A/N: Thank you very much to everyone who has reviewed, and indeed everyone who has read thus far. I really appreciate your comments and try to take them on board. :D

"Tom?" Sybil called as she entered the hallway and started undoing her coat. "I know you're here, I saw the bike and I can tell your atrocious cooking from 2 blocks away." She truly preferred his food to anyone else's and he knew that, which made her try to convince him otherwise. "Don't you dare start all that messing around hiding from me again. Peanut doesn't much care for it." She smiled broadly as he strode towards her, arms out wide.

"Don't you think that the babe is getting a bit too big to continue being called Peanut?" he asked jovially as he wrapped his arms around his blooming wife, sodden coat and all, and kissed her warmly. The sound of Sybil giggling into his kiss was a tonic for his soul no matter what else was happening; the freedom of being able to kiss each other when they wished was still an appreciated novelty to them both.

"Now you're all soaked, you wally!"

"It was worth it," he beamed, helping her from her ill-fitting coat and taking off her boots. It was getting rather difficult for her to reach herself.

Tom still had to regularly remind himself that this was what Sybil wanted; having to walk through the cold Irish rain in a hand-me-down coat. But her radiant smile as she allowed him to help her in life's basics - not as part of a job but out of love - reassured him that she held no regrets in choosing him.

"How are my two favourite people today?" She smiled fondly indulgent as she started to discuss her day and asked about his. She loved his enthusiasm for their upcoming parenthood and appreciated his support in her continuing with work. She remembered several of her pregnant friends being wrapped in cotton wool while at the same time worrying that their husbands were straying. Her and Tom's relationship seemed to her the perfect balance of attention and independence, all wrapped up in the certainty of unerring commitment probably as a result of the long and difficult road they had traversed to get to this point.

"Dinner's almost ready. Come and warm up by the fire, sweetheart. I have your book here for you."

"Thanks darling." As she sat down she pulled her husband in for a longer kiss before allowing him back into the kitchen. When she heard him start to serve up, she instinctively got up to join him and fetch the cutlery. She did not like him waiting on her too much, despite the pregnancy, given their previous situations.

"You're meant to be sitting down. I can manage."

"So can I. Bernadette is more pregnant than I am, has 3 little ones already and her husband burns things whenever he tries to cook. He's even more hopeless that you, although we both suspect that he is faking it." Tom rolled his eyes but said nothing. As they sat down to eat she delighted in her first mouthful of warming soup and closed her eyes to savour it, before consciously berating herself and snapping open her eyes again. As she had suspected Tom was watching her with his smug grin that she so loved and hated and wanted to wipe off. "Put enough garlic in this, didn't you!" she snarled.

"Especially for you, light of my life, as I know you like it so."

Much of the rest of the evening was spent in her trying to wipe the smile off his face and he was not going to rise to it, although he kept feeling the presence of the letter in his back pocket with agitation and knew at some point that would indeed wipe the smile from his face.

Sybil was engrossed in the section of her book when Catherine the Great presented the country with her Nakaz to state her idea of an ideal government when Tom suddenly could not hold his tongue.

"We have received an invitation to your sister's wedding."

"Huh?" It took a moment for the words to penetrate Sybil's thoughts before she snapped around to face him, not looking overly pleased. "Oh, when is it?"

"Here, take a look."

"June; I am sure granny went on about marry in May, rue the day. Well, I was not sure we would be… Oh, oh, oh! She's marrying Matthew! Darling, she's not marrying Carlisle after all."

"I know."

"What do you mean? How do you know? Nobody told me?"

"I opened the letter, remember? I am glad you are pleased. I meant what I said before, I do really like Matthew."

"Oh, I most certainly am pleased. And it is rather perfect timing. I was wondering when would be best to stop work and I can slowly decrease it leading up to then and I think it will be rather nice to visit and have a bit of a break before Peanut arrives. Well, I cannot miss this as I am actually invited. Do you think work will be able to spare you at all, at least for the actual day, as you're also invited? I think I would like to go over early, perhaps for a couple of weeks in total but I understand if you will not be able to make it." He knew she also meant that she would understand his not wanting to go though she would never say it.

"I cannot say how long I will be able to go for, but there is no way in hell I shall allow you to travel alone, so I shall at the very least take you over one weekend and do my best to be over for the day itself, and then we can come back together. Of course Matthew has seen to it that it will be on a Saturday, so any of his working friends will be able to attend, which will make it far better for us too. I am not sure I like the idea of leaving you there without me. What if Peanut decided to arrive early? I shall talk to Mr Byrne tomorrow about it."

"Was there any more post?" He fetched her the other letter she had received and opened his own. "It's from mama," she commented unnecessarily and looked more pensive as she settled into reading its contents.

"Are you sure…"

"What?" she prodded him.

"Are you sure you will be all right with it all, the travelling, your family, the whispers from all sides of the ballroom?"

"Mary came to our wedding when she was completely a fish out of water," she smiled recalling, though understanding of his concern. "I am sure I will be fine. How about you? I hope you realise Granny has probably invented an entire false history for you and your entire family."

"Oh god, I hope it is sufficiently thrilling. I might have to add to it, perhaps with a trip down the Congo river, and excavating mummies in Egypt!" He winked at her smile. "Or maybe I should bring my whole family with us and she can really see what she has let herself in for!" They both chuckled at the thought of the Branson clan invading Downton Abbey.

"But seriously, do not worry. I doubt it will be a thoroughly comfortable experience, but Cousin Isobel is on our side, and mama writes that our American grandmother will be coming over."

"Oh? What's she like?"

"Rich, which I suspect is the primary reason for her invite. Other than that, I suppose the best way to describe her is … American. You just have to join me to find out, I suppose. I cannot wait to show you off."

"Show off the chauffeur?" He earned himself a light hit.

"If you continue like that I will not want you to come. It would mean more wedding cake for Peanut and me. Honestly, I am a little nervous. I know you might not really be able to make it yet, but it would be our first proper visit as a married couple in which they can all get to know you properly, as I do. Well, perhaps not entirely as I do, but they will be able to see how happy I am and how well cared for, and that must count for something. Besides, mama is so excited about Peanut, as I am sure all of the others will be once they know, and being pregnant will show them how serious I am about you and all of this." Tom was not so sure that their child would magically mend all fences as Sybil's hopeful look would suggest, but he was willing to wish for it.

"So, will you be expecting Lady Violet to call the baby Peanut?"