Two Months Later

It is surprising how one day can make such a change in one's life. Two months ago, Sybil was happy with her life. She had a job which was something that had been unthinkable for a young "lady" such as herself. Her parents thought her nursing was a hobby or something that she would soon tire of. But Sybil knew this wasn't the case, she had found a purpose in her life. It was a job that she loved and for the first time in her life Sybil felt useful and fulfilled. Although she hadn't told her family, she knew she was going to continue nursing after the war. She knew she could no longer go back to the life she had led before the war.

Just as important to Sybil was that for the first time in her life she had a friend that she could talk to about anything and everything. Conversations with Tom had taken Sybil to a world far beyond her social circle. With Tom conversation didn't have to be polite with only certain topics considered appropriate. Actually no topic was really off limits in their conversations - politics, women's rights, Ireland, the war, women working – it didn't matter nor did it matter that they always agreed. Each knew they could freely discuss their viewpoint without the other telling them they were wrong or stupid or silly.

They discussed their childhoods which had certainly opened Sybil's eyes to another world. Both Sybil and Tom had grown up with loving families but that was their only commonality. Sybil had grown up surrounded by wealth and all that entails – servants, governesses, nannies, a vast wardrobe of the latest fashions, days spent in idleness. Tom's family would be considered a lower middle class one at least while his father was alive. His father worked in the shipyards which meant a steady pay check. As the third son, Tom's clothes were hand me downs. Until he was making his own money, Tom had never owned a piece of clothing that was new. But there was always food on the table and never did he or his brothers and sisters go to bed hungry. He attended school until aged sixteen when his father died suddenly and unexpectedly of a heart attack. His mother's meager earnings as a seamstress were not enough to allow the older children to stay in school.

Surprising Tom, Sybil envied him for attending school. She had always longed to go to school instead of being tutored by governesses. Sybil's education was limited by the ability of the governess as well as what society dictated to be proper for a "lady." In Sybil's social world politics, history, and mathematics weren't considered needed for a future that valued a woman for her ability to manage a household and produce an heir.

Their mutual love of books had also contributed to their growing friendship. Both had found books as a way of enhancing their educations. Tom had never seen so many books as the Downton library contained and he took full advantage of Lord Grantham's willingness to let the servants borrow his books. He and Sybil began to read the same books and then discuss them causing Sybil to become much more aware of various political theories while Tom enjoyed reading novels for the first time.

It was Tom's willingness to hear about her nursing that Sybil was most grateful for. There were days when Sybil was so devastated by what she had experienced that only Tom's comfort and encouragement helped her cope and accept the death and horrible injuries she had encountered. Other days, like the first time she had participated in a surgery, she was so excited to share her experiences. Tom always offered her a chance to explore her feelings which was something just not done within her family.

Those feelings extended to the growing attraction each had to the other. At York when Tom had proposed to Sybil she was surprised at his timing but not his feelings. She knew from the way he looked at her that he felt something more than just friendship. Sybil had a harder time letting Tom know she was attracted to him. This was partly due to her upbringing where such a romance was forbidden and if she did choose him she was liable to lose everything and everyone she held dear.

Sybil's dealings with the opposite sex were very limited at least in the sense of courtship. During her season she had been considered a success since so many attended her ball and she received so many invitations to other balls. Her dance card was full at every ball she attended. While she enjoyed dancing she longed for conversation but the men she danced with weren't interested in politics or women's rights. During the month she spent in London for the season, Sybil found herself thinking more and more about the handsome and charming Irish chauffeur and wishing she was sitting in the Downton garage talking with him.

But then the unthinkable had happened.

It was a nice spring day so Sybil had walked back to the Abbey from her early shift at the hospital. Since no one was expecting her back yet, she decided to go directly to the garage to talk with Tom. Although the cars were there, Tom was nowhere to be found. Thinking that he might be helping out at the house as he often did when there were new arrivals or furniture or supplies to be moved, Sybil went on home.

She took a quick look around the main areas but Sybil still didn't see Tom. Feeling down that she and Tom could have spent an hour talking, Sybil went to the library.

It was Edith that gave her the devastating news that Branson was gone. Sybil at first thought that Edith was toying with her but then realized Edith had no reason to do so. Stunned at the news and afraid of the tears that were threatening to fall, Sybil mumbled something about needing to get something from her room and practically ran away from Edith.

How could he? How could he just leave? How could he leave without saying goodbye? Didn't he really mean what he had said to her at York? He said he'd wait forever for her answer. What had happened? Sybil had a million questions but no answers.

At breakfast the following morning, Sybil inquired if Branson really was gone.

"Yes. He left without notice yesterday. Leaves us in a lurch" grumbled Robert.

"But why did he leave?" Sybil was determined to find the reason.

"He said something about his brother needing his help and that he couldn't wait or some such nonsense. I'm really disappointed in him."

Sybil knew that Tom had a brother working in Manchester at a garage. Like Tom he was a mechanic. She recalled Tom telling her that he and his brother had both worked at the same garage in Dublin.

A couple of weeks later Sybil had a plan. She wasn't really sure Carson would comply or if he did he might tell her father but she decided she would approach him anyway. Finding Carson in his office, Sybil strolled in with a confidence she really didn't feel but needed to project, "Carson do you have a few minutes?"

"Of course my lady. How may I help?" the butler replied.

"I was wondering if you have an address for Branson. I didn't get a chance to say goodbye to him …" Sybil could tell Carson was ready to speak so she hurriedly continued "I borrowed a book from him and I'd like to return it. I don't think he has many books so each one would be of value to him. I'd also like to include a note thanking him for all his help these past few months with the convalescent house. We could always count on him to help settle in the new arrivals even though such work wasn't a part of his duties as chauffeur."

Carson raised his eyebrows at this. A lady of the house borrowing books from the chauffeur? But Lady Sybil's reputation as a kind and caring young woman outweighed any hesitation Carson had and so he gave her the information she requested.

Sybil's sunny disposition and kindness also hid her knack for her cunning and deceit. She had learned as a child how to get what she wanted. Her sweetness allowed her to get away with things Mary and Edith would never have dreamed of. And those abilities now came into use as Sybil put into play her plan to visit Tom in Manchester. She told her mother she was going to visit one of the girls who had trained with her in York and was now assigned to a hospital in Manchester.

So it was two months after Tom left Downton that Sybil found herself in Manchester. She needed him to tell her why he had left. She needed to tell him how she really felt about him.

Not being familiar with the city, Sybil took a taxi from the train station to the address Carson had given her. She didn't really know what to expect but was pleasantly surprised when the taxi stopped in front of what at first glance looked like a small storefront on a busy street. There was an alley that ran along the two story building separating it from the building next door. A large open iron wrought gate was attached to both buildings with a sign overhead saying "Branson Brothers Motors." The store front had a sign saying "Branson Brothers" in large lettering with smaller lettering underneath that saying "Office".

Sybil gingerly approached the office door. Now that she was actually here, she was feeling apprehensive. She had been hurt and angry that Tom left so suddenly without talking to her. He had said he'd wait forever, why didn't he wait? But then she remembered how much she missed him and longed to see him. She wanted to tell him she did love him.

Gathering up all her courage, Sybil boldly walked into the "Branson Brothers Office."