A/N: I am sorry that it has taken more than a month to update this story. Life just gets in the way. We have had out- of -town visitors who require entertaining and our son came home from China for his Spring break. Much going on and not enough time to myself to sit down and concentrate on finishing this up. Two maybe three chapters left. I want to finish it before the end of June because June of 2013 is when I started it. Thank you for sticking with me and thank you to the readers who have sent me PM's asking if I was alright and if I was going to finish the story. I feel that it was those little notes that jump-started me. Also, this is the longest chapter I have written but wanted to tie up some loose ends that had been mentioned earlier. Thank you for sticking with me.
It was 9:00 am on December 29th when Edith opened her eyes and looked at her clock radio. Today was her wedding day. The weather forecast was for a dry day with the temperature in the low 50's. She couldn't remember ever being this happy. All the planets and stars had aligned in her favor and now in a few short hours she would be Mrs. Anthony Strallan. Snuggling down in her pillows she let her mind wander back over the last two weeks.
When she had had her final fitting for her wedding dress tears, had sprung to her eyes as Anna finished buttoning it up. The dress was made of beautiful off-white chiffon. High necked with long sleeves, the bodice, back and sleeves were embroidered with seed pearls in a lovely leaf pattern, which continued down the skirt stopping just below her hips. The skirt was straight without a train. She had originally decided against a veil, but when Anna showed her the one she had made to go with the dress, Edith caved in. Long and about 36" wide, it too was scattered with seed pearls and was attached to a pearl encrusted headband.
"Oh, Anna," Edith whispered, emotion overcoming her as she stood in front of the full length mirror in Anna's shop, "How did you ever do this in such a short time? I always thought of myself as average looking, but this dress makes me look beautiful."
"Maybe because you are beautiful, inside and out," Anna said giving her friend a hug.
"Well, because of this beautiful dress and because you are one of my dearest friends, there is someone special Anthony and I want to introduce you to at the reception."
"Edith, you don't have to fix me up. I am perfectly able to meet eligible men on my own,"
"Not like this one," Edith laughed as Anna helped her out of her dress. "His name is John Bates and he is Anthony's chief resident. He works all the time because he doesn't have a personal life. I think the two of you would hit it off, so wear one of your fanciest dresses. He is very nice, believe me when I say that you will like him."
"Hmm," was all Anna could say as Edith kissed her good-by reminding her that she would see her on Dec. 29 at St. Mary's Church at 4:00.
Christmas Day went off exactly as planned. Everyone arrived around noon for a light lunch and presents. Much to Edith's delight, Anthony was surrounded by gifts. She had bought him five, but her mother had outdone herself, and there were two gifts from Sybil and much to Anthony's surprise, one from Mary. Unable to control his curiosity, he opened hers first and was met with a beautiful sterling silver frame.
"Nothing fancy," Mary said as he thanked her. "Just a little something for a picture of Edith. . . . . .for your desk."
Edith could tell that Anthony was touched and was enjoying a day that was casual and not full of angst.
As they went around the room, each taking their turn opening a gift, Edith was anxious as she watched her father. His gift was something she had worked on for over 2 ½ years.
After her break-up with Gus, she had gone to the UK to do some research into the Crawley family. They knew quite a bit about Patrick, mostly from his diaries, but they didn't know anything about the family he had left behind. So Edith decided to research the family and compile the information into a family book. Before she left, she had written to the current Lord Grantham explaining who she was and if it would be possible to meet with him. He had written back and told her to call him when she got to England and Edith had done just that. Two weeks after her arrival she rented a car and headed toward Yorkshire and the village of Grantham.
Driving down the long driveway that led to the house, Downton Abbey took her breath away when it finally came into sight. She tried to picture how it must have looked when Patrick Crawley lived here. She had to admit that it was an impressive sight. She was admitted by a butler who showed her into the library. She was awed. She had never seen so many books in a private home before, and wondered if all the Crawleys who had lived here, including Patrick, sat in this room and enjoyed the books. She knew she would have if she had lived here.
Lawrence Strallan the current Earl of Grantham was a tall, distinguished man somewhere in his late sixties. His outdoor lifestyle had kept him in good physical condition and the only thing that gave a hint of his age were the age lines on his face and his beautiful white hair. He was the exact image of what she had always assumed an aristocrat would look like. Edith noticed that when she and the Earl shook hands, Lord Grantham tilted his head somewhat and with his piercing blue eyes examined her face rather closely.
"Welcome to Downton Abbey," he said taking her hand. "I hope you didn't have any difficulty finding a place to park. The Abbey is used in the filming of a rather popular television series and because of that we are a tourist attraction, but we will be well ahead of the first tour."
"Do you mind your lovely home being invaded by tourists?" Edith asked as he walked her through the library to the far end of the room.
"No, not at all. The money received from the tours goes to keep the old place going. Last year we were finally able to put on a new roof, and this year we are working on re-glazing the windows. Many stately homes like the Abbey are opened to the public. While many estates still have tenants farming the land, the revenue from the farms doesn't support the estates like they once did. Personally, I think that the tourists as they walk through these stately old homes imagine how wonderful it must have been to have lived there. Believe me, it isn't that grand. The constant repairs far exceed the revenue.
Edith liked him immediately. He was one of the most charming men she had ever met. When they reached the end of the library, he pulled a lever and one of the bookcases became a door and he led her through into the drawing room. While telling her about the history of the Abbey and the Crawley family he led her through the drawing room back into the central hall and down into the dining room. Edith closed her eyes and imagined generations of Crawley's sitting at this table eating breakfast, lunch and dinner, with a huge portrait of Charles I staring down at them. It was overwhelming. He led her down another corridor and into a rather private room that he called the smoking room. "The library, drawing room, central hall, and dining room are the only rooms that are opened to the public," he explained. "Those are the rooms that they film in, and so those are the ones the tourists want to see. This room is one of the private family rooms where I escape to while the tours are being conducted," he laughed. "Once in a while I go out and let the tourists see me and say a few things about the Abbey. The tour guides tell me that it gives them some kind of a thrill to see a real live Earl."
Lawrence had done his homework in preparation for Edith's visit. He had gathered together all the information about Patrick from Crawley family papers that were part of the estate. The "smoking room" was also the Earl's private office, and Edith noticed that there was a FAX machine, copy machine, modern computer – everything a modern man would use in the running of his estate. He had copies of diary entries pertaining to Patrick and other Crawley family information compiled and had put everything in a manila envelope for Edith to take with her.
"Would you like to see a picture of Patrick?" Lawrence asked as Edith cluched the manila envelope tightly to her chest. What she was holding was her history.
"Oh, yes," she answered practically leaping out of the chair as Lawrence beckoned her to follow him. They went up a back stairway and then through a door that led to a picture gallery. Edith had seen pictures of hallways such as this with generations of family paintings lining the walls, but seeing one in person took her breath away. Lawrence stopped in front of a rather small painting, maybe the size of a piece of modern copy paper, but in a lovely gilded frame. Staring out at her was the painting of a handsome young man. He had a certain look about him; strong, determined, impatient as if he was saying to the painter, "Hurry up man, I have things to do and places to go." She recognized his nose, it was just like hers, long and sharp, sort of a Roman one, and his face was somewhat round, like her fathers. She couldn't stop her emotions from welling up, and she put her hand over her mouth as tears started to run down her cheeks. She was looking at her ancestor who had given up his life here to start a new life in America. The scope of it overwhelmed her.
"From what you wrote in your letter, it seems that Patrick here was rather a risk taker. Well good for him. He made his mark and started a whole new dynasty in America. Not many English aristocratic families can say that, my dear," the Earl said as he led her down the hallway and through another door.
Edith walked into a room that was unlike any she had seen since walking into the Abbey. A well decorated room with comfortable traditional furniture in shades of white, yellow and grey, it was obviously a family room. She felt honored.
A lovely woman was standing in the middle of the room as they entered. "May I introduce my wife, the Countess of Grantham," the Earl said as he crossed to the Countess and put his arm through hers. "Margaret, this is the young woman I told you about, Edith Crawley."
Edith was mesmerized. The countess was almost as tall as her husband and very pretty. Her skin was smooth with barely a wrinkle and her hair was platinum silver. She was stunning and Edith could only imagine how beautiful she must have been when she was younger.
"Miss Crawley, how lovely to meet you. You will stay and have tea with us, I hope?" the Countess asked and all Edith could do was croak out a "Yes, I would like that very much."
While to English society Lawrence and Margaret Strallan were the Earl and Countess of Grantham, to Edith they seemed like long lost friends. Talking to them was so easy and they were touched when Edith told them about the book she wanted to put together about her family. They asked questions about her newspaper column and were curious about her foundation and how she had come to start it. They asked about her family, and were interested in the fact that her father was a physician. As part of their general conversation, the Earl told her that his nephew was also a doctor and had relocated to the States.
As the conversation was winding down, the Earl excused himself for a few moments. The Countess and Edith continued to talk, but suddenly Edith noticed that the countess was looking at her in much the same way her husband had looked at Edith when she had first arrived.
"My dear, would you come with me into my office? I have something I would like to show you," the Countess asked, and led Edith into an adjoining room that was much like her husbands; computer, copy machine, and much to Edith's surprise a sewing machine with fabric folded next to it. "I make quilts as a hobby, keeps my blood pressure level," the Countess laughed.
She went to a bookshelf and removed a picture and handed it to Edith. "This is a picture of my husbands grandparents, Anthony and Edith Strallan."
Edith looked at the picture. The man was tall and she assumed his hair was blond. The picture was in black and white but she could see that he was tall, well over six feet. But it was the woman in the picture who suddenly grabbed Edith's attention. Almost a hundred years had passed, but it was as if Edith was looking in a mirror. She was looking at herself.
"I don't understand," Edith said. "How can this be?"
"Edith Crawley, the one in the picture, was an ancestor of your Patrick, probably a great aunt many times removed," came the Earl's voice from the doorway. "Who knows how these things work, DNA and all that. Many people say that my nephew the doctor, looks like me somewhat, much to the chagrin of his parents I'm sure. "
"Blond hair, tall lanky frame and sapphire blue eyes are a Strallan trait," the Countess said smiling at her husband.
"Would you like a copy of this picture?" the Countess asked. The resolution on these new copy machines is quite good.
"Yes, please," Edith answered, emotions beginning to overwhelm her again.
When Edith finally looked at her watch she realized she had been at Downton Abbey for almost three hours but they had been three of the most important hours in Edith's life.
The three of them headed down a back stairway, through the Earls office and back out into the main entrance hall. The afternoon tour must have ended because all was quiet. Clutching her treasures to her chest she put out her hand to say goodbye.
"Lord and Lady Grantham, thank you so much for your generosity and kindness today. You will never know how much this visit to Downton Abbey has mean't to me, and hopefully what it will mean to my family. Patrick was a prolific writer, keeping a daily journal right up to the last day of his life. We know everything from when he landed in New York, but we knew nothing about his life before. Now you have given that to us and from the bottom of my heart I thank you so much."
"That is quite all right my dear, we were glad to be of help to you," the Earl said as he motioned to his butler who approached Edith carrying a package wrapped in brown paper and tied up with quite a bit of string.
"Margaret and I would like you to have the portrait of Patrick Crawley that you saw in the gallery. I think it will mean more to you then to keep it hanging upstairs. After all he was your ancestor."
This time Edith was completely overwhelmed. She couldn't stop the tears. These two lovely people had given her something beyond price. They had given her her family's history. Without thinking about propriety or dignity or anything else, Edith reached up and hugged the Earl and then the Countess saying "thank you, oh thank you," over and over again.
"I'm so sorry," she said as she realized that she had stepped over the line of propriety." I'm an American, sometimes we just can't help ourselves."
"That's all right , my dear, we completely understand. I am so glad that we could help you in your quest. Now you travel safe and have a wonderful trip home," the Countess said.
Now, two years later her father was unwrapping her gift. As he pulled out the red leather bound book he turned it over and looked at the title. The Story of Us: A History of the American Crawleys. Her father opened the cover to see the picture of Patrick Crawley staring at him. Edith explained all about her visit to Downton Abbey, and how helpful and courteous the current Earl had been to her.
Robert Crawley was at a loss for words. Flipping the pages and looking at the many photographs Edith had included, he was suddenly overwhelmed with emotion. Rising to his feet he walked to where Edith was sitting, pulled her to her feet and hugged her tight. Finally saying in a voice that cracked, "My darling girl, what can I say. This is the most wonderful gift that I have ever received. I know that this is a gift from your heart and I will treasure it more than you will ever know." And what made Edith happy was that her father kept looking at the book even when it was his turn to open another gift. She had finally bonded with her father and that alone made all the other presents she received that day pale in comparision.
Anthony's parents, Henry and Genevieve Strallan and his sister Margaret and her husband James arrived on on Dec. 27. Luckily their planes were only one hour apart so Edith and Anthony had lunch with his parents while waiting for the plane from Vancouver, BC. Edith had never met such gracious people. For most of the hour his parents gave Edith their undivided attention asking questions about how she and Anthony had met. They laughed when they found out all the things that the two of them did together and when his mother reached over and squeezed her hand, somehow Edith knew that she had been accepted into this lovely family. Anthony had arranged for his parents and sister to have adjoining suites at the Mark Hopkins Hotel as his condominium only had two bedrooms. The first dinner that night was much like their lunch, but this time it was Margaret who was asking questions and when the evening was over Edith could tell by the way his parents and sister hugged her, that she belonged. That night was the last night Edith and Anthony spent together before their wedding and they didn't waste any time. Anthony had explained to her that while his family was modern and forward thinking, living together before marriage, at least in his parents mind, was something you just didn't do.
The next day they took his family sightseeing and that evening went to the Crawleys for dinner. It didn't take long for Edith to realize that her entire family including her grandmother Violet and sister Mary were impressed with the Strallans. Who wouldn't be; distinguished, well-bred, educated, and not lacking that British sense of humor, the Strallans charmed everyone there. The evening seemed to be over before it had begun, and arrangements were made to have a New Year's Day Brunch the day after the wedding back at the Crawley house. "Edith, you and Anthony will be here won't you?" her mother asked and Anthony answered, "Of course. We won't be going on a honeymoon until Spring when Edith promises to take me up to the Redwoods." Anthony had arranged for a limousine to take his family back to the hotel so he could be alone with Edith. Arriving back at their house on Broadrick St. Anthony said, "I don't like leaving you here, you know that, don't you?"
"I know darling," she said, but it has only been for two nights and from tomorrow on we will be together again. You do know don't you, that you have given me back my life. I had thought happiness had passed me by," she continued hugging him close, inhaling his cologne and kissing him. "I don't think you will ever know just how much I love you."
"I know, I know very well because it is just as much as I love you, and tomorrow night I will show you just how much."
So as Edith threw back the covers on her bed and headed for her bathroom she thought her face would crack from smiling so much. She stomach was jumping around a bit, but she brushed it off as pre-wedding jitters. All she had to do was relax. Her mother was probably already at the church seeing to the flowers, Trixie, her hairdresser would be here soon to do her hair and Anna would be here about 3:30 to see to dressing her. Her mother and father would be here about 4:30 for the 15 minute drive to the church. Everything was falling into place. But before turning on the shower, she headed to the kitchen. Better make myself some tea and dry toast to calm these jitters. Don't want to be sick on the happiest day of my life, she thought as she filled her teakettle with water and put it on the stove.