Hello dear readers, I'm so grateful for your patience! Here is chapter eleven. Edith is having her baby. Mary receives a private phone-call and Thomas explains his attachment to Lady Strallen. Sybil makes a rather important discovery about her feelings for Matthew.
"What?" Mary gasped,
"Please," Edith said. She seemed remarkably calm for just admitting she was in labor. "Please just send for Dr. Clarkson." There was a knock on the door
"It's me," Sybil poked her head in, "I wanted to see how you were." She said.
"It depends on how you look at it." Edith said, wincing. Mrs. Hughes was helping her back to the bed.
"Whatever is it?" Sybil asked, worried now.
"Edith's having her baby." Mary said.
"Impossible! You're not due until January."
"Yes, I know…" concern in her eyes, Edith supported her belly, "But unless I ruined my carpet for no reason-"
"Edith!" Mary was quite shocked and didn't know what else to say.
"Good grief what else would you call it?" she snapped,
"Never mind." Sybil said. "It doesn't matter anymore. Mrs. Hughes will go and send someone," the housekeeper was already nodding, heading for the door.
"Right away your ladyship-"
"And have Mrs. Patmore start a pot of water, clean rags, I'm sure you know what else to bring."
"Yes of course." Mrs. Hughes had been in the household long enough to know what to do when a baby was on its way. Indeed she'd been by Lady Grantham's side when Lady Mary and Lady Edith were born. By the time Lady Sybil came, Miss O'Brian was there and insisted she help her ladyship.
"What about Mama and Papa?" Edith asked as Mary tried to keep her propped up, "They'll want to know."
"They're at a dinner party aren't they?"
"We'll be able to call them." Mary said, looking at Mrs. Hughes,
"I'll arrange it." She said before heading downstairs, leaving them to tend their ailing sister.
~O~
Mrs. Hughes came clattering down the front stairs, propriety taking a backseat to emergency.
"Mrs. Hughes-" Carson said, seeing her from the drawing room.
"I haven't a moment to spare, you'll have to lecture me later." She said, already at a brisk jog downstairs.
"What's happened?" he asked, glancing back up the stairway.
"Lady Strallen's having her baby. I don't know if it was the excitement, but it's coming just the same."
"Impossible." The butler stuck his chin out, red in the face at such a tender subject.
"I'm afraid not." Mrs. Hughes said with a shrug. "Babies do come when they're ready." He watched her retreat down the stairs.
"What if this one isn't?" he called after, about to hurry down.
"Carson?" Matthew stood in the doorway. "What's all the noise?" he looked helplessly from the stairs to Captain Crawley.
"It…seems Lady Strallen…she is having her baby tonight." Thomas came to stand beside Matthew.
"It was his doing then." Thomas said quietly. The others turned to look at him.
"What?"
"Do you mean Sir Richard?" Matthew asked.
"He did push her, before I knocked him over, that's how the vase was smashed."
"Do you think it hurt the baby?" Matthew wondered aloud. Now Carson didn't know where to look.
"Certainly not!" a pause. "Well I don't know." Flustered and unsure, he looked at his feet and then up at Captain Crawley and Lieutenant Barrows "At any rate we will send for Dr. Clarkson."
"I'll go." Thomas said. "Mr. Bates can't drive."
"The car's been sent back and Lord and Lady Grantham took the other car to London." Matthew said.
"There's a motorcycle in the garage." Thomas said. "I'll take that."
"Can you drive it?" Matthew asked and he nodded. It wasn't exactly a lie. He knew the basics. Anyway it couldn't be very hard. "What's a motorcycle doing in the garage anyway?"
"I think it's for the army." Thomas said with a shrug. "It's official-looking anyway."
"Very well." Matthew said. "You'd best go now then." Carson did a double take.
"Captain Crawley I don't know if Lord Grantham would approve."
"He isn't here at the moment, and someone has to go. Thomas is quite right. No one else can go, unless you're volunteering." Thomas was already heading for the door, hat on his head. "Best send a telegram to them straight away, unless we can telephone. I don't suppose we could reach them where they're dining."
"We have the Berkley Square number." Carson said.
"We'll just have to keep trying that until we get an answer. And we'd better ring the Dowager Countess."
"Right away sir." Carson said.
~O~
Upstairs
"I don't understand." Mary said worriedly, "how could it come so soon?"
"It isn't very soon," Sybil said, "She wasn't due for a few weeks at least."
"Won't that hurt it? It coming soon?" Sybil finished washing her hands, shutting the water off.
"I don't know, hopefully not. If we're lucky, Edith won't have Mama's luck with children."
"Sybil!" Mary gasped, shocked by her sister's words.
"It isn't a slight," Sybil said gently "That isn't how I meant it. But it is a fact that Mama had difficulty with all of us. You were early."
"Well I don't see how-"
"There isn't any sense squabbling about it now." Sybil said. "Edith needs us tonight, and I need your help." Mary nodded.
"What shall I do?"
"Wash your hands, and see that there are plenty of clean cloths. You'll want to change your dress and find an apron too."
"What about you?" Mary asked, eyeing her sister's evening gown, her gloves already gone, tossed on Edith's vanity.
"Find me an apron if you can."
"I'll see if there's anything in my closet to fit you, I'll have to see what Mrs. Hughes has for aprons." Mary said and hurried out, nearly running into Mrs. Hughes who carried one of the ice buckets.
~O~
London
"I've never been more humiliated in my life." Robert muttered, holding the door for Cora.
"Darling, please don't take offence. They were simply trying to do you a good turn."
"A good turn, I should be out there- I thought I'd receive my marching orders. Instead it's all for show." He set his hat and gloves down, quite resigned. "I'm not needed."
"Yes you are." Cora said firmly. "Don't ever think that you're not."
"I'm too old to go to war. What other use could I have for my country?"
"Taking care of Downton, so that soldiers who do come back have a place to put their heads, to take care of me, and the girls." He smiled bittersweetly.
"Thank you my love." He sighed. "I am sorry if I'm sulking."
"It's understandable if you feel that way-" the telephone rang. "-but in a way I am glad you're not going away." It rang again.
"Are you?"
"Robert I couldn't bear it if you went away again. All those years ago you left us for the war and I spent every night thinking that I'd never see you again. I couldn't bear that again." He smiled warmly, approaching her; he slipped his arms about her.
"Neither could I."
"Aren't you going to answer the telephone?"
"Later." He said, ducking his head to kiss her.
"It hasn't stopped." She murmured, her eyes opened a little. "What if it's an emergency?"
"It will keep." He swept her up in his arms, bringing her up the stairs to their bedroom.
~O~
Downton Abbey
"No answer." Matthew said, and finally hung up. "They must still be out." The front door opened as he hung up, it was Thomas, a little worse for wear, beside him Dr. Clarkson.
"I thought I'd be finished for the day when I left earlier." He said, still in uniform.
"I don't suppose an offer of dinner would recompense."
"It will be welcome after I see the patient." Dr. Clarkson said with a smile "Is she upstairs?"
"Yes I'll show you, thank you Thomas."
"Sir-" and Matthew and the doctor jogged up the stairs.
~O~
Upstairs
Mrs. Hughes tied the apron around Sybil as she wrung out a damp washcloth.
"Thank you Mrs. Hughes, will you see if Dr. Clarkson has arrived yet?"
"Yes your ladyship-" the door opened before she could finish, Dr. Clarkson and Matthew.
"Dr. Clarkson is here Edith," Matthew said, and all four women breathed a sigh of relief. Approaching Edith, he set his bag down, removing the cool washcloth from her forehead.
"Mary," Sybil said "Could you and Matthew go downstairs, let the staff know to have their dinner." Sybil meant that Edith might not want a crowd when Dr. Clarkson examined her. Understanding, Matthew quickly held the door for Mary, nodding to Sybil.
"Poor Edith." She murmured as they headed downstairs.
"I'd better try your parents again."
"I'll call." Mary offered. "You must be famished."
"Not really no." he said. "I'll have a drink though." He looked at her,
"None for me, but do help yourself." She said, reaching for the phone. To her surprise it rang.
"Good heavens." She said, a little rattled from the unexpected noise. "Perhaps it's Mama- Hello?"
Matthew only heard her answer before he stepped into the drawing room. He was surprised to see Thomas there.
"I was offered a drink." He said quickly.
"So you were." Matthew said. "I dislike drinking alone anyway." Thomas already held a glass of brandy, so Matthew took a glass, and the former footman poured him a glass. "Thanks." They drank in silence for a while.
"Is…Lady Strallen alright?"
"I suppose she is." Matthew said, frowning only a little at his curiosity. "Why do you ask?" Thomas shrugged.
"I'm not after her, if that's what you're worried for."
"That isn't-"
"It's only that she was telling me her concerns about Sir Richard and when he came in she had such a look." Thomas lit a cigarette, taking a quick drag. He knew Matthew would never rat out a fellow soldier.
"You said you thought Sir Richard was the cause of this."
"He pushed her." Thomas said. "Suppose I'll have to explain about the vase."
"It wasn't your fault, and you certainly did a good thing, taking care of her. One would think by your actions you were rather fond of her." Matthew said. Thomas looked up rather sharply.
"I'm not, I said I wasn't." he said.
"You must feel something." Matthew said with a small grin.
"Not that way." Thomas said. "Lady Edith and I used to talk sometimes, when she'd be waiting downstairs. We were sort of...friends I suppose."
"Really?" Matthew asked,
"Is it so shocking?"
"Not at all." He said. "It's only that you seemed like a-"
"A loner?"
"Yes." Matthew said.
"We both were, in a way." Thomas said. "Suppose we both knew we had that in common." he was thoughtful then, considering his brandy. "I liked that she was honest with me. Told me things I knew she wouldn't share with her sisters." Matthew frowned
"What sort of things?" Thomas looked up sharply, realizing his words seemed to imply something of Lady Strallen.
"Nothing serious sir, just silly things. Jokes and books...the like." Matthew seemed to accept this, and Thomas smiled inwardly, relieved.
"In any case I believe she looks at you as a friend." he said finally, finishing his brandy.
"I should probably get downstairs." Thomas said, he set his glass down. "Thank you for the brandy sir."
"Lieutenant." Matthew nodded, following him out.
Mary was still on the telephone
"No it isn't that at all! Please don't think that. Of course I would like it but my sister- no- the other she's rather- she's having a baby- yes tonight you see." A pause "In January? I was coming back in January. Oh I see." Nails tapping on the wood stopped. "Really? Well I- no I don't think they would object. I- I'd like it very much." He could tell she was smiling as she spoke. "Yes I really would. Yes I- oh…no I'm not upset! I'm just surprised. It isn't the sort of thing one asks over the telephone. What? Yes I would prefer if you asked me in person. Yes I would." A laugh. "No you'll simply have to wait until January when you visit."
"Mary." Matthew called, finally deciding he was being rude, despite his curiosity. The curtain to the telephone slid open, "Mary have you called them yet?"
"Oh my heavens!" she gasped, "Crewe I have to go, yes my sister- my god I have to make a call, I was about to when you rang." More noise on the other end of the line. "No it's not your fault I was distracted. Yes goodbye, I'll call you soon- what? Oh you're leaving- well write to me then. Yes- yes goodbye!" she hung up and then picked up the receiver again, ignoring Matthew's obvious grin at her.
"I never took you for one to be silly over anybody." He said smiling.
"Hush I'm on the phone." She said and waited for the operator.
Mrs. Hughes came down the stairs,
"Mr. Crawley, Doctor Clarkson has asked for you."
"Me?"
"Don't worry about me, I'll keep trying them." Mary said, and so Matthew hurried upstairs, Mrs. Hughes close behind.
Dr. Clarkson met him in the hall, through the open doorway, he could see Edith between Anna and Sybil, walking up and down the room, tears streaking down her face.
"Count your steps out, lean on Anna and me." Sybil said, Clarkson shut the door a little, muffling Edith's cries.
"As you already know, Lady Strallen is having her baby tonight after all." He said.
"Yes. They said."
"Lord Grantham is out of town, which puts you in the position as head of the house, at least until he returns."
"Well he never- shouldn't we defer to Carson really?"
"In household matters yes, even in certain things concerning the family, but I think Lord Grantham would have liked me to consult you in the event I could not reach him." Dr. Clarkson said. "The child is slow in coming, with Lady Sybil here, I am confident that this birth is nothing I cannot handle." He laced his fingers together, "However, the child is still early, should anything go wrong I need your permission that I have any means necessary to save the mother."
"Survival of the fittest?" Matthew asked hoarsely. The idea of losing Edith or the baby was not one he liked to think of.
"Unfortunately." Dr. Clarkson said. Slowly, Matthew nodded.
"Yes…yes you must do whatever is in your power."
"Thank you Mr. Crawley." He opened the bedroom door again, for a moment he saw Sybil, she looked up at him. Edith's form came into view, she ambled between the two women. Her face red and damp with perspiration. Her knees buckled, and Matthew found himself hurrying forward, catching her shoulders as Anna and Sybil braced Edith by the arms.
"Lean on me now," he said.
"Mr. Crawley, a gentleman shouldn't-" Mrs. Hughes began,
"I'm stronger than Anna." He said. "Here take my jacket, it's boiling here." And he shrugged out of it and rolled up his shirtsleeves before Mrs. Hughes could say another word. "Have you got her arm Sybil?"
"Yes I do, we're walking her up and down, she must keep moving, until the baby is ready."
"Very well. Edith are you alright?" she groaned in response, eyes screwed shut as she sagged in their arms. "No-no-no, up we go." He warned and steadied her between them. Sybil looked at Matthew, eyes shining with admiration at her husband, unsure of why he decided to come in and assist in delivering Edith's baby.
"Lean against the vanity, count to five, and then we'll start across the room again." Sybil said, looking at Matthew. He turned back to her; eyes meeting over Edith's bent head. "My heavens, I love him." She thought under his gaze. For a moment she felt as if Matthew were looking at her thoughts, and she found herself hoping he'd heard what she'd thought to herself. Was he thinking the same thing? Did he love her? Before she could wonder any more, Edith had counted to five and was ready to walk again. Slowly, regretfully, she broke away, leading her sister across the room again.