Bit of a filler chapter, still we hope its entertaining. Enjoy!
"Seven hells, seven hells, oh seven hells!" Han murmured very fast, clutching onto her parabatai's hand tightly "oh why didn't we go with Branson?"
"Because we didn't want to hurt Edith's feelings" Kay replied glancing over to see if Edith could hear them.
"Stop being knowledgeable and make her slow down" Han responded hysterically. Just at that point they reached a curve on the road, which Edith whizzed round a lot faster than either of the two girls would have recommended
"I'm going to be sick" Han groaned and Kay looked around in alarm
"By the angel I hope not!" She muttered and reached over and patted Edith's arm.
"Edith, please slow down." She pleaded "before Han ruins the cars upholstery."
"We're nearly there" Edith replied but eased her foot off the accelerator after catching sight of Han's green face "do you usually get motion sickness?" She asked kindly
"Only in traffic or high speeds" Han replied weakly "or when there's a lunatic at the wheel" she added very quietly
"I wouldn't recommend ever going on a boat then" Edith quipped
"I wasn't intending to."
"Where exactly are we going?" Kay asked now that Han seemed to be recovering
"There's a lovely picnic spot at the other end of the village" Edith explained "Mrs Hughes and Anna thought you might like to see it and have luncheon there"
"That was nice of them. What's for lunch?" Kay asked while Han started to roll her eyes but stopped immediately
"I'm not sure" Edith laughed "we'll have to wait and see."
"So Edith, are you still writing articles?" Han asked, trying to distract herself
"Oh yes, I'm writing one at the moment on what happened to Anna. Not using her name of course but I think people should know about these things don't you?"
"Absolutely" Kay agreed "maybe then people will be on the look out and people like Mr Green will die out."
"I don't think they'll die out" Han said "but I certainly hope we can put them all behind bars."
"Hear hear" Edith said before doing another death-defying turn and coming to a halt behind the other two cars.
"We're here" she announced and Han hurriedly bolted from the car. Kay followed at a more relaxed pace. The place where they had come to was absolutely beautiful with a merry little stream, large willow trees and a rolling expanse of lawn.
"Wow" Han breathed before a blur of a Kay flew past her.
"What on earth?" Asked Edith, coming up behind Han as Kay ran away from them
"Don't ask" Han advised as Kay did a gallop jump into a leap and fell backwards into a back bend then kicked over. Edith watched in alarm as Kay ended up upside down, waving her heels in the air.
"Is she quite alright?" She asked
"No. She's as mad as a march hare" Han replied "Kay come here and stop scaring the family." She called and Kay slowly returned to them grumbling softly under breath. "It's like a street show! Nothing wrong with that!"
Edith looked at Han
"Can you do those things too? " she asked. Kay burst out laughing and ended up on the floor. Han shook her head
"Not a chance! If I were to try, I'd break my neck. I'm amazed that Kay is still alive."
Kay was still lying on the floor when she spoke "so uh I was promised food?"
"You'll have to get up then" Han said offering her hand "because I'm not bringing it to you"
"Spoil sport" Kay muttered as Han hauled her to her feet. They then followed Edith around a corner to find the rest of the family all seated around tables, while Mosley and Thomas poured out lemonade
"You bring tables to a picnic?" Han asked, blinking in surprise.
"Of course" Edith said "where else would we eat?"
"You're supposed to eat sitting on the floor" Kay exclaimed "otherwise you're just having a meal outdoors.
"At most you could have a table to put the dishes on" Han continued "but you're supposed to eat balancing your plate on your knee."
"Or lying on someone's lap while they feed you" Kay finished. Han slowly turned her head to stare at her friend in amazement
"Just what have you been reading?" She asked, raising her eyebrow
"Nothing!" Kay defended herself "I just thought it would be fun for Carson and Hughes to try."
Han smiled at that thought
"Well, perhaps we should show our Downton friends how to truly have a picnic!" Han said.
"But surely our dresses would be ruined? " Mary asked. Now they had the full families attention. "Nah " Kay said simply and picked up two platters off the table "everyone, grab as much as you can. Then we'll take the table clothes off and use them on the floor" Han ordered.
"This does seem most improper!" Granny protested, but it was too late. The rest of the family had already taken stuff off and Han pulled the table-cloth off and placed it on the floor.
"I cannot eat anymore" Han groaned, lying on the ground with her eyes closed.
"I can." Kay countered sitting up and helping herself to another biscuit
"No surprise there" Han muttered in return earning herself a sharp elbow in the ribs.
"You two amaze me" Granny announced from her deck chair which Tom had found in the back of his car. Han opened her eyes and blinked at her
"Thank you very much" she said with a smile
"What are your plans for tomorrow?" Mary asked
"I said I'd take them round the estate" Tom told her
"And Mrs Patmore said I can help her cook tomorrow night." Kay intoned
"I plan on working on chelsie" Han said "I'm tired of watching them revolve around one another."
Kay groaned
"Can't we just have one day where you don't try to get them together?"
Edith looked at them
"Chelsie? " she asked.
"Hughes and Carson's ship name" Han and Kay said together.
"Ship name?" Mary asked, raising an eyebrow. "Yes. Ship name, as in those two best suck it up and get married in no less than a week" Han said sharply. Kay laughed
"Like I used to ship Thomas with Miss O'Brien. Then she ran off and Thomas turned out to be- " Han shut her parabatai up by shoving her shoulder and giving her the "I don't think they know that" look. Kay sat back up and ate another biscuit instead of talking about poor gay Thomas.
"Hughes and Carson... oh Sybil would have loved that" Branson said solemnly.
"I remember Sybil come running into the play room when she was about four years old telling us that Carson loved Mrs Hughes." Mary told them all "Edith and I then spun all sorts of fairy tales and even used to follow them around spying on them."
"Did you ever see anything?" Kay asked
"No, but it kept us entertained for months."
"Damn" Han muttered "well hopefully that'll change soon."
"I doubt it" Granny sniffed "I have never met a man more stubborn than Carson."
"You've clearly never met my dad" Kay muttered.
"Well, we will change it! Just you watch! Of course...It'll be easier if you guys help" Han looked at Mary and Edith with puppy dog eyes. "Well life has been rather boring before you two arrived. Perhaps this will be another challenge."
"Is this what you do in the future? " Granny asked "ship two people together then try to actually get them together? " Han and Kay nodded.
"Sometimes I ship one person with two people " Kay put in. Granny looked at her with horror.
Han stood up and dusted off any crumbs. "Well it's been a fun day, but it would seem the sun is going down. So if I may be so rude, perhaps we should be going home?"
"I have to stop in the village for something" Edith said
"That's alright, I'll take them." Branson offered kindly and Edith smiled gratefully
"Perfect!" Han exclaimed leaping to her feet "I'll meet you at the car."
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