I want to thank everyone who reviewed, followed, or favorited the first chapter of this little drabble. I appreciate all of you! Downton Abbey does not belong to me.
Anthony Strallan sat in front of the fire feeling sorry for himself. He flipped on the radio in hopes that hearing some Christmas music might cheer him up a bit.
In recent years, he hadn't looked forward to Christmas but this year the holiday was filling him with absolute dread. In just a few days, his lovely Edith would be gone until after the new year.
He let out a short bitter laugh. She wasn't his Edith.
He suddenly realized what a foolish notion he'd been entertaining. Thinking Edith and he would be spending the holiday together, their first Christmas so to speak, as if they were a couple.
On a whim, he'd went one late afternoon to pick out trees. At first, he'd been filled with excitement, anticipating the young woman's surprise, but once he neared his intended destination, doubts began to eat at him. What if Edith laughed at him, a middle aged man, one without children no less, wanting to decorate Christmas trees. Or maybe she'd pity him. God that would be even worse.
He was parked in front of the duplex, trying to decide what to do with the trees tied on top his vehicle, when a sharp rap on the driver's window startled him.
He looked up to see a giddy Edith beaming at him.
"Anthony" she squealed, "you're going to trim Christmas trees!"
"I, well maybe, I..I suppose. I..."
"May I help?" she begged tugging at his arm. "Please!"
He stepped out of the car and looked up at the firs. "Actually, one is for a certain strawberry blonde, whom I've heard as been a rather good girl this year."
Edith squealed again, jumping upon his shoulders and wrapping her arms around him, nearly knocking the older gentleman to the ground.
"Thank you Anthony!" cried Edith, kissing his cheek. "We'll listen to carols and bake Christmas cookies. It'll be so much fun!"
Anthony sighed, thinking of Edith's arms and her soft lips. It had been freezing outside that day and yet her closeness to him had warmed not only his body but his heart. He'd known then he was falling for her.
At that moment, the difference in their ages hadn't mattered. Just being with her and seeing her joy at a such a simple gesture made Anthony's chest swell with pride. He would gladly spend the rest of his days striving to bring her such happiness.
But a few days later, Edith had come to him on the verge of tears and his hopes came crashing down. Her Mother was insisting she return home to spend the holiday.
And then there was the more pressing matter, he hadn't taken time to consider. Edith's feelings towards him.
And once he did, it didn't take long to decide that such a magnificent woman wouldn't be interested in him. She'd only humored him because she'd known no one else. Once she was out mingling with young people her own age or meeting intelligent people through her freelance journalism, she'd forget him and he'd be left nursing a broken heart.
Anthony glared at the radio as 'Baby It's Cold Outside' began playing. He stood and threw another log on the fire. At the moment, the coldest place he'd ever known was the inside of his library.