On the day Grace turned 4, the whole house was in celebration mode. The day began with Grace bolting into her parent's room, already dressed, and screaming loud enough to shake the house. Charles and Elsie had no choice but to get up and begin their day, but not before wishing their girl a proper happy birthday and making sure her shoes were on the right feet.
Grace had all her favorites for breakfast: scrambles eggs with cheese, bacon, and toast. The staff wished her a happy birthday as they sat down. She was thrilled by their fuss and attention.
She spent the rest of the morning in the nursery with Sybil, George, and Marigold, having a special birthday playtime. They had a jolly time playing with the doll house and taking turns winning the horse race on the rocking horse. She played until before lunch when her da came to get her. Before they left, Lady Mary joined them and presented Grace with the children's gift.
Charles was taken aback by their generosity, once again. Lady Mary handed her a large box wrapped with blue paper and a big white bow. Grace could hardly contain her excitement. Sybil was also jumping up and down waiting for her to see what was inside.
"I picked it special for you," Sybil told her smiling bright.
Grace opened the box to find a delicate, little tea set that was almost identical to Sybil's. Hers had blue flowers with green leaves and vines surrounding them. Grace was speechless.
"Oh Milady," Charles began. "Grace, what do you say to Lady Mary and Miss Sybil?"
"Thank you," Grace said still in awe, touching the pattern on her tea pot.
Charles carried the box down the stairs for her while Grace ran straight to Elsie's sitting room.
"Mummy! Mummy, guess what Si-pil got me for my birthday?" She went to Elsie, who was sitting at her desk, and rested her hands on her mummy's knees.
Elsie looked at Charles, who just entered, and the box he was carrying. "Hum, a box?" She took Grace's hands and spread them out wide.
Grace giggles. "No mummy. In the box."
"Well, shall I sit here guessing or are you going to show me?"
Charles put the box on the chair by the door and Grace ran over to it. She lifted the tea pot out first and placed it on the table. Elsie's eye's grew three sizes and she looked up at Charles. He shrugged his shoulders.
Grace took the rest of the set out and smiled back at Elsie.
"Gracie, your very own tea set! What a special gift. I hope you properly thanked her?" She looked to Charles.
"She did. You will be proud to know that your girl has befriended Miss Sybil and charmed Lady Mary in the process."
Elsie snorted. "My daughter may have befriended Miss Sybil, but I know it was your daughter who charmed Lady Mary."
Charles gave out a chuckle and Elsie smiled back at him. Grace was already setting the table for tea.
Grace spent the rest of the afternoon with her mummy having a tea party with dolly. Elsie was able to get all her necessary work done in the morning and devote the rest of the day to her girl. They acted as proper ladies while drinking their tea flavored milk and chatting about how the eligible princess Dolly was going to marry prince Thomas before the summer was over. It was then time for the two ladies to take their afternoon rest. Charles looked in briefly to escort Elsie up the flights of stairs and give them each a kiss.
An hour later, Grace opened her eyes to her mummy laying awake right beside her. She sleepily wrapped her arms around mummy and closed her eyes again. Her mummy was hard to hug now. Elsie stroked her hair and enjoyed the moment.
"Grace, we best be getting on. Da said he had something to show you."
Grace jumped up at that memory. Da said he had a surprise for her after her rest. She waited patiently for her mummy at the door and held her hand as she hurried them along.
Walking down the steps, Grace slowed her pace. The downstairs lights were turned off and it was getting darker the farther down they walked. She tightened her grip on her mummy's hand. When they made it to the bottom, da was there waiting for her. She rushed over to him and he picked her up.
"Gracie girl! Are you ready for your surprise?" She shook her head.
Charles walked into the servants hall, followed closely by Elsie. Suddenly, the lights went on and the entire staff shouted, "Surprise!" Grace's smile grew and she sat up straight, looking around the room. Every one of the staff was present. There were paper decorations and hats and there was a pile of presents at her chair.
She slid down to the ground and went right to the presents.
"Hold your horses, love." Elsie stopped her." Lets all have our dinner first and then we will see what you got." She cleared Grace's chair and placed the presents behind it. Elsie was surprised at the amount of gifts Grace received. She was humbled by the generosity they had towards her daughter. Grace reluctantly parted ways with her presents, but was tickled pink when Mrs. Patmore brought in a birthday cake with chocolate icing.
The smile never left Grace's face as dinner and dessert progressed. The staff asked her about her new tea set and Grace told them all about her tea party. Finally, it was time for her to open her presents.
She opened one with brown paper first. It was a wooden elephant. Elephants were her most favorite zoo animal and she didn't have one currently.
Anna spoke up. "I hope you like it Grace. It is from me and Mr. Bates. Now we can have a proper zoo with an elephant bathing in the watering hole."
Grace laughed, thinking about future play times with Anna and her animals.
"What do you say," Elsie prompted.
"Thank you," Grace replied looking up and placing her elephant beside her plate.
She was half way through opening the next present when Thomas spoke. "A little bird told me you enjoyed fairy tales, especially if they included a princess." Grace paged through the story of princess Rapunzel, gazing at the pictures. Charles and Elsie were very touched to see Thomas's genuine kindness towards their daughter.
She opened the present from Miss Baxter and found a beautiful blue dress for dolly. "Since dolly couldn't come in for a fitting, I had to guess at her size," she joked.
Mrs. Patmore tried to hide her smile as Grace opened her present. It was a stuffed brown teddy bear with a ribbon tied around his neck. Grace squeezed the life out of him and announced that he was just as cuddly as da. Charles turned away, quickly before giving her a smirk.
Opening her final present, she received peppermint candy from Mr. Mosley, who smiled at his contribution to the celebration.
With paper wrappings all around her, Grace studied all the gifts piled on the table. She hugged her bear, which stayed in her lap since the moment she got him.
Elsie watched her daughter and, once again, had a moment of peace. She counted their blessing every day for their lives and the people they were surrounded with. She made eye contact with Charles and nodded her head.
"Gracie girl, I have one last surprise for you from mummy and I." Charles's face was edged with excitement and worry. They had spent a long while deciding the perfect gift for their darling girl, and he hoped she would like it. He reached into his jacket pocket and produced two tickets tied together with a ribbon. Grace took the pieces of paper in her hand and looked at him uncertain.
Elsie continued for him, also nervous for her reaction. "Your da wants to take you to see a singing and dancing show in York."
Grace was not sure what to expect at the show. She had never seen any such entertainment in person. She loved it when her mummy and da sang to her and she loved to twirl around in front of the mirror. The more she thought about it, the more excited she was.
Mummy explained to her that this was a special trip for her and da. Mummy had to stay home with baby.
The day of the show, mummy helped her take a bath and put on her pretty pink dress with the lace at the collar. She brushed out her hair and tied it back with a matching ribbon. She wore newly shines shoes that made a clomping sound when she walked. She was all ready to go on her outing. Da met her in her room where they did final inspections on each other. Both deemed the other acceptable. Charles took Elsie's arm and Grace's hand as the family went down the stairs. Elsie's waddle was significantly slower now as she waited only weeks for her expected due date.
It was noon as they exited Downton for the matinee. Elsie walked out with them and gave them both a kiss, reminding them to behave themselves. They walked into the village to catch the train. Grace had never been on a train that she could remember. They climbed into their compartment and Grace sat on her knees so she could see out the window. The whistle blew and she covered her ears, leaning into her da's side. The train lurched backwards before chugging away from the station. Grace's gaze never left the rolling country side through the window.
Upon arriving in York, Charles made sure he had a tight hold of her hand. The heat from the summer and the crowds made quite an atmosphere. They left the train station to a slightly less crowded street. Grace looked up at all the tall buildings and shops. She was enchanted by the town and delighted to be sharing this experience with her da. She began to hum a tune and skipped along to the rhythm. Charles heard her tune and hummed along with her. They reached the music hall with not much time to spare. They found their seats towards the back on the left. Grace sat on the end so she could glance around the corner and see better. Charles smiled down at her enraptured expression. He was happy to share his enjoyment of the live theater with her.
He got her attention. "Are you excited?"
She bobbed her head, too overstimulated to respond verbally.
He chuckled to himself, but the lights dimmed before he could say anything else. Grace settled in her seat anxiously waiting for the curtain to rise. She jumped as the first trills of music played and the curtain finally rose. She was immediately engulfed in the performance.
Charles watched her as much as he watched the show. She was captivated, laughing when everyone laughed and clapping longer than anyone else. He knew she recognized some of the songs because he saw her lips singing along. When the curtain fell the last time, Grace looked at Charles with pure bliss.
"What did you think?" he asked as people around them started to get up.
"It was wonderful!" the amazement still in her voice.
"I am glad you enjoyed yourself," he said standing and pulling her with him. He carried her out of the theater, so as not to loose her in the hustle and bustle.
Instead of walking them straight to the train station, they stopped at a tea shop and had a few sandwiches and treats to end their outing.
She was humming a new song in his ear when they eventually reached the train station. They only had to wait 15 minutes before their train arrived. She was still silent in awe of what she just experienced.
She did not move to her own seat, but stayed in her da's lap resting her head on his chest. The days events finally caught up with her and she fell asleep, dreaming of the magic she was witness to.
She woke to her da's movement standing up. She brought her head up to look around.
"It's alright, love. We are back at Downton." He assured her and he wiped some of the sleepy off her eyes.
She yawned, but the nap rejuvenated her and she slipped from his grasp as soon as they were on the path back to the Abbey. It was just beginning to get dark and the twilight acted as a spotlight on their act. She skipped along beside him and tried to copy some of the fancy feet movements the performers did. She began humming the song again. Charles began singing.
In the good old summer time,
In the good old summer time,
Strolling thro' the shady lanes
With your baby mine;
You hold her hand and she holds yours,
And that's a very good sign
That she's your tootsie wootsie
In the good old summer time.
Grace sang along at the parts she remembered. They swung their hands together and had a jolly good time reenacting the partner scene. He lifted her up in a final pose as the Abbey drew nearer.
"I want to tell mummy all about it!" she exclaimed.
"I am sure your mummy will want to hear everything, my girl. How about I bring you both some biscuits and you can tell her." Grace nodded fervently.
Charles walked in with Grace still in his arms.
"Oh, thank the Lord!" Mrs. Patmore rushed to them from the steps carrying towels.
"Mrs. Pat-i-more! I saw a lady with a hat sing in the garden and then they twirled like this…" Grace tried to slide down to the floor, but Charles held her tight. She looked at his face.
Charles expression turned to panic. He looked passed Mrs. Patmore around the downstairs corridors. He didn't see her.
"It's time," Mrs. Patmore said. "She began feeling pains over three hours ago."
"Oh my God, Elsie." He let Grace slide down him and ran to the steps, only one person on his mind.