Reading Lady Edith's article had, as usual, made Sir Anthony pleased with himself. Because when he read them he was certain that he had done the right thing in letting her go. By leaving her there at the altar, he had made her sad for the moment, of course, it was inevitable. But in the long run it had obviously been good for her.

He had given her back her life.

As always he lingered when he put the new article into the drawer. He picked up a few of the older ones, read some sentences at random, smiled at some of the things she had written. He almost knew all her articles by heart, he had read each one of them at least five times.

There were some things in her columns, especially the first ones for the Sketch, that he felt she had written directly to him.

There was a column about injured soldiers where he felt that she was arguing with him, as she had done so often in the past. She wrote I think all you wounded soldiers ought to wear your injuries proudly, like medals. After all, those are the marks to show you have served your country well.

When Anthony first read those words he felt uneasy. How could a useless arm be something to be proud of? But reading it through a couple of times more, he actually felt soothed by it. He thought that she was wrong, a useless limb was a useless limb, but he was glad that she at least pretended that it was something more and different.

Another column, about how women's wear had changed over the years, also felt like it was written directly for him. I'm sure that the husband, who was perhaps wounded in the war, is relieved by how much easier to take off his wife's garments have become. Was she flirting with him? Making him think about taking her clothes off? At least she had managed to make him blush!

And now Edith was going to write about pigs! Could that have something to do with him also? He remembered showing her Locksley's pigs when they were courting, just like he had showed her all the other things at the estate. He had been quite proud of showing off the well-fed animals to Edith, who had been as wide-eyed and interested as usual. She had admired the fat pigs and managed to come up with quite a few intelligent questions about them.

He was quite looking forward to next weeks column.

But then again, he was always looking forward to that.

...

The happiest moment in Edith's life, at least the happiest yet, was when she came back to the Schröders and saw her little girl again. Because the little one gave her a big toothless smile. Perhaps she remembered her mother, perhaps she was smiling at everyone she met, but Edith didn't care. She had her baby back, she held her in her arms, and she realised how incomplete she had felt without it.

The umbilical cord had been cut off long ago, but the bands were still strong between mother and child. She was so happy that she had only agreed to let her baby be placed temporarily in Geneva. She had refused to sign any adoption papers.

Many bad things had happened in Edith's life. Many men had abandoned her or just disappeared. But when she was holding her baby in her arms again, she realised that nothing but this really mattered. What did she care about men when she had her baby? She was so happy that Tom had told her to fight her corner!

Now she had to see to it that she would be able to visit her baby as often as possible, once they got home. She had better pretend that she was interested in things going on out on the farm. Pretend - no she wouldn't have to do that, once she was researching something she always got interested in it. Which was probably what made her column so succesful.

Besides, she had always been interested in agriculture, growing up in the country as she was. Her father had never cared about her opinions, but Sir Anthony had... No, she shouldn't think about him! He wasn't worth it, not after what he had done to her.

If she made it a mixture of serious and funny she could perhaps write a series of articles about agriculture? Producing food for the population was an important subject.

Perhaps she could even write an article about pigs?

...

AN: Thank you for reading! Thank you for commenting!

I know the story is a little bit silly, at least the title is, but I wanted to write something happy.

...

This is a rather unusual take on Sir Anthony, but I don't find it out of character. This is the Sir Anthony of the library scene in CS 2011, the Sir Anthony who insists that Edith shall give up on him. Here he is feeling quite a bit smug about managing to get her to do just that.

...

I'm happy about what happened in the CS for many reasons (since you wondered). First of all there were many sweet moments for other characters. (Carson/Hughes! Patmore/Daisy!)

Sir Anthony didn't come back, but I have never expected him to do that, not after 3:3.

I'm also happy that Edith will be able to see her daughter grow up. Of course I know there will be complications, but that will give more Edith/baby-times, I hope.

The biggest reason to be happy is that we now have more than half a year to write what we like without being disturbed by anything new that happens on screen.