Here we go. A short one but I promise the next one will be much longer. Thanks to keep reading despite the long wait between chapters. I'm doing my best. x
They were back home for two weeks but things seemed to be the same. Sybil was spending most of her time locked in her bedroom with her daughter, getting out only for brunches (she took all her other meals in her room) and for the daily walk with the baby carriage. At least, she was accepting to eat a little bit. Matthew, for his part, had tried to find out what had really happened to Tom with the help of several of his work relations but, for now, he was facing a wall and, at the best, some vague answers. As for the rest of the family, they were trying their best to do as if nothing had happened, Robert however didn't mind to throw a few picks towards his late son-in-law each time he could.
This morning the mood was as usually rather morose. Each people had their noses in their plates and only a few banalities on the weather were said. The heavy silence was shattered by the impromptu arrival of Alfred.
"Mr. Crawley ? There's a delivery man at the door with a rather big box. He says it's for you from Ireland."
"It's there already? Wonderful!" Exclaimed Matthew, smiling.
Mary frowned, wondering what could possibly cause her husband to really smile for the first time since his return from Ireland.
Matthew wiped his mouth and threw his napkin on the table while getting up.
"Go inform Lady Sybil, please. Tell her it's here, she'll understand."
Alfred nodded his head and left, letting the others people the task to throw wondering glances to Matthew.
"You'll see, it's beautiful!" He exclaimed. "And I'm sure it can help Sybil to feel better a little bit", he added, heading to the main entrance.
"Well, my curiosity is at its height", sighed Robert getting up himself.
Everybody got up to follow Matthew and the family was soon gathered in the hall in front of a big box that was occupying the place of honor in the center. Having foresighted as usually, Carson was armed with a tool and held it out to Matthew.
"May I let you the honor, Sir?"
"Yes, Carson, thank you. But we're gonna wait for Lady Sybil."
As soon as he had finished his sentence, quick footsteps could be heard in the big staircase.
"It's here? It's really here?" Exclaimed Sybil, her cheeks red for having run.
She was still wearing her dressing gown, her hairs loose on her shoulders and Robert couldn't contain his eye roll seeing she was also still wearing this ugly and deformed wool vest over it.
"Please, Matthew, hurry up, open it!" She moaned while clapping her hands.
Matthew laughed seeing Sybil's happy face and Cora felt her heart squeeze while seeing her baby girl smiling at last. She didn't know what this box was holding but it had the merit to put some life in her baby's body.
Matthew put three brief hits on the box and the sides opened. Sybil helped him to retrieve the other sides to finally reveal the cradle that had left Dublin to be now in the Downton Abbey's main hall. Sybil checked it quickly, letting her hand slide on it with some nostalgia.
"It seems to be in one piece", she said softly. "Oh, Matthew, thank you, thank you so much. You kept your promise."
She threw herself in his arms to hug him and Mary felt a pang of jealousy in the pitch of her stomach. Since their Irish trip, her sister and her husband were very close and, even if she knew everything was innocent, she couldn't help to feel envy. Matthew was the only one to whom Sybil confide since their return and the family had agreed that it was ok for now.
"It's a cradle", said Robert after a few minutes. "Why all this fuss for a cradle? You already have one in your room, isn't it?"
Sybil left Matthew's arms and turned to her father, her smile vanished.
"Tom made it for our baby."
"Well, good for him but it had probably cost a lot of money to bring it here", answered Robert, turning to Matthew with his eyebrow raised.
"Robert"…warned Cora, putting a hand on his arm to tell him to stop.
"I wanted my daughter to have something to remember her father by", said Sybil with greeted teeth. "Is it such a bad thing?"
"No, it's your right. I just say..."
"Alfred is gonna help me to bring it to your room", interrupted Matthew while nodding towards Robert to tell him to drop it.
"Thank you, Matthew," answered Sybil smiling to him." I'm sure Eirin will be more than glad with her new cradle. She will now have a little piece of her father like I have mine", she added, squeezing the wool vest around her.
After throwing one last knowing glare to her father, she turned and get up the stairs with her chin high and proud.
"Was it really necessary, Robert?" Asked Cora.
"What? Can't we give our opinion in this house anymore?" He pouted.
Cora sighed and went back to the dining room to eat the last of her breakfast, followed by her two other daughters.
"She's happy for the first time in a long time. You have to learn to put some water in your wine", she said over her shoulder. "Or you'll end up saying something you will regret someday."
