Chapter 4 - The Gift

This one has more Downton characters – am getting the hang of it. Enjoy! Comments and reviews always welcome.

King's Cross station was a whirl of activity as trains steamed into the platforms and travellers disembarked, while other trains sat with their doors open waiting for passengers to climb aboard. Amidst the sights and sounds beneath the station's towering arches, Sybil waited for the noon train to Yorkshire.

It was Christmas Eve, so the station was particularly busy. She noticed far more servicemen milling about in the crowds than there had been in the summer. The military dress of all ranks lent a mossy hue that now dominated the swirling scene. And yet even amongst the uniformity, Sybil could still make out faces and voices, different intonations from all corners of the country, and on occasion the far reaches of the Empire. Who were these men? Where did they come from and where were they going? What happened to the women they left behind? And, as she now was in the habit of considering, perhaps because of the two hundred or more soldiers who had been through her ward, would they be coming back? She wished them all a safe journey.

The train was finally ready to board. Sybil found her way to her compartment and sat down. The train slowly lurched out of the station. Life, she began to understand, was filled with comings and goings.

Sybil preferred to take the train up to Yorkshire rather than bother her Aunt to have Pritchard drive her all the way to Downton, although Papa would have preferred it. She liked the time on the train to watch the countryside as it passed by and think about what lie ahead in the coming weeks and months. When she arrived at the small station in Ripon, Taylor, who had returned to his old job, as young men were scarce these days, was waiting for her with the car.

As they drove from Ripon to Downton the silence was deafening. She missed hearing the brash Irish radical, his opinions, his dreams. On trips like these, the car had become in many ways their sanctuary. It seemed paradoxical that in a house as big as Downton Abbey that this tiny car cab was the only place where someone from upstairs like her could find a space of equality with someone from downstairs like Branson; even though the front seat drew a boundary that neither had dared, for the most part, to cross.

Where was he out there? Sybil sighed. And as her mind drifted to the inevitable, would he be coming back?

Carson was the first to welcome her home to Downton. "Good to have you home for the holidays, Milady."

"Good to be home, Carson" she said warmly. "You are well? And how is everyone else?"

"We are all fine. And given what's going on elsewhere in the world, certainly no worse for the wear," his bass-like voice filled the hall.

Isobel had also just arrived, so she was lingering nearby.

"Cousin Sybil how good it is to see you," Isobel said taking both of her hands and looking her over. "Yes, yes, Matthew was right, along with becoming an independent woman who knows her own mind – you have become a stunning young lady. He said how much your spirit reminded him of me."

And then she added much to Sybil's surprise, "He couldn't stop talking about your dinner party, how you had to fend off a gaggle of attentive officers. I do think he might have been a tad bit jealous. I dare say your sister might have a little competition."

"Oh, I assure you Cousin Matthew can spin quite a tall tale," as she downplayed the comment thinking Mary might be lurking nearby, "I do look forward to seeing him again."

"His train comes later today, he will be joining us for dinner," Isobel informed her.

And then her mother rushed to greet her youngest daughter.

"Sybil, I am so happy to see you home my dear."

"Mama, I missed you so much," she confessed as she kissed her mother on the cheek. "Has Papa arrived?"

"No my darling girl I am afraid to tell you, he won't be coming home this Christmas," Cora sadly informed her.

"That can't be, he must be here," she insisted against all hope.

"Now…now go upstairs. Dust off your train ride and come to the sitting room. I was just about the have tea with your Grandmother and Cousin Isobel, and I want to hear all about London and the hospital."

Later that day Sybil dressed herself for dinner in a simple green silk wrapped dress with shear tunic. Finished, she went in search her sisters, who had been in the village all afternoon.

That fateful day at the garden party where Lord Grantham announced that Britain had lost its peacetime, Edith had also lost Sir Anthony and Mary had lost Matthew. Since then relations between the two women had thawed, but only to the level of public civility between the warring Crawley sisters. The two could barely hold a conversation in private as there was still a glacier of suspicion, jealousy, and back biting that impeded the way. Deep down regardless of intentions or actions, both Mary and Edith merely wanted to love and to be loved. But the obligations of being a woman of rank with certain expectations and few choices had consigned both of them to a permanent state of unhappiness. And Sybil so wanted them both to be happy.

Edith she found in the hallway.

"Glad to have you home, I was on my way to tell mother about the charity work we did in the village today, so I will see you downstairs," Edith said as she gave her sister a hug and rushed off. Edith had become even more sullen than before the war, as she believed that she would only ever be second best in someone else's eyes or heart.

Mary she found in her room.

"Oh there you are. Anna is away till tomorrow. O'Brien just left; she was coming to your room next to help you get dressed. But it looks like you have already done the job," her older sister said as she turned around to give Sybil a kiss. "You are so self sufficient these days."

Mary turned back to the mirror to finish putting on her jewelry.

"How did you ever get dressed without the help of a lady's maid?" Mary asked.

"I dress myself most days. I typically wear one of two versions of the same blue uniform."

"Radical in dress and radical in everything else, my dear little sister. What ever will you think of next to shock us? You aren't going to tell me you've started cooking for yourself are you."

"Well I do make my own tea at the hospital and on occasion at home. The staff below have gotten used to it, I think they find it entertaining.

"I had this dress made in London precisely because I don't need help to put it on. My other little secret—I have stopped wearing a full corset. But don't tell Granny or she'll accuse me of being wanton and have me chained to my bedpost." Sybil twirled in front of Mary, "What do you think? Its modeled after the latest French fashion."

"Tres chic," Mary smiled at her beloved little sister, "Well at least you held onto your good taste, can't say the same for our poor dear sister."

"I saw Matthew in London last month." Sybil said to change the topic, which caught Mary by surprise as she held an earring dangling in mid air.

"Oh. And how was he getting along?" she asked trying to sound disinterested.

"Matthew was in good spirits. For a solicitor, he is great fun you know. I see why you almost married him. We went to a wonderful dinner party at the house of Major and Lady Cowan. We were inseparable the entire evening."

Sybil threw in the last part to pique Mary's infamous jealousy. Mary always wanted what someone else had. She knew her sisters well. And with that epiphany she knew exactly what she would give them for Christmas.

"I will see you downstairs, there is something I must to do first," Sybil told Mary as she headed out of the room "I like the diamond earrings, they frame your face in a halo of light."

Formal dinners at Downton were far fewer and less grand than the ones before the war. Tonight, however, Mrs. Patmore had made this a special dinner to lift everyone spirits since Lord Grantham wasn't going to be home for the holidays. Not having Papa at the head of the table left a gaping whole in the family circle. Differences of opinions, failed engagements, and disappointments aside, they were all family and these ritual dinners reaffirmed that connection.

After the last plates were cleared everyone retired to the drawing room.

Sybil was happy to see Matthew again. She had grown fond of her cousin. They sat next to one another at dinner and continued their conversation over tea. Because Sybil spent part of her day reading or writing letters for the soldiers she had become quite knowledgeable about the different battles, regiments, and the changing tenor of the war effort. So she engaged Matthew in a lengthy discussion about his most recent deployment.

Edith talked to Isobel. Violet and Cora were discussing various charities and local gossip. And Mary stood by the fire stewing in her envy.

Just then a commotion could be heard in the entrance hall. It sounded like a man in distress, with poor Carson trying to find out what he wanted

"I just want to know is she alright…"

"If who is alright?"

"Lady Edith."

"She is in the drawing room."

"What the devil do you mean 'in the drawing room'?"

Carson entered, "Pardon me, Milady." And whispered something in Lady Grantham's ear.

"Oh my, how strange," Cora said "excuse me," as she walked to the door. Sybil followed behind her.

Before they could get to the door, Sir Anthony Strallon bounded into the room and made a beeline for Edith who was now standing.

Strallon grabbed her hands, "Lady Edith, thank goodness you are safe!"

Edith blushed with confusion, "Yes, I am quite alright. Why wouldn't I be?"

"Well I received this note saying you had fallen in riding accident and near death's door. But I can see it must have been some bad prank. But who would send…? No matter I am just relieved to see that you are in good health."

"Sir Anthony," Cora interjected, "Since you've come all this way, please stay for tea, coffee or perhaps a whiskey is in order?"

Sir Anthony, still holding Edith's hand replied, "I'd like that very much. Thank you Lady Grantham and I apologize for causing such a stir."

"Why would one bother going to the moving picture house? If you want to see drama all you have to do is spend the evening in Downton's drawing room," Violet chimed in.

Sybil noticed that Mary had joined Matthew on the couch.

Her gifts to her sisters had been delivered.

It was Christmas morning and Sybil woke after nine, much later than her typical London schedule. She didn't bother ringing for O'Brien to help her dress. She got herself ready and headed down to breakfast.

As she walked down the stairs, she was pleased with the outcomes her two schemes—to make Mary jealous and Edith feel wanted. She will have to eventually apologize to Sir Anthony though, it was an awful note she had Taylor send around, but it did seem to accomplish its task. But she also wanted to see Mama happy to have all of her family around her this holiday in wartime. Why couldn't Papa be home?

She walked into the dining room and there sat her father at the table. At first she thought she was dreaming. But her mother immediately said, "Oh there you are, I was just going to send O'Brien up to wake you."

"You father arrived unexpectedly this morning and brought Mr. Bates with him-isn't this a wonderful surprise!"

"Oh Papa, this is the best surprise!"

Sybil ran over and hugged her father.

"Now we shall all be together for Christmas."

Sybil had rung for Anna to help her get dressed. For tonight's Christmas dinner she was wearing one of her older evening gowns and could not manage on her own. She couldn't always be independent.

She was happy to see Anna. Somehow Sybil felt that now she better understood the difficulties women, especially working class women, faced in the world of work. And she had a renewed respect and gratitude for Anna's abiding loyalty and sense of duty.

"Welcome home Lady Sybil."

"And welcome home to you too, I hope your family is well and that your little niece is adorable as all baby's should be."

"Ah yes, she is a lovely little thing and her four older brothers will most surely look out for her."

"And you must be happy that Mr. Bates is back home?"

"Indeed I am, milady. I'd no idea he and his Lordship were comin' home," Anna said as she laid out Sybil's dress. "His last letter said that he'd taken on more duties and was now workin' a bit in the Commander General's office. I tell you I dropped a whole stack of sheets when he walked in. Yes, I'm very, very happy."

Sybil took off her robe and prepared to step into her gown when Anna cried, "What in the world are you wearing milady?"

"Oh this, its called a 'brassiere'. Does the same thing as a corset without all the restriction and trouble," as Sybil pulled up her gown.

"Can't imagine that, doesn't seem to made of much o' anything! But I'll confess it does look like it'd feel much better."

"It does feel better and soon all women will have freedom in what they choose to wear and do with their lives."

"Well we've certainly missed your spirit 'round here. Between Mrs. Hughes and O'Brien not sure I'd know freedom if it rang the bell." The two women laughed as Anna finished hooking the back of her gown.

"Thank you Anna. And this for you, Merry Christmas"

She handed her a small box. Anna opened it and found a small cameo brooch inside.

"Oh milady, its beautiful. I don't know what I did to deserve this, but thank you."

"No, thank you, for always being there to help when I needed it. I thought you might wear it out when you see Mr. Bates next." Sybil smiled glad to see Anna liked her gift. She then went to her dressing table to fetch her gloves.

"Milady."

"Yes."

"And I have something for you." Anna pulled an envelop out of her pocket and it to handed Sybil.

"A letter? But from whom?"

"From Branson. He sent it to me and asked me to give it to you."

"Thank you, Anna. Thank you."

Sybil had been given the one gift that she truly wanted this Christmas.