A/N: In the last chapter, I made sybil five years younger than Edith, but after rewatching the some of the series I realize she's probably only two years younger. So, sybil has miraculously grown an extra three years and is eleven at the beginning of this chapter.

"Of course, we must be reasonable," Lord Grantham said to his cousin James, recently returned from Paris. "It appears Cora and I will not produce a son, and thus you shall be heir of Downton."

"And you are thinking of Patrick eventually marrying one of the girls to sort of...make up for it." At hearing James's response, thirteen-year-old Edith headed towards the library in search of Patrick.

"Precisely. Unless you want a go at them."

James chuckled. "You know I married Penelope and Penelope only, even if she is dead. And Patrick is more their age." Edith entered the library, unseen as usual. James continued, "Mary, Edith, or Sybil?" Silently, Edith wondered why Papa had the say in who Patrick married. Shouldn't Patrick choose? He deserved to be happy, with whomever that may concern. Even if it wasn't a Crawley sister. There were far richer (and better-tempered) women in England. The Crawleys travelled so much that he could even marry a foreigner. Although Granny wouldn't approve.

"Mary is the eldest; we mustn't forget that," Lord Grantham said. "She has just figured out that this estate will not be hers. I told her she would have to marry you or Patrick to stay here, and she said, 'Well, Patrick is nice enough.'" Edith winced at her father's words. Mary hardly ever talked to Patrick. At fifteen, she thought herself above the games Edith and Patrick played. Well, she never had played with them at all.

"Edith seems to pay him a great deal of attention," James said, bringing Edith back to the present. She silently cheered James on. She certainly wouldn't mind be married to Patrick. They got on so well. He actually listened to her and seemed to like her.

"And Sybil's only eleven and my baby, which leaves her out of the running." Her father's comment made Edith wince once again. Wasn't she his baby, too? Wasn't Mary? "Does Patrick mention a preference?"

"He's only thirteen."

"So it's probably good we mention to him now which one we want him to marry." While James pondered this, Lord Grantham added, "I'm for Mary. It's been a hope of mine ever since the little boy was born."

"I guess it's settled then." James said more, but Edith didn't hear him. She was running outside. Mary marrying Patrick was the most repulsive idea she had ever heard.

…

"I want to cut my hair," Edith announced suddenly to Patrick as the pair rambled the gardens.

"Why?" Patrick asked, eyeing Edith's golden locks that fell somewhere in the middle of her back.

"It's so difficult and hot. It was shorter when I was younger and it wasn't as much bother then."

"Cousin Cora will hate you for it." Patrick pointed out. "It isn't at all the style in France."

"I'm not out yet. It doesn't matter so much. Mama always fusses more over Mary anyway." Edith spat out the word Mary with a newfound hatred.

Patrick didn't seem to notice. "You know…" He stopped walking as he thought. "Papa and I stayed with a hairdresser in Paris for three years. I bet I could cut it."

Edith's eyes lit up and she smiled. "I was hoping you'd say that." She pulled out a pair of scissors from up her sleeve.

Patrick laughed. "Oh, Eddie. You're always scheming, aren't you?" Edith merely smiled, handed the scissors to Patrick, and sat on a nearby bench.

Patrick stood behind her and started to run his fingers through her hair. "How short?"

"Chin length, I think," Edith responded, shutting her eyes. It felt quite good when Patrick had his fingers in her hair.

"This might come out uneven," Patrick said after cutting a few clumps of hair off.

"The new ladies' maid can fix it," Edith replied, unfazed.

"You have a ladies' maid? I thought you said you weren't out." Snip, snip.

"Well, she's also the head housemaid. Mama just has her as a temporary ladies' maid for Mary." Snip, snip. "Mary gets everything. I even heard Papa say she was going to marry you."

"Marry me?" Patrick exclaimed, "I'm only thirteen!" Snip, snip.

"Not now, obviously. Once you come of age." Snip, snip. "It has to do with the fact that Cousin James is getting Downton Abbey when Papa dies." Edith paused. "It's so unfair!"

"Unfair? Why?" Snip, snip.

"Mary is so uncivil to you. You deserve a better wife than her." Snip, snip.

"Someone like you?" Patrick took Edith's silence for a yes. "I don't know. I guess Mary would be alright." Snip, snip. "Marriage is like a job. You want one that makes you rich, not necessarily happy. And Mary isn't entirely evil or bad-looking." Snip, snip. "You'd gain me as a brother. I think that would work rather well, don't you?"

"I think you should choose for yourself rather than letting Papa and Cousin James choose for you."

"Papa asks so little of me that I couldn't disobey him when he does expect something of me. And this isn't altogether a bad or dishonest thing." Snip, snip.

"Doesn't ask much of you?" Edith echoed, surprised. "He totes you off to the far corners of the world all the time without asking your opinion and still expects you to behave like a proper gentleman!" She shook her head.

"Keep your head still," Patrick instructed. Snip, snip. "And it's not so very bad. I've been travelling all my life; I'm used to it now."

"I still don't see why you should marry Mary," Edith muttered.

"Well, I'll have time to consider it. Papa says we'll be going to Africa in about a year."

"How long this time?" Another absence? Another three years of loneliness and boredom?

"He's not sure." Patrick paused and came around the bench. "Stand up." Edith obeyed. She shook her head playfully; wonderfully pleased with the newfound freedom of her short hair. "That did come out nice," Patrick said. "If I do say so myself."

"Oh, thank you Pat!" Edith exclaimed, impulsively hugging him. She quickly broke away. She was not a child anymore, and hugging men was something she was not allowed to do. And it felt…strange somehow.

"No matter," Patrick said, smiling back at her. "What is the matter is what are we going to do with all your hair?" He pointed to the bench where he had placed all of Edith's cut hair.

"I don't know," Edith said, walking over to the bench. She picked up a chunk of the golden stuff, and an idea popped into her head. "Would you like some?" Patrick laughed, but before he could respond, Lord Grantham happened upon them.

"Edith! What happened to your hair?"

Patrick shot a sideways glance at Edith. "Race you to the dock, Eddie!" And with that, the two were off, leaving Lord Grantham completely dumbfounded.

…

"So you're going to be off to Africa," Edith remarked to Patrick, who was standing in the hall.

Patrick nodded. "Papa is saying goodbye to Cousin Robert now."

Edith fully entered the hall and smiled playfully. "Will you write to me about all your adventures, Captain Pat?"

Patrick assumed a military stance. "I most certainly will, Captain Eddie!" Edith giggled, but was interrupted by Mary, who appeared in the hall in her usual cold manner.

"Cousin Patrick."

Patrick bowed slightly. "Cousin Mary."

"I hope you will not be away for too long."

He shrugged. "Papa does not know." There was an awkward pause. "I shall write to you, if you like."

"That would be nice. We are to be married, after all." Edith stared at her older sister with a look of contempt. She was prevented from saying anything demeaning by James entering and declaring that he and Patrick would quite miss the train if they were not to leave soon.

"Good bye, Eddie," Patrick said, hugging Edith. He moved toward Mary. "Mary." He moved to hug her as well, but instead she stuck out her hand. He shook it. Edith caught his eye. See. Mary is so cold and so undeserving of you. He shrugged as he let go of Mary's hand. It's what I have to do.