Sarah on her own bed and stared at her shoes. Tomorrow morning she would be married. It seemed like a very cruel dream. The past few months had slipped by so slowly and she wondered vaguely if this was some sort of test. She had enjoyed the blatant looks of surprise of everyone's faces though. If she could she would have taken that image and stuck it in her bedroom wall so she could enjoy that moment for ever.

Lady Grantham had been please when Carson had made Sarah go up with him to the drawing room to tell her of the planned wedding. Her ladyships face had split into such a big grin that it nearly broke Sarah's heart, her guilt was not forgotten. It lay in the pit of her stomach and reared up its ugly head when ever she tried to move on.

Slowly she unbuttoned her dress and could not help but to smile when she realised it might be John, with his trembling hands, unlacing her from her dress tomorrow night.

He was sleeping in his old cottage by himself; just for tonight…tomorrow she would join him. Of course, she had technically slept in his bed before but it really hadn't been the same thing.

She slipped off her dress and petticoats and stood for a moment in her shift and corset. Looking out of her window.

A little light from a candle flickered in the river cottages window and Sarah wondered whether John was having the same nerves as she was.

Gently she unpinned her hair and felt the long curls unravel themselves from the strict confines of her bun. Out of habit she plaited it but then stopped half way down. What would John prefer tomorrow? A plait? Or it loose? The though of his gaze made her feel dreadfully nervous. What if he changed his mind at the last minute?

Sitting back down on the bed again she bent and unlaced her boots, not bothering to place them away nicely she kicked them across the floor so they lay gracelessly by the door. Her corset pressed uncomfortable unto her back and she unlaced it, sliding it off her shoulders with undue care. She tried to remember that night when he had undressed her, it memory only flickered through her head with a hazy outline. His rough hands on her waist, the warmth of his chest.

She wondered what tomorrow night would be like. Would he hold her? Kiss her? She would wake up in his arms, of that she was sure.

Sarah fell asleep with those wonderful thoughts still in her mind.

Down in the river cottage John sat, shirtless, on his bed. His uniform jacket hung on the wall; a constant reminder of what he must go back to. Angry he picked it up and stuffed it into an empty draw so he wouldn't have to look at it anymore.

Sarah had said yes!

John still couldn't believe it. She would be moving down to the cottage to live as a permanent home whilst he whilst at war. At least it was something he could leave her, a home, Lord Grantham had given it to him as a wedding present. It was almost as if he knew John wouldn't be coming back from the front next time. The very thought those gruesome trenches made John want to run and hide. But then he thought of Sarah, brave wonderful Sarah, who could survive anything.

It still made him angry when he thought of her walking into the river. She had been so calm, so composed. The dark silhouette against the natural glow of the water. How she had clung to him that night.

He resisted the urge to walk up to the house and demand to see her right now.

But no.

For the sake of her reputation he could not simply march into that hideously tense servant's hall again. Once had been enough and that had been with her practically dragging him by the hand!

He knew she had no family to speak of and neither did he, not now anyway. His brother had been killed in a pub brawl and his mother had died before he was released from prison. Prison. When did he tell Sarah about that? There was never a right time really. Maybe it was best not to? He was back to the trenches so damn soon.

He would see her again, after the war…It was a promise he vowed never to break.

Cora snuggled into Robert and smiled wickedly. The look on her husbands face when O'Brien had announced her engagement had been priceless! And they would be married tomorrow. Cora felt such gratitude to O'Brien; the woman had saved her life after all. It was so lovely that she had a good man in her life. And such a shame he was off to war again so soon. No wonder O'Brien hadn't wanted to tell her, in these troubled times one could never be sure if it was love or simply the heat of the moment thing.

Roberts voiced surprised her through the darkness "Do you think they just met at the train station and fell suddenly in love the day we sent Matthew to war?"

"No, darling, don't be silly. I believe she knew him long before that. Mrs Hughes said he saved her life…although she didn't seem to know what from"

"Maybe she meant it metaphorically dear; you know how O'Brien can be"

"Oh hush!" Cora giggled as her husband pulled her closer to him in the darkness.

The morning sun rose.

Sarah woke up early as usual dressed in her ladies maid gown and went to wake and dress her ladyship. She was amazed to find Lady Grantham already awake and in her dressing gown sitting on the bed, surrounded by clothes.

As Sarah entered the room with a horrible sense of dread her ladyship looked up and smirked with a terrible twinkle in her eye. "Ah! Dear O'Brien! I've looked through simply everything and can't decide what you should wear to church"

"Me?" Sarah spluttered, her feeling of foreboding confirmed.

"Yes of course you! It is your wedding day! You can't just wear any old thing!"

A few, very tedious, hours later Sarah was finally persuaded to wear a lace blouse that had belonged to Lady Granthams mother and a blue skirt with a scalloped hemline. Her ladyship was obviously enjoying herself immensely and it seemed to seal the unspoken bond between them, if only a little bit.

"What about you hair?"

Sarah sighed in frustration. It was going to be a very long morning.

12:00

Organ music plays

John stands stiffly in his green soldier's uniform at the front of the chapel.

Sarah stands beside him.

They don't hold hands. People are watching them.

12:10

Vows are said and the ceremony passes by uneventfully.

Lady Grantham smiles with fondness at dear O'Brien's wedding outfit.

Daisy shifts her feet nervously. William stands beside her, doubtfully. A soldier. That's what he should be, fighting for king and country. Maybe Daisy would look at him then.

Mrs Hughes sniffs then remembers herself. Carson stands in shock beside her.

12:20

John winks at Sarah when the Vicar isn't looking. It sends tingles down her spine.

12:30

Mr and Mrs Knight are married.

Sarah is Miss O'Brien no more.

Authors Note: A massive thank you to all my reviewers! It means so much to me and really makes me so happy to read your lovely comments! Special mention to cookie-moi for reviewing every single chapter! Xxx