Probably the last update I'll post on here for a while. With graduation coming up, I'm gonna be busy as heck.

And, I admit that I stole one particular line from the show. It was too ingenious to pass up. It just had to be included. Some other lines are variations on lines from the show. Speaking of the show, is anyone watching series four? I'm tempted to quit on it...

Disclaimer: I do not own Downton Abbey or GWTW.

April 1912: Part II

Blythe Edwards was traveling upstairs to change Her Ladyship's sheets when the man suddenly entered the hallway.

He was not particularly handsome, but Blythe's heart quickened at his arrival to nonetheless. With his somewhat stocky form and fine clothes, she sensed a certain charm him. He carried himself with a quiet dignity that resonated through his manners. These same manners also reflected the gentleman he most certainly was.

Upon seeing her, he walked over and introduced himself as Mark Stevenson.

"Are you the new valet, then?"

"Yes, I am. And you are a housemaid, I assume? Presumably Head Housemaid?"

She laughed. "Indeed! I'm Blythe Edwards, by the way. Please, do just call me Blythe." She stuck out her hand.

Grasping it gently—yet firmly—he shook her hand.

"And who's this new friend of yours, Blythe?" A snarling voice drawled from behind her.

Blythe bit her tongue. The odious woman!

"Ms. Johnson, this is Mr. Stevenson. He will be His Lordship's valet."

"Ah. I see." The Lady's Maid glanced disdainfully over the newcomer as if he was spoiled milk.

"Why didn't you use the front door, Mr. Stevenson? A footman would've readily answered for you."

Blythe blushed furiously. How horribly he must think of his fellow servants now!

But the man—seeming unfazed—matched Ms. Johnson's icy tone and stated that he had not wanted special treatment.

Upon hearing this, Ms. Johnson smirked.

"But what of your leg, Mr. Stevenson? Surely it would have been easier to ask the chauffeur to drop you off-"

"I beg your pardon, Ms. Johnson, but I walked here from the station. As for my leg," he tapped it while Blythe stared at it, dumbfounded, "That is a matter of which that only concerns myself."

Blythe gasped as she saw the wooden cane that he grasped in his right hand. She had hoped that he wouldn't hear the tiny outburst, but his response proved otherwise.

"It is my burden to carry, and mine alone. Please, do not pity me. I would despise that more than anything else." He smiled sadly.

She glanced down at her shoes, blushing furiously. Surely he must think the worst of them now!

"Ah, the new valet, I suppose?" Mrs. Brown suddenly appeared before the trio.

"Yes. How do you do." He smiled.

Returning the greeting, she inquired about his trip. When he had revealed to her that he had neglected the use of a car, as well as deliberately ignored entering through the front door, she berated him.

"Why, Mr. Stevenson! Surely it would have been no bother-"

"Mrs. Brown, I assure you, I did not mind my walk or my choice of entry. In fact, I insisted upon carrying out my actions in this particular manner."

Shaking her head, she abolished him once more before finding Stephen. After a brief introduction to the Second Footman, the two shook hands before Mrs. Brown ordered for Stephen to bring the new valet to his living quarters.

"I trust Mr. Cromwell has showed you which room Mr. Stevenson will be residing in, Stephen?"

"Yes, Mrs. Brown."

"Very good. Off you go, then!"

Nodding, the boy took Mr. Stevenson's luggage—which the new valet silently protested and led him to the Servants' Quarters.

Glancing at the blushing Head Housemaid and fuming Lady's Maid, the Housekeeper sighed. What troubles would arise as a result of this man's employment?

~o~

"Oh, Gerald! Did you truly have to install electricity in this place?" Roseanne whipped out a fan rather dramatically to emphasize her point. His mother had made yet another unexpected visit to Downtara and was currently fanning herself furiously as she sat down in the drawing room.

"Oh, Mamma, please! Times are changing, and Downtara must keep up. Besides, the electrical light fixtures are only on the first floor. Ellen and the girls cannot stand the electricity in their rooms!" Gerald looked rather proud of himself as he poured a glass of pre-dinner brandy from a decanter.

"I don't know how you can stand it, darling. I wouldn't be able to bear it for a moment, what with all these fumes!" she shook her head as Gerald offered a glass of brandy for her, mumbling about how awfully strong it was.

"What should I do, Mamma? About the entail, I mean?"

Roseanne—always the fine, stiff-backed portrait of aristocratic elegance—sighed in defeat.

"I cannot assist you in that matter, I'm afraid."

Gerald passed a hand over his face.

"I shall see who my nearest relation is, then. I see no other choice."

"But is that wise, my dear boy? What if he ends up being some sort of…country bumpkin?" The mere thought sent a small shudder down the Dowager's back. "How horrible that would be!"

"Mamma, there is nothing else we can do, is there?"

"Unfortunately, there is not. However, I for one refuse to pass Downtara on to some stranger from God-knows-where! Don't you care for this place at all?"

This last remark ignited a fire in Gerald. He was a full grown man, yet his mother still proved to be very protective of him. However, as is with the nature of maturing, he found that his mother did not rule his life, nor should she attempt to. This being stated, he could not bear the slicing arrow his mother had just shot into his heart. In order to deflect any further wounds, he set off on a monologue.

"I've given my life to Downtara. I was born here, and I hope to die here. I claim no career beyond the nurture of this house and the estate. It is my third parent and my fourth child. Do I care about it? Yes, I do care!"

All was silent for a moment in the drawing room.

"You do realize that Ellen's fortune is also at stake, then?" His mother broke the barrier between them.

"Of course I'm aware of that, Mamma."

"And yet you still married her against my wishes-"

"Would it surprise you very much if I told you that she has made me very happy?"

She huffed indignantly.

"I must say, Gerald…She has made you happy? Do you even love that American wife of yours?"

"Of course I do, Mamma-"

"But not initially, though?"

Wincing, he reluctantly nodded. "You know that for a fact, Mamma."

"And, pray tell, how long have you loved her?"

"It took me a year after our marriage."

"A year? Are you quite-"

"Mamma, I've already tired of this conversation."

She gestured to the decanter of brandy.

"I've changed my mind. This whole affair has made me awfully thirsty!"

~o~

"Oh, how dreadful I look in black!" Scarlett sighed as she caught sight of her reflection.

The three sisters (as well as Blythe) had congregated in Scarlett's bed chambers. This was a tradition of sorts with them. Ever since they were young girls, the three sisters would always gather in Scarlett's bedroom before dinner. They would pretend to do each other's hair and attempt to dress themselves in corsets. What fun it was!

But then, as Scarlett neared the age of twelve, she began to acquire the haughtiness of the aristocracy. She prided herself on being the eldest daughter, and therefore expected all to bow down to her, for she was to inherit Downtara if she married a family relation. Suellen grew rather jealous of her sister, and soon found it impossible to spend any time with her. Careen found herself refereeing all of her sisters' fights, and thus began to grow and mature at the young age of eight.

Despite the tension the two eldest sisters felt towards each other, they tolerated each other's presence to the best of their ability in the Scarlett's room.

The rooms of each sister matched their personality. Scarlett's room had vibrant walls; her bed canopy was varying shades of crimson (the colors also true to her namesake). Her vanity was littered with cosmetics and a wide assortment of brushes. The aroma of different eau de colognes lingered in the air.

"But look on the bright side! Mamma and Papa said that we'll only have to go into half-mourning!" Careen smiled slightly for her sister's benefit, but her red-rimmed eyes told of anything but happiness within her.

"How could you be so cruel?" Suellen glared at Scarlett before wiping her eyes with a handkerchief. "Did you never love or care for Charles, your own fiancé?"

Scarlett winced. "Please, don't call him my fiancé."

"Well, then what do you call someone you're about to marry?"

"Would you two-Oh!" Careen suddenly looked rather pale. "Blythe? Would you please loosen my corset?"

"You're putting on weight, darling." Scarlett chided as Blythe began to undo Careen's stays.

"I am not putting on weight." The girl blushed furiously.

Suellen patted Careen's shoulder.

"Of course not, darling. Scarlett's just being horrid once again." She glared at the eldest daughter.

"I really do wish you would shut up once in a while." Scarlett rolled her eyes and soon focused her attention on choosing her jewelry.

Blythe sighed. "Milady-"

Suellen raised a hand to stop Blythe from finishing her sentence. "Why must you insist on being so horrible?"

"Please, both of you! Stop, just…not now, please." Careen rubbed her temples as Blythe finished re-doing her stays.

"Anything else, milady?" Blythe asked Scarlett.

"Not for me, no." She glanced at her younger sisters. "Do either of you need anything else?"

They both shook their heads. Bobbing a curtsy, Blythe left as the girls thanked her.

"Let's go, then." With one last look at her reflection, Scarlett stood up from her vanity and led the three sisters down to the dining room.

I was actually listening to "The Suite" when I was typing up one part of this...

Full credit to Julian Fellows for the following line: "...I was born here, and I hope to die here. I claim no career beyond the nurture of this house and the estate. It is my third parent and my fourth child. Do I care about it? Yes, I do care!"

The whole weight issue with Careen and Scarlett? That was directly from the show, but not in the pilot, I believe.

By the way, I've made a decision. I won't include every single moment of the show. This being stated, I will be writing this in a mixture of canon/non-canon.

Reviews are much appreciated.