Chapter 14

John and Anna were seated in their living room having their tea and nightly chat when there was a rap on their door, "Who could that be? It's past ten o'clock," Anna sat up anxiously, while John went to the door. Mr Pearce, the night clerk, stood there nervously twisting his hands, "Sorry to disturb you Mr Bates... and Mrs Bates," he noticed Anna had come to the door too.

"What is it, Pearce?"

"Well, a couple just turned up twenty minutes ago, not just any couple...and I thought you should know..." he began, "I think she is...I'm not sure but she looks like...Lady Sybil... with a man."

"Lady Sybil? I'll go..." said Anna.

"We'll both go.."

"No, let me make sure first, and I'll call for you if we need to, one of us need to be here in case the boys wake up."

John had to agree and let her go, it made more sense as Lady Sybil is more inclined to talk to Anna than him - if it is Lady Sybil, that is. What is she doing here and with whom?

Pearce told Anna which room he had put them in; Anna walked to the end of the corridor on the first floor and knocked on the door softly, she gasped when half of Branson's face appeared in between the small crack as the door opened .

"Mr Branson...?!"

"Who is it?" she heard Lady Sybil's voice from inside the room.

At the cottage over several cups of tea into the wee hours, Lady Sybil and Tom Branson told the Bateses of their plans to elope, how they were on their way to Gretna Green to be wed, and to live in Dublin thereafter.

"How did you travel here?" John asked

"I drove..." Branson mumbled

"In Lord Grantham's motorcar?" John asked, Branson nodded.

"Have you thought about that?" John said incredulously, "You not only eloped with his daughter but you took his motorcar to do it - how long is a gaol term for stealing - two, three years?" he knows very well how long the gaol term is and it is not something he would wish on anyone, least of all on a foolish young man in love.

"But I'm not stealing..." Branson started to protest.

"Branson, have you really thought this through?!" John nearly raised his voice at him in frustration.

"Milady, you have to see reason," Anna took a different route, "surely if you talked to Lady Grantham she will understand."

"You don't understand Anna, Papa and Mama would never give us permission to marry, this is the only way. And even if they do, Grandmama would put a stop to it..."

"You are of age milady, you don't need their permission. But it will mean you'd be married properly, you won't have to elope in the night like this; won't you miss your family, not to mention breaking your parents' hearts..."

"Milady, you're right that his Lordship won't agree...not initially, but he'll come round," John takes over from Anna, "Lord Grantham is not an unreasonable man, he would be upset of course, only because it's a shock, he will need time but please talk to him, give him a chance. And he loves you, he was always telling us about his girls when we were in Africa - you were only a baby then - you were all he talked about. He won't want to lose you like this, trust me milady."

Branson and Lady Sybil looked at each other, each silently considering John and Anna's advice, and looked like they were about to agree when they were jolted by a small chime - the clock on the mantlepiece tells them it is midnight.

"They are right, Tom," Lady Sybil said slowly, "we should give Papa and Mama a chance and I don't really want to leave on such bad terms. Mr Bates is also right about the motorcar...the consequences would be far worse if Papa decides to press charges."

Branson knew then he was defeated and had to turn back to face Lord Grantham's wrath, "We shouldn't take up anymore of your time and head back now..."

"Don't be foolish, it's too late now and too dangerous to drive in the dark," John said, "if you leave just before first light, you'll be back before anyone is awake and discover you were gone."

"Milady, you're most welcome to stay with us while Mr Branson sleeps in the inn or we could ask Pearce to prepare another room for you," Anna suggested gently.

"Please, after all this, call me Tom," Branson said with a tired smile, "Thank you. Will you stay here?" he looked at Lady Sybil who nodded, "if you are sure Mr Bates?" he turned to look at Bates.

Bates gave him a smile and nodded, "It's John," and he gave Tom a pat on his back.

Over the next few months, from the letters Anna received from Mrs Hughes, they knew that not everything had gone smoothly for Lady Sybil and Tom but in the end they prevailed and Lord Grantham gave his blessings.

Bates was in his office, doing the paperwork, when Lily from the front desk knocked on his door to announce he had a visitor, he looked up to see Lord Grantham at the door.

"Milord"

"Bates, my dear fellow," he extended his hand to Bates, then looked around the office, "glad to see you're doing well."

"Thank you milord. Please, take a seat," he gestured to the visitors chairs in his office; stuck his head out of the door to ask Lily to bring in some tea.

Lord Grantham started with small talk, asking Bates about his family and the inn. Bates happily told him about his two boys; they will be coming into the office shortly with Anna and he will be able to meet them. Bates in turn, asked him of news in Downton; Lord Grantham filled him in, including news that Lady Sybil and Tom Branson are now married and living in Dublin.

"Bates, I heard you and Anna played a big part in knocking some sense into Sybil and Tom few months ago, getting them to return to Downton instead of eloping. Which brings me to the reason why I came, to thank you."

"It was nothing, milord, anyone would've done the same. I'm glad to hear they married with your blessings. Lady Sybil has grown into a determined young lady, she told us of being a nurse at the hospital during the war."

"She has, indeed," he mused.

Without warning, two boys, ages four and one, rushed into the room excitedly calling out "Papa, Papa" loudly, they stopped suddenly with eyes and mouth wide opened, when they realised there was an important guest in their father's office. Bates beckoned them over and introduced them to Lord Grantham.