Chapter Fourteen

Crawley House, the next morning

Isobel woke up with a splitting headache. She had spent the better part of the night in Dickie's study, reading old correspondence from Ada and even parts of her diaries. It had been one of the most freezing experiences of her life. The account of Ada's memories had been just as the cold as the study in the middle of another snowy winter night. The coldness of the life she had led and the coldness of her as a person had practically radiated from the pages.

The woman had spent over forty years of her life with waiting for a man who had most likely never given a button about her in the first place. Before she had married Dickie Ada had fallen in love with an Irish officer named Patrick O'Leary and shortly after her wedding she had realized she was pregnant.

After his sudden departure from England no one had ever heard of Colonel O'Leary again. Right after her father had died Ada had tried to locate O'Leary, but all of her efforts had been wasted. Knowing a thing or two about missing people due to her work for the red cross during the war, she knew how easy it was for people to get lost, if they wanted to. Many men had used the turmoil of war to start a new life and the same applied for men who had been sent abroad.

Ada's baby, a healthy boy had become her only reason to live. Nothing else had mattered and she had raised him to dislike the man who had been pushed upon her as a husband.

At first Isobal had wanted to finish reading, after she had found out what she had wanted to know, but visiting Dickie's past had been too absorbing to put the diaries down. Wrapped in a thick woolen blanket she had been diving into her husband's past with another woman. Although Ada's perspective on Dickie had not been very charming, she was able to see the bitterness of someone who had been forced to give up her dreams and had needed to blame it on someone else and in lack of other possibilities she had blamed it all on Dickie. As Isobel had suspected it before, he had not been exaggerating when he had said they had been ill-matched. Ada and Dickie had been a couple matched in hell. As always when she thought about the time when she had thought he was dying, she regretted her decision to call off their engagement. After his unhappy marriage he had deserved much more from her than a cold shoulder, because of his ill-bred sons.

Now her head and her heart were aching and she desperately needed some time to digest the ugly truth that had kept her up all night.

"Are you sure, you don't want me to call for the Doctor?" Dickie asked when Isobel told him how awful she felt.

"No, I'll be up soon," she promised and snuggled down in her pillow. "I just need to rest a bit longer."

"All right." He placed a kiss on her forehead and she closed her eyes. She fell asleep before Dickie had reached the bottom of the staircase.

Dickie was surprised to find Helen at the breakfast table. She was absorbed in the morning paper that lay next to her plate.

"Good morning. What a pleasant surprise," Dickie said as he sat down. "Are you always up this early?"

Helen looked up and gave him a smile. "Yes, I'm an early riser. Although it's more a habit than anything else. I also want to go to York and get some of mother's things she might at the hospital."

"Doesn't she have a maid you could ask?"

Helen sighed, "I guess I could as her, but she isn't the sharpest knife in the drawer and she has only been working for mother for two weeks. I fear she would pick the wrong things."

"I see… Well, you'll know what to do."

"I hope so…" Helen broke off and bit her lower lip. After a short moment of pondering she finally added. "A few days ago… before the funeral I made some arrangements. I sent for the children. They won't be here in time for Christmas, but the day after Boxing Day."

Dickie almost choke on his coffee. "Does your husband know about this?"

"As a matter of fact he doesn't. The children stayed with his sister, a horrible bat, but I felt it would be better to have them here… just in case…"

"Just in case for what?" Dickie asked suspiciously.

Helen shrugged. "I don't know. Anyway, his sister thinks Alain sent for Lawrence and Chloé, so she put them and their nanny on the next available ship."

There was something about Helen's sneakiness that told him, there was more to her plan than just the mere wish to have her children around for the nearing holidays, but he decided not to ask her questions she probably didn't want to answer. He was too glad to have her sitting at the same table and talking to her about anything else than the weather. He was also about to meet his grandchildren - or at least he hoped he could meet them.

"Oh, I think that can be arranged," Helen said.

"I beg your pardon?"

"I'll bring the children here, if you want me to," she said, as if she had been reading his mind. Perhaps she had. The idea caused his face to brighten up.

"How marvellous!" he exclaimed with a bright smile.

Downton Hospital

Across the street at Downton Hospital, Richard Clarson was having a bad day, before the day had really started. In the morning post he had received a letter from Mr Cruikshank's solicitor. Apparently Cruikshank was serious about his lawsuit against the hospital and Clarkson himself.l. He had already informed the administration in York about the pending threat of a lawsuit by Amelia Grey's father, but he had hoped against hope the man would see sense after his initial grief had faded.

Annoyed and disillusioned he put the letter into his drawer and rubbed his face. He was exhausted and felt the need for a break from all this. The hospital, the village, his patients…. Everything was tiring him out. Especially Lady Merton and her new in-laws were driving him insane. Every time he thought he was over her, he got reminded of the contrary. And now he was about to lose his position and his reputation, because her daughter-in-law had died right under his hands. He knew it wasn't Isobel's fault, but he couldn't help to think that every time something significant happened in his life, she was right in the center of the mess. How was he supposed to get her out of his head and heart when she and her family played such a significant role in his life?

He sighed wearily and slipped into his white coat. It was time for his ward round. Not that the hospital was busy these days. The ward harboured only a few patients so close to Christmas. He would not only visit Lady Merton's grandchild, but also Mrs Kent, the mysterious friend of the family, he had never seen before and who didn't seem eager to see anyone aside from her daughter. He smiled by the idea of talking to her again. Her beautiful face symbolized one the only ray of hope on this cold winter day.

Crawley House

After Isobel had informed her in a short note about her snooping expedition in Dickie's study during the night, Violet spontaneously showed up for tea in the afternoon. She made no secret of her surprise to see Helen again when she returned from the hospital where she had visited her mother.

"I think, she's doing just fine," Helen reported. "She's a trooper. Always has been."

"I see," Violet smiled. "How long do you plan to stay?"

"I don't know… yet," Helen admitted. "Unfortunately, I couldn't speak to the Doctor to ask him, when Mother is able to leave the hospital again."

"Well, I don't think she'll be able to leave before the new year," Isobel said. "Even if the fracture is healing quickly."

"We'll see…"

Violet's eyes travelled to the clock on the mantelpiece. "I'm afraid I must leave," she said. "Cora is expecting me for dinner."

"We'll be there tomorrow," Isobel said and added, "Helen will join as well."

"How nice. So, I guess that means we'll meet again tomorrow night." Violet rose as gracefully as her bad hip allowed it.

"I'll see you out," Isobel led Violet into the hallway.

"Is it wise to have her here?" Violet whispered. "What if Larry shows up?"

Isobel shrugged, "He barely does. And what will happen on Christmas? I mean, will you invite him now that he's all alone?"

Isobel hadn't paid a single thought on the arrangements of Christmas Day at Crawley House. Christmas Eve they were invited at the Abbey and she had discussed the menu for Christmas Day and Boxing Day with her cook, but she hadn't contemplated what to do with Larry. She didn't necessarily wanted to have him at her table, but giving the circumstances it wouldn't be kind to leave him at Cavenham all on his own.

"Well…. I'll talk to Dickie about it."

"Yes, I guess you should…," Violet said. "As long as you don't bring him to the Abbey. I doubt Tom would be thankful for another dinner with Larry - not to mention the rest of us."

Isobel sighed. She really could have done without another problem.

Downton Hospital

A nurse push Annabelle's wheelchair down the hallway. Since the hospital was almost empty the nurse had offered Annabelle a short trip around the hospital. Annabelle welcomed the distraction, especially because her condition annoyed her and since Helen had told her that she was staying with Dickie Merton and his wife, she was also angry. She should have known that they would abuse her injury as an excuse to have Helen around.

Just as the nurse was about to wheel her around the corner that led back to the ward, a man with his coat waving stormed into her direction. He was old, cursed under his breath, and paid no attention to his surroundings.

He almost ran into Annabelle's leg that was plaster casted and lost his hat by the attempt to evade her. With another ungentlemanly curse on his lips he bent down to pick up his hat.

"You should pay more attention," Annabelle scolded him angrily.

The man only scoffed in response. Their eyes met when he got up again. For a short second his eyes sparkled with the unfathomable recognition of someone who had met many people in his life and didn't know where to place the person in front of him. Then he just shook his head and continued his way out. While he may not recognized her, Annabelle knew exactly who the man was.

"Did you know who that was?" Annabelle asked the nurse.

"I've seen him here before," the nurse confirmed. "I think he's the grandfather of the poor little baby whose mother died when he was born."

"You mean Lord Merton's grandson."

"Yes, Ma'am."

"How very interesting," Annabelle mused. "Very interesting."

When Isobel got dressed for dinner, she heard noises from the hallway. The maid had opened the door and she heard Dickie speaking to someone. Hoping no one else had been injured or another unpleasant event had occured she peeked out of her bedroom and bent over the banister.

To her dismay she saw Larry standing in the hallway. He was talking to Dickie and visibly upset. Instant fear something could be wrong with the baby, she went downstairs.

"Is everything all right?" she asked.

"I'm afraid it isn't," Dickie answered.

"I was at the hospital, where I met Amelia's parents," Larry explained. "They want to shift the baby to another hospital - a children's hospital in London."

"But why?" Isobel asked aghast.

"Because they don't trust the hospital here - the same goes for the hospital in York. They heard about the merger last year and claim they want the baby to be nursed somewhere more safe.."

"But they can't just take the baby away from you!" Isobel said. "You're the father!"

"Well, they do try," Dickie said.

"I told Clarkson not to let anyone near him," Larry said. "But I won't put kidnapping past Amelia's father."

"Surely not!" Isobel exclaimed.

"You don't know them the way I do," Larry said and laughed mockingly. "The man is ruthless - I mean really ruthless."

Silence fell between the three of them. It was interrupted by the sound of heels on the staircase. Suddenly remembering their house guest, Isobel and Dickie looked up.

"Is everything all right down here?" Helen asked, when she reached the silent trio.

"What are you doing here?" Larry asked dumbfounded.

"My mother is in the hospital with a broken leg," Helen explained. "Your father asked me to stay here for a few days. It's easier to visit her this way."

"It is indeed…." Larry mumbled absent-mindedly. All of the sudden he seemed tired, even drained out.

"Are you here to join us for dinner?" Helen asked. "I never knew you were this sociable. Didn't you once say most dinners bore you?"

Larry chuckled, "Maybe, are they boring?"

Helen shook her head, "Depends on the conversation."

Unseen by Helen and Larry who were too busy looking at each other, Isobel and Dickie exchanged a look and when Dickie crooked his eyebrows, almost pleadingly Isobel silently agreed and turned to Larry, "Of course, you stay here for dinner. I'll tell them to set a fourth plate. Excuse me, please."

When Dickie entered the bedroom that night Isobel was already in bed. She leaned against the head of the bed and tried to focus on a novel she had picked from the shelves earlier, but she couldn't. She watched Dickie who sank on the edge of the bed and sighed. His mood had gone downhill during dinner and she didn't blame him. The obvious connection between Helen adn Larry was hard to bear. It was still a mystery to Isobel what Helen saw in Larry, but it was obvious that he loved her.

"I made a decision," Dickie said in a low voice.

"What do you mean?" Isobel asked and abandoned the book.

"I'm going to tell Larry the truth about Helen."

She had feared he would say that, which forced her to make a decision of her own. Moving across the bed she approached him from behind and wrapped her arms around his upper body. She leaned against him and felt how he relaxed in response.

"Dickie…," she started, but he just took her left hand and kissed it. "I know what I'm doing, Darling. There's no way to keep Helen and Larry apart unless I tell Larry I'm Helen's father. You've seen how he looks at her."

"Yes, I have and I know the reason for it," she said.

Dickie scoffed, "I think the reason is fairly obvious."

"That's not what I mean. Dickie, I have to tell you something and I pray you won't be too hurt by what I have to tell you…."

*tbc*

Thank you so much for your good wishes.

So, a lot of stuff happens in this chapter and I really enjoyed writing it. I hope you enjoyed reading it. The plot thickens...