There is nothing so annoying as having a limited time on leave which some jobsworth of a clerk wastes while he fills in all the forms required by the Army. Maresfield had never seen the need for paperwork and had never bothered with it. Now he was a Major-General he got away with this view of things. More times than he cared to remember, Anthony had heard Maresfield bark at some unfortunate clerk "No need for bloody paperwork in the middle of a blasted battlefield, what?"
With the last chitty signed, Anthony picked up his bag and ran out of the barracks to hail a taxi to King's Cross.
.
Stewart met him at Downton Station.
"I have informed Lady Grantham of your return, as you instructed, sir" he said as he placed Anthony's bag on the back seat of the Rolls.
"Excellent! Well done. And...and they are happy to be arranging the wedding?" he asked nervously as he settled into the front seat.
"I believe that the challenge has been accepted by both the older and younger Lady Granthams with gusto, sir. I also understand that certain preparations have been in place for some little while. I hope I would not be overstepping the mark by observing that it would be the worse for any man who got in either ladies' way."
Anthony chuckled.
"I know exactly what you mean, Stewart!"
.
Once at Locksley, Stewart went to climb the stairs to deal with his master's luggage, but not before he turned to say "I have prepared the library for you in the manner to which you are accustomed, sir. I...I hope it meets with your approval." And then he was gone.
Anthony thought there was something a bit odd, both in Stewart's choice of words, and his hesitation, but he was too tired from the journey and too glad to be home to think much of it.
He opened the door to the library and stopped dead. There, just rising from the sofa where she had obviously been reading while waiting, the book now cast to one side, was Edith.
"Hello."
"Edith!"
"I know I shouldn't be here, but I...I just had to see you before they separated us in the run-up to the wedding. You don't mind, do you?"
She took a nervous step towards him. She looked so worried, which made his heart crumble still more.
"Please don't blame Stewart. It...it was my idea."
He realised that he was still standing in the doorway, his mouth open, and grasping the handle for dear life.
A blissful smile spread over his face.
He stood up straight, turned to shut the door, quietly turned the key in the lock, and then faced Edith again.
"My darling, of course I don't mind" he began, walking towards her, while releasing his right arm from its sling. "It was just such a wonderful surprise!" To her astonishment, he then put his arm around her shoulders and, without a hint of hesitation, kissed her quite thoroughly.
When he finally let her go, after a rather breathless minute, he looked at her and she appeared to be utterly speechless.
"Good heavens, I hope I haven't shocked you, my sweet one?"
"Shocked? No. P-pleasantly surprised? Most certainly!"
"Why surprised, darling? You know that I have been aching to see you again." He stiffened with an unwelcome suspicion. "You haven't had a change of mind, have you?"
"Of course not, silly! But you have not always been so demonstrably confident in expressing your feelings."
"Ah." He took her hand and led her to the sofa. "Well, the fact is that it has recently been pointed out to me just what a blind idiot I have been."
Edith just looked at him, confused.
"Let me explain. I have this colleague, a bright young man called Cartwright who is in love with a lady a bit older than him…"
.
Anthony rang the Whitehall office that evening, after Edith left to return to Downton. The news from France at that moment was fragile but hopeful.
"Look, Fred, would you mind calling me when you know anything definite? I'd be very grateful."
"Of course I will. Maresfield thinks it will be today, or early tomorrow. There's no way that it can last much longer."
So it was that when Lord and Lady Grantham came to Locksley the next morning with all three of their daughters and the Dowager Countess for their pre-marital familial visit, that coffee was interrupted by Stewart's quietly whispered message to Anthony. Quietly whispered, but still loud enough for everyone at the table to hear.
"Captain Cartwright is on the telephone and would like a word with you, sir. I believe it's urgent."
"Thank you, Stewart. Excuse me, Lady Grantham, everyone."
Edith had thought that her fiancé had changed colour at the message but she said nothing. Sybil did not have any such scruples.
"Gosh! You don't think that they would cancel his leave, do you? Not now!"
"I'm sure they wouldn't, Sybil" said Robert, not being sure at all.
"It would be totally unacceptable!" burst in Violet. "For one thing he's a Lieutenant-Colonel now, and for another I remember Doogie Haig in short trousers, and I would not hesitate to remind him of the fact when I telephone him to tell him to reverse the order!"
"That won't be necessary, Lady Grantham" Anthony replied, returning from the telephone in the hall. He looked round at everyone there. Each of them had lost something because of the War; each of them had had to change. His eyes settled on Edith as he said, very clearly "I have just heard that an Armistice was signed very early this morning between Britain, France, and Germany, and hostilities are due to cease at eleven o'clock. Then the War will be over."
They all looked to the long-case clock...all except Edith who held Anthony's gaze, and Mary who, unseen by everyone, gave a quiet sob of relief before composing herself once more.
"Twenty minutes. In twenty minutes it'll all be over" breathed Cora.
"May I call Downton, Anthony?"
"Of course, Robert, please do."
They were quiet while the Earl was on the telephone to Carson, and then to Clarkson. When he returned they all looked up at him expectantly.
"Clarkson is going to tell the officers. Carson will let everyone else know."
The clock began striking the hour.
They all rose to their feet in unspoken shared respect, silently marking the moment.
"Thank God" said Robert.
"Well" Cora broke the silence "it will be well to begin a marriage in peace tomorrow."
"Yes, Mama."
"Indeed, Lady Grantham" agreed Anthony.
They all smiled at each other.
.
"Well?"
Stewart passed the clothes brush over the back of Anthony's dress uniform while inspecting him for a final time. With professional care, he straightened the gold braid of the epaulettes, adjusted the lie of the sash and the hang of both medals and sword.
"I believe you are ready, sir, that is, outwardly speaking. Is there anything more I can do for you?"
Anthony placed a fraternal hand on his friend's arm.
"No, thank you, Stewart. All is well, and today will just make everything even better. You will look after Lady Edith while she's getting used to things, won't you!"
"It will be a pleasure, sir." And Anthony could see that he meant it, too.
He sat in the back of the Rolls as Stewart drove him to the ceremony, and looked out over the fields of the Locksley estate. This land was in his blood; he was bound to it, and he loved it. Generations of his forefathers had been born here, and married in the small Locksley church as he was about to be. He would live out his days and die here, but that wasn't a gloomy thought, not now. It was the reassurance of a good life and a worthwhile purpose, and all of it shared with the woman he loved.
He saw Locksley church come into view, and sighed his contentment.
.
Edith had woken to Anna bustling around her bedroom. There was absolutely nothing for her to do or to decide from now until after she walked out of Locksley church with a different life and a different name. Everything would be laid out in front of her, or done to her, or told her what to do. It was a bit of a relief really. She had thought that she would be nervous when this morning finally arrived, but if anything the opposite was true. She felt as if the world had righted itself upon its axis, and that that the feeling of rightness put everything in her life up to this point in perspective. Ah, so this is why everything felt wrong! She left the business of the day to others and instead just noticed and appreciated everything about this day...the warmth of the water in her bath...the sweetness of the perfume delicately applied to her skin by Anna...the invigorating brush and curl as Anna set her hair...the smoothness of the wedding dress's silk...even the quiet, ferocious joy building in her chest anticipating the moment when, at last, she stood in front of the altar with Lieutenant-Colonel Sir Anthony Phillip Strallan DSO.
"Edith, did you even hear what I said?"
Mary was glowering at her.
"I'm sorry. What…?"
"I said, that, today, I wish you every happiness in the world."
"Really? I mean, t-thank you. That means a lot to me."
Mary gave her one more sideways look, rolled her eyes, then allowed Sybil to approach the bride.
"Good luck! Not that I actually believe in luck. I think one makes one's own luck, and you certainly have!"
She threw her arms around Edith, and were those tears in her little sister's eyes?
"Stop, Sybil! You'll ruin all Anna's work." Cora put her hands on Edith's shoulders. "You deserve the happiness this day will bring, my darling. But don't forget us, will you?"
"Of course not, Mama!"
"No chance of that. She'll be hosting At-Homes before you can say 'Jack Robinson' " drawled Mary from the door. "We should be going."
Sybil smiled. "Oh, it's the bride's prerogative to be late!"
.
Anthony and Stewart were sitting in their chairs at the front of the assembling congregation.
"Nervous, sir?"
Anthony nodded.
"Ridiculous, isn't it? I wasn't even nervous when I faced a German court martial. But now…"
"Perhaps it's because then you were only in danger of losing your life, sir. Now, you are surely gaining it, and everything that comes with truly living."
Anthony smiled.
"Quite right."
Before he could say more, the organist began to play.
"Well, here goes!" said Anthony, standing and moving to his position before the altar, with eyes front, as though he were on parade. He knew that Edith was walking towards him on her father's arm. When she reached him, his breath hitched. She was so beautiful...so youthful.
"Good afternoon" she whispered, and he heard her nerves in her voice.
Without really realising it, all Anthony's apprehension disappeared. He was calm and still, his vision clear.
"Good afternoon, my sweet one."
He knew what he had to do.
.
Edith looked up into his face, as he recited his vows. His voice was strong, and his eyes never left hers. Dear heaven, how she loved him! And he loved her, that was the miraculous part. She'd never been able to believe it, not since they stood on Downton Station and she had pleaded with him over four years ago.
Her own voice was shaken as she said her vows. He would probably interpret that as a change of heart, she thought, but it was too late now. The ceremony was almost over, and she would definitely prove her love tonight! She blushed prettily as she thought of it, and he noticed, quirking one eyebrow, more to himself than to her! Oh, if they had that level of understanding now, even without speech, how much more might they grow their bond in the months and years to come?!
"I now pronounce you man and wife."
Another organ voluntary started.
Anthony glanced down at her, lovingly, proudly, and nodded to offer his dead arm to her to take. Gently, she threaded her hand into the crook and whispered "All right?"
"Yes" he said, firmly. "Everything's perfect."
Apologies again for the length of time it has taken to finish this one. B****y Covid! I hope you are all keeping well and safe.
Until the next tale
I remain
Your humble and obedient servant
Baron