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"You're rather quiet this evening, Isobel. Everything all right?" Timothy asked after dinner. He, Dickie and Isobel had gone through to the drawing room to discuss the comings on the estate grounds. But, it had turned in to a two party conversation once they had sat down to their after dinner drinks.

"Hm? Oh yes, everything is fine," she lied, smiling before taking a sip of her coffee. Dickie's own smile weakened upon seeing the slight shake in her hand.

"Not another run in with the Dowager, I hope?" he asked with a chuckle, hoping to lighten his wife's mood.

Isobel smiled, shaking her head. "No…she has been rather subdued lately."

"The Dowager subdued? I didn't think it possible," Timothy replied, joining the couple in light laughter.

"It isn't often," Isobel answered, taking another sip from her cup. She could handle conversation no longer, her eyes struggling to stay open. She set her cup to the side and stood slowly. "I will leave you both to it. I'm heading up."

Both men stood and nodded to her. "Good night, Isobel," Timothy said.

"Good night," she said softly, accepting a kiss from her step son on the cheek. Dickie gently squeezed her elbow as he also kissed her cheek.

"I'll be up soon," he whispered in her ear, earning him a sparkle in his wife's eyes.

She left the room and both men sat once more.

"I'm a bit worried about Isobel, Father. She seemed awfully distant this evening. Nothing wrong, I hope," Timothy said, finishing his scotch with one last swig.

"She is very involved with our local orphanage. They've had quite the influx of children since the War and a lack of families willing to take in another child. Isobel had made it her goal to help as much as she can."

Timothy chuckled. "She is motivated, to say the least. I can only imagine it takes up a fair bit of her time."

Dickie sighed. "Her time…and her energy I'm afraid."

Timothy saw the worry on his father's face and sat forward to question him further. But Dickie had finished his drink and stood.

"I'm done in. Tomorrow we'll go for a tour of the grounds. I'd like your opinions on some improvements we've been considering."

Timothy stood and nodded. "Of course. I look forward to it."

Dickie forced a smile and bid Timothy good night. He hurried to his dressing room, wanting to get to Isobel's bedroom before she fell asleep. It would not do for her to end the day with such a heavy burden on her mind. He hoped to take some of it off of her shoulders and help her relax before the day was done.

Dickie had a plan…a plan that he hoped would set his wife's mind at ease. He quietly opened the door to her…no, their…bedroom, and found Isobel already lying down in bed.

"Dickie?"

He smiled and shut the door, happy to see her roll over and greet him. He had never known such welcome in the former Lady Merton's bedroom. But Isobel had made it quite clear from the beginning that she did not wish for her husband to sleep in separate quarters.

"I thought you might have been asleep," he replied, taking off his dressing gown before climbing in to bed beside her. She laid her head down on the pillow and smiled up at him, reaching over to take his hand.

"I am sorry I was so preoccupied this evening," she began.

He lifted her hand to kiss the back of it. "Not to worry. I know this business with the orphans concerns you."

She looked down at their entwined fingers and sighed. "It does. I'm not sure whether or not my meeting with Mrs. Ingle will make any difference. It seems all of our options have been exhausted thus far."

"My dear…you cannot fix this all on your own. You will make yourself ill and then what will the children do?"

Isobel sighed once more and looked down, allowing Dickie to pull her close. "You're right of course."

Dickie put his hands on her cheeks, leaning forward to kiss her softly. Breaking the kiss, he leaned his forehead against hers and smiled.

"I do have an idea that you might be open to."

"Hm?" she murmured, a small yawn claiming her voice.

He chuckled and kissed her temple. "Shall it wait for the morning?"

"No…no…what is it?"

He wrapped his arms around her after turning off his bedside lamp. Resting his chin on the top of her head, he gently rubbed her back as she curled in to his chest.

"Why not allow me to speak with Robert and Cora? There is an orphanage in Downton Village. Perhaps they would have some alternatives to entertain."

"Oh Dickie, would you really?" she asked, sitting up on her elbows and smiling widely.

"Of course," he said, matching her smile and pulling her down to lie beside him once more. "I will ring tomorrow morning to see when they might be free."

"Thank you darling," she said softly, reaching up to pull his face down to hers. She pressed her lips to his as he tightened his hold around her and deepened their embrace. Her hand slipped from around his neck to rest on his chest, weakness and fatigue suddenly taking hold. He felt her body slacken and worriedly broke the kiss.

"Isobel?" His eyes questioned her silently, wanting to make sure she was all right. He could clearly tell she was distant, her energy drained from the anxiety of the day.

"I'm sorry, dear. I'm just a bit tired tonight. Not that I don't want…"

He quickly cut her off, knowing she always wished to please him as a wife was expected to in the aristocratic world. But tonight, it was not marital relations he wanted from her…it was to simply help her through this trying time.

"Darling, I want you to rest tonight. And do let me take care of you for awhile," he said, earning him another soft kiss from his weary wife.

"Thank you," she whispered, her eyes closing against her own will. Dickie pulled her even closer as they settled in for the night, hoping his plan would benefit both the orphanage and his wife.