"Edith, where have you been?" The returning daughter was welcomed by her mother's voice. "It is nearly luncheon and, as you know, your grandmother is visiting us today. Do you want to keep her waiting?"
"It doesn't matter" Lady Violet was to hear from the libary. "Old people have got plenty of time. There's not much for them to do. So, waiting for others is a suitable option."
She entered the hall.
"You're not that old" her daughter in law answered. "And there's no excuse for being late for luncheon."
Edith hurried to kiss her grandmother welcome, hoping to escape the inquisition by her mother.
"Uh, Edith, dear, why is your face that cold?" The Dowager Countess expressed her surprise. "And look at you, child! Where have you been?"
The young woman looked down. The hem of her coat was wet and dirty, so were the one of her dress and her shoes. "I was out for a walk" she explained.
"Out for a walk?" Lady Violet sounded breathless by indignation. "During this weather? Child, you could die of pneumonia."
Her granddaughter was more aware not to die of her mother's glances. Therefore Edith hurried to her room.
Upstairs behind the closed door she sat down on her bed and let her mind wander. Sir Anthony's words still bothered her.
A handsome young man to court her was not what she needed, not what she wanted. I need someone to talk to about things beyond marriage and all this stuff, she thought. I need a friend.
A knock at the door brought her thoughts back to the upcomming luncheon.
"Come in!"
It was Anna. "Your mother sends me for dressing" she explained.
"Thank you, Anna." Edith tried to sound relaxed. Actually, she would prefer to stay in her room to think and to attitude some self-pity, but she knew that her mother would never except this.
"The blue one?"
"Pardon?"
Anna smiled. "Would you like to wear the light blue dress for luncheon?"
"Yes, please." Edith smiled back.
She took off her coat. It fell down next to her shoes, she had got rid off as she had entered the room. Next Anna assisted her to disrobe further.
"Sometimes I wonder how people manage to fall in love." Edith said out of the blue.
"No one can manage to fall in love" Anna answered.
"In some cases you might be right, but think of my sister and cousin Matthew. It took an awful lot of time until they finally agreed." Edith twitched on the lace of her dress.
"But what about Lady Sybill and her husband?" Anna replied still smiling.
"Yes, lucky Sybill. She made the perfect match... How does one know that?"
"Knows what?" Anna was a bit surprised by the topic of their talk.
"How does one knows who's the perfect match?" Edith watched her image in the mirror, while she spoke.
Anna rushed to style Lady Edith's hair. You just know, might not be the expected answer. The upcomming wedding caused a lot of huddle upstairs as well as downstairs. There had to be an influence also on Lady Edith - although these thoughts were a bit surprising.
"When I met Mr. Bates, I couldn't stop thinking of him. I wanted to spend as much time as possible with him..." Anna finally said and thought: And I still want this every single minute of the day.
"This is it?" Lady Edith asked thoughtfully.
"Yes, in my case, this was it" Anna finished. "But now please hurry for luncheon."