At last, the showdown! Thank you for sharing your enthusiastic responses to this fanfic – its fun to hear what you are thinking. Enjoy!
AGAINST ALL ODDS
Chapter 26 – Truth Be Told
Mr. Carson officiously greeted Sybil, "Welcome back from Ripon milady," as she walked into the familiar hall with Branson behind her. "And Branson, welcome back to Downton," Mr. Carson said puzzled by the former chauffeur's reappearance with Lady Sybil.
"Good to see you Mr. Carson," Branson replied in low voice, as he nodded and smiled. He was happy to see the butler who had always been a cordial authority within Downton. But he was also keenly aware that this had never been his routine threshold of entry into the great household—and Carson knew it.
Sybil inquired, "Mr. Carson where can I find my father?"
"His Lordship is in the library."
"I see, could you please ask my mother to come to library, I wish to see both of them," Sybil graciously asked the loyal eyes and ears of Downton.
"Yes milady. I believe your father was expecting you. Branson let me take your bag," Mr. Carson suggested.
"Thank you Mr. Carson," Branson replied sensing the butler realized what was afoot and wanted to help in some way.
Branson and Sybil walked into library. While both had been there before, this time the room represented unknown territory. Sybil thought at least for her father he would hear the news within a sphere in which he felt in control, although clearly he could no longer influence the course of his daughter's life.
Sitting at the desk with his back to the door, Robert was intently writing something down in a book and checking it against another one. "Papa," she said as they came into the sunlit room.
"Yes dear, I'll be right with you. I suspect you want to talk about one of your causes you brought up this morning. You are always trying to do something for others. So what can we help you do?" he put the top on his fountain pen, turned around in his chair and cocked his head, "Branson what are you doing here, I thought you went back to Ireland?"
"Your Lordship," Branson nodded in acknowledgment.
"He's here," Sybil barely uttered until she finally mustered her courage. Her hands were behind her back and Branson was firmly holding one of them, "He's here because we have something to tell you and Mama." Just then Cora walked in.
"Sorry I was just going over a list of things with O'Brien to donate to Mary's charity, so who have we here?" Cora asked not recognizing Branson from behind—especially out of uniform and in the dark brown suit he wore.
"It's Branson, milady," he replied and turned to greet Lady Grantham. He and Sybil now stood between her parents.
"Oh, of course!" she said surprised to see her former chauffeur. "Branson, I hope your mother's health has improved. Might you be here for Anna and Mr. Bates' wedding? If so how kind, you are a dear friend. Is there something you are helping our daughter with doing?"
"Yes Sybil, what is this all about? Is this perhaps about rehiring Branson?" Robert inquired as he stood up.
"Yes it is about Branson. Papa," Sybil looked at Robert, "Mama…" then at Cora.
Branson could sense her apprehension—mostly the fear of hurting her beloved parents. He gently squeezed her hand and Sybil looked at him, then he said in a very earnest voice, "Your Lord and Ladyship, I've asked your daughter to marry me and she's accepted."
"What the devil have you done?" Robert replied to them, neither quite comprehending what Branson had said nor what his daughter had accepted.
"I've accepted Branson's proposal of marriage," Sybil clarified for her father.
"I see," Robert said as he gazed out of the window parsing the appropriate response to their surprise. Cora had yet to speak.
The two lovers said nothing else as they waited for what they knew would be an endless stream of questions and strongly worded objections. Cora walked past them and stood supportively next to her husband.
"Well then, is this a recent development?" Robert began as he tried to sort out the situation (and his plan of attack.)
Branson looked at Sybil who replied to her father, "No, we were first engaged in November of last year."
"How could you have become engaged, you were supposed to be in France? Are you telling us you didn't go?" he asked confused by his daughter's answer.
"Yes, I was in Boulogne. Tom and I crossed paths when he was sick with influenza in the hospital. While there we became engaged," Sybil responded still unable to gage her father's mood.
"So it happened while abroad, just like that?" was the next query.
"No, we've been in love for a long time now—before we met in Boulogne," Sybil told her father.
"If that is the case then you are telling your mother and me that you have been sneaking around behind our backs with one of the staff?" he suggested, with sounds of betrayal interlaced in his tone of voice.
Sybil and Branson could sense anger the building and needed to defuse his temper.
"Your Lordship if I may. It wasn't like that at all. We met accidentally in London over two years ago while Sybil was a nurse." He looked at Sybil, "Your daughter's more than changed my life she literally saved it. And I want to her to have everything she deserves. I love her and wish to marry her."
"Ha, I knew letting you go to London was a mistake," Robert began with his voice growing louder. "I laid down rules right here in this room and I am quite sure you disobeyed every single one of them. Do you respect nothing? How can I trust you? We trusted you to go to France on your own and now say you've become engaged to our former chauffeur. Then we let you go to Belfast thinking everything was just…" Robert stopped and began shaking his head affirmatively. "So now I understand your insistence on going—it was to see Branson! You aren't going to tell me that wasn't the motivation for your so called internship?"
"No, well yes, Papa. Our desire to get married—if you can imagine—is complicated; we recognize that. I needed to see him, he had called off our engagement because, because he…" Sybil tried to explain, but realizing this was turning unpleasant very quickly.
"Complicated? Complicated! Its more than that Sybil," Robert reminded her as he walked near the sofa trying to sort out this situation. "If you were engaged in November, clearly you were still so in March when you were both here. And just what went on during your sister Edith's wedding? Even more assignations and secret rendezvous I suppose?"
"Sir, we never meant to be deceptive or disrespectful, we just didn't know how or when to yet tell you," Branson rallied in their defense.
"And if you want to know we fell in love four years ago when Tom first started his job at Downton. Neither of us realized it at the time. When we met quite by accident in London it became evident we had feelings for one another. We know all too well we come from different worlds. It's taken a long time to figure a way to overcome that divide and be together—but we have. We just wanted to tell you and hoped you would understand."
Finally, Cora spoke: "Sybil, your father and I are very disappointed in you. You have commitments and expectations and you have failed to respect those obligations. While I hate to ask this question I think we have a right to know: have you maintained your, well your honor?"
Sybil did not know what to say to such an invasive question into her privacy. She had grown tired and leery the lying. And in some respects, while she loved her parents she no longer subscribed to their rigid moral codes. Her heart and soul belonged to Branson and believed their sexual intimacy was simply a part of that bond. So she told them honestly, "No. If you must know my private life I am no longer that innocent girl, I am a woman who makes her own choices and I am not ashamed."
"Oh my god, this will be such a scandal amongst our London social circle. Oh and what will your grandmother say?" Cora put her hands over her mouth looking horrified and pale. "I knew letting you leave Downton would turn out badly, you are ruined—who will ever marry you now?" she said sitting down in a chair.
"Mama you don't understand. I don't need anyone else this is the man I will marry. Tom is the man whose children I will have. We wanted to tell you of our decision—but it will happen with or without your approval," Sybil vehemently stated, determined to stand up for the most important relationship in her life. She thought she would try the tact of reasoning with her parents, "Marriages happen for many reasons. You both married for money. But I don't think that is important. I am choosing to marry for love. Why is that not equally acceptable?"
"How dare you ask such an impertinent question. What will you live on?" Robert barked at Sybil.
"Sir, please do not yell at her. I assure you I will be able to support your daughter," Branson told Lord Grantham trying to calm his former employer's fury.
"So you want my daughter, the daughter of an Earl to live off the wages of a servant then?" Robert argued back at them.
"I'll be working for a new company that manufactures motorcars as an apprentice engineer and manager," Branson told them.
"And we'll have my salary once I'm a full-fledged physician," Sybil added.
"I knew your radical ideas and unorthodox ways would corrupt my daughter: women's suffrage, socialist ideals of community, and the equal distribution of wealth—dangerous harebrained blather all of it!" Robert accused Branson. "I hardly recognize her. I knew I should have fired you after that riot in Ripon! No wonder my daughter didn't want you let go."
"No Papa, I am my own person because this is the life I chose and the person I've chosen to share it with."
Just then Mary entered the room. "I can hear this raucous conversation all the way upstairs. And from the sound of things I surmise you must of finally heard."
"Oh you know too?" Robert asked Mary which made him even more indignant. "Huh, are we the last to know then? Does the entire staff know my daughter was bedding one their own?"
"Yes I've heard her news, Sybil told me, Cousin Isobel, and Matthew earlier today—I warned her. Oh and you've slept with him too!" Mary said, surprised by her father's last intimation.
Sybil implored her father again, "If money isn't important to me why can't I marry for love?"
"Oh, don't be so naïve and utopian," Mary chastised Sybil. "I asked her where they would live—in one of the worker's cottages? Sybil how could you?"
"I'm not being naïve, perhaps if you were less obsessed with money and position—you might have married Matthew years ago. But instead you delayed telling him because you thought the strategic alliance wouldn't have included the plum prize: this house and the title. But you failed to see that the biggest prize of all is Matthew's love and you continue to devalue it because deep down you think he's not good enough and that you've settled for less. Well if you want to build a dungeon of misery filled with your prized possessions then please be my guest. But I'm not going to make that mistake. I love Tom and we are going to be married." Sybil confidently staked her position as she looked back at Branson.
Mary was stunned by her sister's allegations. Finally, Lord Grantham asserted his full authority and he commanded of Sybil, "YOU will do no such thing, I forbid it! You will not leave this house until I say so—that includes returning to London. You are cut off financially and you will stay here until you have return to your senses! Do I make myself clear!"
The sound of the dressing gong resonated through the house. All was silent while everyone regained their respective composure.
Sybil took a deep breath. She was her own woman. Dr. Kentridge had tried to break her. Even Branson had tried to decide for her, but she wasn't going to let her father dictate terms to her anymore: "So you remember after I was hurt in Ripon I once threatened to leave here? Back then I had nowhere to go, but now I do," she leaned on Branson. "I'm sorry to have hurt you. I do love you and hope that you will come to understand our decision. But Downton, this life, is no longer my future. We have told you and you have stated your opinion on the matter," Sybil announced to her family. "I guess this then is good-bye."
The two lovers turned around and walked out of the library leaving Mary trying to console her weeping mother and Lord Grantham staring out of the window, fuming, and powerless to intervene.
Mr. Carson stood stoically near the stair as they emerged from the library. The butler handed Branson his bag "Thank you Mr. Carson," he said.
"Please, you two do take care," he said sympathetically as he opened the front door and watched them leave.
They walked hand in hand away from the house and down the drive. Both were too stunned to talk about what had just happened. The fresh air was invigorating. The sunny day, slight breeze, and cadence of their pace slowly released the emotional tumult that both felt from the onslaught of accusations from her family.
It took about twenty minutes to reach Downtown's arched gateway. Once across that threshold Sybil stopped for a moment to catch her breath. She looked around and took in the beauty of the forest and wildflowers in bloom.
"Odd this is where we used to park all those years ago, remember?"
"I do," he replied looking around him. "I also remember a curious girl who wanted to know everything about the world and how it worked. Her questions didn't bother me as I was entranced by her smile especially when I could make her laugh," he said lovingly to her.
"Was I that eager—did I badger my handsome young driver?" she ventured the semblance of a smile. "Truth be told, all I wanted to do was hear his lilting voice talk about the rolling hills of his Irish home. I wanted to see that world through his beautiful blue eyes." Then Sybil looked at the ground began to quietly sob. Branson took her into his arms. He stood firmly and held her close till she stopped.
"My dearest friend, don't worry they'll come around." He then looked down at her teary face, "we have each other. You are my family. And we will build our lives together from here." His lips met hers in a gentle kiss. "Now let's get back to the village."
As they went along Sybil asked, "so, now what will we do? I can't go back to my Aunt Rosamond's in London. Father has too strong of an influence over her allowance and I don't want to draw her into the fray. Anyway I need to be on my own—no rules, servants, formalities."
"We've talked of marriage, but we haven't set a date. When should we get married?" he said trying to boost her spirits.
"I guess…soon. We did say originally when the guns stopped."
"But we don't know when that will be. From the look of things lately it may not happen anytime soon. Should we still wait?" he asked, although he could see that look in her eyes—the one that he knew was in the midst of formulating some scheme. "Alright, what are you thinking?"
"I start with Dr. McNeil in September. When does your job begin?"
"As soon as I'm ready, though I need to go back to Belfast to take care of a few things," he said as they stopped walking.
"Then let's leave here the day after tomorrow, find a place of our own between your new employ and mine, and then get married," Sybil boldly suggested.
"Are you sure, its not the typical way of doing it?"
"Absolutely sure, and anyway since when have we ever fallen under the column of typical or conventional?" she asked him as she took both his hands. "I want to spend my life with you. We've professed so to ourselves and told those closest to us, whether they liked it or not—that's the commitment that matters most. The ceremony merely presents it to the rest of the world."
"Then that's what we'll do," he kissed her hands. Both were happy to be moving forward and coming to terms with her family's disastrous reception of their news.
Branson walked Sybil to the gates of Crawley house. "Won't you come in?" she asked.
"I think you should talk about what happened to Mrs. Crawley—she'll help sort things out. I'll eat something at the inn and come by later to see how you're getting on," he told her and kissed her on the cheek.
When Branson returned two hours later to Crawley House. Mr. Molesley brought him into the sitting room where Sybil was having tea and coffee with Isobel and Matthew.
"Tom, there you are. Come in and join us," Sybil got up and took him by the hand. "You of course remember my cousins the Crawleys."
"Branson or I suppose its Tom, please sit down, lovely to see you again," Isobel greeted him.
"Thank you Mrs. Crawley, good to see you again. I won't stay to long since it's late, but just wanted to check on Sybil," he smiled at his fiancé.
"Please call me Isobel," she warmly told him trying to ease his nervousness and welcome him as the future husband of her cousin.
"Same here, Matthew is fine," he heard from Matthew as he stood up to greet him.
They sat for a few minutes and talked about the merits of country life versus living in the big city—London, Manchester, and Belfast. Matthew and Branson talked a bit about their experiences in the war. Sybil's cousins were gracious and kind. The agreeable meeting with this side of Sybil's family balanced the unpleasantness earlier that evening at Downton.
It was after 10 o'clock when Branson bid goodnight to the Crawleys. Sybil walked him out. They sat on a bench for a moment in the garden in the front.
"Mr. Bates came by this evening. He's always been levelheaded fellow, so his advice was a relief. Thank you for asking him to speak with me," Branson informed her.
"I'm glad, I thought you might need someone on your side. And you were right Cousin Isobel helped me see it from my parent's perspective. But she fully supports our decision to marry. And I am particularly sorry that Mary wasn't more understanding. Her perception of marriage comes from being was unable to inherit her family's legacy because she's a woman. That fact has hurt her deeply. As you can see Matthew is a wonderful person and she keeps throwing that aside," she said wishing her sister could change.
"I've always like Mr. Crawley—sorry Matthew. But I do feel bad we've lied to your parents and it hurt them in some way. I wish we could've been more above board," he confessed.
"You heard me I did apologize for being secretive, but they would've been angry no matter what. They would've tried to force us apart no matter what. My father can be dictatorial at times, although he may have good intentions. We needed to wait for many reasons, we're stronger for it, and now we can marry," she said confidently.
"You still haven't picked a date you know," he reminded her.
"I'll tell you after tomorrow's wedding, then we start our life together," she told him as she looked into his eyes. "I so wish I could be with you tonight. I need to feel the warmth of your body and your arms around me," she said putting one of her hands around his neck.
"Um, I've missed the sweetness of your touch, I've never been happier than that day in the country" Branson said as he closed his eyes while Sybil's hands massaged his shoulders inside his shirt. "Ahh, I think you are going to get us into trouble if we don't stop," he said coming to his senses, which was true—one, they were sitting outside in a garden that faced the road and two, bringing Lord Grantham's daughter to his room at the inn would have ignited a major scandal in the very tiny village. "My love, we'll just have to wait till we've a place of our own," he kissed her as he got up.
"Agreed, we'll wait till then, or at least I'll try," she said as she too remembered their day in the country.
"I'll come by and pick you up in the morning and we can walk to the church. Goodnight then," he said kissing her hand.
"Goodnight my love," and she watched him walk down the road to the inn. Pulling the list out of her pocket, she had completed her tasks, including the last and most difficult one. And while the day had been filled with highs and lows, she realized it was how she wanted to live her life, one that was filled with friends and family, and above all else—love.