The next morning, when Edith went to see her Granny again, she was bringing little Herbert with her, hoping that the sight of her smallest great-grand-son would cheer the old woman up.

Little Herbert was at his best behaviour - at least as far as a ten months old baby can behave - smiling sweetly at the old woman in bed, gurgling and prattling. He was sitting rather contentedly in his mother's lap for a while, before he wanted to get down on the floor to practise some of his newest abilities - standing up on his feet, leaning against his mother's chair and then letting go for a few seconds.

Edith was fascinated by her child's new skills. Very soon little Herbert would learn how to walk, she knew. She was happy about it, but also felt a pang of sadness. She hadn't witnessed Marigold's first steps, the little girl had still been with the Drewe's at the time.

...

To Edith's annoyance Granny wasn't a bit interested in looking at the sweet little boy. The old woman was weak, but not weak enough not to be able to complain.

"When I said I had to talk to Bertie, I didn't mean that Bertie", she said in a feeble but grumbling voice.

"I know", Edith said, doing her best not to sound irritated. "Of course I know. And we don't even call this little one Bertie, just Bert for short. Not to have the two of them mixed up."

"Well", Granny said. "Is Bertie coming? I hope you told him I wanted to see him?"

"Of course I did. Bertie has promised to come, but you know it is a long journey, and he had some things to take care of before he went. He will be here the day after tomorrow, you will have to make do with me until then."

Edith hesitated for a moment, she was afraid that what she would say next would offend her Granny.

"Perhaps you could tell me what is worrying you instead? For the time being?"

"Of course not!" Granny was indeed offended. "I wouldn't have asked for Bertie to come if I could do that."

With that the old woman closed her eyes and fell asleep, quite exhausted.

Edith sat for a while and looked at her sleeping Granny. Then she picked up her little boy and went out of the door. She would leave Herbert at Downton's nursery when she visited her Granny again in the afternoon.

...

When Edith had called Bertie the evening before he had in fact been quite reluctant to come down to Downton to see Edith's Granny. It had taken Edith quite some persuasion to get him to agree to do so.

Truth be told, he was a little afraid of the imposing old lady and didn't like to be singled out by her like that. He couldn't understand what the old woman could possibly want to see him about. But he had heard how worried Edith was about her Granny, so he decided that he had better go down there to be with his wife and support her if the worst should happen to the old woman. He knew how close Edith and Violet had always been to each other.

Besides, Edit's Granny would probably only want to tell him to take good care of Edith. Which he had every intention to do anyhow.

What else could it possibly be?


AN: Thank you for reading! And thank you for the lovely comments to last chapter!