Shopping

There was no way Edith and Mark were making it out the door the next day on their own. Gossip spread like wild fire among the recovering Officers. As soon as it was discovered that Lady Edith was driving Major Goward into Ripon to go shopping the following afternoon another four of the convalescing men whose injuries prevented them from taking the bus showed up at the door to wait for her. Edith's eyes opened wide at the sight of the group of men. Her heart dropped at the prospect of loosing what she had hoped would be a romantic outing to the needs of the men. One of the men was about to hop into the front seat with Edith when a look from Major Goward sent him scurrying to the back seat. They were all very excited to be going shopping and asked where they might find an assortment of shops. None of them had been to a store for at least six months and their money was burning a hole in their pockets.

Edith pulled up to a central location and pointed out a teashop where the men should wait for her at an appointed time. It took a few minutes for them all to get out of the town car with their assortment of canes and crutches, but they were soon delivered and Edith pulled away.

"I wanted to go shopping too," Mark said.

"Then you should have gone with them," Edith said. "I told you I wanted to look at a tractor."

"They gossip too much. I don't want them to know what I'm shopping for."

"And what is this deep, dark secret?" Edith said with a smirk as she pulled up to the machinery dealer.

"You'll see."

They went in to look at the tractor. Mark was knowledgeable and asked a number of questions Edith hadn't though of. After twenty minutes they were finished and headed back to the shopping area. Edith asked Mark where he wanted to go first. His first stop was a pharmacy. Edith waited in the car for him. He came back after a few minutes and asked Edith to go to the local men's wear shop. He came out with a large packet and placed it in the boot.

"The man in the store said there is just what I'm looking for one street over and one block up," Mark said.

"That's the top of High Street," Edith said. "What on earth do you want there?"

"You'll see," he said with a grin.

Edith found a space to park on the high street and then got out of the car. Mark had come around to her side. He directed her to hold his arm and keep her eyes closed.

"I'm going to fall on my nose," Edith said.

"No, you wont," he sounded like a child on Christmas morning. Edith heard the doorbell tinkle as they entered a shop. "Keep your eyes closed or you'll ruin the surprise," he warned her.

Edith could sense him pointing out something to the man behind the counter but had no idea what it was. Finally, after what seemed like an eternity, he told her to open her eyes. They were in the most expensive jewelry shop in the small town. Laid out on the counter in front of them was a set of amethyst earrings, necklace, and matching hair combs. Beside that were three rings in different colors and settings.

Mark was looking at her expectantly with a large smile on his face.

"Which of the rings do you like?" he asked. "I like the opal but its up to you."

"Mark what is all this?" Edith said still not understanding.

"Your engagement ring and gift. Will you wear my ring and go back to New Zealand with me when its time?"

"Mark, I don't know what to say. Oh my, you've taken me by surprise," Edith blushed and put a hand to her mouth. After a minute she looked at him and nodded.

"I will."

She looked at the rings on the counter for a moment. "I like the opal one as well. I would very much like to wear it."

"Good, then we'll take the amethysts and the opal ring. Do you see anything else you fancy?"

"Mark you can't buy it all in one go!"

"Why not? What's the use of a trust fund if you can't spend it? I haven't used it since I signed up three years ago. Would you rather I got you the tractor? We could stop by and order that too, but I would rather get you a new one when we get back to New Zealand."

"Mark this is crazy and no I don't want the tractor today," Edith's head was spinning. "I thought you said you're a sheep farmer."

"I am."

"Just how big is this farm?"

"I think my sister's reduced the herd to thirty percent of normal in my absence, but its still rather large. It's the second largest station on the south island. It's a family owned operation. It pays dividends. My sister and I both have trusts. You'll live a nice life Edith. I can afford it."

Edith found a chair in the shop and sat down with a plop.

"Would you like the ring sized, Sir?" the man behind the counter asked.

"Yes, and I would like it prepared this afternoon," Mark said.

"There is an extra charge for rush work, Sir."

"Just do it. How much do I owe you?" Mark pulled out his checkbook and began to write out a draft. Edith's eyes opened wide at the amount. She didn't have a lot of experience with money but from her working with the estate accounts she knew it was a considerable amount.

"We'll be back in two hours for the ring and the other items," he said.

"Very well, Sir," the clerk said with a smile while fingering the bank draft.

Once they were out on the street, Edith put her arm through his and asked him where he would like to go next.

"I don't know," Mark said. "Somewhere we can get a cup of tea."

Edith could see that he was starting to tire from navigating streets with rough cobblestones. She got him back to the car and then headed back to the teashop where they had left the other men. It was midafternoon and the shop was fairly quiet. None of the men had returned yet. Edith was quiet while they placed their order. She kept her eyes downcast.

"What's the matter, Edith?" he questioned. He took her hand and kissed the back of it. "Aren't you happy?"

"I am. I'm just in shock. It was only a few days ago I thought you didn't like me. Now we're engaged and I've agreed to move to the other side of the world with you. I can't even think what my family is going to say."

"You don't think they'll be happy for us, do you?" he asked somewhat dejected.

"I think they'll be happy to get me off their hands, but they can be difficult. Except my younger sister, she is such a rebel she'll only care if I am happy. I do feel lucky you have chosen me," she said squeezing his hand.

Their order came and Edith could see Mark starting to relax. He had so many confidence issues yet to overcome with his injuries and he was far from well.

"Would you mind if we don't have a long engagement?" Edith asked. "I don't want to wait."

"How soon do you want to get married?" he questioned. "I would like to be able to at least get down the isle on my own."

"I wouldn't care if you were carried in on a stretcher," Edith said. "The thing is, when you're a wife you have rights. When you're a fiancée you don't."

"His death still bother's you doesn't it?" he asked taking her hand.

"I would at least like to know where his grave is," Edith said. "I'm not a direct relation so they wouldn't even tell me that much. I didn't even really know him all that well. He was wild and reckless and fun and liked to grow apples."

"And you miss him?"

"Not so much since I met you," Edith confessed, "My life is different now. My days are full. I used fight with Mary all the time. It's time to move on."

"We can get married whenever you like. I'll live with it. At least I know you accepted me the way I am, not because of anything else. Not like before."

"She hurt you very badly, didn't she?"

"Yes and no. I didn't love her. My pride was hurt more than anything. When I was laying under that horse tangled in Constantia wire, things became very clear to me. I was doing what was expected of me, getting engaged to whom I was told and signing up to serve the empire. I even attended a school that was chosen for me. I was there for hours before they came to cut me out. I don't know if I'll ever be able to ride a horse again. The nightmares have just started to slow down since I met you. I want to be a farmer and live a simple life."

The other men started to show up for the ride home. They all had multiple packages and were quite pleased with themselves and the items they had purchased. They all loaded into the car and waited while Edith made the trip back into the jewelry store to pick up Mark's purchase.

When they got back to Downton Mark stayed with Edith while she went to refuel the car. As they walked towards the house from the garage they stopped by a bench under a large elm tree. Mark took out the ring and slid it onto Edith's finger.

"I promise to stay true to you until the day that I die," he said.

Edith smiled happily at the sight of the ring on her finger. "Just make sure that day is when we're both old and grey," she said.

Carson was there to greet them when they came in the door.

"Mr. and Mrs. Branson have just arrived Milady," he said.

"Thank you Carson," Edith said happily. She turned to Mark. "You'll come to dinner tonight won't you? We can tell my family then."

"Yes, that's fine," he said before he went to lie down and recuperate from their shopping trip.

Edith went to collect Mark just before eight that night. She was dressed in her finery and wearing the jewelry he had purchased for her that afternoon. He was freshly shaved and dressed in his uniform. He offered her one arm and made his way towards the library with her with the use of one cane.

"You look lovely," he told her.

"So do you. Papa is in the library waiting for the others. Now's your chance to talk to him."

Edith walked into the library with Mark and greeted her father.

"Papa, Mark's got something he wants to ask you."

Mark looked as though he would like to bolt out the door, but steadied himself against one of the sofas and smiled at Edith. She went to wait just outside the library doors while he spoke to her father. The Dowager Countess arrived for dinner while Edith was waiting and eyed Edith speculatively.

"You look like the cat, that's swallowed the canary, Edith. What's going on?"

Just then Lady Cora, Mary, Sybil and Tom arrived from upstairs.

"Major Mark Goward has asked me to marry him and I've accepted. He's talking to Papa now," she said. She had a wide, glowing smile.

"Edith's already had two proposals and Sybil is a happily married woman. You must get on with it Mary," the Dowager Countess proclaimed.

"Oh, Granny," Mary groaned.

Lady Cora kissed Edith on the cheek. "I'm so happy for you, darling."

Sybil and Tom offered Edith their congratulations while Lady Violet, the Dowager Countess forged ahead into the library to find out what was going on.

"Nothing stops her," Sybil muttered to her husband as they headed inside.

From the look on Mark's face Edith could tell things weren't going well.

"Edith," her father said. "I don't like the idea of you marrying a man who is practically an invalid and moving half way around the world to God only knows where."

Edith moved over beside Mark and got him seated before she took a seat beside him.

"I told you, I'm not an invalid," Mark said. His drawl was more pronounced. "It's only temporary. We can visit every few years. I can well afford it."

"Another colonial, dear?" her grandmother chimed in. "And this one from even further afield than the last?"

Edith had been looking down at her hands and was about to break out in tears. When her grandmother's word galvanized her into action.

"Mark and I are getting married," Edith said. "As soon as it can be arranged. Whether all of you want to admit it or not, I'm an old maid. I want to be a farmer's wife, not just twiddle my days away on the home farm."

Lord Grantham and the senior members of the family were shocked to have Edith make so strong a statement. Sybil and Tom shared a smile between them. Lord Grantham caught their look and turned towards them.

"I suppose you had something to do with this?"

"What makes you say that," Tom said levelly with a feigned air of innocence. He had learned over the years not to let his father-in-law bait him. "We've only just arrived."

At the sound of Tom's accent and his smooth handling of his father-in-law Mark got a slight smirk on his face and Edith hid a giggle behind her hand. Lord Grantham knew when he was caught in the cross hairs with his younger daughters and finally let out a sigh.

"Very well then," he said. "You have my permission. Edith I hope you'll both be very happy."

"Thank you, Papa," she said. Edith and Mark hung back with Sybil an Tom so they could be introduced while the others moved ahead of them into the dining room.

"Don't mind their father," Tom told Mark as he shook his hand. "He screamed so loud when we told him we were married they could hear him in the servants' hall."

"Tom, you're exaggerating," Sybil chided him. "He was only loud enough to be heard on the first floor. It was me who yelling back loud enough to be heard downstairs."

Mark and Edith smiled at each other as they moved through to the dining room.

"You weren't kidding when you said difficult." Mark whispered to Edith. He nodded towards Tom. "He certainly knows how to handle them."

"Just watch and learn," Edith murmured to him with a smile as they entered the dining room and went to take their seats.