A/N: Hi everyone hope your all well and having a good week. I've written a longer chapter this time as not much happened in the last one hopefuly if your reading this your still reading so thank you. :)


Robert and Cora sat alone in their compartment on the train back to Yorkshire. Robert had complained at first that it was unnecessary but after Cora had argued with Violet over Edward again Robert deiced it would be better for everyone for them to sit alone. Cora looked out the window at the grey sky wondering if they would even have a summer that year and how they would manage the garden party. Cora turned to her husband who was sat opposite her and spoke quietly.

"Do you think we did the right thing? Sending Edward away."

He watched her as she shifted uncomfortably in the hot carriage. She did not look very happy and hoped that his mother would settle down when they got back home. His main concern was daughter. Edith had seemed very down the past few days but then he thought she always seemed like that. How long? He wondered had she been so unhappy with no one noticing. He lent across the carriage and patted her hand reassuringly and laid his paper down next to him.

"You know we had to."

He watched the city landscape slip away giving way to the green countryside and large fields. When did his daughters grow up so much? His family slowly growing further away in different directions. Would they still need him? He remembered how Edith and him always used to sit in the library when she was younger. Suffering from terrible nightmares he was the only one who could soothe her and now it felt like she didn't need him at all. If she did she never showed it. He wondered if he should have let Edward go. Would he keep his daughter happy by ruining the family name? He looked out of the window to see the sun starting to break through the clouds. Yes everything would be fine and go back to normal now they were going home. The rain that had started dripping down the window glistened looking like gold in the bright sunlight. Would Edith ever be happy? He did what he thought was best for her. Isn't that what fathers do? Cora finally spoke looking directly at her husband.

"I suppose so. He wouldn't have been right for her."

"Don't worry dear she will find someone else."

She nodded though she wasn't very convinced. She thought about the garden party. Surely she could use some of Mary's suitors for Edith? At least sorting out a potential list would kill some time during the journey. Robert opened his newspaper skipping the articles he had read, reading the others he hadn't. Something was niggling at him. Was it Edward? Was it the fact that Edith had hardly said two words to anyone since he had left? He turned a page abruptly yes he had done the right thing sending him away. It wasn't fair for them to play with her. Edward had pointed that out to him yet he still could not tell Edith the real reason Edward had left.


Robert stood for a moment taking in the saloon it was good to be home. Cora stood next to him trying to read him, he looked happy. Everything would go back to normal. She stood by the stairs pausing to watch the maids carry the large dust sheets downstairs. She had so much to plan and so little time. How did she do it every year? Carson joined Robert in the hall hands firmly behind his back never standing too close. He nodded politely at him as he spoke.

"It is good to be home Carson."

"I trust London went well Milord?"

"Yes very. I think I will write some letters in the library."

Robert went towards the library glad of home comforts. Cora disappeared upstairs followed closely by Mary and Sybil glad everything was in order. Edith lagged behind them tired of everything being the same despite Edward disappearing. Much like Patrick she thought. Too much like Patrick. A cruel trend in her life. She started on the stairs her heavy feet refusing to go any faster. Hearing Carson talk she paused hand on the oak banister.

"I've put your visitor in the drawing room. Milord."

"My visitor?"

Robert turned to Carson unaware Edith was listing to them since she had walked up the stairs out of sight to anyone that was in the saloon. Who could be visiting? Not granny. It could only be Edward she thought taking a breath. Carson suddenly realised how angry he was and tried to smooth it over following his footsteps towards the drawing room speaking nervously.

"I'm sorry Milord, she said you was expecting her."

"She?"

He stopped momentarily before going into the drawing room. His head spinning with confusion and the tiredness of the train journey. Who would be visiting him?


Edith hid in the library looking out at the large car parked in the drive way. She did not recognise the car and was sure she had heard Carson say it was a woman visiting. The loud voices drifted through the house until it was a faint whisper at the library door. Hearing a door slam she peered out of the large door that led into the small hall. There was aunt Francis still dressed in back but not leaning on her walking stick as much as she remembered. Why was she here? What had her and her father argued about? Was Edward there? It wasn't making sense and for a moment she forget she was meant to be hiding and was taken back when she heard Francis talk to her.

"Edith. I'm glad I have seen you."

"Aunt Francis what are you doing here?"

"I can't stay any longer my dear. Edward told me to give this to you."

She hastily produced a white envelope from her small bag glancing over her shoulder. Edith held it in her hands like it was the most precious thing in the world. If creasing it might damage something out of her control. She turned to watch her aunt leaving. She wanted to call out to her but she knew everyone thought she was upstairs resting. She went to go into the library to read the letter when she heard her mother and father talking in the large room. She stopped her hand on the thick wood of the door. Their conversation was hushed but angry.

"What did she want?"

"To talk some reason into us apparently."

Edith turned away not wanting to hear anymore and tip toed away to the stairs. She was flatted that she had turned up to help her cause. What was her cause? She wasn't sure anymore. She was angry at Edward so very angry for him humiliating her. When she got to her room she made sure she was alone before sitting at her desk and carefully opened the letter gently picking it up in her hands. It was a short note not a letter like she had wanted.

Meet me at the Grantham Arms tomorrow at 11:00. Tell no one. Edward.

She was torn and wasn't sure how to feel. She deiced to leave it for now and take a walk to think it through. Why did it feel like he was asking so much? Her head full of thoughts she forget it was meant to be a secret and left the letter on her desk.

Mary sighed angrily. Why did she have to tell her sister that they were going to get dress fittings on Friday? Did they not have staff for that? She knocked on the door. No answer. She knocked again. She had better things to do then wait around for Edith. She knew she was probably ignoring her and opened the door.

"Edith?"

Surprised that Edith wasn't in the room she went to leave glad they wouldn't have to talk. Her hand was on the door when something caught her eye. A letter open on her desk. She glanced round the empty corridor before closing the door quietly and headed over to Edith's desk.


He watched the small road from the pub. Scanning the few people that had dared the weather. It was raining on and off and was windy, not a great day for a walk. An excuse he was sure Edith would use if she turned up. He clasped his hands tightly feeling nervous. Would she turn up? Looking up a smile small crept to his face seeing her walking towards the pub her brown skirt caught the breeze slightly at her feet. He checked his pocket watch before standing up waiting to greet her. Would she want to see him? It could go either way he was sure. She looked up at the sky it had started to grey again. Sighing she took a step into the pub praying the only person she would know there would be Edward.

"Edith?"

She stopped. How had she not noticed him? She was now just feet away from him. She wanted to slap him so badly for leaving, for making her feel confused. Yes, the amount of times she had wanted to slap people, mainly Mary, she never had it wasn't ladylike. She was so angry at Edward for leaving and making her look a fool. She turned her head to one side looking at him he was dressed more causal then she had ever seen him. He stood nervously unsure what to say first.

"Should we talk in my room?"

"I don't know if we should."

"I was just thinking if anyone saw us."

He couldn't look at her he felt far to guilty about the bribe her father had offered him. She followed him up the stairs quietly aware of the passing people on the way to the bar. She stood on the far side of Edwards small room, Edward by the door. It was bad enough she was alone with him but alone in a hotel room that would be enough to give her grandmother a heart attack. She started off with the truth what would be the point of dancing round it?

"How could you lie to me? I know your married and I don't think you can talk your way out of this."

"I didn't want to tell you in a letter."

Why did it feel like he had lost everything when it was never his to lose? She looked unconformable and he knew it wasn't easy for her to be there with him. He had tried hard to think of all the things to say and now he couldn't think of anything at all. They all seemed wrong. Robert was right and he hated it, it almost pained him. She just shook her head trying to tell her self it would be the right thing to walk away, he did not even have the decency to tell her the truth.

"I feel like your humiliating me. Like you coming to London was a joke."

Edith almost shouted as she struggled to be heard over the wind that had picked up and had started to rattle the windows. She unpinned her large hat feeling uncomfortable and placed it on the bed. Why did he even matter so much? She sighed looking out of the window the trees thrashing around. A storm was definitely coming.

"I can't do this with you anymore Edward."

"Let me explain it to you."

She didn't know how to feel but she knew she should not be alone with him. He took her arm and led her over to bed and sat her down sitting next to her he took a moment to think it through. The wind was not letting up, the old building creaking slightly. She lent on the cold metal railing at the end of the bed, she already felt her self going hot being so close to him. He spoke quietly glancing at the door almost as if someone was the other side.

"Martha is my sister in law. She told everyone about how I paid off her sister. She had told lies about me before, trying to ruin me for more money. We are separated now."

"Did you pay her off?"

"I did yes. May, my wife, was a terrible person what else could I do?"

She stopped her self from saying anything knowing to stop before she said something she regretted, something she knew she didn't mean, something he would think she meant. She knew she would regret what she was doing in that moment. Letting her self fall for the man next to her. She would never normally be so careless with her feelings and so drastic with her actions. Would her family wonder where she was when she didn't get back from her walk straight away? She was growing tired and just wanted something more from him. He spoke looking at her but she looked away unable to meet his gaze feeling guilty for being so quick to judge him like the many people that had judged her.

"Her family needed money and we had it. My grandfather knew that I wasn't happy. He thought making a will might make it easier to leave her. She really was awful. It was wrong to use you that is why I left."

He did not mention to Edith that her father had gone to visit his sister in law, that he had tried to bribe him, he knew it would be the last thing she needed. He watched her closely it was almost like her face was wearing a mask. She turned to him and spoke thoughts of what May might look like filling her head.

"People don't marry for love."

"Don't you ever want more then that?"

He said repeating her words in the park. She opened her mouth but nothing came out. He watched her face the mask of composure slowly slipping away. He still didn't want to leave but he wasn't sure that he could give her everything she wanted. Everything he had wanted to give her when he started to feel something more towards her. She looked away for a moment trying to not show any emotion. She faced him again when he reached out and took her hand. She looked up at him shocked by his touch, shocked by the ease he had with her.

"Edith I never meant to hurt you."

What had she seen in him? Was it duty because its what she thought her family wanted her to do? She looked at him wishing he would say something. Something else. Something more. Please don't go. Please don't break a heart I didn't even know I had. She took a breath. Tell me I'm wrong to let you go again. Her stare was pleading him to say anything. When he didn't she spoke and held onto his hand if letting go might make him disappear.

"I know."

It was quiet, so quiet he almost didn't hear it. He stared at her. His chest aching. He wanted to shout it out until everyone knew but the thing was he didn't even know. Know what he was feeling. You couldn't call it love. You just couldn't it was far to dangerous and not even realistic. Her anger had given way to pity. She had wanted to tell him to go to leave and never come near her again that's what any rationale person would have do but she couldn't let him go, the idea that there was something better out there for her he had made it all possible. Edith stood up letting go of his hand. It had gotten too much, too serious, too quickly.

His thoughts conflicted each other. All he wanted to do was kiss her. He knew it was stupid as he had known her just over a month. Did she feel the same? He wondered if he should still go home, if he should let her go. He stood, Edith never taking her eyes off him. She tried to catch her breath feeling his hands on her waist. He lent forward and kissed her. He had no idea why he did it but something told him it was the right thing to do even if he was leaving even if they barely knew each other.

Edith had kissed other people but it was the first time that someone had kissed her because they wanted to not because they were drunk or because Emily Brown had dared them. It was the most affectionate anyone had ever been towards her. She wasn't really sure what to do, follow her heart or her head? She was silently wishing that one of them could have been brave enough to start something a long time ago now they had so little time and so many people against them. Of course they were right and she knew that but for the first time in her life she started to believe in her self and her decisions even if they would lead her the wrong way. He was a man she didn't trust, a man that had lied, a man her mother had probably warned Mary about she was sure but she didn't care anymore, everything seeming to disappear for the few moments she was in his arms.

Hearing footsteps advancing towards the door they tried to pull apart but it was too late and the door swung open...