I decided to do a Edith/Bertie modern AU, hope you like it and it's not too unbelievable!
"Here you are, plowing away as usual."
"Don't mind me, just trying to keep your company afloat so you can maintain your carefree lifestyle." Bertie Pelham sarcastically replied to his cousin as he looked around the newly moved in office.
"You really should try and decorate a bit Bertie, I know you like order but this place is bordering on clinical. Why don't you let me pick out some things for you to hang on the walls?"
The office was spacious but rather bland, it did however offer a nice view of the river from it's place on one of the highest floors in the middle of London's financial district.
"Even if I refuse I know you'll do it anyway so knock yourself out." Bertie answered without looking up from the spreadsheets he needed to review
"Don't worry, they'll be perfectly manly and tasteful. No one will suspect your 'delicate' cousin was responsible."
"Peter, it's 2016 no one cares about that anymore."
"Come along to the next board meeting and we'll see if you still think that." Peter sharply replied. "You'll be there anyway, now that you are the new Chief Financial Officer. You have to give the reports and such...so how are you finding it?"
Bertie turned his attention to his cousin and teased
"I never thought I'd see the day, is Peter Pelham actually taking an interest in Hexam Corporation?"
Peter let out a short laugh and took a seat across the desk from Bertie
"Oh God no, you know I think it's all terribly dull. I was asking more about you, you're not in the Army anymore, you'll have to have a bit of a social life. And now you have a powerful position at a major corporation, you finally moved out of Aunt Harriet's and found yourself a nice flat, you're young and handsome in a puppy dog sort of way, you'll have to beat them off with a stick!"
"And end up in the gossip pages like you? I'd rather not. That might be fun for you but I'd rather get on with my work and live sort of a...quiet life. And I only lived with mother for five months while I found a suitable place." Bertie defended himself as his cousin looked at him skeptically.
"All I'm saying is you should get out and meet people, you're a lovely man and a great friend and it's a crime that I'm the only one that has a chance to see it."
"I do have friends, Lots of them actually."
"Bertie, they are all scattered at Army bases. I meant in London, like it or not your Army life is over and you should start acting like a civilian. I want you to come to a party with me tomorrow night."
"Peter I'd really rather-"
Peter could tell some excuse about tomorrow being a Thursday and him needing to work on Friday would be coming so he quickly cut Bertie off
"It won't be a raging den of vice, just simple cocktails after the dinner hour at someone's house. You can make an appearance for two or three hours and still be home in time to read a bit and get plenty of sleep for work the next day."
Bertie looked around his sparse office and thought for a moment, he really didn't get out much. That was mostly fine with him but it was an issue that Peter was really his only friend in town. Occasionally old Army colleagues would stop in town for one reason or another but all their talk seemed to be of the past or things Bertie wasn't apart of anymore. He was making a new life in London and he needed people to add to it.
"Who is this person whose house I'll be invading?"
"Her name is Rose Aldridge, she's a darling and you'll love her. One of the sweetest people you'll ever meet, she's married to a lovely man named Atticus, he works in banking. Maybe you two will be able to talk about financial things or something." Peter offered to try and sweeten the deal, he figured if Bertie might be able to put in some work while he was there he might be more willing to go.
"And she's ok with having a stranger come into her house?"
"Yes, Bertie. How do you think people meet new people?" Peter impatiently said then continued
"There is one thing, I have a small meet up I have to go to before then so I'll just have to meet you there-"
"Peter, you're joking!" Bertie nearly shouted. Going to a strangers house by himself was not something he looked forward to doing.
"I am not, and I already told Rose to expect you so if you blow it off it will be terribly rude. Just make conversation with people for no more than an hour then I'll be there. I promise."
Bertie tried to give Peter his most annoyed look as he returned to his work
"Good. You'll have a fun time, I know it. And wear something smart, you'll never know who you'll meet."
"You must be Bertie!" a young and energetic woman greeted Bertie at the door of a rather large house on the best street in a fashionable enclave of young professionals and growing families.
"Peter told us all about you, we're so glad the cousin he always talked about finally got out of the military. He missed you so much, and now you're working together! How lucky you two are!"
Bertie hadn't managed to get a word out but Rose had proceeded to take his coat and bring him through to the party as he passed little clusters of people who clearly already knew each other.
"Thank you for having me, it's very kind." Bertie finally said as he offered up a bottle of wine
"Oh any friend of Peter's is a friend of ours, and thank you so much for this. Please put it over by the bar, then grab yourself a drink and feel free to mingle." Rose commanded as she flittered off, Bertie felt that he was just in the middle of a tornado but then went to set the bottle where Rose asked.
He then saw a young woman working to organize the bottles of booze and wine, trying to keep the bar area somewhat functional.
"Sorry to add to your workload but the host- er, Rose told me to put this here." Bertie said as he tried to find a place between the cocktail napkins and used glasses to set the bottle
"Of course, Rose can get loads of people to come to a party but keeping it organized is a different matter." The woman commented with a teasing smile as she finished throwing empties in a bag
Bertie was struck by how in control the woman seemed and also by how beautiful she was, it was sort of a different kind of beauty. Not something you would see on a magazine cover, kind of an old fashioned beauty. Delicate fine features and a cream complexion with wavy strawberry blonde hair, but it was something he took notice of.
Bertie only smiled in response, not sure of what to say next. He didn't have Peter to retreat to yet, and it seemed if he was going to be talking to a stranger here it might as well be her.
"Have you known Rose long?"
"Yes, her whole life. I'm her cousin, Edith. Edith Crawley."
Edith confidently stuck out her hand waiting for him to shake it
Bertie complied and said "Edith, nice to meet you. I'm Bertie Pelham."
"Bertie? That's an old fashioned sort of name isn't it?"
Bertie wasn't offended in the least at her question, he was just happy he managed to find someone to talk to
"It's either 'Bertie' or 'Herbert' so which one would you choose?"
Edith laughed at his joke and Bertie felt himself smile
"I suppose 'Bertie' really is the better choice then."
"I'd like think so, and I'm sorry but isn't your name 'Edith'? I haven't heard that one very much recently."
Edith took his point in stride and smiled again, Bertie liked the way she smiled and could see himself getting used to it
"You're absolutely right, I have no room to judge. I'm afraid my mother was a bit obsessed with Wharton around the time I was born." Edith offered by way of an excuse
Bertie nodded his understanding and automatically said "I think it suits you very well."
Bertie quickly thought to him self 'Are you flirting with her? You've just met her.' And looked away to hide his blush
"Thank you, that's very kind." Edith smiled again, she didn't know whether it was at what he said or the bashful way he did it.
"You look like you're swamped back there, can I lend a hand?" Bertie offered as an excuse to busy himself with something and also to try and continue talking to Edith
"That would be wonderful, you don't mind do you?" Edith earnestly asked and Bertie felt there was no way he could say no
"Not at all, truthfully I don't really know anyone here and I'm not one for small talk. My cousin is supposed to meet me here, he insisted I come so here I am." Bertie admitted as he stepped behind the bar and began to dump out empty beer bottles in the sink
"I'm not one for small talk either, so I guess we're stuck with each other." Edith gave him another friendly smile
Bertie caught himself staring at her smile just a bit too long then tried to recover
"Yes, I suppose we are."
Bertie and Edith had the bar organized and clean fairly quickly then positioned them selves just off to the side and continued their easy and flowing conversation. Bertie mentioned his job but brushed it off as only a 'glorified accountant'. Edith told him that she owns and runs a magazine with the help of her wonderful editor. They quietly began to get to know each other more, laughing at each other's jokes and finding refuge from the party in each other.
Bertie's pocket buzzing gave them a pause in the conversation
"Sorry, just let me check this." Bertie apologized as Edith took the chance to refresh their drinks
'So sorry but something came up. Won't be able to make it, on my way to Majorca now. I do hope you enjoy yourself. Sorry again. I'll make it up to you I promise. See you when I get back -P.'
Bertie shook his head and laughed at his cousin's message, Peter did have the habit of dropping everything and rushing off on vacation, usually with someone he just met. He supposed the unlimited access to funds and lust for life contributed to it, as the CFO of the company Peter owned it was quite annoying but as his cousin and close friend it only endeared Peter more to him. No one enjoyed life more than Peter. Bertie also saw he had been at the party more than two hours, normally he'd be counting the minutes until he could make a polite exit but talking to Edith seemed to make the time go faster.
"Something funny? I saw you laughing at your phone." Edith asked as she handed him his refilled drink
"It's just my cousin that was supposed to meet me here, he's not coming because he had to run off to Spain for something, or someone more likely."
"Sounds glamorous, we should all be so lucky." Edith commented as returned to her seat
"Glamorous is definitely one way to describe cousin Peter."
"Peter...Peter Pelham is your cousin?! I didn't realize, tell him I said 'hello' whenever he gets back."
"You know him?" Bertie asked, curious to find out more details, possibly why Peter hadn't thought to introduce the two of them sooner.
"Just a little, I wrote a profile on him for the magazine a few months ago, it was a lot of fun. He's quite the character."
Bertie smiled at Edith's good opinion of his friend
"He certainly is, I know he has a bit of a reputation but he's a good man, when it comes down to it."
At that moment Rose came rushing over
"Edith, do you have your phone? Daisy just called me, apparently Marigold is running a high fever and she thinks she should go to hospital. She's been trying to get a hold of you for ages."
"Oh damn it! Rose can you call a cab?" Edith cursed her self as she went in search of her coat in the next room as Bertie and Rose instinctually followed to see Edith tearing through a pile of jackets as Rose ordered the cab
"I left the damn thing on silent." Edith angrily muttered after she finally found it and and put her phone back in the pocket
"Is everything alright? Can I help with anything?" Bertie worriedly asked
"Everything is fine except that I'm the world's worst mother, my daughter is sick while I've been-" Edith stopped herself before she said anything that would be dismissive or rude to Bertie.
"There is one right around the corner, Edith." Rose added trying to be as helpful as possible
She truly had enjoyed talking to him, he was genuinely a nice and interesting man who talked to her like a person, which was rare these days. It also didn't hurt that she found his smile very kind and his dimples charming.
"I have to go, I really enjoyed talking to you Bertie, please don't forget to tell Peter 'hello' for me. Rose thank you so much, I'll talk to you soon." Edith quickly said as she was rushing out the door.
Bertie's head was still swimming with the knowledge that Edith had a daughter that he didn't even think to stop her and ask for her phone number, it would have been crass anyway she clearly was in a panic. He probably should go with her, just in case she needed anything, before he could go for his jacket Rose linked her arm through his
"I'm so sorry to have not spoken to you all night, you must think I'm a terrible host..."
Rose's voice trailed off as Bertie looked behind his shoulder through the windows to see Edith getting in a cab and speeding off.