Thanks for the lovely reviews for the previous chapter! I very much appreciate each of them. As always, Downton does not belong to me although I did borrow a line or two for this chapter.
Anthony turned slowly towards his beloved, a strangled sob escaping his chest as blue eyes met brown.
Stopping to scrutinize the tall blonde in front of her, Edith noticed the letter clutched in his shaking hand.
"Anthony? What's wrong darling? Have you received bad news?"
"Oh god Edith, you weren't suppose to be here. I thought you'd be at work."
"What's going on Anthony? Does it involve that letter?"
The poor man simply nodded.
"Might I have a look?"
Reluctantly, he handed the envelope to Edith, who frowned when she saw it was addressed to her. Breaking the seal, the young woman began to read while Anthony, his trembling legs on the verge of giving way, sat on the steps and buried his face in his hands. After quickly scanning the letter, the strawberry blonde, turned to the older gentleman in disbelief. Surely she was mistaken. Surely she'd misunderstood.
"Look at me" she whispered softly after reading it for a third time.
Anthony, like a child expecting a scolding, peeked out from under his arm at her.
"I don't understand. You want to call off the wedding? Why? I thought we were happy. I thought you loved me."
"It's for the best Edith. I'm too old for you. You'd come to resent me and I couldn't bear for you to be disappointed. You deserve to be happy. And you will be but only if you don't waste yourself on me."
Now that her initial shock at Anthony's words had worn off, Edith was furious.
"I cannot believe you made this decision without at least speaking to me. We're talking about my happiness, my future, OUR future. This decision that affects us both and yet I'm to have no say in the matter. If my opinion, my feelings mean so little then you, Anthony Strallan, are no better than my family!"
"Oh sweet one..."
"Don't call me that!" Edith glared.
Anthony mumbled an apology.
"It's as though I'm back at Downton where no one can be bothered with poor old Edith. Papa always sought Mary's input and Mama valued Sybil's opinion but no one ever concerned themselves with what I might think or want. When it came to family decisions, where to go on holiday or what have you, I was completely left out. I thought with you it'd be different.
Anthony stood, "Edith, please, I only want what's best for you. You deserve someone young and exciting who can show you the world. If you marry me, in a few years, you'll be stuck wheeling around a crippled old codger and spending your evenings reading by the fire. Have you really thought about the disadvantages of tying yourself to man twice your age.
"Damn you Anthony" the redhead screamed. "You and your blasted sense of honor! I thought we were past all these doubts."
Surprised by the fury in her voice, Anthony took a step back.
Taking a deep breath, the young woman fought to bring her emotions under control, "I'm not a child Anthony. I realized there'd be obstacles but I believed whatever the future held we'd be okay as long as we faced it together. For once in my life, I chose what was best for me in spite of what Granny or Papa or anyone else thought. You were my choice, Anthony. I wanted you.
"But I can't, for the life of me, understand why" Anthony admitted.
"You're a beautiful person Anthony, inside and out. What's more, you make me feel special. Make me laugh. Because of you, I know what it means to be happy, truly happy. And what I looked forward to more than anything was experiencing that happiness every day.
"Edith, please believe me" Anthony pleaded, "I don't mean to hurt you."
"But you are. You're breaking my heart."
An awkward silence passed between the couple.
"Just go Anthony" Edith sighed as she unlocked the door and stepped inside. "I love you but I can't do this anymore. I'm tired of doing battle with your demons and of trying to convince you that you're good for me. If you still don't trust that I know in my heart you're the one I want to spend my life with then perhaps we aren't as suited for each other as I thought."
"Edith please try to understand I..."
The strawberry blonde held up her hand and with a quivering voice whispered, "Goodbye Anthony" as she shut the door.