Chapter 36

Six months later

Anthony was convinced that Edith looked more beautiful by the day. Now heavily pregnant she went for short walks but confined her activities to the home front.

"You look beautiful, Lady Strallan," he told her every day, "and with every passing day I love you even more."

"I feel the same way about you my darling," she murmured taking his hand.

He sat beside her and gently rubbed her swollen belly with his good hand; smiling as he felt his unborn heir kick.

"He kicks for England," she sighed, "I hardly got any sleep last night; I can't wait to meet him, or her."

"I think it will be a girl," he said, "Given your family's tendency to produce girls."

"Granny has a son and so does Mary," Edith replied "so it could go either way."

"I can see a beautiful little daughter with coppery hair and enormous doe brown eyes."

"I can see a son with blonde hair and intense blue eyes like his father," Edith replied, "but only one of us can be right."

"To tell you the truth my darling, I really don't mind as long as you both survive the birth."

"I feel the same way my love," she said nestling as close to her husband as her swollen belly would allow.

They kissed tenderly.

"But the child will be born here," Edith insisted, "Sir Anthony Strallan's heir should be born at Locksley; there is nowhere else that would feel right."

He put his good arm around her.

"My back aches," she moaned.

He gently began to massage her back with the fingers of his good hand. She moaned softly as his strong fingers massaged the tension out of her.

"Oh that feels wonderful my darling,"

"It's meant to my love," he replied.

OO

That evening Mary, Matthew, Cora & Robert came for dinner.

"How are you feeling?" Cora asked.

"Fine but tired. The baby kicks me all night long,"

"I remember what that was like," Cora smiled.

"So do I," Mary said, "But trust me Edith; it is worth it in the end because when you hold the baby in your arms you remember why you went through it."

"I know why I have done it for Anthony but I can't say I would have felt like that had I managed to have Michael's baby. At least Anthony wants this baby whereas Michael called his a brat,"

"Anthony will be a wonderful father." Cora said.

They were relaxing after dinner when Edith suddenly felt a sharp twinge. She tried to ignore it but then another came and she felt something trickle down her leg. She grabbed Anthony's hand.

"Are you alright my darling?" he asked concerned.

"I think it's started," she breathed.

OO

Anthony went straight to telephone Dr Clarkson while Cora and Mary helped Edith upstairs to her own room which she had never actually used because she had always preferred to share Anthony's bed. Robert waited and shortly after Anthony came back in.

"Dr Clarkson is on his way," he announced.

"Cora and Mary have taken Edith to her own room," Robert said.

"I'm a bundle of nerves," Anthony confessed, "After what happened to Maud I will not be relaxed until she gets through this."

"Nor will I," Robert confessed, "Not after Sybil but at least Clarkson will be enough this time and his opinion will be respected. That's why I lost my daughter; because I did not listen to the doctor who knew her best."

"Help yourself to a drink Lord Grantham," Anthony said, "and please pour me one as my hand is shaking so much I would probably spill it."

Robert poured two measures of whisky and pressed one into Anthony's hand. Anthony nodded his thanks.

Mary came downstairs,

"Sir Anthony, please can you ask your housekeeper for towels and warm water?"

"Of course Lady Mary," he gave the instruction and the housekeeper went upstairs with Mary.

Dr Clarkson arrived ten minutes later. He had been having dinner with Isobel so she had come too. They went straight upstairs and Cora came down. She had more experience of having babies but Isobel had experience of delivering them.

Anthony paced the floor. He was sweating and had turned pale. Cora noticed his hand was shaking.

"It will be alright Anthony," she said, putting her hand on his left shoulder, "Edith took her time coming out although she was my second but she was fine."

"I won't be able to rest or relax until I know they're both alright," he bit his fingernails,"I'm so afraid for her."

"I can understand that," Matthew said, "I can feel the anxiety."

"You're doing really well Edith," Mary said, "Grip my hand if you need to. Papa and Matthew will look after Anthony, don't worry."

"Michael would not have been anywhere near had he not been arrested and I had come to full term," Edith panted.

"Don't talk unless you need to," Isobel said.

The minutes ticked by and turned into hours. Edith was exhausted. Her hair was drenched with sweat and plastered to her scalp.

"I can see the head," Clarkson said finally, "I want you to push Lady Strallan, push as hard as you possibly can."

Edith pushed hard.

"Come on, just one more should do it," Clarkson coaxed.

Edith pushed again although she felt ready to drop from sheer exhaustion. Not even her most lengthy bouts of passion with Anthony had made her quite so tired and she ached everywhere. The baby came out, rotated first one shoulder than another before he was followed by a jet of sticky afterbirth. Clarkson cut the cord and passed the baby to Mary who cleaned him up and wrapped him in a towel. The baby was crying and Mary placed her nephew at Edith's breast.

Clarkson delivered the placenta and stitched a small tear.

"Congratulations Lady Strallan," he said, "You have a son."

"I think I will go and put Anthony out of his misery," Mary said.

She descended the stairs and Matthew, Robert, Cora and Anthony fixed their gaze on her.

"Congratulations Anthony, you have a son." she said, "He and Edith are fine: she's feeding him right now but you can go up in a moment."

"Thank god," Anthony breathed. It was now three o'clock in the morning but they had all been drinking strong coffee as Anthony feared falling asleep.

Dr Clarkson and Isobel came downstairs.

"Everything is fine, Sir Anthony. Mother and son are doing well." Clarkson said.

There were tears in Anthony's blue eyes.

"Thank you God," Anthony breathed.

"Go and see your son," Mary said.

Edith was sitting up in bed with the baby in her arms and she smiled when Anthony's shadow fell across them.

"Come and meet our son," she said.

Anthony was beside her in moments sitting on the edge of the bed. Edith placed the baby in the crook of her husband's good arm and tears filled his eyes.

"Oh Edith my darling," he murmured, "Thank you for making every last one of my dreams come true."

"You have made all mine come true as well Anthony; you have loved and accepted me and no man has ever made me feel as warm, loved and safe as you make me feel. I can't wait to start being a mother to this little one,"

"He's a lucky boy because he has the most devoted, beautiful woman in the world as his mother."

"Well he's doubly lucky because he has a gorgeous handsome war hero as a father,"

Anthony kissed his wife's forehead.

"I'll send them home now so you can rest," he whispered, "but thank you so much my darling."

Edith was too tired to move from her room that night but she remained holding the baby in her arms until Anthony came up half an hour later and put him in a Moses basket. Frazer undressed his master and departed. Edith smiled as Anthony climbed into bed beside her. Within moments they were both sound asleep.

Four months later

Freddy Stokes finally gave himself up for the murder of Michael Gregson. There was no trial but his death sentence was commuted to life with respect to the fact he had given himself up and pleaded guilty.

"That's what I call true justice," Anthony said.

Sir Anthony and Lady Edith Strallan renewed their vows at Downton church in front of the same crowd of people, with the notable absence of Sybil, who had been present on the first occasion.

James Anthony Robert Strallan was christened after they renewed their vows. They had invited Inspector Grayling to be a godfather and Tom was the other, Edith had asked Isobel to be the godmother. Travis seemed delighted with the double celebration of love and life.

Mary was giving James a cuddle. Edith sat next to her on a bench in the rose garden at Locksley.

"So how do you feel now?" Mary asked.

"Like all my dreams have come true," Edith breathed, "Not to mention Anthony's."

Anthony stood behind them.

"Your sister has made all my dreams come true, Lady Mary," he said, "She has made me feel more alive than I have ever known. Now that the past is finally dealt with since Gregson's killer is behind bars I would say that at last we have the fairytale ending we always hoped for and I never dreamt that life could ever be so good."

"I agree with you one hundred and ten percent Anthony darling," Edith whispered.

Mary handed James to his mother with a smile and walked away. Anthony sat beside his wife as he drew her and the baby close to him. They sat together as the sun began to set and then they went inside Locksley,

Anthony Strallan had never felt more complete in his entire life. He had a loving beautiful wife as well as his longed for son and heir. He had no need to ever wish for anything again because what he wanted was right beside him. Edith too was free of the past; the shadows no longer chased her and she had had a second chance to make her life what she had always wanted it to be. She had the son of the man she loved more deeply with every passing day and finally her restless spirit had settled.

A/N: Thanks for reading, reviewing and following the story. It means more than you can ever know. It was a very satisfying feeling to give Gregson his just desserts and to make fun of JF into the bargain.