A/N: Apologies this took me so long, but I kept getting distracted by other things and this ended up floating about on my memory stick for ages! Anyway, there is another chapter following Anna and Bates in America but this one merely covers the aftermath they left behind.
The Morning After
The door rattled loudly as Daisy banged sharply against the wood. "Six o'clock!"
Gwen pulled herself up into a sitting position and blinked a few times through bleary eyes. She yawned and rubbed at her eyes with her fingers, brushing away the remains of sleep.
"Anna...' you awake?" she asked, blinking and yawning once more. She looked across at Anna's bed and a frown quickly spread across her face. Anna's bed was empty, the covers pushed back and the pillow barely touched. Gwen looked about the small room, looking for some sign of her friend but the room was empty.
She pushed her own covers back and swung her legs to the floor. Although it was strange that Anna was not there, Gwen reasoned she must have already been awake and had gone to the bathroom.
Getting out of bed she stretched and moved wearily towards the cupboard, opening the doors she sensed something was just not quite right. She studied the contents for a moment; sleep still blurring her mind, when it suddenly dawned on her, the wardrobe was almost empty apart from her own clothing. Anna's things appeared to have completely gone.
She moved her own clothes about, checking to make sure, concern growing as she pushed things out of the way. Her boots had gone, her coat had gone and her carpet bag was no longer in its usual place. All that remained was her morning uniform and a few caps and a chemise.
Gwen spun around and looked at Anna's bed once more, she noticed something poking out from underneath the pillow, something black, and as she whipped the pillow away her heart hammered. It was her evening uniform. Something was definitely not right.
She pulled open the chest of drawers but again, they were empty, Anna's few belongings had completely gone, Anna had gone.
But where had she gone, and why? Had she been called away by her family? Had there been an accident or an illness? Maybe Lady Mary had gone and Anna had been asked to go too? No...that wouldn't happen, not without the whole household knowing. Anna wouldn't leave without telling her, would she?
Gwen yanked open the bedroom door and stared up and down the corridor. "Anna?" she called out, "Anna? Are you there?"
A bedroom door opened further down the corridor and O'Brien poked her head out to see who was shouting. Her hair was hanging about her shoulders and she was still wearing her nightgown,
"What the flamin' 'ell's goin' on?" she demanded, clearly not a morning person.
"Have you see Anna?" Gwen demanded; something really wasn't right. Anna should be here, she should have answered her by now.
"Why would I have seen Anna? It's five past flamin' six! In the morning!" O'Brien snapped, and with that slammed her door shut.
There was the sound of clattering feet racing up the stairwell and Daisy suddenly appeared slightly breathless, her eyes wide and cheeks flushed. "What's 'appened?"
"Daisy, have you seen Anna?" Gwen repeated, why oh why was nobody answering her with an answer she wanted?
Daisy's eyes were wide as she took in Gwen's state of undress and the panic filtering into her voice. She shook her head. "No, why?"
Gwen's shoulders slumped and she leaned against the wall. "Anna's gone."
"What d'yer mean?" Daisy asked, bewildered and confused.
Fresh worry flooded through Gwen's veins. "Her things have gone, her clothes, everything; she's gone. I have to go and see Mrs Hughes."
"But...where...why?" Daisy stammered but she got no answer as Gwen had set off downstairs towards the housekeeper's bedroom.
"Mrs Hughes! Mrs Hughes!" Gwen called as she raced down the stairs as if her life depended upon it. It was highly impertinent to be shouting and very improper to be racing about in such a state of dress but this was important. Anna had gone!
It had all begun last night, everyone had been gossiping about Anna and how she had pleaded with his Lordship to allow Mr Bates to stay, the other staff had been whispering to each other about her behaviour and how it was now obvious to everyone she had a fancy for him. Gwen had thought she liked him, but had never imagined she would make such a public display of herself, and to his Lordship as well!
"I didn't think that of Anna..."
"Mr Bates? He's twice 'er age!"
"How did she dare?"
"I wonder if he knows?"
Anna must have heard these whispers but if she did, she didn't let on. She had then been called in by Mrs Hughes and the whispers grew in ferocity. Obviously she was being reprimanded by Mrs Hughes and the glee this sent through the ranks could almost be tasted. Although Anna was popular, gossip was even more popular and everyone enjoyed a scandal. Gwen had intended on talking to Anna when they went to bed, but when she had reached their room, Anna was already asleep and so she had not actually found out what had really happened in the library with Lord Grantham.
Gwen had landed on the bottom step and called out again. "Mrs Hughes!"
The door to the housekeeper's bedroom opened and Mrs Hughes appeared pulling a shawl about herself and trying to straighten out her sleep dishevelled hair. "What on earth are you shouting for girl?" she scolded. "Heavens! Whatever's the matter?"
"Its' Anna!" Gwen panted, "She's gone, her clothes, everything! She's gone!"
Mrs Hughes' frown deepened and her mouth dropped open slightly. "Gone?"
Further down the corridor, Mr Carson appeared, dressed and clearly annoyed by the sounds emanating from this end of the house. He stopped dead as he took in the sight of Gwen in her nightdress and Mrs Hughes similarly attired. Gwen thought she detected a blush spread across the housekeeper's cheeks.
"What's going on? Is there some sort of problem Mrs Hughes?" Carson's deep voice rumbled along the walls of the corridor.
Mrs Hughes tightened her shawl and looked first at Gwen and then at Mr Carson. "It seems Anna can't be found."
"She's gone!" Gwen cried, her cheeks flushing bright red as they always did when she was upset. "Her clothes have gone!"
xXx
Once it had been ascertained that Anna really was missing, Mrs Hughes, sitting alone in her parlour, released a deep sigh as she recalled her conversation with the girl the previous night. It had all been over Mr Bates, a man who should be leaving today...today.
Heart thumping, realisation dawning, she leapt to her feet and called out to Mr Carson, he rushed towards her and with a lowered voice so that Gwen or anyone else listening would not hear, she said, "Check Mr Bates' room."
Mr Carson had stepped back and studied her carefully; he knew exactly what she was thinking and so with deep set brows he set off for Mr Bates' room, hoping their fears would not be realised.
He returned minutes later and from the troubled expression, Mrs Hughes knew her worst fears had come true.
"He's gone," he said simply.
Mrs Hughes closed her eyes and sighed. She must have left with him. "Foolish, foolish girl."
The rest of that morning was filled with talk of Anna and Bates' apparent elopement together. Some thought it romantic, some thought it foolhardy. Gwen sat in silence at the servants' table, trying to drink in the reality of it all. Her friend had gone; run away with a man twice her age and she hadn't said a word! What sort of friend does that?
"She must really love him," Daisy commented, a rather dreamy look on her young features.
"Love? Get over yerself!" O'Brien scoffed. "Desperation more like!"
"What d'yer mean?" Daisy asked.
"Well aint it obvious?" O'Brien demanded, turning the full force of her glare onto the poor girl, causing her to shrink back in fear. "She's a fallen woman, a woman in trouble. 'as to be."
Daisy frowned again. "I don't know what yer mean, Miss O'Brien."
O'Brien sighed dramatically and rolled her eyes, her cutting retort stopped by Thomas looking up from him paper. "What she means Daisy, is that Anna must have got 'erself in the family way, ol' Bates must 'ave 'ad it in 'im and now he's got 'er in trouble and they've had to go."
"You mean pregnant?" Daisy asked in horror.
Gwen's head snapped up, surely that's not what everyone was thinking? Anna would never have acted like that and Mr Bates was an honourable man, no, that was totally wrong.
"How d'you know all this?" William's voice cut through Gwen's thoughts.
"Well I don't, but it's the only explanation," Thomas replied with a shrug.
"Maybe they really do love each other and want to be together?" William suggested, "Is that too hard to believe?"
"I agree, Anna wouldn't do...that... with Mr Bates, not until they were married," Daisy chimed in, flushing at her reference to marital activities.
O'Brien sighed dramatically again. "Don't be so simple Daisy!"
Gwen leapt up suddenly, fire flashing through her eyes, she faced them with determination and as much confidence as she could muster. "You're wrong, yer all wrong! She loved him, I know she did. If he hadn't lost 'is job she'd still be 'ere. But if she 'ad to go to be wi' 'im then I 'ope she's 'appy, she deserves that. And we shouldn't be gossipin' 'bout it!"
"Hear, hear!" Branson agreed, he flashed Gwen a smile, one she blushed at lightly. She turned on her heels and set off out of the hall, the sound of muttered comments from Thomas and O'Brien following in her wake.
xXx
Lord Grantham stepped through the adjoining door of his wife's bedroom and into his dressing room. He sighed and gazed out of the window, admiring the prospect across his estate. He moved towards the bell and with a gentle tug, rang for the attention of Carson. Since dispensing with Bates, Carson had taken over the duties until a replacement could be found.
A small pang of regret threaded through his veins as he thought of his old comrade, but really he had no choice. Bates just had too much tarnish against his name, it was impossible to keep him...but how he wished things were different. He thought of young Anna and her impassioned plea to him, how she had begged him to let Bates stay. Clearly the girl had a fancy for him; nothing good could ever come of that! Perhaps it was best that he was leaving today.
Lord Grantham made a mental note to go and say a proper goodbye to Bates and would have another word with Mrs Hughes; she would need to be gentle with poor Anna until she had recovered from her unfortunate ailment.
The door opened and Lord Grantham greeted Carson with his usual smile, however Carson's expression told him something was terribly wrong. It reminded him of the time when Carson had informed him of the sinking of the Titanic, he hoped to God it was nothing like that.
"Is something wrong Carson?"
Carson gave a rather embarrassed and awkward cough, "There is something m'lord, yes."
"Is it Mr Crawley?"
Carson looked up in surprise, "Oh, no m'lord, nothing like that. It's...well it's Mr Bates...and Anna."
Lord Grantham gave a sigh, "Oh dear, I was afraid of this. I suppose though, once he leaves today it will make things easier for Ann..."
"No m'lord, it's more serious than that. They're gone. Both of them," Carson explained.
Lord Grantham recoiled as if he had been struck. "Gone?"
"Gwen realised this morning that Anna's things had gone and, well, a check of Bates' room confirms he has gone too. We can only assume they left together during the night."
Lord Grantham sat down on the edge of his bed, "Gone? I can't take it in!" He sat motionless for a few moments. "And you're absolutely sure? Have you checked everywhere?"
"I sent Branson to the station, a train left for London very early this morning; they must have been on that." Carson replied. "Mrs Hughes has sent a message to Anna's family to see if they're there but I doubt that very much."
Lord Grantham gave a soft groan as the enormity of it all sank in. If only he had dealt with this correctly yesterday! Maybe if he'd been more understanding none of this would have happened? He'd seen her torment; he'd heard the desperation in her voice, had he driven her to this? And Bates! Of all the men he knew, he'd never expect Bates to run away with a woman almost half his age! He groaned loudly, causing a concerned glance from Carson.
"I should have handled this better."
"M'lord?"
"Anna came to me and pleaded with me to let Bates stay; I sensed some attraction on her behalf but thought it was a passing fancy. I sent her away and told Mrs Hughes to have a word. Maybe I was too hasty; maybe I should have seen the signs."
Carson inhaled sharply and pursed his lips; this was news to him and knowing that Mrs Hughes was aware of this situation made him feel rather daft. He thought back, wondering if he'd missed any signs of Anna's fancy for Mr Bates, wondering if somewhere along the line, he'd missed the opportunity to avoid this unfortunate affair.
"I must admit, m'lord, that I was unaware of any of this. I fear, I should have been more in tune with the staff," Carson replied, a small amount of shame filtering into his very bones. He had failed in his role, he had failed his staff and therefore he had failed Downton.
Lord Grantham looked up and gave him a resigned smile. "It's not your fault Carson."
Carson merely hummed a reply. Lord Grantham got to his feet and moved towards the window, gazing out across the estate. He couldn't help but wonder where they were, what they were thinking and if there was anything that could be done to prevent the scandal spreading.
"I hope she doesn't regret it," he said, almost inaudibly.
"M'lord?"
Grantham turned round and faced his butler, "I hope Anna doesn't come to regret her decision, Bates is a good man but I just hope he looks after her."
"I think we all hope for that, m'lord."
Grantham gave another sigh and straightened himself up. "Well, I'll make a few enquiries but I suppose if they don't want to be found, then they won't be. You say Mrs Hughes has sent word to Anna's family?"
"Yes, m'lord. I doubt they will be there and no doubt it will be a shock for her parents."
Grantham nodded solemnly, as a father he could only begin to imagine how he would react if one of his daughters decided to run away with a man. He'd follow them to the ends of the earth; he could only imagine Mr Smith's reaction. As for her mother, the shock could kill the poor woman! What was Anna thinking? She must either be out of her mind with love or Bates had somehow….forced her away.
This was not a pleasant thought and Robert chose to think that Anna was simply, madly in love and that somewhere, out there in the world; she had what she always wanted. Happiness.
If only he had handled the whole thing more carefully, if only he hadn't fired Bates, if only he'd listened to Anna, if only he'd seen the signs…if only.
It did no use to dwell on such things but for Grantham, these regrets would follow him for many years. He would always wonder if, handled differently, he could have prevented the whole thing.
"Well, I suppose there's little else we can do now," Grantham sighed, "make sure the staff are alright Carson, especially the younger maids. And make sure no-one else in this house has such thoughts!"
"Yes, m'lord."
xXx
"Is it true, Papa?" Sybil asked the moment she stepped into the dining room for breakfast.
Her father looked up from his paper. "If you mean about Anna and Bates, then I'm afraid it is."
Sybil gave a dreamy sigh and helping herself to some fruit, took her seat at the table. Mary was sat opposite; cup in her hand and next to her Edith was buttering a slice of toast.
"Isn't it romantic?" she sighed again. It seemed like something out of a novel, running away for love and Sybil's fantasies were running wild. Bates - the conquering hero, Anna his fair-haired heroine riding off into the sunset. It was all so fairy-tale.
"Hardly," Mary said, her eyebrow rising sharply at her sister's romanticism, "to run away with a man twice your age, a crippled man at that? I think her a fool!"
"You would," Edith sneered at her side.
"Well I think it very romantic; to think they must be so in love that they would do anything to be together!" Sybil sighed dramatically, "Someone should write it as a novel."
"Then why don't you?" Edith asked, sipping her tea.
"What say you Papa?" Mary asked, turning her attention to her father, "Do you think it romantic? Or, like me, do you think Anna a fool? I thought she had more sense than that."
Lord Grantham lifted his eyes from his paper, he'd been reading the same line for the last ten minutes, he was rather glad of Mary's distraction. Before he could answer, Sybil interrupted her sister.
"She's not a fool! Just a woman in love, we should have supported her and we should still do so. If she loves Mr Bates and he loves her, then really we should congratulate them and be happy."
Mary rolled her eyes dramatically and Edith placed her cup rather heavily back into its saucer.
"Sybil, darling, life is not always as rosy as you think," Lord Grantham said. "They have made a very difficult choice, it won't all be sunsets and flowers, they've chosen a very hard life."
"But why should it be so?" Sybil asked.
"Because, my dearest one, they are unmarried and have nowhere to go, they have brought huge scandal upon themselves. Anna's reputation alone lies in tatters and God knows what Bates was thinking, their life together will be nothing but a lie."
Sybil thought for a moment, "I don't agree Papa. The world is changing, why should we all conform to society, who says that society is right? I think they're lucky, they've taken control of their destiny and I applaud them for it. You'll see Papa; the day will come when it won't be a scandal to be in love."
Mary groaned and gave another affected roll of her eyes, "Oh Sybil, what have you been reading now?"
"Don't listen to her Papa, she's just showing off," Edith added.
Lord Grantham placed his napkin on the table and rose from his seat. He reached out and patted Sybil affectionately on her cheek.
"I wish I could think like you Sybil, darling, I really do. You think that if it makes you happy but the truth is, we've been hit with a scandal and I'm ashamed to think I could have prevented it."
Lord Grantham turned on his heel and marched out of the room and took himself off to his library where he spent the rest of the day.
Mary watched her father leave before sighing heavily. "I think Anna very selfish."
"Why?" Edith questioned, turning to study her older sister carefully.
"Running away in the middle of the night without so much as a word to anyone? Leaving us all here to worry about her?" Mary replied, lifting her cup to her lips. "Very selfish."
"I doubt you've worried about anyone but yourself," Edith quipped. "You're just annoyed you had to wait for O'Brien to dress you this morning."
"Well Papa will have to arrange another maid to see to us. I can't bear to have O'Brien dress me each morning, it's really rather ridiculous that we must do without, all because Anna ran off with the crippled valet," Mary sniffed.
"Don't say that," Sybil said, "It's not nice."
Mary raised an eyebrow. "Well he is! And a thief at that! Anna could have at least run off with someone a bit more worthy, it's all so clichéd – running away with an older man."
"Perhaps she could have run off with the Chauffeur?" Edith said with a chuckle. "Or is that too clichéd as well?"
Sybil said nothing as Mary and Edith laughed lightly together, though a faint blush spread through her cheeks. Run away with the Chauffeur? Now there was a thought…..
xXx
The rest of the day went by in a blur of work and gossip. Despite the best efforts of Mrs Hughes and Mr Carson, the only topic of conversation around the servants' table was Anna and Bates. By now, O'Brien and Thomas had managed to fuel the rumour that Anna must have been in 'the family way' for her to run off from her home and her family.
Mrs Hughes had not felt up to reproaching the staff, since hearing the news that morning she had been lost in her own thoughts. As the evening drew to a close, she settled herself in her parlour and began to think about the day's events.
Despite her outward appearance, Mrs Hughes was far from being cold-hearted. She was in charge of the health and well-being of all the female servants who worked in the house, some of them were only children themselves. Never having had children herself, Mrs Hughes often felt a motherly instinct towards them. When they were ill she would see that they were cared for, if they were unhappy, she would at least try to cheer them up. It was a rare known fact that Mrs Hughes had often comforted a homesick maid in her parlour, wrote regularly to their mothers, letting them know their daughter was happy and well.
She'd often flattered herself that had she been a mother, she would have made a fine one indeed. So the thought that perhaps she had failed one of her charges was a rather disconcerting thought, especially when that charge was Anna.
She'd known the girl for many years, seen her grow from a shy, skinny wee girl, not more than a child into a confident and very pretty woman. Of all the maids that had lived and worked within the house, Anna had been the one to cause the least trouble for Mrs Hughes. She was a sensible girl who knew her own mind but worked hard and was not easily flattered like some of the other silly things she worked with.
Mrs Hughes had never imagined that Anna would be the one to do something as shocking as run away with a man. In all her wildest dreams, she would never have put money on Anna. The girl was too sensible and steady to do that. Or so she'd thought.
Had she really missed the signs? She knew Anna had had a fancy for Mr Bates; she'd seen the shy smiles, saw how she sought him out, championed him when others sought to bring him down and witnessed how he seemed to enjoy her attention though did little to really encourage her. There had been nothing to suggest they would do something so….outlandish as run away.
She'd thought it was a passing fancy that would come to nothing, when Bates had been accused of stealing and his Lordship deigned to let him go, Mrs Hughes had expected to help Anna nurse a bruised heart and the world would go back to normal. Even last night (was it only last night?) as Anna had passionately declared her love for Mr Bates, Mrs Hughes still didn't see the warning signs.
She saw now that she had been foolish. A heart in love is a dangerous thing indeed.
So, sitting by her little fire, Mrs Hughes wondered what she could have done to prevent it happening and wondered where in the world Anna was spending the night. It was at this moment, she was shaken out of her reverie by a soft knocking followed by Mr Carson peering through the door.
"May I come in?" he asked. Mrs Hughes nodded and Carson slipped inside, a bottle of wine in his hand. "I thought we may need a little something." he explained at her raised eyebrows.
"It's certainly been quite a day." Mrs Hughes agreed as Carson set about pouring two glasses.
"You know what they're saying about Anna and Mr Bates, don't you?" Carson asked, handing her a glass.
"About her being…?" Mrs Hughes asked, not quite able to finish that sentence. If it was true, then her failing as housekeeper was of epical proportions. "Yes, I've heard it."
"I don't think it to be true, do you?" Carson asked, settling himself in the little chair opposite.
"I hope not." Mrs Hughes sighed, taking a soft sip of the red wine, "It would make my failures all that more great if it was true."
"Whatever do you mean?" Carson questioned, glass half raised to his mouth. "Surely you don't blame yourself?"
"Mr Carson, Anna is…was under my care and I failed to see the danger. If somehow their relationship had…..developed and Anna had found herself in a difficult situation….it can only be down to me, I should have guarded that door more firmly."
Carson gave a grunt of disbelief. "You have nothing to reproach yourself for. None of us saw this coming."
"I….knew she had a fancy for him." Mrs Hughes began, almost shamed by her admissions. "I thought it was just a passing phase, one she'd grow out of. I never saw anything to give me real concern, it seemed to be just silly smiles and longing gazes, nothing too serious. I see now that I was mistaken."
"Mrs Hugh-"
"His Lordship came to me yesterday, told me how Anna had pleaded with him to let Bates stay. He asked me to deal with it delicately, told me he thought Anna was in over her head." Mrs Hughes, admitted, eyes focussed only on her glass. "I said I would sort it, when I spoke with Anna she was in a real old state. She told me how she loved him and didn't want to move on from him. Even then, Mr Carson, I didn't see the signs. I thought it would all blow over…..how wrong I was."
A silence descended between them as Mrs Hughes' words sank in. She was thinking of how she had failed and he was merely wondering how he could make this right again.
"Are you disappointed in me Mr Carson?" Mrs Hughes finally asked.
"Disappointed?" Carson's eyebrows shot up into his hairline, "No! Mrs Hughes, you did only what anyone would have done in that situation. I think…well, nobody would have expected this and certainly not of Anna or Mr Bates."
"I hope she's alright." Mrs Hughes sighed with a shake of her head. "I hope she's not regretting her choices."
"Our Anna is a sensible girl….well, this situation aside; I'm sure that wherever she is….." Carson's voice died away; there really was no knowing what had happened to her, to them both, once they'd left the village.
"I hope he looks after her."
"Mr Bates is a good man, I'm sure he'll do right by her." Carson soothed. He paused for a moment. "Do you think we could have prevented it?"
Mrs Hughes sighed deeply, "I'd like to think we may have been able to, but Anna's a stubborn girl and headstrong when she puts her mind to something. Maybe we wouldn't have been able to do anything, even if we had suspected it."
Carson merely nodded and once again they fell into comfortable silence, lost in similar thoughts.
"I just hope she doesn't regret it." Mrs Hughes said softly, more to herself than her companion.
"Let's hope that this is the last time we ever have to deal with such a situation!" Carson said, his brow furrowing lightly, "I'm not sure I could cope with another young woman foolishly running away for love."
"Perish the thought!" Mrs Hughes gasped.
Surely there wasn't another girl within the house that would ever think or act in such a way?
xXx
Gwen sighed as she climbed the stairs to her bedroom. She was rather afraid now to go to bed despite being bone weary. It had been such a long and emotional day and there had been times when she had longed for her little bed but now as she approached the room that up until this morning she had shared with Anna, she now felt rather unsure about entering the room.
No longer would she look forward to settling down to sleep whilst talking to Anna about their day. Never again would she wake up and see Anna still fast asleep, never again would she need to wake her up, reminding her that it was time to rise. There would no longer be nights where they would laugh quietly and share secrets before slipping off into a comfortable sleep, no more nights where she would wake up in the middle of the night only to hear the comforting sound of Anna breathing or snoring lightly in the bed next to her.
It suddenly struck Gwen that she was highly unaccustomed to sleeping alone. Back home, she had shared a room with her two sisters and when she had come to Downton, she had been paired with Anna and they had shared a room ever since. Anna had taken care of Gwen when she'd arrived, she'd been kind to her when she felt homesick, told her stories to make her laugh when she'd missed her mother and had shared things with her. She was her best friend and the closest thing to a sister she had at Downton. In fact, she was closer to Anna than her own sisters.
So, why hadn't she told her she was leaving?
Opening the door to the room she was instantly struck by how empty it seemed without Anna and Gwen shivered involuntarily. She sat herself on her own little bed and looked across at Anna's. Gwen couldn't help but be a little annoyed with Anna, they had shared so many things, Gwen had told her all her secrets, why couldn't she tell her hers?
She'd told her about wanting to leave service and Anna had been so supportive. When Gwen's mother had become sick, Anna had been there for her, comforting her until the early hours. They'd talked about men and hopes for the future and Anna had often talked of Mr Bates. Though she had never said in as many words, Gwen knew her friend was in love with him. She'd always assumed that Anna would talk to her about it when she was ready and then she could be supportive in return.
But Anna never gave her that chance.
Gwen felt upset with Anna for not trusting her with her secret and at the same time, felt upset with herself. Perhaps she could have tried harder? Maybe she should have woken Anna last night and asked her about Mr Bates…maybe she should have been a better friend.
How long she sat in this way, she wasn't sure but the next thing she knew there was a soft knocking on the door. Looking up, Gwen smiled to see Daisy standing awkwardly in the doorway.
"I thought you might be feelin' sad," Daisy said, still dithering in the doorway.
Gwen smiled at the younger girl, "I am a little."
Daisy stepped into the room and moved towards Gwen and settled herself next to her. "I miss 'er already."
"Me too," Gwen agreed and smiled as Daisy's arm went around her shoulders.
"I reckon she's 'appy," Daisy sighed. "Wherever she is, I reckon she's 'appy."
"I 'ope so. I don't want to think of 'er feelin' sad," Gwen sighed, leaning against Daisy.
"Mr Bates'll look after 'er," Daisy said, leaning against Gwen in return, "'e's a good man and he loves 'er – any fool can see that."
Gwen looked turned her head to look at the younger maid, wondering just when had she begun to talk so wisely? Was this not the daft girl who mooned over Thomas and never understood a single hint?
"I just wish she'd told me," Gwen sighed, deciding to store thoughts on Daisy's progress until another day.
"P'raps it were a sudden decision? Maybe it were just….spontaneous and she didn't have time?" Daisy suggested.
"If she'd told me, I could 'ave 'elped 'er like, could 'ave made 'er think carefully 'bout what she were doin'," Gwen said, her tone melancholy. "She might not 'ave made such a huge mistake."
"Why? If it's what she wanted then it's not a mistake." Daisy asked, frowning lightly. "One day she'll come back and pro-"
"Yer don't get it do yer? Anna's ruined 'erself for this, she's run off wi' a man who she aint married to. She can't come back, we won't see 'er again," Gwen explained passionately, her pale cheeks flushing and her eyes welling slightly.
Daisy nodded as understanding dawned. She would never see Anna again, none of them would. She was gone forever without a goodbye or a forwarding address.
"They must really love each other," Daisy sighed. "I wish I 'ad that."
"Don't you go gettin' ideas!" Gwen chuckled, nudging Daisy with her shoulder. "Poor Mrs Hughes is havin' kittens as it is! If you were to…"
"Oh no! I dareden't!" Daisy cried, eyes wide in horror, "I wouldn't run off, ever!"
"Good!" Gwen smiled, her smile slowly died as she once again took in the sight of Anna's empty bed. "It's goin' to be odd 'round 'ere without 'er."
Daisy followed Gwen's gaze and they sat in companionable silence for a few minutes, both wondering what would happen now. With Anna gone, changes would have to be made, changes that would have an impact on them all.
"It seems odd to not have someone to share a room with anymore….seems lonely somehow." Gwen noted.
"I could…." Daisy began, and then stopped herself.
"What?"
Daisy flushed a little. "I was going to say I could sleep in 'ere wi' you. Keep yer company."
Gwen smiled warmly. "I think I'd like that."
Daisy beamed happily and leapt up off the bed. "I'll go clear it wi' Mrs Hughes!" And like a flash she was gone, footsteps disappearing down the stairs.
Gwen looked around one last time, one last time of it being Anna's bed. From now on, it wouldn't be Anna's. Anna was gone. She couldn't help but wonder, where Anna was spending her night and in whose bed was she sleeping.