Hi! Have you guys ever watched Love Actually? Do you remember the Christmas show at the end? That is my image of the 1932 Downton Christmas show. Well, not really. Some laughs, some ongoing drama. Enjoy!
Chapter Eleven
For as long as Sybbie Branson could remember, Christmas time began with the Downton Abbey tree decoration, then continued with the Christmas pageant, Midnight Mass, Christmas Day, then the Servants' Ball. She, herself, had never been in the Downton Christmas pageant, but Sybbie couldn't remember a Christmas when she hadn't gone to see it. It was held in the village hall and sponsored by their local parish. Sybbie, as a Catholic, hadn't ever performed in the annual show, she enjoyed watching her cousins and friends in it.
This year, Sybbie sat in the first few rows with Da and the rest of the family. Reverend Gladwell gave an introduction and then the makeshift curtain was parted to reveal a bare platform stage.
Soon, before all of their eyes, the Nativity story came to life. This year, Sybbie's friend Ellie Stockett played Mary, while a boy Sybbie sort of recognized as a fellow year seven played Joseph. Charlotte appeared on stage in a flowing white dress that Sybbie knew was one of Aunt Mary's old gowns, playing the Angel Gabriel.
"I must've been a child to have worn that dress," Aunt Mary whispered to Uncle Charles. "Look at it!"
"Ssh," Uncle Charles whispered, laughing quietly. "Our angel is proclaiming."
Charlotte spoke the Biblical words of the Annunciation in a loud, clear voice. Sybbie couldn't help but smile. The Angel Gabriel was one of those parts that was played by either a boy or a girl in the village show, depending on the mix of children. Charlotte told Ellie that was she was to give birth to a baby who was to be called Jesus. Then the scene changed and Charlotte floated away to the wings.
Uncle Charles couldn't quite contain a snort of laughter.
"At least it was a pivotal role," he said. Da stifled a laugh.
Soon, of course, Ellie-as-Mary and the lad playing Joseph had to flee to Bethlehem. Ellie, with a pillow under her dress, pretended to be in the throes of nearly giving birth. As a doctor's daughter, Sybbie was sure Ellie had gained good tips on how to act so. Three children pretended to be inn-keepers, turning the couple away.
# # #
To Tom, each innkeeper did a bang-up of of turning the couple away. The first innkeeper was the postman's son, a boy of about ten, who shouted his line with relish. The second was a girl of nearly fourteen, who put her hands on her hips in a very Mrs. Patmore-like way and shooed the couple away. Tom bit his lip. The girl had been Mary in last year's performance.
The third innkeeper was a girl and younger: Caroline Drewe. She, too, turned the couple away, but in a regretful manner. Edith sat beside Tom and he watched her face as Caroline delivered her line. Edith smiled, as proud as Charles was over Charlotte. Except that she couldn't fuss over the girl as much as Charles could over Charlotte. Wasn't keeping Caroline so near to Downton such a temptation?
But then, Tom supposed, if Caroline had remained in Switzerland, the pain in Edith's heart would have been so much worse. Her lover, disappeared. Her child, gone. But was seeing a child part of the time enough?
The scene had changed to Ellie Stockett and Luke Brearley in the manger. Ellie Stockett held a baby wrapped in swaddling cloths. This year, the child was a doll, there being no babies of an age to play the newborn Baby Jesus. On the other side of the stage, two boys played shepherds. Charlotte floated before them once again, announcing the birth of the Savior. She led a troop of several cherubs and angels. Among them were Moira Bates, her older brother David, and little Josie, Mary's nanny's little girl.
The audience gushed at the adorable children, all in white, some holding little props such as wands or wearing halos. The angels began to sing, not entirely as tuneful as a chorus of angels would sound, Tom imagined.
"Aren't they adorable, Da?" Sybbie whispered.
Tom nodded. He let his eye travel over the audience, parents of the children and not. His village, his community, were together, celebrating Christmas.
# # #
George was one of the Magi and as befitted a future Earl of Grantham, he led the other two kings and their attendants in their scene. The play ended and Sybbie applauded, rising as the players took their bows.
The children stepped into the audience, finding their families. Sybbie hugged Ellie.
"Great job!" She exclaimed. Ellie beamed. George and Charlotte came to their group of family. Ruthie jumped up and down, telling Charlotte that she was "marvelous!" and "Can I be Mary next year?"
"I'm sure we can sign you up to be in the angel chorus," Uncle Charles said. Aunt Mary sighed, but laughed, too.
Joseph, that is, the boy who played Joseph, came up to George and congratulated him.
"You did well, too," George said to the boy. He turned to Sybbie and said, "Sybbie, do you know Luke? He goes to your school."
Sybbie shook her head. They were in the same year, she knew, but classes for the older grades were separated by gender, so Sybbie didn't really know the boy.
"Oh! This is Luke Brearley. His father runs Cherry Tree Farm near Mrs. Mason's place."
Sybbie smiled. Mrs. Mason was a former Downton servant who ran one of the larger tenant farms further afield from the village. She also made and sold yummy preserves and baked goods. Her apple tartlets during autumn...a little piece of heaven.
"This is my cousin Sybbie Branson," George finished the introduction.
Luke smiled. He was a little taller and stronger-looking than George, with dark hair that brushed down his forehead and gray-blue eyes. Sybbie smiled back.
# # #
Tom praised his niece for her performance as the Angel Gabriel and then went about the room, complimenting the other children and their parents. Anna Bates had her two angels by her side and Annie, the nanny, held her Josie.
"What a lovely angel you make," Tom said to the little girl.
Josie smiled a little.
"It's from an old apron of mine," Annie said. "From the war. 'Bout time it got reused for a good purpose."
Tom eyed Josie's white dress more carefully. The cloth was not of a shiny sheen, but dull and white. An apron. White. From the war.
"Were you a VAD?"He asked.
Annie nodded. "I was, in Middlesborough, where I'm from. I still had a few of my old aprons. Never really knew what to do with them."
"My late wife was a VAD."
"I know. Lady Mary told me."
Tom circled back around to the Crawleys and Blakes. Sybbie was chatting and laughing with Charlotte, George, and some friends. Cora and Robert were speaking to Dr. Stockett and Reverend Gladwell. Edith stood by them, but her attention was clearly elsewhere.
It was on the Drewes, who were lavishing praise on little Caroline. The girl smiled at her mother. God, but Caroline had Edith's smile, too. Although Tom had a feeling that Edith was not a child who smiled much. Caroline Drewe whispered something to her mother, who shook her head, but the little girl broke apart from her family and walked toward Edith.
Edith's face brightened.
Feeling like he knew what was going to happen in the pit of his stomach, Tom walked forward a little faster, almost following Caroline as she walked up to Edith. Tom stopped beside Charles and tapped his brother-in-law on the shoulder.
Charles turned to him. Tom pointedly eyed Edith, who had knelt down to speak to her daughter. Beside Edith, Cora turned to see what was she was doing. And, from the frozen expression on her face, one of pleasant shock, Tom wondered if the cat was now out of the bag.
He was just close enough to hear Caroline's little voice say, "Aunt Edith, what did you think?"