Chapter 3
...
Grantham House
London
The Summer of 1886
...
The library at Grantham Place was both smaller and cosier than the one at Downton with its plush rouge armchairs, heavy mahogany bookshelves that lined the walls and hanging ancestral tapestries.
The early rays of summer sunshine burst in through the large window at the far end of the room, giving the room a warming glow.
A portrait hung on the wall over the desk of the second Earl of Grantham Alfred Crawley's old chocolate Labradors, Geb and Nut. Forever frozen in time, the two dogs were panting happily on the lushious emerald coloured lawn in front of Downton Abbey, their pink tongues lolling from their mouths and their dark brown fur shining in the sunlight.
Sybil Crawley stepped purposefully into the room decidedly not stopping, as she usually would, to run her fingers along the book's leather-bound spines, almost in the same manner that Edith would the keys of a pianoforte.
But not today, today she was in her father's library/study for a much more serious and pressing matter than to borrow a book from his collection. "Good morning, Papa."
"Good morning, Sybil", Robert Crawley greeted over the top of the newspaper, turning its pages and scowling in disapproval at the reports on Prime Minister William Gladstone's newest, and in his opinion most ridiculous, liberal reforms.
They were reforms that his youngest daughter would, no doubt, approve of.
"Ghastly fellow", Robert muttered to himself, scanning the rest of the paper for something that he deemed more worthy of his time. "No wonder her majesty despises the foolish old chap."
Sybil was more than certain of the identity of the politician who the jibe was intended for.
However, despite her initial urge to back up the actions of The Liberal Party, she swallowed her words carefully and barely repressed a very unladylike eye roll at her father's comment.
(-an eye roll that would have, no doubt, earned her a firm scolding from the Dowager Countess had her grandmother been present.)
She was well aware that it was best not to attempt to fight all of one's battles at once, especially when it came to her diehard conservative father and his well meaning but frankly far too overprotective tendencies.
Anyway, she wasn't going to tell him precisely where her plans for the day were to be taking her, just that they shouldn't expect to see her for a few hours.
"Papa", Sybil said sweetly, "Mama, Mary and Edith are taking lunch with the Napiers today. I was wondering if I could be excused from attending."
Finally getting the full attention of her father, Robert Crawley glanced up from his newspaper, a suspicious frown etched on his face.
He was greeted with the sight of his youngest daughter's most innocent smile.
It was a smile that he had seen her wear on countless of occasions as a child when caught behaving unapologetically in a manner that was totally unbefitting of an Earl's daughter.
It was a smile that clearly said that she was going to do whatever she pleased with or without his consent but would rather be sweet about discussing the matter in the meantime.
Already, Robert knew that his kind but stubborn Sybil would end up getting whatever she wanted from him in the end, despite the words of protest that he could already feel coming to his lips.
After all, he found it near impossible to deny anything to his three quite persistent girls, despite his initial protestations and hesitations.
It was a quality in him that his mother often berated him for, calling him soft. His American wife Cora, however, found his antics rather endearing.
"I beg your pardon", he asked, curious as to what his daughter deemed more important than attending luncheon with a dear family friend.
Sybil's smile widened, imagining her dearest father's reaction if she told him that she intended to attend a meeting for the women's cause.
"Well Papa, you really mustn't worry in the slightest...
...
The Speaker's Corner
Hyde Park
London
...
"Courage calls to courage everywhere and it's voice cannot be denied".
The voice of Millicent Fawcett washed over the masses that were gathered in the speaker's corner of Hyde Park. The strident timbre of her voice, the cacophony of rousing cheers, the frequent murmurs of approval, the whooping, the hollering and the stamping of feet.
A spontaneous outpour of emotion. Of bodies pressing against bodies in an attempt to get closer to the podium on the slightest chances that one could either make their own voice heard or hear the speech at even a few decibels louder.
It was wonderful chaos, making up a wall of sound that just added to the infectious excitement that Sybil could feel swelling up like a balloon inside of her chest.
The anticipation for a fairer future was palpable, she could sense it in the charged air around her.
There was something magical, inspiring and liberating about being part of a crowd like this.
Sybil was surrounded by faces that echoed the same feelings as the ones that she held within...that sort of unity for a cause that she so firmly believed in, it was freeing to be lost in a crowd like that.
In spite of the deafening shouting and the pushing and shoving from all sides, the young aristocrat felt more at home now than she ever felt in any ballroom or on any social call.
A change was coming, she could feel it!
"However benevolent men may be in their intentions, they cannot know what women want and what suits the necessities of women's lives as well as women know these things themselves."
Near the front of the crowd, an outcry of support and applause burst forth from a cluster of women about Sybil's own age (or perhaps a little older) while a scattering of older ladies and younger gentlemen, both of which clearly agreed with the statement also, simply nodded in response.
Quickly finding that she too was nodding in the affirmative, Sybil felt herself buzzing in anticipation for the future Ms Fawcett and the other suffragists spoke of. It was a future where women and men were recognised both socially and politically as equals.
'...because why shouldn't both sexes enjoy the same freedoms', Sybil thought determinedly. 'Enjoy the same respect, the same education and the same opportunities!
The thought was eye opening, liberating!
"I cannot say I became a suffragist", Millicent Fawcett announced. "I always was one from the time I was old enough to think about the Representative Government."
Setting aside the image of her beloved father and grandmother's frowns of surprise and disapproval at such as display in public, Sybil felt herself smiling and laughing at the interjections of well timed humour in Ms Fawcett's speech and later even found herself clapping and cheering just as heartily as the rest when the proceedings seemed almost at it's end.
"Men are not benefited anything injurious to women. If the exclusion of women from the franchise is unjust and injurious to the interests of women, the removal of their limitations will be a gain to men and women alike."
Later, when the crowds began to disperse, Sybil was just about to move in the direction of The Victoria Gates, the closest exit in the park to St James Square.
Still reeling, she could feel the rush of adrenaline pumping through her system at the countless possibilities for the future of the women's cause, a cause that Sybil now knew wanted to be a part of more than ever.
Surely it would only be a matter of time before women were granted the vote!
Already, Sybil was running through every detail in her mind that she would share with Gwen, her friend and lady's maid, as soon as she returned to Grantham Place for dinner.
After all, Gwen seemed just as inspired by the seemingly imminent changes for women in society and in government as Sybil did.
The young redheaded maid had always lent a rather enthusiastic ear whenever the daughter of her employer needed to vent about the latest piece of feminist writings that she had managed to quietly get her hands on at the bookstore in Ripon.
Suddenly, Sybil was pulled back to reality by a man's voice that came from somewhere beside her.
"I take it that this was your first", he said with a thick accent that she couldn't quite place.
Without even looking Sybil could hear a smile in the tone of his voice and immediately felt her cheeks flush in defence.
Surely she hadn't looked so out of place that he could have so easily determined such a thing!
She whirled around quickly, preparing to adopt the no nonsense scowl of her grandmother and eldest sister.
However, instead of being on the receiving end of a smirk like she had expected, Sybil was met with the sight of a man about her own age, if not a few years her senior...a man with dark blonde hair and a kind but somewhat cheeky smile.
That and a pair of the brightest blue eyes that she had ever seen.
A/N: Thanks so much to everyone who has been so kind in their reviews so far. I really really hope you continue to enjoy this story! Please leave me a review, tell me what you liked/didn't like/want to see in future chapters etc. Constructive criticism is great.
I really hope you are having a lovely weekend.
Thanks,
Pearlydewdrop xx
A little bit of history/mythology :
Nut (Ancient Egyptian) , also known by various other transcriptions, is the goddess of the sky, stars, cosmos, mothers, astronomy, and the universe in the ancient Egyptian religion.
Geb was the Egyptian god of the Earth and later a member of the Ennead of Heliopolis. He had a viper around his head and was thus also considered the father of snakes. It was believed in ancient Egypt that Geb's laughter created earthquakes and that he allowed crops to grow.
William Ewart Gladstone PC FRS FSS (29 December 1809 – 19 May 1898) was a British statesman and Liberal politician. In a career lasting over 60 years, he served for 12 years as Prime Minister of the United Kingdom, spread over four terms beginning in 1868 and ending in 1894. He also served as Chancellor of the Exchequer four in office in early 1886, Gladstone proposed home rule for Ireland but was defeated in the House of Commons. Gladstone was apparently disliked by Queen Victoria and many Monarchists.
Millicent Garrett Fawcett (1847 – 1929) was a leading Suffragist and campaigner for equal rights for women. She led the biggest suffrage organisation, the non-violent (NUWSS) from 1890-1919 and played a key role in gaining women the vote. Reflecting her passion for education, she helped to found Newnham College, Cambridge. She also engaged in other political activities such as supporting worker rights and overcoming laws which were based on a dual morality for men and women.
Speakers' Corner is a traditional site for public speeches and debates since the mid 1800's when protests and demonstrations took place in Hyde Park. Speakers' Corner is located on the north-east edge of Hyde Park, nearest Marble Arch and Oxford Street. In 1872, an act of parliament set aside this part of Hyde Park for public speaking. Even today, on a Sunday morning, it's not unusual to find crowds gathering at Speakers' Corner to listen to enthusiasts expounding their views. Anyone can turn up unannounced to speak on any subject, as long as the police consider their speeches lawful.
