Author's Note:Hey guys thanks for all the support and reviews, sooo sorry for the delay in updating but I've been writing, re-writing and changing things around in this chapter and decided to split in into two parts because I wanted this one to be a build up and then the next one will be actually dealing with Tommy. So this is part 1 which deals with Rosamund and some more of her venomous gossip and what do you think is wrong with Rebecca? ;)

Please tell me what you think!

Enjoy! x

Chapter 14 – Today

Boxing Day - Part 1

December 26th 1939

The Crawley family sat nestled in their own compartment in the train which trundled them off to the big city. Benjamin and Rebecca were tucked away in the corner playing snap whilst Georgina, Edward and Joseph chattered quietly to each other. Matthew poured over today's newspaper with a small crease between his brows as his eyes travelled further and further down the page. Mary was reading a letter from Edith with a look of incredulity embedded on her face.

Suddenly she gasped, "Oh I don't believe it!"

Matthew jumped in alarm, "What? What's happened?"

Mary looked up at her family in amusement, "Edith's expecting her fifth child, sometime in July!"

"That's wonderful!" Georgina exclaimed in delight, "We're to have another little cousin!"

"Well that's – very surprising." Joseph said with a suppressed grin.

"And she also says that she hopes it's a boy this time!" Mary laughed as she continued reading the letter.

"Well after four daughters that's understandable," Matthew said with a smirk.

"Yes I suppose so." Mary said in a chilly voice, her dark eyes narrowing as she flipped the slip of paper over.

"What's wrong now?" Matthew asked in agitation.

Mary sucked in her breath, "She says 'now we have the same number of children and who knows, maybe I shall have more.' That's her attempt at a subtle way of saying she's going to have more children than me!"

"I'm sure it was a joke Mama," Joseph said jadedly.

"I don't think so!" Mary brandished the letter under her son's nose, "You don't know your Aunt Edith like I do! This is what she does! She means to deliberately have a dig at me! That's what she's like!"

"Oh Mary for heaven sake!" Matthew chided, exchanging an exasperated glance with his children. "How long is this petty competitiveness going to last? And what kind of an example are you setting for our children might I add?"

"I don't make it a competition!" Mary protested, "She does!"

Matthew quirked his brow. "Just her? Are you sure about that?"

Mary relented, blushing, "Well – maybe I compete a little but it's not my fault if she chooses to see things that way! Just – just because I announced Edward's upcoming birth the day after Eleanor was born, doesn't mean I was trying to upstage her. And announcing Benjamin's upcoming birth on Suzanne's sixth birthday… doesn't mean I'm turning it into a competition! She does!"

"Well, you learn something every day. I feel so thrilled to know I'm the product of sibling rivalry!" Edward stated with sarcastic endearment. "There's me spending nearly sixteen years of my life thinking I was born from love!"

Matthew chose to ignore him. "So Mary what are you going to do now?"

"Well I can tell you what I'm not going to do and I'm not going to sink to her level." Mary replied with dignity. She smoothed her skirt primly, "I'm merely going to congratulate her and be done with it."

"What else does Aunt Edith say Mama?" Georgina asked swiftly.

"Oh," Mary absently checked the letter, "She says that Virginia is very comfortable in college and is spending her free time training as nurse… Eleanor and Susanne are enjoying their studies and little Louisa has just turned nine!"

"Nine!" Georgina squealed, "Oh bless her! I can remember when they came here last summer and she followed me about everywhere like a little puppy!" She chuckled fondly at the memory. "My time does fly!"

"Yes it does." Matthew said wistfully as he watched his own children.

Mary nodded and folded the letter up, "I mean I still can't believe Virginia's in college, it just seems like yesterday she…." Mary peered inside the envelope, "What – is this?" She pulled out several newspaper cuttings from every single New York paper which announced the birth of Lady Edith and Peter Rockefeller's fifth child. Mary gave a hollow laugh. "She's practically thrusting the poor child into the spotlight before it's even born!"

Matthew grasped his wife's hand, saying gently, "Rise above it Mary. Rise above it. Look at your son and remember how proud you are of him. You have many things in your life to be proud of too."

Mary looked up at Joseph who smiled warmly at her. He was dressed in his soldier attire for his trip up to London despite the teasing he received from Edward who claimed he was just showing off. Mary returned the smile, stuffing the letter and newspaper clippings back into the envelope, determined not to let anything or anyone get to her. Then she remembered that she was visiting Aunt Rosamund and her mood deepened.

Once the train pulled into St Pancras, Matthew and Mary ushered their children off the train when Benjamin wailed that he'd left his toy soldiers in the compartment. Matthew rushed back to fetch it but when he joined his family, Rebecca shrieked that she had left her book there too.

"Right anyone else left anything behind?" Matthew almost yelled in sheer frustration after Georgina darted back for her gloves once he'd returned with the book.

Joseph shook his head smugly. "Nope. I remembered everything."

"Where's your hat Joe?" Edward asked with a small smirk.

"Why it's right here on my…." Joseph dashed back inside the train as quick as lightening.

Once they were finally settled enough, they clung together as the tides of people scurrying towards the train built up stronger and stronger.

"Is there something going on?" Edward asked suspiciously.

"I'm sure it's just the bank holiday crowd!" Mary shouted over the noise, "We need to find a taxi. Now!"

"And how are we going to do that?" Edward asked in disbelief.

"Leave it to me!" Joseph shouted.

Wearing the uniform proved to be a success for Joseph as it commanded him respect from every eye who saw him in it, automatically parting to let him and his family march through, nodding their heads in acknowledgement of their respect. They met several other soldiers loitering at the station who were travelling in or out of London, once they crossed paths with Joseph each would tip their hand in a short salute. Benjamin clung to his father's hand whilst being pulled through the tidal wave of people, watching all the interactions with his older brother in awe.

Joseph easily managed to flag down a taxi given his uniform. He proudly opened the door for his family to slide inside, nodding at a disgruntled Edward in a self-satisfactory manner.

"So how long to we have to stay at Aunt Rosamund's house for?" Rebecca asked as their taxi scuttled away from the station.

"We're just popping in for a quick visit." Mary replied curtly with a glance at her husband.

"Then what's the point in dragging us all here?" Edward grumbled, unaware of the unexpected call on Tommy.

"Because it's Christmas and Rosamund is by herself." Mary answered evenly.

"Well more's the pity!"

"Oh do hush Ed!" Georgina snapped. "You're behaving grossly childish!"

"It's not like you had anything better to do Edward," Matthew said austerely.

"I could be back at home revising!" Edward responded smartly.

"Oh for heaven's sake!" Mary sighed, "We're her only family and she wants to see all of us."

Edward scoffed, "I doubt it! She doesn't even like me!"

"Her too?" Joseph muttered sarcastically.

"It's not that she doesn't like you Ed, she feels you're irresponsible," Mary said in reassurance, then mumbling, "I can't really blame her but there you go."

"I mean she does know I'm going off to war as a medic doesn't she?" Edward asked Georgina openly. "You know, risking my life while saving others?" Joseph and Matthew strongly resisted the urge to roll their eyes.

"Yes," Georgina answered bitterly. "She knows all that but she doesn't care."

Edward slumped back in his seat with an irritated frown, watching the idle traffic outside.

"London looks so sad," Benjamin piped up, his little hand pressed against the cool glass as he gazed forlornly out of the window. "All the buildings are being hidden by those brown sacks."

"They're called sandbags Benji and they're used for protection." Joseph explained.

"Against the bombs?"

Joseph nodded, his eyes clouding.

Lunch at Rosamund's was a very awkward and dismal affair. Georgina poked the chicken pie on her plate in distaste. The meat smelled quite off and the crust was charred and burnt. She hesitated to put it anywhere near her mouth. Benjamin sat back in his chair, arms crossed and grumpily staring at his food without touching it.

"Edward aren't you going to eat anything?" Rosamund asked him sharply.

"I'm Benjamin!" He protested angrily.

"I don't care," Rosamund counteracted airily. "When you're given food on your plate you must eat it all. Especially in these circumstances when food is running out."

"But it's all pink and tastes funny!" Benjamin commented loudly.

"Benji!" Mary interjected calmly, "Just try a mouthful. Please." She smiled at her youngest son apologetically as he slowly picked up his fork, scooped a morsel of pie onto it and slipped it into his mouth, chewing mechanically and swallowing with disgust. Mary felt her heart clench with guilt as her youngest son glared at her with a look of such misery, she felt like the worst mother in the world.

"Good boy." Matthew said sincerely, unable to bear himself for inadvertently forcing his children, especially Joseph to eat this muck. It was a form of torture.

"Now tell me what's going on in Downton?" Rosamund asked Matthew. "How is everyone? Cora? Your mother?"

"Oh – oh er – Mama and Cousin Cora are fine," Matthew said in distraction as his eyes caught Edward surreptitiously emptying Benjamin's food into his napkin and wrapping it up under the table. "Just- just busy that's all."

"Busy doing what?"

"Well, Cousin Cora is running a charity in Ripon which helps the women who have lost their husbands and sons to war and Mama is working in various hospitals up here in London."

Rosamund rolled her eyes, "Isobel I can expect to play the good Samaritan but Cora…"

"I think it's a wonderful idea," Georgina exclaimed coldly, "Even women need to do their part for the war."

"That's all very well but like I told you there's a time and a place for these thi -" Rosamund suddenly broke into another coughing fit, choking into her handkerchief while her family looked on, startled and a little embarrassed.

"Aunt Rosamund have you seen a doctor?" Edward asked, finally throwing down his fork.

"Oh don't be ridiculous Joseph I don't need one!" Rosamund insisted, coughing yet some more, "It's just a winter cold that's all."

"First of all, I'm Edward, second of all that cough sounds more than just a winter cold and third, you might have early stages of pneumonia." Edward retorted.

Rosamund just waved her hand aside, "I don't need to be told about my health from some child thank you very much!"

"I was only trying to be helpful," Edward said with dislike, "I know what I'm talking about. I'm training to be a -"

"Oh yes, yes Georgina told me all about your little job in the war," Rosamund said dismissively, waving her fan in front of her face in exasperation, "Oh I feel so ill, where's Fulton and that wine?"

Edward rounded on his father for support.

"Cousin Rosamund," Matthew said quickly, "Edward's role in the war is much more than just a little job."

"Pish posh it's all the same to me." Rosamund replied indifferently, turning to Mary, "Now have you heard anything from your sisters dear."

"Well…" Mary started hastily, trying not to draw too much attention to her daughters who were also emptying their plates into their napkins. "As it happens I received a letter from Edith today. She's expecting another child. And she hopes it will be a boy."

Rosamund's face fell. "Oh that girl is too silly! Why would you want boys for?" She asked blatantly ignoring the four seated with her at the table.

"I don't see anything wrong in boys Aunt Rosamund." Rebecca piped up quietly.

Rosamund snorted, "Well Edith has no clue! A boy! Really! Girls are the right thing, she must have another girl."

"Oh well surely boys aren't all that bad Cousin Rosamund," Matthew said with a wink at Benjamin.

"Aren't they?" Rosamund gave a tinkling laugh. She shot a glance at Edward, "Boys succumb easily to corruption." Edward opened his mouth in indignation; Rosmaund turned her gaze to Joseph. "Boys get killed in wars." Joseph flushed a deep shade of scarlet as she turned her grey eyes onto the youngest Crawley. "And boys are messy and spoiled at the worst of times!" Benjamin shrunk lower in his seat, his blue eyes growing small in dejection.

Georgina and Rebecca's mouths dropped open at the sheer audacity of their Aunt's comments. Their brothers were now staring at the tablecloth in humiliation, their dignity already torn to shreds by a few choice comments.

Mary clenched her fists into her napkin, biting into her tongue. She glared at Matthew, willing him as head of the family to contradict her Aunt as she slandered their sons, but he just shook his head wearily at her, telling her to rise above it. That's all she ever seemed to do these days. Rise above it. Well maybe she'd had enough.

"Now how about dessert?" Rosamund asked gleefully as Mary was about to snap.

Joseph shot his father a desperate glance as they were supposed to be calling on the Napiers and then Tommy soon.

"Cousin Rosamund we really can't stay long," Matthew said smoothly. "We have other people to call on today."

"Who?" Rebecca asked in surprise.

"Yes, who?" Rosamund echoed, her eyes glaring at Matthew from across the table.

"We need to pay a visit to the Napiers and -" He swiftly swallowed his next word, "See how they are."

"Oh them." Rosamund said in a bland voice, shooting a furtive look at Joseph. "You know I've heard that young Amelia is very much attached to the Earl of Portland's youngest son, Henry Bentinck."

Joseph dropped his fork with a clatter. "What?" He choked. "What did you just say?"

"Joseph Crawley!" Rosamund reprimanded, "You say excuse me not 'what!' That's very vulgar, very vulgar indeed! Honestly Mary what are you teaching your children?"

"Aunt Rosamund with all due respect, my children -"

"Amelia and Bentinck?" Joseph sighed in exasperation.

"That's just gossip Joe." Georgina said emphatically, mouthing, 'Don't listen to her,' across the table at her brother. "I've been keeping in touch with Amelia and she didn't mention anything about Henry Bentinck. Not a word."

"No, well she wouldn't would she dear?" Rosamund said in a patronizing voice as if she were talking to a child. "You're Joseph's sister. Of course she wouldn't mention her new sweetheart to you. That would be highly inappropriate."

"Her – her sweetheart?" Joseph whispered, his heartbeat compressing at every word Rosamund spoke. "They're sweethearts? Really? Well, I didn't know that." He roughly began cutting up his pie, "There's me thinking Henry and I were friends. I thought he could've at least respected me enough to tell me."

"I'm sure his father would've mentioned something to me if it were true." Matthew said in what he hoped was a reassuring voice. Joseph didn't seem to hear his father. He just continued to drown in despair at Rosmaund's words.

Mary thought her heart would tear at the devastated look etched upon her eldest son's face. Her hand itched to reach across the table and slap her Aunt.

"I didn't know they were sweethearts either." Rebecca piped up timidly. She leaned back in her seat feeling utterly defeated, like the energy had been punctured from her gut. Unbeknownst to everyone, she had thought herself in love with Henry Bentinck, despite him being seven years older than her. Now she felt positively humiliated with herself. How foolish and stupid she must've looked to Henry now. Why would he even glance her way when there were so many beautiful girls like Georgina and Amelia flitting around? She was suddenly struck by a sharp pain stabbing across her abdomen. She gasped and doubled up, her head spinning.

"Well of course they are, all of London society knows." Rosamund said in a sickly sweet voice. "I'm surprised you didn't Joseph."

Rebecca gritted her teeth, clutching her stomach as the pain grew so intense. What was happening to her?

"Well I have been rather busy," Joseph replied waspishly. "So – how did this – how did they – how is…?"

"How did this come to be you ask? Well apparently they met last month at the Villier's dinner -"

"It's not true Joseph!" Georgina interrupted fiercely, "She wrote about the Villier's dinner and she talked about everyone she met there and they weren't Henry Bentinck! Don't listen to gossip. Go find Amelia and ask her yourself."

"You know I think I might just do that," Joseph responded with acidity laced within his voice. He knew it wasn't Georgina's fault but he couldn't help being angry at her. If she had just paid more attention to Amelia's letters rather than reading what she wanted to read then maybe she could've warned him about Henry Bentinck. Joseph's fist curled on top of the crisp tablecloth. God, he wished he could pummel his fist into Bentinck's smug, pretty face.

"I don't want to visit the Napiers." Joseph grumbled from the backseat of the taxi.

"Joe you know it would be terribly impolite to come to London and not call upon our oldest and dearest friends." Mary said patiently. "And besides, if this is about what Aunt Rosamund said, you must learn to just ignore it."

"But I can't!" Joseph didn't mean to whine but it came out that way. "She has a way of getting inside your mind and toying with it until you have no choice but to believe her gossip."

"Then don't." Georgina said calmly.

"Why didn't you tell me about Henry Bentinck?" Joseph shot out at her.

"Because there was nothing to tell!" Georgina answered back angrily, "She never mentioned a single word to me about it in her letters!"

"Well she wouldn't would she?" Joseph countered. "You're my sister, it would deem inappropriate! Aunt Rosamund was right! God, I hate saying that!"

"I'm sure they're just friends," Matthew said soothingly.

"But friendship will develop into something more!" Joseph replied with worry.

"I don't understand why you're so upset," Rebecca interjected harshly, "You're the one who ended the arrangement between you two. Amelia's at perfect liberty to be friends with whoever she pleases."

"Nobody asked your opinion!" Edward snapped. Rebecca elbowed him. Hard.

"Edward don't be rude to your sister!" Mary scolded. "Personally I agree with her – only because," She added swiftly as Joseph opened his mouth to protest, "It's dear Amelia we're talking about here and she's at perfect liberty to be friends with whoever she chooses. It's sad, yes, but that's the situation."

"It's all my fault." Joseph whispered, his head falling into his hands.

Matthew grasped his son's shoulder, "No it's mine." He cast a glance at his wife, "I should've stopped you when I knew you were making a mistake. But that's the interesting thing about mistakes Joe, we can learn from them. Now, if you're not feeling up to seeing Amelia then how about we visit that cousin of yours?"

Rebecca didn't know how long she could put it off. She had a tiny inkling in the back of her mind at what it could be but it can't happen now, not now they're out. She gasped as another streak of pain struck her gut, she released a soft groan but no one seemed to hear her. They were all too busy discussing Tommy.

Fifteen minutes later they found themselves trudging down a narrow, cobbled street towards a small crumbling building in East London, the lodging house which housed Tommy Branson.

"This is definitely his lodgings," Joseph said as he checked the slip of paper in his hand. "This is where I visited him."

"What lovely accomodation." Edward said with sincerity, "I can see why he'd want to stay here instead of at Downton."

"For once do you think you can try and be a bit compliant?" Matthew asked his son in exhaustion. "If not for your own sake then for your cousin's? You don't know what he's done to get himself in this situation Ed."

Mary pressed her handkerchief to her nose, pulling Benjamin and her daughters closer to her as a few loitering men leered at them from the corner of the street. "Girls," She whispered fiercely, "Don't make eye contact with them!"

The thick smog was swirling around them rapidly, clogging inside poor Benjamin who started to choke. He hated it in London and wanted to go back to his home in the nice countryside. He couldn't understand what his family were doing here. Tommy wouldn't be living here. He was a hero and heroes lived in nice places didn't they?

"I don't like it here Mama!" He wailed, "Can we go home now?"

"We're here to visit Cousin Tommy Benji. Though what he's doing living here, God only knows." Mary sniffed once they approached the front door.

Matthew rapped three times on the door. It creaked open. A small dirty face peered through the crack. Benjamin clutched on tighter to his mother's hand at the sight of the man. He had a thin, sallow face and bright orange hair which reminded him forcibly of a clown he used to detest.

"All right?" The man rasped. "Wha' can I do fer ya?"

"Oh hello." Matthew said as politely as he could, "I was wondering if you could tell me if – if Thomas, Tommy Branson is still here?"

"Mr Branson just arrived abou' ten minutes ago - sir." The man croaked. "Are you here for the usual business?"

Matthew frowned. "Usual business?"

The man quickly faltered, "I – I mean are you his usual guests like?"

"We're his family." Matthew answered coolly.

"Family!" The man laughed, "Tha's the firs' I ever eard' of Tom havin' a family that want to see him!"

"What are you talking about? I was here last month and I'm his cousin!" Joseph interjected sharply.

"Oh you was were ya?" The man growled, "Well in that case you shoulda' signed the guestbook then! Cousin!"

"Guestbook?" Edward scoffed, eyeing the decrepit buliding.

"What - what guestbook?" Joseph asked carelessly.

"The guestbook I make people sign so I can keep record of who shows up an who don't!" The man replied with self-satisfaction. "This ain't no doss house ya know! I run a respectable lodging house ere!"

"I'm sure you do." Edward mumbled under his breath.

"Could we see Tommy please." Matthew requested firmly.

"Is he expectin' ya?" The man asked suspiciously.

"No, we were in London and decided to stop by." Matthew explained evenly, flicking his eyes up to the greying sky. "And we should like to do so quickly before it gets dark. We'd prefer to be out of the city by nightfall."

"Smart finking sir. But just to clarify – Mr Branson has had no warning of ya visit?" The man asked yet again.

"No he hasn't. But is it a crime to pay a casual visit to one's nephew?" Matthew asked through gritted teeth, his patience wearing thin.

The man stepped aside and widened the gap in the fragile door to allow them access. "Nah it ain't, you have to pardon me questioning sir. You can never be too careful, specially these days. You ge' all sorts of rif raff jus' wanderin' in off the streets, beggin' us to lend em our rooms fer cheap rates, you know." He spotted Benjamin lurking behind his mother and spread a wide, toothless grin at him. Benjamin gasped in fright and hid behind his father instead.

"Well we're not rif raff." Mary said acidly.

"Nah I suppose you ain't mam." The man said with a smirk. "But yous' could be spies. German spies for all I know bout' ya!"

"Do we look like spies?" Joseph asked pointedly, indicating his uniform.

The man sarcastically tipped his hat at Joseph. "No – sir- you don't. Now you lot wanted to see Mr Branson?"

"Yes." Mary said, surveying the man with dislike.

He pointed to a narrow staircase to their right. "Keep goin up them stairs until you get to a small landin. Then you'll see annuver set o' staircase which leads to -"

"I know where his room is!" Joseph interrupted impatiently, "It's not that hard to find. Come, I'll lead the way."

The man's eyes grew small and filled with an intense surge of hatred towards Joseph. "Very well." He said in a sugary voice. "As this young man as' obviously bin ere before, he'll show ya."

Matthew turned to the man with a forced smile, trying to detatch himself from Benjamin whose hands were clamped firmly on his arm. "Thank you Mr….?"

"Sparks. Gibson Sparks but you can jus call me Jip. Evry one else does!" Sparks said with an extravagant bow at the Crawley family.

Benjamin couldn't take his growing agitation anymore. "Are you a Nazi?" He whimpered.

"Benjamin!" Matthew hissed while Edward snorted with laughter. Joseph nudged him, trying to suppress a grin himself.

"I - I don't know where he came up with that!" Mary said, flushing with embarrassment.

"Yes, I am so, so sorry!" Matthew said apologetically to Sparks who was glaring at the little boy in shock and destation. "You'll have to excuse my little boy he has no manners!"

"Benji you apologize right now." Mary commanded.

"Sorry!" Benjamin cheeped in a tone completely contrary.

"Sorry." Matthew repeated earnestly.

Sparks waved his hand dimissively, "No problem sir. He's just a child after all." He glowered down at Benjamin who shrunk back behind his father in fear.

"Well - Mr Sparks, er, Jip. Thank you." Matthew picked up his youngest son and ushered his family away from Sparks, all instincts screaming at him to get his family out of this place.

Sparks watched them disappear up the rickety staircase, snarling like a rabid dog. As soon as they were out of earshot, he spat on the floor.

to be continued...