Robert stood up and rapped on his glass for attention.

Edith's eyes searched the throng for Patrick. She glimpsed him further down talking to Mary. Seated so far away, she could only will him to look at her.

Robert was speaking about something…

She felt stifled in between her sister Sybil and Sir Anthony. Her anxious gaze kept returning to the man seated beside Mary. Her cheeks were reddening, she could feel it, and her throat was dry.

Look at me…just look at me….

'I have a happy announcement to make.'

What was this? She knew of no special occasion, no eagerly anticipated arrival. Suspicion directed her eyes to him again. Flustered hand groped for her wine-glass and she sipped the deep red liquid hurriedly.

'The engagement between….'

Oh, no, please, no! Her throat was closing, she was choking on the emptiness. The room was spinning, her breath coming in little gasps. Eyes on him again, his white face, horrified eyes. Who was he looking at? Did he feel the same-

His face resumed its impassive façade.

Her teeth clinked against the brim of her wine-glass. Her hands were shaking, waves of heat washing over her.

'Mr Patrick Crawley and….'

Silently she pleaded for it all to be a dream, or over. Her flushed cheeks were growing even more so as her father spoke. Her eyes were fixed on him, her body trembling. Hand faltered as she held the wine-glass suspended between table and lips.

'Lady Mary Crawley!'

The fatal words were delivered as the last dramatic announcement. Her trembling body refused to obey her faltering mind. Shaking hand spilt the deep red liquid over her dress, her staring eyes on him. The wine soaked through to her skin, stain spreading on the pale pink fabric of her dress. Hot cheeks burning, heart thudding painfully in her chest, she saw his delighted smile as everyone applauded. Mary's smug face seared her brain, etching every detail into her shattered heart.

Edith's throat swelled with checked sobs. The thud of the wine-glass falling to the carpeted floor echoed in her ears. The silent figure of Thomas stooping to pick it up loomed behind her. His averted eyes showed no sympathy as she looked at him.

Her father was beaming at everyone, her mother accepting the congratulations of the other matrons. Patrick's dazzling smile was directed at Mary, who was smugly smiling round.

The room continued to spin.

The laughter spiralled in her ears.

Heat flooded over her again and again.

Pleading eyes looked to her Mama.

Cora didn't notice, didn't consent to Edith's silent request to leave.

The minutes passed in a blur.

Then she was standing, the ladies were retiring to the drawing room. Sybil was chattering to a smiling Mary about wedding plans.

She sat down on a settee, dazed mind whirling. Stabbing pangs of pain were driven through her heart. Heat smouldered in her body, she felt on fire. Flustered hands pressed to her temples. Pulse pounding in her wrists, neck, everywhere. Head throbbing, she rose and unsteadily made her way to the window. Her searing hot skin reviled at the touch of the cool air.

She choked out, 'Mama, I feel ill.'

Cora nodded absentmindedly and let her go up.

Her room was soothingly cool. The dark covers enveloped her as she flung her overwrought body onto her bed.

And then, finally, she wept.

Great wrenching sobs shook her. Her pounding fists on the silk covers thudded through her. Hot, hot, hot. She cried till the need to vomit rose in her throat. She staggered to her bathroom and retched. Tearing her hair out of its pins, she splashed water on her flushed face and dragged herself back to her bed.

Her sleep was fitful, twice she woke with burning skin and pounding heart, drenched with sweat and feverish dreams filling her head.

By the morning her eyes were glazed and too bright, her skin still hot to the touch, her head throbbing.

At dinner, she had no appetite and retired early to her room.

A sleepless night past interspersed with fevered sobbing.

The next day she took to her room with a headache and didn't come down all day.

In the night, she experienced nausea and feverish dreams.

On the third day, the doctor was summoned.