Chapter 21 – The Receiving Line
Ivy pulled Mr. Branson's Bentley to a stop in the farmyard at Mason farm. This was the most daring trip she had made so far with the motor. She and Nanny had made the excuse they were taking the children to Mason Farm to see the farm animals. It had seemed like a good reason to get out and go for a catch up visit with Daisy at the same time. The fields and barns close to the main house were made up of stables and sheep runs. Ivy had told Mr. Branson and Lady Rose it would be a good opportunity for the children to see the animals and type of farm in their picture books. Mr. Branson had given her the use of the car for the afternoon and here they were.
"Welcome to Mason Farm," Mr. Mason said as he came out to greet them. Daisy was right beside him.
"Thank you for having us, Mr. Mason," Sybil said with a curtsey.
"My Cousin and I are very pleased you would entertain us," James said as he had been coached to do.
"You're quite welcome, Miss Sybil and Master James," Daisy said trying not to chuckle at the children's formality on a working farm.
"You two come along with me," Mr. Mason said. "What would you like to see first?"
"May we go see the cows?" James said getting excited. "Are they as big as they look in the picture books?"
"Do cows smile?" Sybil asked. "We have a book with a picture of a smiling cow. Horses don't smile like they do in books."
"You'll have to come and see for yourself," Mr. Mason replied smiling at the children's curiosity.
"Are you coming Nanny?" James asked looking over his shoulder.
"I'll stay and visit with Daisy. You and Sybil may go with Mr. Mason. Mind your manners and don't get all dirty," Nanny replied.
"You know they're going to come back needing baths," Ivy said to her with a smile.
"I was ever so surprised when I received your note you were coming," Daisy said. "I can't believe you're driving by yourself."
"Thank you for having us, Daisy," Nanny said. "I hope it wasn't too much inconvenience."
"Not at all. It's exciting to have company from the big house, even if it is just the children," Daisy said. "Come in both of you and have some tea."
"I learned to drive over the winter," Ivy told her. "It's been ever so much nicer since we can take the children out on our own when Mr. Branson doesn't need the car."
"You'll wind up working as a chauffeur," Daisy teased. "I don't know how respectable that would be though."
"Maybe she'll become a mechanic's wife," Nanny teased as well.
Ivy's face turned bright red.
"Do tell?" Daisy said. Here on the farm she was no longer the kitchen maid or assistant cook and she was enjoying her freedom. Her father-in-law was a kind man. In hindsight she wished she had made the move sooner.
"There's not much to tell really," Ivy said. "I'm seeing Mr. Branson's brother on my free time. He taught me to drive. He's ever so nice once you get to know him."
"The motor mechanic in the village?" Daisy asked with her eyes wide. "You are coming up in the world."
"He hasn't spoken up yet," Ivy said flushing. "Enough about me, Alfred sends his regards. He wondered when you might stop by for a visit."
"Tell him I said hello. I may stop by next time in the village. I'd like to see Mrs. Patmore," Daisy replied. "What news is there of the other staff?"
"We don't get downstairs very often," Nanny said. "There isn't much to tell. Anna and Mr. Bates have no sign of a baby yet. Lady Rose is expecting. She was on bed rest but she's up now and doing better. Lady Mary announced her engagement to Mr. Napier and otherwise things are as always."
"What news of Jimmy?" Daisy asked with a small smile. "You were always so struck on him, Ivy."
"Not these days," Ivy replied. "Since I've learned to drive I see him quite differently. He's so struck on himself. Once I started seeing someone else he decided to ask me out. What do I need him for when I can get myself around and see to my own needs?"
"Not to mention she has a well off shop owner hanging on her every word," Nanny teased which sent the three women into a fit of giggles and comparing men they had stepped out with.
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In the middle of September the house was a flurry of activity. The family was coming home and arriving with them were Rose's parents. Her father had taken a six-month temporary posting to London so they would be close by for the birth. Her mother would stay at the Abbey while her father would come up on weekends. Rose was now five months along. It hadn't been an easy pregnancy. If she overexerted herself in the least, the spotting started all over again. She wasn't allowed any riding. Dancing was restricted to slow numbers and she had to teach the children's riding lessons from a chair at the side of the ring. She now had one of the housemaids assigned to her as she wasn't allowed to bend over and pick up her shoes off the floor. Tom had fussed and clucked to a point where he almost drove her mad.
"Tom, I can review ledgers from a chair. I have to do something with my time," Rose had complained near the beginning of the summer. "I'm going crazy with absolutely nothing to do." He had finally relented and let her review the estate accounts to see if there were any points she could find where they could improve returns. Her plans for the stables were considerably slowed until the following summer. Two of the hunter mares had been bred, which would put their foaling time next summer and they planned to turn two fields used for other crops into sweet timothy the following year to cut feed costs none of which required physical effort on Rose's part.
Tom hadn't believed Rose when she said she was fine after the first scare. He had gone with her to the doctor every three weeks like clock work and wouldn't have relations with her until the doctor had reassured him it was actually good for Rose and the baby.
"Marital relations will help your wife relax," Dr. Clarkson assured him. "As long as your wife doesn't do anything overly energetic or strenuous everything will be fine, Mr. Branson. Lady Rose needs regular rest every afternoon, a daily walk and fresh air."
"You're sure Doctor? It won't harm her in anyway," Tom replied.
"I understand your concern Mr. Branson. In your position and with your experiences I would be apprehensive as well," Dr. Clarkson said. "As long as Lady Rose continues to get plenty of rest and avoid stress she should deliver a healthy child with no problems. I do suggest she move down to the hospital a few days before the due date just to be on the safe side and to put aside any doubts you may have."
Tom hadn't known if he was in love with Rose when they were first wed but now he knew without a doubt he was deeply in love with his wife. It was different than what he had felt for Sybil. They had been so lost in feeling and had such great faith that love would concur all they had been wearing rose-colored glasses. Living on next to nothing had seemed like a romantic thing to do. The reality of it all and dealing with a family that resented him had been a great deal more than he bargained for. He had no illusions meeting Rose's parents was going to be difficult. Her sister had made her contempt obvious, while her brother had been happy enough that Rose was marrying someone who would provide for her and encourage her in her interests.
Rose was fun and adventurous but at the same time she had a vulnerable side. She wasn't a champion of causes but she didn't shirk them either. She was his confidant in business matters and regularly made contributions to how things were done. At one dinner someone had mentioned they overheard the Duke of York refer to the royal family as "The Company." The man had hit it on the nose. Managing a large estate and the affairs of a grand family was like managing a company. Rose was more than up to the task of managing things by his side. Now her parents were coming to Downton to stay until after the baby was born. Rose was agitated by the expected presence of her mother and Tom was determined to deflect any negative comments regarding the circumstances of their marriage away from her.
"You should stay in bed and rest this afternoon when the family and your parents arrive," Tom said the morning everyone was expected over breakfast.
"If I'm not down at the front to meet them my mother will have something to say about it," Rose said.
"You could let me handle them on my own," Tom said. "I don't want you upset."
"Rose can have a long rest before they arrive," Isobel pointed out.
"We'll greet them together. We'll have the children down for the line as well. They're old enough now and it is all family arriving," Rose said taking Tom's hand beside hers at the breakfast table and lacing their fingers. "What are you doing this morning?"
"Not much. I was going to head down to the village. I'm making a list of repairs that need doing on some of the tenant buildings. I want to coordinate things a bit better than last year."
"I found an inconsistency in the books I wanted to go over with you," Rose said.
"Why didn't the regular bookkeeper or Murray catch it?"
"I only spotted it because I know how much feed horses use. Then I checked some reference books in the library for numbers on sheep and cattle. They don't have the same experience, so they wouldn't notice."
"It's always something around here isn't it," Tom said with a sigh then sipped his tea. "We get one hole plugged and another opens up."
"You've done a good job so far," Isobel said. "No one can deny the estate is working well under your management."
"Cheer up, only what, another twenty-two years of it then James can take over," Rose teased leaning on his shoulder a bit.
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"I'm going to have Sybil call my parents Grandmamma Susan and Grandpapa Hugh," Rose said while they were waiting for the cars to come from the station. "It will avoid confusion with Cousin Robert and Cora."
"Not Grandpapa Shrimpy?" Tom teased.
"He might prefer it," Rose said smiling at Tom.
Sybil was bouncing up and down a bit looking for the cars coming up the drive.
"You have to stay still in a reception line, Sybil, that goes for you too James," Rose told the children. "I know it is awfully hard to do when you're three and four."
"I want to see my new grandmamma," Sybil said. "Is she pretty?"
"Grandmamma Susan is … like a grandmother aught to be," Rose replied thinking quickly. "Grandpapa Hugh loves horses. You and James will be able to show him everything you have learned so far. He's a very good rider. He taught me.
"I can hardly wait," Sybil said craning her neck.
"You must be still as soon as you see them," Rose reminded. "You too James."
"Is your father brown? You said lives in India," James asked.
"No my father is an English Lord, just like Grandpapa," Rose replied. "The natives in India are brown."
They didn't have long to wait when the children spotted the cars coming from the station. Their nannies were standing behind them by the wall incase they were needed since it was their first time out.
Lord and Lady Grantham were in the first car with the Dowager Countess. The second car pulled up carrying Mary with Rose's parents the Marquess and Marchioness of Flintshire.
"Daddy, Mummy," Rose said kissing each of her parents on the cheek.
"How are you, dearest?" her father asked warmly.
"I'm well, Daddy. Come and meet my husband, Tom Branson," Rose introduced.
"How do you do, Sir. Welcome to Downton," Tom said. "Lady Flintshire."
"Aunt Violet speaks quite highly of you," Susan said giving her new son-in-law an appraising look.
"I'm honored Lady Grantham," Tom said.
"Tom does quite well for himself," Violet said. "When he's behaving."
Tom felt the color come to his cheeks.
"This is my daughter from Tom's first marriage, Sybil," Rose said.
"How do you do Grandmamma Susan and Grandpapa Shrimpy," Sybil said with a curtsey.
Susan gasped in shock. Shrimpy got a silly grin on his face.
"Grandpapa Hugh, Sybil," Rose corrected.
"She may call me Grandpapa Shrimpy, Rose. No one calls me Hugh except your mother," Shrimpy said with a slight grimace. He turned to Sybil. "I am quite well, thank you Miss Sybil." He took her hand to shake.
"And my son James," Mary said.
"How do you do Lord and Lady Flintshire," James said bowing a bit crookedly.
"Very nice to meet you Master James," Shrimpy said. Susan was still trying to recover from the shock.
"Who told you to call me Grandmamma Susan?" Susan asked Sybil.
"Mummy said that is what I should call you. I practiced," Sybil replied.
"You did very well, darling," Rose said taking Sybil by the hand to go inside.
"Tea is laid out in the library, Lady Grantham," Tom said to Cora.
"Thank you Tom," Cora replied.
"What have you been up to while we were away?" Cora asked Rose once they were all seated and Isobel had been introduced.
"Mrs. Crawley and I have been working with Mrs. Hughes on the garden party for the hospital," Rose said.
She saw her mother give a slight approving nod out of the corner of her eye.
"Doctor Clarkson was over the other night and was saying a new ambulance would be in order," Isobel contributed.
"I've managed to get all but one of the suppliers to donate the food for the garden party, and the quartet will donate their time as well," Rose said.
"Rose it is inappropriate to discuss finances," her mother chided her.
"The object is to raise funds not spend them, Mummy," Rose informed her.
"Well, I…" her mother started.
"Rose tells me you're interested in horses?" Tom said to Shrimpy to get the spotlight off Rose.
"Yes, I was quite the proficient rider in my day," Shrimpy replied.
"Rose does very well in the ring. I'm quite proud of her," Tom said. "She must have inherited your proficiency."
"We're all very proud of Rose's accomplishments," Cora added.
"Rose, you can't mean you're showing horses," her mother said.
"I was Mummy, until we found out I was going to have a baby. Tom keeps me wrapped in cotton wool now," Rose said taking his hand. "I still teach the children of course, but I don't do it mounted."
"Rose is busy restructuring my stable," Robert contributed. "She certainly has a keen sense for it all."
Susan was looking more and more like a fish out of water. Rose was being entirely too modern and forward and this rebel she had heard about in letters from Louisa and Agatha was actually encouraging her.
"You're an Irish rebel?" Susan asked Tom.
"I was a rebel," Tom corrected with a small twinkle in his eye. "I haven't been for some years now. I assure you you're quite safe."
Sybil came over from where she had been talking to Mary and Violet.
"Grandpapa Shrimpy would you like to come and see my pony?" Sybil asked. "I can show you Mummy's trophies too."
"Well, I believe I would like to see your Mummy's trophies and your pony," Shrimpy replied. "Susan, I trust you can manage on your own."
"I always do," she snapped.
"I'll come along," Robert added.
"How was India, Mummy?" Rose asked once the two men had left the room with the children and the nannies had been dismissed.
"Hot, sticky and smelly. About what you would expect," Susan replied. "We'll be going back once the baby has arrived."
"We're hoping for a boy," Rose said. "But another girl would also be nice."
"As long as you're both healthy," Tom said looking at her indulgently. "You're not tired are you?"
"Tom I just got up," Rose replied smiling up at him.
"Do you employ an English Governess?" Susan asked Tom.
"No. We don't have one," Tom replied. "Neither Rose nor I approve of governesses."
"I beg your pardon," Susan replied.
"Our children will be educated either by a tutor or in a private school. We haven't fully decided yet. We have a Nanny who is planning on getting married in November. We'll find another girl from a farm here about and hire a tutor most likely when the time is right," Tom said.
"You want your daughter to be a scholar!" Susan said in shock.
"Yes, of course. I want my children to follow their interests and be happy," Tom replied. "I should think that is what every parent wants, Lady Flintshire." He glanced at his watch. "I have an appointment to get to. You'll make sure Rose takes a rest before dinner?" he asked Isobel then leaned over and kissed Rose on the cheek.
"Of course, Tom," Isobel replied.
"That's the man you ruined your reputation for?" Susan groused at her daughter when Tom had left the room.
"Yes, lovely isn't he," Rose said taking a sip of her tea to cover her smile.