If Love Were All – Epilogue

A big thank you to all the reviews and those who have added this story to their favourites, very much appreciated and it makes all the brain crunching worthwhile.

This epilogue is dedicated to Catwoman99, Mrs Danvers and emmiswe.

I am thinking of a sequel and have written a couple of drafts but it will be back to "Pen Pals" for the time being.

Two months later on the same day.

Downton Abbey, Downton, Yorkshire

Robert glanced at his watch and sighed. Amelia Tomlinson was running late and there was a rather full day away for him. Since she arrived as secretary to him and Cora, a routine was established where they would go through the day's agenda before breakfast. Not that he minded her being a bit late though, the time he had alone while waiting meant that he could indulge in a bit of daydreaming. Looking down at the watch again, there was a wistful look of his face as his finger traced the initials engraved at the back of the timepiece.

He heard footsteps making their way to his dressing room and sure enough, Amelia burst in clutching two diaries, a notebook and a bag with letters to be posted.

"Sorry I'm late," she panted. "Her Ladyship kept me for awhile as she's given me enough work that would keep me busy until the next century or so."

Robert shook his head. "No need to apologise."

Knowing that she was tardy and not wanting to waste anymore time, Amelia had opened one of the diaries and started to rattle off today's schedule which consisted to visiting Bates in prison, a meeting with Mr Murray, and lunch in the House of Lords. Midway she noticed that Robert was only half listening. Snapping the diary shut, she proffered a folded piece of paper.

"The day's agenda is all in here, that is, if you're sick of hearing my voice," Amelia joked then added seriously, "Her Ladyship asked me to phone Sir Anthony Strallan to invite him to dine with the family tonight."

"That will be all Miss Tomlinson, thank you."

"You all right sir?" Amelia asked quizzically. Ever since she picked him up from that house in Ripon two months ago, she had noticed him looking pensive and going through the motions like a zombie. However, he seemed to act normal around his family and the servants, so maybe she was just imagining things.

"Perfectly fine," Robert replied, his voice a bit too smooth for the secretary's ears. Amelia wisely thought it would be best not to pursue the matter further as it was not her place to ask whether there was a problem or not.

"By the way, Anna asked me to give you this, it came with her post this morning," she took out an envelope from her jacket pocket and handed it to him. Mumbling an excuse, Amelia curtseyed then left.

Robert tucked the day's agenda into his pocket then opened the envelope that he had just been handed. His face broke into a smile as he skimmed the letter. It was from his beloved Jane, they had been corresponding since their last meeting and he treasured the letters he received from her. He would have time to read her letter while on the train to London.

Slipping the letter into his pocket, Robert made his way down to have breakfast thinking when he could see her again.

Harewood House, Leeds, Yorkshire

It was already half past nine in the morning and Jane returned to her room to change. For showing visitors around the house, Lord Harewood insisted that she wear something other than her uniform and that presented a conundrum as she was running out of things to wear. Fortunately, Lady Harewood, her daughter and daughter-in-law had passed on some of their dresses to Jane which was reworked with the help of Miss Clarke and Jessica into the latest fashions.

"Come in," Jane said as she heard a knock on her door.

"Need any help?" Jessica poked her head.

"Yes please," Jane had already removed her cap and apron while retrieving the dress she would be wearing from her wardrobe.

"I don't know how you manage," Jessica began as she helped Jane out of her uniform and into the purple dress made from the fabric that she had bought at Ripon. "I'm already dead on my feet as we speak."

"Well, by the time I'm finished I'll be dead on my feet too so that makes the two of us," Jane agreed as he eyes fell on the chain around her neck which held a locket containing a photo of Freddie and a very special ring. Her look became wistful as her finger traced the design on the ring.

Jessica continued to babble along as she did Jane's hair, completely unaware that the latter was only half listening. The junior maid had the reputation of talking so much that the running joke at Harewood was that if talking were an Olympic sport then Jessica Gough would win hands down.

"And Ian asked Allan why he ran away when the brawl started and Allan, being our resident coward said..." Jessica paused then added. "You know what, I feel like I'm talking to the wall. Are you all right?"

There was no answer and Jessica looked dubiously at her friend wondering if she needed her eyes and brain examined. Since Jane returned from Ripon, Jessica noticed that she sometimes alternated between acting like a zombie and being deep in thought. That said, that didn't seem to affect her performance and she was still normal around others.

"I'm fine," Jane gave a smile that didn't quite reach to her eyes. Jessica shrugged and decided it wasn't the best time to ask if there was anything wrong and that she would like to talk about.

Jessica slotted in the last of the hairpins in place and stood back to admire the handwork. "Not bad if I may say so," she beamed then handed Jane an envelope. "By the way, the post came early today & this is for you."

"Oh thank you for the letter and the hair," Jane grinned as Jessica waved on her way out.

Once she was alone again, she looked at the envelope. It was from Anna and as she opened the envelope, another fell. Retrieving it from the floor and opening it, her face broke into a smile. The letter was from her beloved Robert, they had been corresponding since their last meeting and she treasured the letters she received from him.

Placing both letters inside a box she kept hidden in her wardrobe, Jane left her room and made her way to the grand foyer where she would be welcoming the first batch of visitors to the house. She would have time to read the letters tonight after work.

As Jane finally reached Harewood's grand foyer, she greeted Mr Healey, took a deep breath and positioned herself by the front door. Briefly, her mind wandered to contemplate on when she could see him again.

THE END

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