Cora saw Robert's reflection appear in the vanity table's mirror as she sat applying the hand cream that was part of her nightly ritual. "I thought I heard you in your dressing quite some time ago. You didn't go back down for one more whiskey did you?"
He shook his head as he emitted a laugh. "I actually …" he paused as he looked at her "you're going to think I'm silly but I went upstairs to the nursery. I kept thinking I've just been dreaming this …"
Noting the aura of pure joy he emitted she couldn't help but smile. "You're happy" she said as she turned to face him.
His face beaming he nodded. "It's been quite a day hasn't it?" He took off his robe and flung it across the bottom of the bed before sitting down on the edge of the bed facing Cora. "Golly did you think this would happen? That they'd come back?"
Cora slightly shook her head as she smiled at him, her smile almost matching his. "I must admit I am surprised. I thought that Tom would …" she paused as she turned her head. "I just thought that-"
"I don't care why" Robert didn't wait for Cora to finish her thoughts "he came back I'm just so glad they did."
"Glad they came back or that Sybbie is back?" It hadn't been hard for those around him to see how much Robert missed his granddaughter.
"I said I'm glad they're back Cora and I mean both Sybbie and Tom."
Cora stood and reached out her hands towards Robert. "Now that is something I never thought I'd hear you say. It's funny how things change."
Robert took her hands in his while Cora glanced over to her bedside table and the framed photograph of a smiling Sybil that sat there. "She'd be so pleased to hear you say that Robert."
As usual Robert was the first down for breakfast. He almost automatically said "Good morning Carson" before realizing that the black clad figure standing stiffly beside the sideboard was Thomas and not the long time butler. "Thomas" Robert nodded at him before picking up his plate. "Still a bit hard to believe Carson and Mrs. Hughes" his voice trailed as he began making his breakfast selections.
Taking his full plate he settled in his seat at the head of the table and opened the copy of The Daily Telegraph that Thomas had set there. Perusing the newspaper while he emptied his full plate, he suddenly felt a small tug on his arm causing him to sharply turn his head. Whatever he might have expected to be the source of the tug he wasn't prepared to see the small figure of his oldest granddaughter. Although her dark hair was tousled as if she had just woken and she was dressed in what he surmised passed as American sleepwear for little girls, pants and a top of matching tiny floral pattern, she looked alert and bright eyed and was looking directly at him.
"Sybbie" Robert said as he looked into the bright blue eyes of the little girl. "What in heavens name are you doing down here?"
"I woke up and no one else is up but I'm hungry and I can't remember where's Daddy's room so I came down here."
"Well" Robert began thinking that the child should eat breakfast up in the nursery but looking at that impish face that he was so glad to see again he didn't have the heart to send her back upstairs. "Would you like to join me for breakfast?"
She vigorously shook her head yes. Robert turned to look at the food laden sideboard and saw that Thomas had lifted a plate and was holding it out for the little girl. "Could I help you fill up your plate Miss Sybbie?" he asked with a genuine smile that surprised Robert.
In return Sybbie, offering up a big smile, nodded at Thomas as she reached for the plate. "Yes please Thomas."
Will wonders never cease thought Robert as he watched Thomas display what he considered uncharacteristic kindness and gentleness with the little girl while amid much chuckling from both he helped her make her selections. But then, Robert quickly reminded himself, it had been Thomas who had alerted Cora to that nanny's mistreatment of Sybbie. Maybe just maybe, he thought, the man does have a heart after all.
She must have really been hungry Robert thought as he watched Sybbie devour her scrambled eggs and sausage.
"Is Grandma a sleepy-head?"
"Is Grandma what?" a confused Robert responded to Sybbie.
"That's what Daddy calls me when I don't want to get up" she breezily responded.
Robert chuckled. "Your grandmother doesn't come down here for breakfast."
"But she needs to eat breakfast and you shouldn't have to sit here alone."
"Well your Aunt Mary and Aunt Edith always come down but I like to come down first and read the newspaper a bit before they get here."
"So you have something to talk to them about?" Sybbie glanced at the newspaper lying on the table. "Daddy says there's always so many interesting stories in the newspaper."
"I can't really read yet so he has to tell me the stories" Sybbie continued. "Is there any news today that you'd like to tell me?"
Amused at this line of conversation Robert asked "Well what kind of news are you interested in?"
Sybbie set her fork down and tilted her head, her eyes casting off in the distance as if she were thinking.
"Actually" Robert began, his eyes twinkling, "the most interesting news around here is that a certain young lady who had fled over the sea and far away has returned home much to the delight of her adoring grandpapa."
It didn't take long for Tom and Sybbie to settle back into life at Downton with Tom again working with Mary only this time claiming himself as co-estate manager and Sybbie happily ensconced in the nursery with George and Marigold. And although she made no more appearances in the dining room for breakfast with Robert, Sybbie did regularly accompany him on his morning walk. Sometimes they were joined by George but it was usually just grandfather and granddaughter and most in the household would say it was the highlight of the day for Robert.
Donk if birds can walk and fly why can't we fly?
Donk how fast can a rabbit run?
Can Isis run faster than a rabbit?
Why won't the deer let me pet them?
A hedgehog is so funny looking and why are they called hedgehogs?
Robert was both amused and baffled by Sybbie's endless questions and every day something different seemed to capture her attention.
Why are some trees so tall?
What's the tallest living thing?
Why don't we have lions or tigers here?
Had his own daughters ever been this curious he wondered? Then looking at this little bundle of energy hopping up and down as she tried to hit every rain puddle (he had long ago given up trying to stifle such behavior), he couldn't recall ever taking Mary or Edith on a walk although surely he must have done so. He stopped walking and looked across the field but his mind wasn't seeing the far gently rolling hills now covered in the dark green of summer trees. Instead he saw a young Mary with her dark glossy hair and eyes equally dark and even then she had an imperial manner and sharp tongue reminding him too much of his mother. Mary had never needed him, had seemed happiest playing on her own or galloping around on her pony or needling Edith.
Edith … he sighed at the image of the pale, golden-red haired little Edith who always seem to have a book in her hands. She had always been too shy and too timid and had faded into the background.
If any of his girls ever wandered the fields and meadows of the estate with him it had been Sybil. Sybil had always seemed to make her presence known with her laughter or her constant movement. He loved all his daughters but would admit that Sybil had been the most delightful child even if a bit trying and tiring.
"Donk!" Sybbie's enthusiastic cry startled him for he had forgotten he wasn't alone.
"Donk this branch would be just perfect!" she said as she pointed at the tree.
"Perfect?" He looked where she was pointing. "Perfect for what?"
"My tree swing" she answered in a tone implying he must be dense. "My cousin Rory had one and it was the most fun." She ran back to him and grabbed his arm "Oh please Donk let's make a swing."
"So I hear Sybbie has talked you into making a swing" Tom smiled as he twirled a spoon in his teacup.
"Do you really think it's safe?" Edith asked.
"Oh Edith don't be such a spoil sport. You can't keep the children locked up in a box" Mary tartly entered the conversation.
"I remember we had such a swing back when we lived in Cincinnati and it was hours of fun" Cora said wistfully. "Sometimes I'd even just sit there and read a book just loving being outside in the sunshine."
"Well don't be surprised if next she asks for a sandbox" Tom chuckled.
"Whatever would she want with a box of sand?"
"It's not a box of sand" an amused Tom began to answer the Dowager. "It's a pile of sand enclosed by half foot boards to keep it together and children play in it. It's cleaner than playing in dirt."
But Tom's explanation didn't seem to soothe the old lady. "Playing in dirt?" Now the Dowager sounded absolutely astounded. "Another wild American habit I suppose" she said as she gave a dismissive wave of her hand.
Robert was sitting at his desk in the library when he heard the doors open. He turned his head to see Mary enter the room and then turned back to look out the window in front of his desk.
Continuing to stare out the window he said rather huffily. "I guess you agree with Tom." Robert knew that Mary and Tom had become quite close and that she looked to him rather than her own father for advice. Robert often felt that it was two against one in the running of the estate.
"I think Tom should decide where and how Sybbie should be educated" Mary responded. "He is her father."
"No Crawley has ever attended the village school or are you also thinking of sending George to the village school?"
"Of course not Papa. Although I admit I'm not anxious for him to go away to boarding school either." Mary sighed heavily. "And you need to remember that Sybbie is a Branson not a Crawley."
"She is the granddaughter of the Earl of Downton and the cousin of the future Earl!"
Robert sighed as he sat down on the couch and his voice softened. "It's just that I think a governess can be better for Sybbie. She's so very bright and with a governess she'd be the only pupil and not just one of many in a classroom vying for attention."
"Papa, I know that you're concerned with Sybbie's welfare. But I think you'll just have to accept that you and Tom have very different views on this matter." Mary tried to appease her father. She hated to see relations break down between Tom and her father after the long journey they had made to get to where they were now.
Mary continued "Besides I think that Sybil …" Mary quickly stopped. It would do no good to invoke what she thought Sybil would have thought of the matter. Indeed Mary thought, if Sybil were alive this wouldn't even be an issue for Tom and Sybbie would probably not be living at Downton.
"Sybil what?" Robert snarled.
Mary just shook her head. "I shouldn't have said that."
"Mary" Robert uttered.
But Mary again just shook her head. "It's for Tom to decide Papa."
Robert could guess what Mary was going to say. Sybil would want Sybbie to go to a school as she had so wanted to do.
"Oh Papa, why can't I go to the village school?" eight year old Sybil implored. "I think it would be so much better than Miss Hutchinson."
"Sybil, Ladies don't go to school."
"But Papa, I see other girls going there. I wouldn't be the only girl there."
"Sybil, they are not Ladies. They are the daughters of the tenants or shopkeepers or tradesmen"
"But Papa they are my age. I'd have friends. I'd have other girls to play with."
"School is for learning Sybil not playing."
"I know Papa. I could learn there and have fun."
"It's simply out of the question Sybil."
"But why Papa?"
Robert could feel the tears that clouded his eyes. He thought of her often, he'd envision that charming smile which in turn would make him smile. He had so many happy memories of her but every now and then, even after all this time, sometimes the thought of her filled him with such sorrow. It was a hurt that would never go away and it would be with him until the end of his days.
He was a man of tradition and the aristocracy and proud of it so it had been hard to realize how much the world around him was changing. He wasn't a man for introspection but he realized now he had been wrong about so many things. Cora had accused him of not seeing Sybil for who she really was and he realized now that she was right.
Standing on the village green talking to one of his tenants Robert heard the peal of the school bell.
"That's my signal Mr. Barnes. I need to get to the school."
He was halfway to the school yard when he spotted Sybbie laughing with a group of boys and girls. Spying her grandfather she waved goodbye to her school mates and gaily skipped towards him.
"How was school today?" Robert asked the youngster as she took his hand.
"I learned …"
Listening to her delightedly talking about her day Robert was amused at how much she liked school.
He wouldn't make the mistakes with Sybbie that he had with her mother.
