"What on Earth?!" Violet exclaimed. She had just been greeted by Carson and entered the Great Hall to see Edith flying down the stairs with tears streaming down her face. Mary was behind her, not quite matching her speed and lacking the abundance of tears but looked equally distressed behind her watery eyes. "What has happened here?" she demanded though curiosity and concern matched the admonishment in her tone even as she scolded, "A lady must know to control her emotions."
"But - Granny - " Edith sniveled, attempting to wipe her nose discretely.
Violet's raised eyebrows and rigid posture quieted any attempt for Mary to defend her own display of emotion; although not as vulgar as her sister's. Violet motioned for her young granddaughters to follow her into the drawing room and sat them down beside each other. Neither of their feet quite met the ground though Mary's were closer and she sat just a little bit taller. Edith swallowed and looked up at their grandmother, whose head was tilted to the side sternly, waiting for an explanation.
"I know we aren't to conduct ourselves like that, Granny," Mary's ashamed mutter was heard between crackles in the fire. "But - but -"
Violet widened her eyes as if to say, "well?!" but Edith interjected, breaking the heavy silence both girls felt.
"Patrick just told us the most terribly awful thing," she said quietly into her lap as she breathed in unsteady air; making her voice quiver.
Oh, right. Patrick was staying at Downton while his parents were abroad. The boy had only just arrived and was already creating trouble. "And what, may I ask, was that?"
Edith gulped as Mary looked at her expectantly. Mary knew she couldn't say the words out loud and keep the level of composure she wanted to convey to her grandmother. It was just too terrible. "He said," Edith choked, "He said that Mama and Papa were b-bad and didn't deserve to have any b-boys because they aren't in love so they are p-punished with three g-girls," Edith sobbed.
Mary nodded and pressed her lips together. Violet let out a long breath and sat in the armchair closest to her granddaughters. "I fear Patrick is far too influenced by that nasty father of his," she said under her breath as she turned to face Mary and Edith. "Where is the boy now?"
"In the nursery. And he said that his father told him this," Mary added. "And he knows it's true because he had a son and that's because he has a proper marriage."
"I'm not surprised," Violet said harshly. "Girls - don't believe for one moment that you are a punishment. I was here the day you were born and I remember how delighted both of your parents were when they held all three of you. As was I and so was your grandfather and if he were here today he would tell you so."
"Then why- "
Violet raised her hand, effectively cutting of Mary's rebuttal. Mary fiddled with her thumbs as Violet ensured them, "You girls are not to think this way. It isn't true," she nodded and her expression softened. Edith and Mary looked a little less distressed. "It isn't true," she repeated firmly.
Both girls nodded obediently, both sitting up more straight - the way they were taught a proper lady does with composure and grace. Violet hoped that Patrick wouldn't be affected by his father's nastiness; inherited by his own mother but it appeared to be leaking down the family line and affecting her granddaughters.
"Girls, follow me," Violet walked over to the window by Cora's desk and looked outside. She watched as Mary and Edith walked toward her. "Your Papa and Mama love you and Sybil very much," she began and swallowed, preparing herself to articulate the next words. "I know this because I was there when you were born. Similarly, I know that they love each other. You see, I was there when their love was born," she explained before she paused and sat down in Cora's chair. "Patrick will not make you doubt it all because he's told otherwise by a man who's probably never known what love means. It's not something we often discuss because it isn't proper to do so but I will not let think it doesn't exist in this house or that you aren't loved. You are," she reached for both of their hands briefly.
"Yes, Granny," they both managed - at the young ages of and eight and nine - they didn't know how else to react when their normally stoic and hard grandmother spoke openly of love or feelings.
"Why didn't Mama have any boys then?" Mary asked after a heavy pause. "Every other family does, it seems. And if they are in love, like you say…"
Violet shook her head slowly. "We don't know, Mary. What I do know is they wouldn't exchange any of their daughters for a son. Nor would I or would anyone with a heart," she muttered. "And they aren't in love because I say. I don't need to say it to make it so -" she nodded her head at the window, where they could see Robert and Cora walking toward the house. Cora's arms were wrapped around his upper arm and they both tilted their heads to look at each other as they spoke. "Look at them, together. I've been alive a long while you know," the girls giggled at this as she continued, "And I've rarely seen another couple in love like that. I was there when they met and I've watched them grow. Trust me if you don't trust it with your eyes now. They love each other a great deal."
Violet watched Cora's hands intermittently rub circles on Robert's arm, bringing about a proud stride she only saw him carry in his wife's presence. Even from the distant window view, she knew they shared similar contented expressions and as they approached closer to the home, Violet felt it necessary to look away, feeling as if she were impolite for her observing their private interactions. She knew if it weren't for the scrutiny of others, Cora and Robert would display affection more openly than they already did. As openly fond of each other as they were for an aristocratic couple, they reserved more amorous affection for behind closed doors. For which, Violet was grateful.
"Why don't we all sit back down?" Violet suggested, knowing Cora and Robert would likely enter the drawing room upon their return, especially if Carson mentioned their daughters were in there. Sure enough, a few moments later, Carson opened the drawing room door, announcing Cora and Robert as he did. Cora immediately sat on the couch with the girls and Robert stood, watching with a smile by the fireplace.
"Where's Patrick?" Robert asked.
"Upstairs," Mary rolled her eyes. "When is he leaving?"
"What do you mean 'leaving', darling? He just got here," Cora asked.
"We want him to leave," Edith answered. Cora and Robert exchanged confused looks.
"It seems he's learned a thing or two about family from that father of his," Violet explained. "Remember what I told you, girls," she said strictly, rising from the chair, making her exit. "I will be back for dinner," she nodded curtly at the room and exited with Carson.
"Dare I ask what she told you?" Robert scoffed lightheartedly down at his daughters. Cora shared a short and nervous knowing look with him before her lips curled up in a smile that he matched.
"You may dare but it will embarrass you," Mary bit her lip - knowing her father to struggle every bit as much as his mother when feelings were discussed.
"Embarrass Papa?" Cora smiled.
"Don't you think so, Edith?" Mary chided.
"Yes. Papa - but not Mama."
Mary nodded.
"Girls?" Cora demanded.
Robert stared, waiting for his daughters to reveal whatever their grandmother told them.
"Granny was just telling us about how you two are in love."
Robert's bewildered expression would have made Cora laugh if not for her own confusion. Surely they both heard Edith wrong? But Mary elaborated, "and she said she's rarely seen love like yours. In all her life!"
"But," Cora stuttered, flabbergasted. "But, why did she say that?" her bewildered face seemed to upset Edith.
"Isn't it true?" Edith asked fragilely. Mary craned her body to Robert, practically begging for confirmation.
Robert's body seemed to unfreeze and he stepped the few steps separating him from Cora and grabbed her hand. "Of course it is," he said sincerely before leaning down to kiss the top of her head. "Your grandmother would not lie to you."
"No, she wouldn't," Cora said slowly, considering her words, "And it is true," Cora pulled Robert's hand to her lips, lightly kissing it. "But your grandmother rarely talks of love without having a very good reason to do so. So, may I ask you to be honest now too and tell us that reason?"
Mary and Edith looked nervously at their parents. "Well, like Granny said - James told Patrick something and Patrick told us - "
"Oh, no," Cora couldn't hide the dread in her voice. She had never liked James and tolerated him least compared to anyone in Robert's family; and she tried so much to like everyone when she and Robert were first married.
Mary continued. "Well, Granny saw we were upset and said it wasn't true."
"What wasn't true?" Robert asked cautiously.
"That you and Mama were punished with three daughters because you aren't in love," Mary looked up at him with wide eyes.
"I swear, James is lucky he is out of the country," Robert growled.
"Darling," Cora squeezed his hand and pulled him to sit next to her on the couch. "Girls, of course none of that comes close to resembling any truth. We love you girls so very much. But it sounds like your grandmother has already told you so."
They nodded.
"She must be exhausted," Robert whispered into Cora's ear, making her stifle a giggle. "Well, she is right, girls. We do," Robert became serious. "Don't let Patrick upset you and do try to be kind to him. He doesn't have parents who …" he searched for the words that were hard for him to say directly.
"Who are as loving as we are," Cora finished for him. He nodded. "And as hard as it is for me to say it," she lowered her voice to a whisper. "Your grandmother was right about everything she told you today."
Robert couldn't restrain a deep laugh that seemed to whistle from his belly. "Yes," he leaned into her back, squeezing his hands to her shoulders. "She was right. About all of it," he laid a lingering pattern of kisses on the back of her neck. Cora shivered and shrugged him off, biting back a smile and a burning blush.
"Robert," she warned with a firm press of her hand on his knee behind her. "Girls, I am glad your grandmother was here to set you straight about the awful things Patrick said to you. Now, why don't you go find him and set him straight?" Cora suggested, trying to steady the trill in her throat as she did so. Robert's fingers were tracing patterns on her wrist upon his knee.
"Yes, Mama," they both said and walked to the door, Mary behind Edith. As she was almost out of the room, Mary turned back and saw her father's lips glide up and down any exposed skin he could find on her mother's tilted neck. She leaned into his touch as his fingers whispered lines across her arm.
That was the day that Mary Crawley first felt truly comforted and reassured by her parent's love. It was also the first time she remembered feeling embarrassment by witnessing it. What she couldn't know when she stood there and heard her mother contentedly hum her father's name, was it would be a memory to comfort her in tumultuous times ahead. She had no way of knowing that she wouldn't get to be embarrassed by seeing her parents like that for much time to come. She didn't know that she would soon wish for it to happen. And when it did, she never felt embarrassment quite like that again. She would remember the words Granny told her and just be so very glad they were true. She learned one more important thing that day: Patrick Crawley knew nothing of love.