A/N: Thank you all for these great reviews! This feedback really motivates. :-))) Because of my holiday preparation this chapter will maybe be the only one for a couple of days - with all the more to be posted next week.
Duchess: Thank you for your lovely words about this story! Actually, right now I've no idea, how this couple will come together here. We have to wait and see, what will happen in the next chapters. But I'm sure that they will find their way. Hope, they will share this with me.
Candy: I'm glad you like it. "Two sad damaged souls" - yes, but always so cute together. I love their small scenes in the Christmas Special. The length of the chapters is a bit a matter of motivation. I always post what I have written during the day. But today's chapter is a bit longer and I'm sure the chapters, I will post after my holidays, will be long ones. *smile*
Loveedith: It's my favourite couple too. I hope so much that they will get more screentime during the next series. By then we will create our own "happily ever after". ;-)
"Has it become unfashionable to attend luncheon in time?" The Earl of Grantham expressed his anger about the delayed meal.
"No, papa" Lady Edith answered quickly. "I'm sorry."
"Very, well. Carson, if you please…"
While the lunch was served, none of the attendants dared to speak – just like everyone wanted to avoid further trouble. Finally the Dowager Countess broke the silence.
"Can you imagine, Robert, Edith was out for a walk" she said.
"Oh, really?"
The mood in the room brightened a bit.
"Not for a long one" Edith made clear. "I only went to the old churchyard."
Sir Robert focussed on his second daughter. "There has laid a lot of snow up the hill."
"It isn't that worse" she replied. "The way is free as far as Charleston Manor."
"But you had had to see the condition of her dresses" Lady Violet voiced her outrage. "The girl will get a terrible cold, if not something worse."
"It was only a bit wet at the hem…" Edith defended herself.
Meanwhile her mother decided that it was time to change the topic. "Apropos cold, Robert, we need further male guest for the dinner on Friday. Unfortunately Cecil MacGillan cancelled. He is far too ill to travel."
"A pity" Lady Violet remarked. "He always used to be a very entertaining conversationalist."
"What about Anthony Strallan?" the Earl suggested. "He was always welcome in our house before the war."
Edith's heart jumped in her chest. Oh, mama, yes please, she thought.
"But we talked about entertainment and conversation" Mary was suddenly heard. "You can't mix this with this boring old…"
"Mary, please don't be that rude" Cora rebuked her oldest daughter, while Edith's eyes narrowed. "Your father is right. We should ask Sir Anthony to join us for dinner."
Edith was torn between the joy about this decision and her anger against Mary. Her sister was really a selfish and ignorant hag. Just because she was going to marry soon, she thought that she would be something special. Everyone would be glad, when she finally left Downton Abbey for setting up a home for her own.
"And, Edith, I would prefer, if you would not destroy the plate with your fork." Lady Cora shook her head. "What is wrong with you both today?"
"I'm sorry, mama." Edith blushed.
"As I said" the Dowager Countess decided to contribute something to the discussion. "It's the upcoming cold. You should better hurry to bed, before it overturns you. Look how red your face already is."
"I'm fine, granny." Edith assured and blushed even more. "Really."
She was saved by her mother. "Maybe you can help me, Edith. I'm so busy with the Mary's wedding preparations. Would you mind to send Anthony Strallan the invitation for the dinner?"
"I bet she won't" Mary snorted with laughter. "Edith is still keen on…"
"Mary" her father called her to order. "Stop it now. I'd like to finish luncheon without any further disturbance."
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In the afternoon Edith seclude herself in the privacy of the library. She tried not to hurry, but she was eager to execute her mother's order.
She didn't tell anybody about her meeting with Sir Anthony in the morning, but actually nobody had even asked about the details of her walk. Therefore there were no obligations to explain in details, how she had spent her time.
Dear Sir Anthony, she wrote and stopped. What would he think, when he received this letter? How should she avoid the impression that she forced her parents to invite him to this occasion? Would she truly like to avoid this impression? Did she care?
Without finding a suitable answer she continued writing the letter: Our family is holding a dinner for our neighbours and friends on next Friday. We would like to invite you on this occasion and hope you can join us for this evening. We are looking forward to seeing you at Downton Abbey. Sincerely, Edith Crawley.
Was this letter too formal? Did she have any possibility to express some of her feelings between the lines? No, there was no way right now, but Edith was sure that she could continue today's conversation with him once he would admit the dinner.
"Here you're" Lady Cora entered the library.
"I'm writing to Sir Anthony regarding the dinner as you asked for."
"Thank you, my dear! That's very kind of you. And would you mind to let Anna know, which dress you would like to wear on this occasion? As you might remember your father and I invited two suitable young men to the dinner. I want that you look as splendid as possible…"
Edith was so sick of being treated like an adolescent girl. Since Mary was finally promised to Matthew, her mother and her grandmother were working even harder on possible matches for the remaining daughter. The victim of these efforts had no idea, where both took the power to think about this while they were organising Mary's wedding. She only wishing they would give it up.
Of course, she would choose one of her favourite dresses, but not – as her mother might think – for presenting herself to some potential marriage candidates, but to impress one man only.