March 1920, Greece
Sybil stretched out in the chaise lounge turning her head up to face the sun. It felt so decadent to be lying in the sun like this, dressed in only a short thin cotton robe loosely tied at her waist that allowed her legs to be kissed by the sun light. Never would she have ever thought she would be laying like this outside, so scantily dressed, or what she knew society would say was scandalous, but she didn't care. Heavens she thought, what would they think if they knew that yesterday she and Tom had found a deserted cove where they had made love on a blanket on the sand and then swam in the water nude. Now that was scandalous!
Of course it helped that the high white washed wall to her left didn't allow for anyone to see up onto her terrace. While the wall in front of her wasn't nearly as tall for it allowed one sitting on the terrace to see the crystal blue waters of the sea spread below her, it was doubtful that anyone in the water could actually see her unless she stood up.
However, one could see the bare chested man standing at the wall looking out at the impossibly blue water and the islands in the distance. Dressed only in his pajama bottoms, Tom's back was a light golden brown as were his arms which were resting on the top of the wall enabling him to lean out and take in the wonderful view. Even his hair had turned a shade or two lighter from the sun.
Looking at the fine form of her husband, Sybil smiled. Her mind immediately going to this morning and the love making they had done on this terrace in the very chair she was now lounging on. From her nursing she had known about the mechanics of sex, she had tended to numerous soldiers including washing some of them. She chuckled as she remembered the first time she had actually seen the private parts of one of her patients and how surprised she had been as to the size and look of it.
But now after a month of marriage, the only surprise Sybil had regarding sex was how much she enjoyed it. How could some women say it was their duty? How could they not enjoy it? Then looking again at her husband, maybe their husbands didn't have the skill of Tom. She wasn't sure she really wanted to know how he knew how to please her, she didn't want to know how many women he had been with before her. She was comfortable knowing that she was the one he had chosen to marry and never for one second did she doubt his love for her.
Husband! Sybil smiled as she thought of the word. Finally … at long last she was Mrs. Tom Branson and she had been for a full month now. After all the struggles to get there, their wedding had come off without a hitch. While it wasn't quite the boisterous affair that Maud's had been just a month before hers, it suited her and Tom.
They wanted a wedding that reflected them as a couple and to celebrate with those closest to them. Unlike so many of her class, Sybil was not marrying to upgrade her standing in society or cement wealth between families for if anything her marriage was lowering her standing in society. No she was marrying for love something that so many of her class would have thought foolish.
Tom's mother and all his siblings had come over for the big event. While his brother-in-law stayed home with his young children, his sister-in-law Rena did accompany her husband, Tom's elder brother. Rena, upon hearing that her future sister-in-law was a rich English aristocrat, wouldn't have stayed home if she had been on her death bed.
Rena had all sorts of ideas of what a fancy English wedding would be like and she was determined to be a part of it. Although she had no love of the English, it would be her only opportunity to attend what she imagined would be the grandest feast she'd ever partake of. When she had met Sybil at Maud's wedding she couldn't help but note the beautiful and expensive dress Sybil wore so she was excited to see what her wedding dress would look like. Of course Sybil was beautiful Rena thought, Tommy Branson had always had an eye for the prettier girls. Although Tommy was handsome, cheeky and doing quite well, Rena couldn't imagine why a rich English lady would choose him. He'd be quite a catch for any girl in their circle in Dublin but in England? Rena thought there had to be something more to the story.
Mrs. Branson and Cara came over the week before the wedding to help with the final wedding preparations. It also gave them a chance to catch up with Aideen whose life was taking a quite unexpected turn. Any wishes that Mrs. Branson had that Aideen would return to Dublin would not be granted, at least not in the immediate future.
The decision of where to hold the wedding breakfast had caused slight tension between Sybil and her mother. Her mother thought only a very elegant hotel would do for the daughter of an Earl if she wouldn't have it Downton. That Earl however wanted the wedding to be as quiet as possible. Although he had given his blessings, he was not fully happy with his daughter marrying what he considered below her station. He knew that he would take a lot of ribbing from his friends and social set when they learned of his youngest daughter's marriage to the owner of a motor car garage and he could only imagine their snickers if they knew he was the former Crawley chauffeur.
However, for once Robert was smart enough to know not to voice this to either his wife or daughter. When he realized that Cora and Sybil were disagreeing, he saw his opportunity to contain the situation by telling them since it was Sybil's wedding she should do what she wanted. Of course this immediately earned him a hug and kiss from his daughter along with her gratitude and Robert did have a momentary tinge of guilt but he knew Sybil's choice wouldn't be a splashy affair that would quickly become gossip in his social circle.
If it had been summer or even early fall Sybil's decision would have been an easy one … a nice garden or even the Brambly's back garden. But since it was February and much too cold for the outdoors, she would have to choose somewhere else.
To her family, Sybil's choice was an unusual one. The museum had a hall that was used to entertain wealthy museum patrons but was also available to rent for parties or dinners. It was a beautiful wood paneled room with high ceilings and a huge stone fireplace on one wall. Another wall contained four large glass double doors all opening onto a private courtyard that had a huge fountain in the middle surrounded by stone paths and benches. In the warmer months there were plenty of colorful plants that made the area a relaxing place to take a break or rest one's weary feet after walking around the museum. It was the perfect place thought Sybil, elegant enough for her family but warm and inviting for her friends and the Bransons.
A bonus was that the hall had a kitchen that was used to catering receptions and dinners for up to 100 people. That would be just perfect for the 60 or so guests at the wedding. Sybil liked the relaxed atmosphere at Maud's wedding reception and so she chose a buffet luncheon with tables scattered around the room but no assigned seating. She wanted people to mingle and this was an eclectic group of guests including not only family, but all of Tom's employees at the garage, a few business friends of Tom's, several nurses that Sybil worked with, some friends either Sybil or Tom had made at the various lectures that attended, and of course everyone that lived in the Brambly house. This was another one of those things that made this wedding different from the type the Crawleys were accustomed to for all guests were close friends or family of the bride and groom and not social acquaintances of their parents.
As Sybil lounged in the chaise in the warm Grecian sun, the thoughts of her wedding couldn't help but make her smile. They had had the wedding she wanted and now were in the midst of a honeymoon she would never have imagined.
Tom must have sensed she was thinking about him because he turned around to look at her, his face breaking out in that adorable cheeky grin she had come to love.
"It's our last day here love" he began "do you think we should do some more sightseeing."
"No" Sybil surprised herself how quickly and forcibly her answer came out.
Tom raised his eyebrows. Still grinning he walked over to her and sat on the edge of the chaise. "Do you have something else in mind?" he asked as his hand began running up her shapely leg.
In response, Sybil raised up and passionately kissed her husband.
Later that night Sybil again found herself sitting in the chaise lounge chair only this time it was the stars she was looking at and not the sea. She had loved every minute they had spent here but she was looking forward to tomorrow when they would go to the island where Gaia's father was conducting a dig. It would be good to see not only Gaia but also Aideen.
She hadn't seen Aideen since the week after the wedding when Aideen and Gaia had left for Greece. Sybil thought that Aideen was a bit sheepish about sharing the flat with Sybil and Tom although Sybil had only been at the flat for three nights while Aideen was there.
Mary and Edith had surprised Sybil by giving her and Tom a room for their wedding night and the night after at the best hotel in Manchester. As Mary had said "Sybil dear you're being so practical about this wedding, we thought we'd give you something indulgent."
Oh how her sisters would blush if they knew how indulgent those evenings, and even days, had been. The room had two lovely flower arrangements with most of Sybil's favorite flowers giving the room a faint floral aroma. Two bottles of champagne already chilling on ice, accompanied by the finest chocolates and fruit, were waiting for the just married couple upon their arrival at the hotel. Sybil never did put on their gift of the beautiful silk and lace negligee but did wear the matching robe briefly.
It's funny how life can turn out thought Sybil. She had never imagined she would be honeymooning in Greece and participating in an excavation of ancient ruins. Even better was the thought that both she and Tom would be paid for their work during the three weeks they were at the dig.
When Lord Barton had told Gaia that he wanted to hire a journalist to document this dig, Gaia had suggested Tom. Tom then spent several hours on two consecutive days conversing with Lord Barton. Both Tom and Sybil were elated when he got the job, not only because they would spend three weeks in Greece, but also the opportunity this presented for Tom. He would write several articles that would appear in the London Times as a special report as well as some shorter articles for his current newspaper, The Manchester Guardian. Additionally, Lord Barton had arranged for an archaeological magazine to print a story regarding this dig as their cover story. All of this would be great exposure for Tom and hopefully would lead to other journalistic work.
After thinking it over, Tom and Sybil decided to go to Greece a week early as their honeymoon. They took the train to Athens were they spent two very full days of sightseeing and then a ferry boat to the island where they were now. Days of exploring the island, visiting the small fishing villages and sampling freshly caught fish, swimming in the clear blue water, and lounging on the beaches and nights of making love had made their stay here the perfect honeymoon thought Sybil.
At first Tom was afraid he was putting too much of a burden on Kiernan by leaving for a month but Kiernan realized that Tom's heart was more into writing than the garage. For some time now Tom had been handling all of the paperwork side of the business while Kiernan concentrated on the actual mechanical work. Maud could handle whatever paperwork that could not wait for Tom's return.
Furthermore, Kiernan had said it was his wedding gift to the newlyweds. Although Tom suspected that Kiernan was more than happy to have the flat all to himself for a month since Maud was now living down the street in the flat over Ross' bookshop. After their honeymoon Tom and Sybil would be returning to the flat to live while Kiernan was moving into a new flat.
Tom and Kiernan had recently bought the building next to their garage. While the front of the building was an odds and ends stop that sold a variety of wares, the back of that floor contained an office and storeroom. The current tenant that ran the odds and ends store would continue to do so. Tom and Kieran would use the back of the building for a store room.
Tom had found it more economical to buy parts in large quantities and they didn't have all the space they needed in their current building. This would also allow them to store some parts that they needed on a less frequent basis allowing them to repair motor cars much more quickly if they didn't have to order a part but rather had it on hand. This had a dual purpose of pleasing customers by being able to offer quicker service and it freed up parking space that was now taken up by motor cars that were waiting for parts.
An unexpected bonus of buying the building, one that wasn't needed at the time, was that there was a one bedroom flat on the upper floor. It was much smaller than the flat above the garage, so Kiernan would now move into that flat while Sybil would move in with Tom in the flat above the garage.
Since Maud had married Ross and moved in with him, and Kiernan was moving into the newly acquired flat, this just left Aideen. Tom and Sybil made in clear to her that she was welcomed to continue living in the flat with them. However, the subject became moot when Aideen was offered a position with the dig.
Gaia had found Aideen a hard worker who was a fast learner and willing to take on any task. For her part, Aideen was just fascinated with the work and she spent much of her free time reading and educating herself on ancient civilizations. Realizing what a bright young woman Aideen was, Gaia offered her a job as an assistant on her father's current dig. Even without knowing exactly what she would be doing Aideen was over the moon. She couldn't believe her luck that she would be going to Greece for a year.
"What are you doing out here love?" Tom's words snapped Sybil out of her daydream or could it be called a daydream when one was staring at the stars.
"Just looking at the sky and the stars and thinking how lucky I am" Sybil responded as she scooted over in the chaise so that Tom could lie beside her.
"Could you ever have imagined that we'd go from conversing in a motor garage in Yorkshire to conversing on a terrace overlooking the sea in Greece?" Sybil asked dreamily.
Tom chuckled as he took his wife's hand. "I always thought anything was possible with you by my side" causing his wife to roll in her eyes.
"No, I mean it Tom. When I think that last year at this time I was in despair thinking you were gone from me for good after seeing you with Maud who I thought was your new girlfriend."
"Aye I do know what you mean darling. I was waiting for your response to my letter, so hoping you'd come to me but fearing you wouldn't."
"We were such fools Tom."
"But that's all behind us now Sybil. We're together. We're married. Whatever future we have is one we'll face together."
A/N: And so we have come to the end of this story. Thank you to all who have read it, especially those who took the time to review it, and to those who have marked it as a favorite.