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By the time they arrived at Downton, Sybil felt like a giant rolling blue berry. She was wearing a loose blue maternity dress and she was exhausted from the trip. Her mother's last letter had said the house was reverting to normal as the convalescent home was no longer necessary.
"Are you ready for this?" she asked her husband as the train pulled into the station.
"Ready as I'll ever be," he replied.
Mary and Edith were waiting for them on the platform when the stepped down from the train. Both women greeted their sister fussing over her condition and asking if she was feeling well from the trip. Edith greeted her brother-in-law briefly while Mary only gave him a dismissive sniff.
"I'll go and collect the bags," Tom said wanting to escape from his sisters-in-law.
"We have a driver for that," Mary informed him haughtily.
"I'm aware of that," Tom replied through clenched teeth. "I'll see to our things myself."
Mary rolled her eyes. Sybil ignored her and was busy telling Edith all about her work at the hospital.
"Allow me, milord," the chauffeur said to Tom as he was collecting the bags.
"It's not, milord," Tom informed him. "You can call me Mr. Branson, my wife prefers Mrs. Branson rather than Lady Sybil."
The older man gave Tom an odd look. Tom picked up four of their cases and headed towards the car, leaving the man to carry two. Tom was busy storing the cases by the time the chauffeur arrived.
"I can see to it sir… Mr. Branson," the chauffeur said uncomfortably.
"I prefer to see to myself," Tom replied. He was already tense from his meeting with Lady Mary and Lady Edith. He needed something to do. By the time he joined Sybil, her and her sisters were seated in the car chatting up a storm. Sybil slid over on the seat to make room for him, while Edith and Mary exchanged a look.
"Mary was just saying Papa and Mama are expecting more guests for the weekend," Sybil said brightly. "You'll get to meet some of their friends, darling."
Mary winced at the endearment.
"I look forward to it," Tom replied politely. He was normally talkative and relaxed but the stress was making him taciturn. Thankfully the drive to the Abbey was not a long one. As they pulled up to the front doors Tom caught himself before he groaned. The staff was turned out to meet them and Lord and Lady Grantham were waiting for them at the door.
One of the new footmen came to open the car door. Tom stepped out first and turned to help Sybil out of the car. Tom could hear a few gasps coming from the servants but tactfully ignored them.
"Mama, Papa, I'm so glad to see you," Sybil said. She kissed each of her parents on the cheek.
"You're looking well, dear," her mother said. She turned to her son-in-law. "Welcome to Downton."
"Thank you for having us, Lady Cora," he said.
"You seem so grown up, I hardly recognize you," Lord Grantham was saying to Sybil. He turned his gaze to her husband. "Branson," he said in acknowledgement of Tom's presence.
"Lord Grantham, thank you for allowing us to visit."
"Not at all," Sybil's father replied.
They entered the house with Edith and Mary following behind. The staff was busy carrying their cases upstairs. Sybil was so busy catching up with her mother and sisters she didn't notice the odd looks they were getting from the staff or the way her family were pointedly ignoring her husband.
"Sybil should get some rest," Tom suddenly blurted out.
"I'm only a little tired from the trip," Sybil tried to cajole him.
"You need to rest. You're not doing yourself any good overdoing things," Tom insisted. Sybil had vomited twice that morning and he was concerned as she had been listless on the train and complaining of her legs and back aching.
"Well, of course you should rest. We can talk later," Lady Cora said. "They've prepared your old room."
Sybil turned and went to head up the stairs.
"If you'll excuse me," Tom said and hurried after her.
"I don't like this one bit," Lord Grantham said to his wife. "He's controlling her."
By the time Sybil made it to the landing she was getting dizzy. Tom was right beside her with one hand on her back. The second she began to sway, he lifted her into his arms and carried her the rest of the way up the to her old room.
"Oh, Sybil," her mother cried. She dashed up the stairs behind them. Mary was right behind her mother.
"I think he was just concerned, Papa," Edith said, before she moved to join the others.
When they entered Sybil's old room, Tom was unbuttoning Sybil's dress, while she was siting on the side of the bed.
"She's just motion sick," Tom said to Lady Cora when his mother-in-law rushed into the room.
"We should send for the doctor," Mary said ignoring him.
"Tom's right. The ferry was rough and I was sick on the train. It's nothing tea, toast and some rest won't fix," Sybil said with a sigh.
Tom stopped working on Sybil's dress and moved to find her nightdress in one of her cases. His things were nowhere in sight. He returned to start helping his wife out of her dress.
"We can see to that," Lady Cora said to Tom, laying a hand on his arm. "Why don't you go down and join Lord Grantham?"
Just then Sybil got to her feet as quickly as she could and headed for the washroom.
"Oh no," Tom ground out as he followed Sybil into the washroom and supported her while she vomited into the toilet. Afterwards he got a cloth to wipe Sybil's neck and face. Once her equilibrium was sufficient to return to the bedroom, Tom helped her back to bed and got her to lie down.
Sybil's mother and sisters were standing dumbfounded in her bedroom. Someone had moved to turn down the bed, but they had no idea what to do with a Lady's husband who took care of her while she was ill.
"My mother and sisters will see to me. Why don't you go down and get me some tea?" Sybil said to her husband.
"All right," he said brushing the hair back from her forehead and placing a kiss on it. "Do you want anything else?"
"No, tea will be fine," Sybil said with a weak smile.
Tom left the women alone while he went on a quest for tea.
"We could have just rang for it," Mary said to her sister. She was helping Sybil to finish undressing and get into her nightdress.
"He's such a worrier, it will give him something to do," Sybil said.
"Is it really motion sickness?" Mary inquired.
"That and being pregnant," Sybil replied. She sighed and closed her eyes once she was changed. Edith had fetched a damp cloth from the washroom. Lady Cora wiped Sybil's forehead, neck and hands while she drifted off to sleep.
When Tom left the room, he headed down the hall until he found the door to the servants' staircase. He headed to the kitchen to make his wife a cup of tea. When he stepped through the door. Everyone in the room stopped what they were doing.
"Mr. Branson was there something you needed?" Mrs. Hughes looked up from the book she was checking.
"My wife isn't feeling well, she needs some tea and dry toast," Tom said. He was a bit self-conscious with the room full of eyes trained on him. "I was just going to make it for her."
"There's no need. We will see to it," Mrs. Hughes said. Two of the kitchen maids were already scurrying to fill his request.
"Thank you, Mrs. Hughes," Tom said with a small nod. He retreated from the kitchen into the hallway and took a few deep breaths to steady himself. He had not been prepared for how difficult a two-day visit to the Abbey would really be.
Mrs. Hughes stepped into the hallway to find him there supporting himself with one hand against the wall.
"You're part of upstairs now," she said trying to be as kind as possible. "You have to try and do things their way, at least while you're here."
Tom only nodded. He didn't seem so cheeky now as he had done in the past. He obviously needed a moment to collect himself.
"Why don't you come to my sitting room?" she offered. "We could catch up for a moment."
Tom nodded again. Mrs. Hughes gave instructions to one of the passing maids to bring tea and sandwiches through to her sitting room.
"And use the good china," Tom overheard her say.
"How have you been?" Mrs. Hughes inquired when they were seated.
"Fine. Busy with work and family," Tom replied.
"How is Lady Sybil? Did she enjoy Dublin?"
"She liked it well enough. Her work at the hospital kept her busy. She took a few courses at the local college. She's been off work since the beginning of December."
"If you don't mind me saying so, we were all surprised when she wrote you were coming for a visit."
"Sybil misses her family. I've taken a transfer to London at least for a while. She'll be able to see more of them."
"And so will you," Mrs. Hughes reminded him gently.
"They mostly ignore me," Tom said.
"How did your family treat your wife when you first arrived?"
"About the same," Tom confessed. "They came around though after… Well, my wife did something they admired."
They chatted for a few more minutes while they had some tea. Tom devoured most of the sandwiches. He was feeling a great deal better after talking to Mrs. Hughes. He had been so nervous over the last few days about the visit he had barely been able to eat.
When he entered the great hall, he ran into Lady Cora.
"There you are, Tom," she said. "Are you getting settled?"
"I was talking to Mrs. Hughes," Tom replied. "Lady Cora, where are my things? I didn't see them when I was in Sybil's room earlier."
"We prepared one of the other rooms for you. I can have Carson show you where it is."
Tom and Sybil had discussed the possibility of her parents trying to separate them during their visit. They had decided to squash the idea immediately.
"Lady Cora, I'm afraid I must insist, Sybil and I stay together," Tom said. "I need to be available to her if she needs anything through the night." He was feeling less intimidated since his talk with Mrs. Hughes and starting to return to his old self.
"I'll have your bags moved," Lady Cora said, not quite sure what to make of her son-in-law.
"Thank you. If you'll excuse me I'll just go and check on Sybil."
"She was sleeping when I left her," Lady Cora said.
"I'll just look in on her then."
Once Tom had checked on Sybil and found that she was in fact fast asleep, he headed back down stairs and went to the library. It was the only room in the house he was really familiar with. He could kill a couple hours reading if nothing else.
When he entered the library he was surprised to find Lord Grantham there working at his desk.
"I'm sorry, I didn't mean to disturb you," Tom said.
"You're not disturbing me. Come in," Lord Grantham said. "How is Sybil?"
"Sleeping. She'll be fine. She is just tired from packing and the trip."
"My wife says you've taken a position in London?"
"A transfer really. The paper wanted someone in London covering parliament. The last man returned to Ireland two weeks ago."
"I see. Any thought to where you are going to stay."
"We had planned to rent a flat or a small house," Tom said. His father-in-law was formal and distant, but concerned for his daughter's welfare at the same time. At least Tom hoped that was what was driving this line of questions.
"Will you be able to afford that?"
"The transfer comes with a significant raise in salary," Tom replied. "Sybil and the baby will be well provided for."
"Why the sudden interest in working in England? I thought you were set on living in Ireland."
"It's not safe in Ireland. There is too much violence. I want Sybil and the baby safe. I'll do what it takes to make sure she is protected," Tom said. Without thinking about it he had tensed, his natural protective instincts kicking in.
"You kept an eye on her while you were in Ireland?"
"I did. Since last summer I made sure she had someone with her whenever she went out. If I couldn't be there one of my uncles or a cousin saw to her. She didn't like it, but she had no choice."
"Things were as bad as all that?"
"The risings come and go. We lived in a relatively calm part of the city. Still it was better to be safe than sorry later. Would you mind if I borrowed one of the cars this afternoon. I promised Rory's mother I would go and check on him."
"That's the boy that's working for the Drakes isn't it? I'll go with you," Lord Grantham replied. "I've been wanting to take a look at some cattle Drake just purchased." He was regarding Tom coolly with an appraising eye. "Has my daughter been happy?"
"Yes, I believe so," Tom replied. "She's been busy with the hospital and taking some extra training. We lived in a small flat. There wasn't much work to keep it up and I did most of it."
"So she was cared for then?"
"She still is," Tom replied. "I won't let anyone hurt her." His words had a double edge meaning.
"Yes, humpf," Lord Grantham said before turning back to his papers.
Tom looked at a few of the books in the library until Carson came through and announced luncheon. Tom headed back up the stairs to check on Sybil. She was still fast asleep. There was nothing for it, but he would have to go to lunch with the family by himself.
He made his way downstairs to what he hoped was the dining room. He opened the door and walked in. The family all turned to look at him.
"Sybil's still sleeping," he said.
"Come and take a seat beside Edith," Lady Cora said.
Tom nodded and quickly took his seat. Carson looked at him disapprovingly but continued to serve the meal.
"Are you looking forward to your new position in London?" Lady Cora asked him politely.
"Yes, I am," he replied. "I'll be reporting on parliament, specifically the debates concerning Ireland and the labor movement. There's a great deal going on these days. It will keep me busy."
"Have you arranged a place to stay?" Lady Cora inquired.
"Of course they have, Mama," Mary said sweetly. "He thinks of everything."
"Actually No, Lady Cora," Tom replied ignoring Mary. "We've booked a hotel and will look for a place when we arrive."
"You and Sybil could easily stay with my sister-in-law Rosamund," Lady Cora said. "She has a huge house that is almost empty."
Tom opened his mouth to decline and thought better of it.
"Perhaps you could discuss it with Sybil," he said. "I'll leave it up to her."
"What about our London house Mama," Edith said. "It's sitting there empty."
"Edith," her father said slightly annoyed. "I hardly think it would be appropriate. They don't have any servants."
"Lots of people are giving up their servants," Edith said looking at her plate. "It's a big empty house. You've been talking about selling it. I just thought they could use it."
"We don't want to impose," Tom said at last.
"We'll discuss it later," Lord Grantham stated.