Chapter 9

After supper Mary took Sybbie aside and asked her to take Lily upstairs and cleaned up. Sybbie smiled at her aunt and went over to Lily. "Lily why don't we go get cleaned up then we can play before bed." She said to the little girl. Lily smiled and nodded before holding up her arms to be carried. Sybbie smiled and picked her up before carrying her up to Lily's room to clean her up.

Lily smiled when her cousin put her down on her bed. "We play now?" she asked.

Sybbie chuckled as she grabbed a cloth by the wash basin and began to wipe down Lily's face. Lily squirmed a bit but for the most part she stayed quiet and still. She liked when Sybbie was with her. She was nice to her. She just hoped her sister liked her as well.

As Sybbie took care of Lily Cora and Mary took Marigold aside. They led her to Mary's room hoping not to be disturbed. Cora and Mary sat on the bed and patted the spot between them for Marigold to join them.

Marigold rolled her eyes but sat down with a huff. She had hoped she could simply get to her room and lock herself and Lily in there for a while. Even though no one had beaten either of the girls Marigold didn't trust these rich and fancy people. She had learned over the years that the richer ones were usually the worst when it came to kids like Lily and her.

Cora gave her granddaughter a raised eyebrow and pointed to her bulging pockets. "Marigold dear what have you got in there?" she asked not wanting to Marigold to realize that she knew about the food and fork.

Marigold shrugged and looked at her grandmother with a smirk. "Lint I suppose. I'm not one to explore the pockets of the snobby." she said.

Mary bit her lip to keep from laughing at her niece's comment. Although she couldn't help but roll her eyes at the child's remark.

Cora simply sighed and shook her head. "Why then Marigold dear have you hidden food and a fork in your pockets?" she asked ignoring her granddaughter's previous comment.

Marigold paled and went to stand up to make a run for it when Mary, noticing how she began to get up, grabbed her by the waist gently but firmly and made sure she stayed in her spot. Marigold sent a glare at her aunt only to receive a raised eyebrow in return. She turned back to her grandmother and shrugged. "I don't know what you're talking about." She lied.

Cora pursed her lips and was about to call the child out on her lie when Mary spoke up instead.

"Marigold we both know that you put food inside of your pockets. We also know that you have a fork stuck in there as well. Now I'm not sure what it was like in your other homes but I can assure you that you have not eaten your last meal. In fact tomorrow Mrs. Patmore, our cook, will have more than enough food for everyone at breakfast time. Now Marigold I shall ask you again. Why do you have food and a fork inside of your pockets?" Mary asked her niece.

Marigold looked at her aunt unsure of how to continue. Should she simply tell the truth? Her aunt was a very smart person. At least she seemed to be. She figured out the food. As had her grandmother. But they hadn't touched her. They hadn't yelled at her or hit her. In fact they didn't seem that upset with her. She was confused. They seemed like nice people but if there was one thing she had learned from her few years in the system and the years before that with her parents people often hid the truth under a façade. Where these people the same? Could she risk her and her sister's safety if it turned out there were wearing masks? No of course not! She smirked at her aunt to seem as grown up and smart as possible. "I really don't know what you mean." She said.

Mary sighed and pinched the bridge of her nose. She knew she had to be gentle with the child as she would be expecting physical or emotional pain. But for god's sake the child was infuriating!

Cora took a deep breath to keep from retorting harshly. "Marigold Gregson you have food in your pockets. And I understand that you have lived in homes that did not feed you or your sister properly. But I promise you that you will both be fed on a daily basis. You both will be taken care of properly. Now Marigold my dear please just tell us why you feel the need to lie to us about something we know and understand." She said with some pleading in her voice.

Marigold glared at her grandmother and after elbowing her aunt in the side hard enough to cause her to let go of her she stood up and slapped her grandmother in the face. "You understand nothing! You're just some rich and snooty old woman who never once cared for her own family! I hate you!" she screamed before running out of the room and towards her sister's room. She planned on running away that night. If they thought they knew and understood well why should she stay there.

When she got to Lillian's room and saw her eldest cousin and her little sister playing happily together she stopped herself from storming in and grabbing Lily. While she wasn't thrilled that her sister had once again chosen Sybbie she was glad that Lily now had someone to play with. Someone who seemed to care for her. Maybe she should leave Lily here? Maybe that way she couldn't screw up her sister's only chance at a family. Her only chance at survival.

She entered the room and went straight to Lily. "It's bedtime Lily. Get your nappy and I'll get it on you." She said. Lily nodded and went over to their suitcase and pulled out an old and frankly nasty looking nappy before laying down on the bed.

Sybbie frowned at the display confused as to why a child as old as Lily would still need a nappy. Weren't children usually toilet trained by 4? Surely Lily was toilet trained. But as she watched Marigold expertly put Lily into the nappy she began to rethink her view on her cousins. Yes Marigold was mean and nasty but she took care of her sister. Yes Lillian acted strangely like a baby rather than a toddler but she was a sweet child and she was obedient. But Sybbie vowed to help her younger cousins. They were simply children. Children that had been wronged their entire lives. But she couldn't help but wonder why her aunt had allowed such awful things to happen to her own daughters.

Once Marigold left the room Cora put a hand to her bruised cheek and let out a sob while Mary simply held her side and looked at her mother in disbelief. She couldn't get over the fact that a child had hurt not only her but her mother as well. And over a pocketful of food and a fork. But why would Marigold hit them? Is that how she handled things? Mary wanted to believe that Marigold wasn't simply demonstrating what previous adults had done to her but she couldn't deny that sad fact as she had seen the marks on both of the children. She had heard little Lillian's screams. There was no denying that abuse was all thy got and abuse was what, at least Marigold, knew how to give back.

Cora sobbed as she thought of what had just happened. Her own granddaughter had slapped her. For what? Catching her in a lie? Asking her to admit the truth? Was she simply defending her stolen food? Did she fear punishment? Did she think she had to hit first before being hit? Cora was afraid of the answers but she knew they would have to help her. And they would. Only question was how to help the children. How could they help Marigold? Lillian? She just didn't know.

(This is AU! Downton Abbey is owned by Julienne Fellows. Read and Review! I can't apologize enough for my lack of updates. Life has seemed to feel that closing every door I thought was opened to me. But now things are looking up and I will do my best to update more frequently now. Thank!)