I wrote a really long chapter, then decided to halve it and put the rest in the next chapter, hope this isn't boring.
After a few hard tugs, Yev pulled the car's crumpled bonnet open. Muttering to himself, he peered into the engine, fiddling with a bit here, a part there, his rolled up sleeves revealing his muscular forearms.
Edith and Thomas leaned on the side of the shed, watching him. He frowned, twisting something in the engine and cursed.
"You have tools?" he asked Thomas.
"Yeah." He handed his cigarette to Edith and went off into the shed to get them.
"This is your father's car?" Yev asked her.
"Yes. He won't be pleased I crashed it."
"Do not worry, I will mend." He smiled.
Thomas returned with his tool bag and handed it to Yev, then retrieved his cigarette and resumed leaning on the shed.
Yev put the tools on the floor and got to work again. His hair was definitely blond now it was growing out of its crew cut.
"I can see why you like him," whispered Edith.
Thomas laughed.
"Luckily, he likes me too."
"Having a nice talk, you ladies?" asked Yev crossly. "While I do all work?"
Thomas moved away from the shed.
"I ain't no lady." He went to look into the engine, but so did Edith and they jostled each other.
"Spanner," said Yev.
Thomas triumphantly reached the spanner first and handed it to him, smirking at Edith.
Yev adjusted something with it, then gave it back.
"Screwdriver."
This time, Edith spotted the correct tool first, pushing Thomas out of the way to get it. He chuckled. Yev ignored them and tightened the bonnet screws.
"Verigauge."
The two observers exchanged glances.
"A what?" they said in unison.
Muttering darkly in Russian, Yev bent down to pick up the correct tool.
"Some use you two are."
Thomas and Edith looked at each other, and burst out laughing.
After more adjustments to the engine, Yev beat the bonnet back into shape with a hammer, and shut it.
"Have you told your parents where you are?" asked Thomas of Edith.
"No. I suppose I'd better take the car back and tell them."
"They'll have been worried about you, y'know."
"Maybe. Can I drive this now?" she asked Yev.
"Yes, it's fine."
She climbed slowly into the car and started it up, her mouth turned down at the corners.
"Good luck," said Yev, shutting the door.
The two men watched the car driving slowly down the narrow alley and turning into the village high street.
"How long will she be gone?" Yev asked.
"Dunno. An hour, maybe two."
He raised an eyebrow at Thomas.
#####
Edith drove up to the garage and parked. Could she face going up to the house? Wouldn't it be better to just leave the car with a note or something? She didn't have a pen or paper in her handbag- why hadn't she thought of that? She'd just have to leave it as it was.
"Lady Edith!" said a voice and she turned to see Davies, the replacement for Branson. "We've all been so worried. Where have you been?"
"None of your business. I'm going to see my parents." She flounced off towards the house.
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Carson met her in the hall.
"L-lady Edith," he stuttered, the first time she'd ever seen him lost for words. "Please come at once to the library. Your parents have been frantic. Especially since-"
"Since what?"
"Please follow me." He breezed off towards the library.
But they had been overheard.
"Darling!" cried Lady Grantham, hurrying from the drawing room. "Where have you been?" She flung her arms round her daughter and Edith was enveloped in a cloud of Chanel.
Lord Grantham strode up from his study.
"We've had people out looking. How dare you worry your mother like that? And then someone saw you with-"
"Not now, Robert! Darling, come into the library."
#####
Edith perched on a chair in front of her parents.
"You were seen walking with- with Thomas!" said her father. "Arm in arm the other evening."
"Yes. I'm living with him."
"What!" Her parents exclaimed in unison.