a way only a big sister can do, or is indeed allowed to do. A sister who has played with you since you were a little baby, and changed one or two of your diapers. No other living person ever talked to him like that, it was almost like hearing his mother's soothing voice.
There was a long silence in church, everyone there was stunned by hearing Sir Anthony being called something like that. Sir Anthony himself felt quite a bit embarrassed by Emilia's behaviour. But at least it had put an end to his declarations.
"You have no reason to thank Lady Grantham for wanting you to destroy your life." Emilia continued. "As well as Edith's. Can't you understand what it feels like for a woman to be left at the altar? Now listen to what the girl has to say instead!"
Then Emilia took Lady Violet's arm, friendly but firmly conducting her back to her seat.
Emilia didn't hear exactly what Anthony and Edith said to each other after that, she was too busy helping Lady Violet back to her place. Emilia and Anthony had a very tall mother, Emilia wasn't quite as tall as her, but quite a bit taller than Lady Violet, so she had the advantage of being able to look down on the other woman.
"I think you want Edith to be happy, just as much as I do, perhaps even more", Emilia said, very friendly. "And just as much as I want Anthony to be happy. I can't believe that you are blind to how good the two of them are for each other!"
Lady Violet tried to protest, but Emilia looked at her with a steady gaze from her very blue eyes. That intimidated Lady Violet for some reason, so for once in her life she was lost for words. Though she certainly didn't agree with this dreadful woman. Why did she always have to be pestered by those Strallan women? And men!
...
Sometimes, during her many happy years with Anthony and their children at Locksley, Edith wondered why Emilia had been so much nicer and more protective of her that day than her own relatives had been. Her Granny had actually wanted Anthony to jilt her! Or hadn't she? Could it really be true? She still wondered.
But Emilia had given them a chance, she had made Anthony start thinking. After that Edith's weddingday had been as happy as she had always dreamt of it to be.
...
AN: I think Sir Anthony IS a sweetie pie!
Thank you for reading! Reviews are always welcome!