Author's Notes: Okay, I know there is no connection between the Duke of Crowborough and Sir Anthony Strallan on the show, but I think it is important to remember that a lot of aristocrat and gentry families are connected one way or the other. So I making them cousins in my story which will sort of mirror the situation with the Crawleys at the beginning of the show.

Historical notes: John Singer Sergeant was a very famous society painter during the late Victorian and Edwardian eras. During his last years, he mostly sketched his subjects. There is a lovely sketch on the future Queen Mother done by him in the early twenties which was a wedding present to the future King George VI when they were married in 1923.

Sorry it took so long to upload the third chapter.

I do not own Downton Abbey. If I do Lady Edith will be married in 1914, and lording over Mary for the rest of their lives.

Chapter Three

The next two months went by quickly for the new master of Locksley. His brother was buried in the grounds of the local church. His children Joshua and Eleanor arrived a few days later. The children were at awe at their new home which was far larger than their humble bungalow in India. Locksley was now filled with laughing children a situation it had not seen in a generation.

Cora, Countess of Grantham and Violet, Dowager Countess of Grantham along with Lady Edith Crawley called on Sir Andrew in the first part of March after his mourning period was over. Right away Edith saw the changes in the drawing room.

The antiques that her former fiancé had cultivated in his years as baronet and owner of Locksley was replaced by practical furniture from Maples with a few items from India scattered about. The most striking absence were the two John Singer Sergeant paintings of the two late Lady Strallans that hung on either side of the drawing room were taking down. Andrew had a painting of his father hung there instead and a painting of his late wife with their children on the other side.

"My, he wasted no time though I always thought that portrait of Eliza should have gone in the dining room." Violet quipped.

"It is practical," Cora nodded.

Edith said nothing. She found herself looking at the portrait of Sir Andrew's late wife. She was a beautiful woman reminding Edith of Mary. Before she was a debutante, Edith heard of the lovely Lady Diana Talbot-Carey. She had made her debut a year before Mary, and she even eclipsed Mary having many suitors. She was mysteriously whisked away to India a year after her debut. She was married off to a younger son of a baronet which was far lower than a daughter of a Duke who had illustrious peers chasing after her.

Nobody in England knew why Lady Diana was paired off to Doctor Andrew Strallan. He had a good linage being the great-great grandson of the Duchess of Devonshire and Earl Grey and a second cousin to the Duke of Crowborough, but it wasn't the grand marriage that the Talbot-Careys hoped for Lady Diana.

Edith heard her mother and grandmother talking about Sir Charles Strallan. Anthony never talked about his father, but Edith understood that there was bad blood between them. She came over to look at the portrait noting that Sir Andrew was a copy of his father except that Sir Charles sported the muttonchops and a mustache.

"Hello, Lady Grantham, I'm so sorry to keep you waiting."

They all turned to see Sir Andrew entering the room followed by an Indian maid carrying a tea tray. He kissed his godmother on the cheek while shaking hands with Cora and Edith before they sat down.

"Cora and I were commenting on the new furniture." Violet told him accepting a tea cup.

"Yes, I couldn't get my furniture from Bombay, and the room was rather cluttered and old fashioned."

"But most of these belong to your late mother." Violet protested.

"Yes, and that is the problem, Lady Grantham. They are lovely, and I did move many pieces into the sitting room upstairs. My children do have the run of the house. I don't think it would do any good for them to break such valuable pieces."

"Run of the house," Violet's eyes widened. "Don't they have a nursery wing to themselves?"

"My children are getting old for a nanny and nursery. They have their own rooms now. I have a governess for them though Joshua will be soon leaving for school." Andrew defended himself.

"I suppose," Violet lost an argument though she didn't really care.

Edith said nothing during her grandmother and their host spirited fight. She noticed Sir Andrew's eyes were looking at her the whole time. It made her uncomfortable thinking of the way Michael used to look at her, and the trouble it followed. She found herself scooting closer to her mother as a way of protection.

"Lady Edith," Sir Andrew's attention was now fully on her. "I hear that you write a column for the Sketch."

"Yes, I do." Edith sipped her tea not wanting to talk about another reminder of Michael.

"I don't read the Sketch usually, but I came across a recent issue in London last week. You wrote about the hardships women including society women finding the right husbands."

Edith knew what she wrote. She actually was thinking of her cousin Rose than herself. Rose was beautiful and glamorous, but she had less suitors than Mary. Rose was the one who suggested Edith write the article.

"Actually Lady Rose was the one who suggested the article." Edith quickly said. "I'm bit old to worry such a thing."

"Being a defeatist again, Edith?" Violet sighed with Cora looking at her daughter pointedly when they were in a presence of a charming, suitable man who was clearly interested in her.

"I think Lady Edith is being a realist. I found out not too long ago that I am one of only ten gentleman in my class at Eton that is still alive, and only one other is unmarried." Andrew did not want to put a damper on the pleasant tea, but he couldn't help defend Lady Edith.

The tea was soon drunk, and Andrew invited them for a walk in the gardens as it was a nice day. Violet frowned when Sir Andrew took Edith's arm to escort her around the gardens while Cora smiled ear to ear at the sight.

"Such a lovely couple," Cora gushed.

"I suppose."

"You know Andrew is also the heir to the Duke of Crowborough." Cora said.

It was never really discussed, but the baronet Strallan was once a subsidy title of the Dukedom of Crowborough. The fifth Duke of Crowborough who lived in the early part of the nineteen century had three sons. The third son Lord Charles Strallan-Knightley took the very minor title of baronet Strallan when he inherited Locksley in 1820. Sir Charles Strallan became the 2nd baronet Strallan, and he was the one who dropped the Knightley from his surname.

Now a hundred years later one of Lord Charles' grandsons could easily inherit the dukedom, and bring it to the Locksley branch of the Strallan-Knightley family.

"Philip, Duke of Crowborough is still a young man, and he has been married before."

"His wife and son died of the Spanish 'flu," Cora told her mother-in-law. "The duke is said to be heartbroken by it."

"Yes, but when the right lady comes along, you can bet there will be an heir." Violet was confident of that.

To be honest, she was now uneasy of her godson courting Edith. She feared that as soon as Sir Andrew got wind of Edith's secret, he would drop his courtship like a brick. No man would want to subject his children to a stepmother of bad reputation.

They said no more before it was time to leave. Edith said nothing, but Violet noticed she blushed more than usual. Oh dear, She thought. Here we go again.

Lady Rose MacClare sighed.

She was in London visiting the Lotus Club, but alas Jack Ross' band was no longer playing there having moved to Paris. It was an English band who hopelessly out of practice of the new jazz tunes. She and Madeline Allssop were tempted to leave that is until Rose dropped her purse.

A rather short, dark haired man picked it up. He was at least fifteen years older than Rose, but he was so boyishly handsome he could pass in his early twenties. He spoke beautifully giving way to his aristocratic background.

"Is this your purse?" He asked.

Rose found herself blushing at his first words. She didn't know why as she was used to admirers, but something about him that made her heart race.

"Yes, it is." She stammered.

He handed it to her.

"By the way," Rose was never one for convention. "What is your name?"

"My name is Philip Strallan-Knightley." The man said.

"Oh are you related to a Sir Andrew Strallan?"

"Yes, I'm a poor cousin to the baronet," Philip winked. "Is he one of your suitors?"

"Oh no," Rose shook her head not the least bit attracted to the rather serious baronet and knows that the neighborhood gossip points him towards her cousin Edith. "He's a neighbor."

"You are not by chance related to the Earl of Grantham."

"I'm his ward. Do you know Lord Grantham?"

The man was now hesitant. He didn't want to tell the young woman too much, but he now knows who she is and how much money she will bring into the marriage. No, the courtship must go on.

"Yes, a long time ago. I used to court Lady Mary Crawley."

"Oh, she never mentioned a Philip Strallan-Knightley before."

"Has she ever mentioned the Duke of Crowborough?"

Rose shook her head. Mary never really talked about her suitors past or present except in a very general way. She knew that Mary corresponded with Evelyn Napier on a regular basis though Rose was in the understanding that her cousin only feels friendship towards him.

"I'm rather disappointed," The duke put on a fake frown. "I was a very important suitor."

"I'm sure you were," Rose giggled.

"Well, if you don't mind, but I am without a dance partner though I'm sure you have young man lined up for a dance."

"Actually, I'm without a partner for the moment," Rose grinned.

"Well how fortuitous." The duke's face brightened. "Will you have this dance with me Lady Rose?"

"I will be delighted, your grace,"

Rose danced three dances with the duke. Rose was usually the unconventional type, but she found herself under the duke's famous charm. He knew so much of the latest music, art, and books though the latter two Rose could care less.

Soon it was time to go back to Lady Rosamond Painswick's home. Rose thanked the Duke of Crowborough for the lovely evening.

"Oh no problem, Lady Rose," the duke smiled. "I hope to see you soon."

Rose could only give a giggle before she went out into the early morning hours.