wow... let's just pretend that 2 years hasn't passed... thanks for the kick.

Chapter 13

August 1941

Tom and Barrow leaned over the wooden coffin in the back of the truck and stared at the, hopefully, unknown boy's mangled face. It could have been George. The length of the body was right. The hair was blonde, though stained by blood and singed, and styled the same way George had taken to the most recent time they had seen him.

Tom reached out and pushed the deceased young man's hair back from his forehead. He had seen the scar on his nephew's head so many times since the accident he realized he hadn't even really noticed it lately. It had become a part of George's look. It was obvious there was no jagged white line on the forehead he was staring at. The scar was not there. This definitely wasn't George. Tom exhaled long and slow. Everyone else in the garage heard it and everyone also realized they had been holding their own exhalations as well.

He turned around to the small group assembled,

"It's not George. It's really not him." A tear fell down Tom's cheek and he made no effort to wipe it away. "I've got to tell Mary..." and with that Tom jumped down from the truck and ran back into the house leaving the rest in the garage.

Lena sobbed into her mother's shoulder and Anna did nothing but hold her tightly. Barrow placed the lid back on the coffin, jumped off the back of the truck and wiped his hands with a dirty rag he found hanging from a rack.

"Small miracles on a dark day." The Butler stopped beside the head maid and her daughter and patted them both on the shoulder, unsure of how to comfort them more than that. "Come inside. I'll make us all some tea.

In all her years at the abbey, Anna had never before heard Barrow offer to make her tea. She smiled gratefully and started to usher her daughter back to the door that lead into their downstairs world.

"That would be lovely Barrow. Thank you. I fear we have many long days ahead of us."

Tom opened the door to the front room quietly, unsure of what he might be approaching. He could not bear to look into Mary's eyes and see the pain and anger at the same time. She was a woman distraught and with good reason.

He found the Lady and her mother still sitting on the sofa where they had been when he left the room not so long ago. Mary was slumped into her mother's arms and Cora's head was buried in her daughter's neck. The pain and sorrow that radiated from them was palpable and Tom took a deep swallow as he approached them.

"I beg your pardon to interrupt..." Tom stooped as he approached the end of the sofa, trying to get Cora's attention.

Two dark brown, red-rimmed, watering eyes met him.

"I'm not sure this is the best time Tom." Cora's voice was hoarse and weak.

"I've got some good news, in spite of everything." He took another step closer to them and Mary sat up and turned toward him. Her eyes were red-rimmed as well.

"Let me guess, you're willing to put us up for the night before you evict us and my poor dead father before he's even cold." Her stern words caught everyone by surprise.

"Mary. I know the hurt is fresh but mind your tongue. None of this is Tom's fault. Nor Lily's. Nor yours. Nor mine. Lashing out in anger is not acceptable. Especially now."

The look on Mary's face melted and her regret was obvious. She stopped short of actually apologizing to her former brother-in-law.

Tom was wringing his hands in anticipation of telling them his news. Though Mary's sharp words had stung, it was not the first time he had been on the receiving end of her sharp tongue.

"The body in the garage does not belong to George Crawley." He just blurted it out,

The look on the ladies faces was unreadable at first and then Cora grabbed her daughter by the shoulders and shook her gently. A slight smile cut into the worst of the sorrow on the older woman's face. Cora turned to Tom to confirm what he had just said.

"Lena was the first to notice. She said the scar on his forehead wasn't there. It couldn't be him. Barrow and I both examined the body to be sure. There's more than just the scar that proves it's not him. They've made a horrible mistake. Our George is still out there somewhere." Tom reached out to grab Mary's hand.

"He's still out there?" Mary did not believe it immediately. She started to cry. Stoic, proud, assertive Mary cried. "Oh Mama, he's out there somewhere. He might be hurt."

She leaned into her mother and her shoulders shook. Eventually they subsided and she sat up again and squared her shoulders.

"We've got to find him." Mary looked ready to jump up and ready the search as soon as possible.

"We'll find him. We'll bring him home. You have my word on that." Tom smiled at her and was pleased that her eyes had some of the light back in them.

"In the mean time though, the lawyers will be here shortly. They've all been notified. And the undertaker will be here this afternoon. And James will arrive in an ambulance any time now. I haven't seen Sybbie yet today. Have either of you seen her?" Tom suddenly seemed ready to crumple under all the pressure.

Mary stood up and pushed him gently towards the tall-back chair that sat opposite her and her mother. He had no choice but to sit down and she made her way to the bar service and poured three glasses with a healthy amount of her father's good whisky.

Tom took his glass and held it while the ladies made themselves comfortable. Once they had he raised his up and uttered,

"To the departed soul of the greatest man I have ever known. Faults and all. He will be missed."

"To the greatest father I could have had. Who was more forgiving than I ever deserved. But I suppose now I know why." Mary held a half smirk on her face as old memories crept into her mind.

"To the only man I ever loved and who made my life just so darn wonderful. Faults and all. None of us are innocent. I shall miss you my Robert." Cora drained her glass much to the surprise of the other two and they both did the same out of respect.

They all sat in silence for a time until it was broken by the door opening. All three looked at Barrow who stepped into the room very formally.

"The presence of my Lady's company has been requested by a group wishing to extend their sympathies. They await in the tea-room." Barrow waited to escort his Lady, who stood up and stumbled a little before she regained her footing with her cane.

Tom sat back down on the chair after the Countess had vacated the room and stared at Mary for a time. He was not sure what to say though his thoughts were crashing with all that had happened in the past few days.

"So how is it that you have now twice fallen in love with my younger sister and ingratiated yourself into this family." Her voice was low and quick.

"I... uh..." Tom was tongue-tied, unsure of how to respond.

"I'm joking Tom. You know you have proven yourself as completely loyal to our family. On too many occasions to count. And you have loved both of your wives with all of your heart. I have nothing but respect for you. But I will fight you for the estate. Even though we will lose the Earldom, I will fight for it all. I will fight for my family..." Mary stopped suddenly as though completely realizing that Lily was now her family too. The proof was in her hand. She still held the revised Last Will and Testament of her father.

"You don't have to fight Mary. We don't want it. We don't want any of it except to remain as your loyal friend until the end of our lives. I've been thinking about Robert's words. That piece of paper is only valid if George is no longer with us. He wrote it to test you Mary. He wanted you to fight for it. He wanted you to fight for ownership of what should always have been yours. Out-dated laws be damned. And after you, it will belong to George. And his children. Lily and I only want to keep it profitable for you until that time. Jack could have been argued as a legitimate heir if there was no one else. But we still have George. And we will bring him home. And all of this will be his. Can we agree on that?" Tom stood up and reached his hand out to Mary to shake his commitment.

Mary shook it firmly. She had realized then that Tom was still the same loyal man she had known all these years. And he was right. Her father's words that were written on the paper in her hand were irrelevant as long as George was alive. It was just her father's last effort to right all of the wrongs he had done in his life. To take care of the family he could not admit in life why he loved so much.

She and Tom could hold the estate in trust for her son until he was home and ready to take over as the next Earl of Grantham. And if something had happened to George, Mary would fight the law to make sure the estate stayed in her family one way or another. Jack could be weakly argued as an heir, though not an heir to the Earldom. She said a quick prayer to herself to let George be well. Wherever he was. That was what she had to focus on. Her son being alive and well.

"You should hang onto this." Mary handed Tom the paper in her hand. He stared at it.

"We will never have need for it. Lily and I will earn our keep and if you promise to take care of Lily and the children should anything happen to me?"

"Of course I would Tom. And so would George. You are to remain my family as you always have been." Mary smiled through sad eyes to reassure him.

"Then we shan't need this."

Mary gasped as Tom threw the paper into the embers of the fireplace and it lit up and burned away to ashes.

A footman knocked gently on the door and motioned for Tom.

"Mister O'Malley has arrived. We are wondering what room we should put him in? Have you seen Missus O'Malley anywhere?"

Tom turned to Mary.

"I should go deal with this." he said apologetically. "Can you possibly go check on Lily for me? I'm not sure she's slept at all nor eaten. I fear all this stress is not good for her or the baby."

"She and I will have a lovely luncheon. You have my word." Mary smiled her agreement.

"Be nice. She's having a rough go with all this information," Tom was almost out the door.

"Now you must know, I have never been anything but respectful and courteous to any of my sisters." Mary actually laughed aloud when Tom turned back to look at her but he saw the sadness overcome her expression as he left the room.

After all the years he had known her, she could still surprise him. The two of them were going to have to work together if they were going to fix everything that was currently broken. The road ahead would be bumpy. They could handle it.

As Tom approached the ambulance that contained his son-in-law he had to shoo about fifteen foster-lings out of the way. That reminded him he had to check on the crops in the south fields to make sure they would have enough for the winter. On top of everything, he could not neglect the estate now. There were hundreds of refugees that depended on the estate for shelter and food. He had a new child arriving soon and a grandchild only a few months behind his own. And a nephew to find in the middle of a war.

He took a deep breath. It was going to be a long day.

to be continued... Next Chapter contains 100% more George

and to anyone still reading this... THANK YOU!