Edith sunk back onto the trunk they were leaning on and let out a long breath.
"First, you might as well know... I've been in love with Anthony Strallan for a while, years," Edith turned her head lazily and looked up at him. "And it turns out all this time he's just been trying to shake me off..." she looked across in front of them at the vanguards of trees only just highlighted by the moonlight in the darkness.
It was almost misty, but their eyes were beginning to adjust.
"And then just this evening, he sent me a letter. It was different from the rest of them, it was... I hate to say it but it was - real. I didn't even know he could write like that. He had been avoiding me, he told me all the time he wasn't interested in me anymore - and apparently he never was. And then he went and found that woman..."
"They did talk about her downstairs, she was at the ground party?"
"Oh well it was blatant! The two of them are lovers and I just can't help feeling so stupid, I thought, he was just denying his feelings for me because of my family. I thought he could love me. That letter was so spiteful, I didn't want to believe it, that those were his words and so I had to see him and that's when I dragged you into this mess," her face was fallen, her eyes looking in all directions, Edith wasn't going to cry again.
"But M'lady, that doesn't explain the police."
"Oh will you stop calling me that? Haven't I already demonstrated I'm clearly not much of a lady! 'Edith' will do, please," she huffed, exasperated.
"You really-"
"I haven't done explaining." Edith put a hand on his mouth and rolled her eyes. "Anyway, the butler didn't let me in the house when I knocked, see? So I..."
"You what?" Bernes searched her.
"I climbed up the wall of the garden and managed to get into his bedroom..."
"You did what? Blimey you really aren't very ladylike are you?"
"I told you. And that is why I look like I've been attacked by a fox and my shoes are still in his garden."
"...Holy moly, that does explain it-"
"And then I fell into his room, which I wasn't planning on, anyway, the two of them sure enough were together and-"
"Don't tell me! You saw something you shouldn't have?"
"Oh don't make me repulse! God no, though they were horribly close but that's not the point. H-he had clearly just..."
"Pardon?"
Edith was breathing fast. Too much had just happened, and having to recall the worst part of it hurt more than the big scrape up the side of her leg which she nursed as she tried to steady her voice. "He had clearly just... proposed."
"You mean-"
"Yes. Marriage, there was a ring, everything."
"MY! You do know how to interrupt-" he checked himself and his face softened. "...That must have been impractical."
Edith looked incredulous and scoffed. "It was bloody-well gut-wrenchi- Uuu-" she couldn't finish, she choked back a sob and turned her head away from him, holding a hand to her mouth as she trembled while her other hand made a fist in the earth.
Bernes didn't speak and there was a moment of silence as he bent closer towards her and put a hand on her back. "M'lad- Edith, I'm sorry..."
"Oh it's not your fault! It's all mine." She shook her head, Bernes pulled her face toward his.
"Don't blame yourself, please. I shouldn't have driven you here,"
"If it wasn't for me, Irene wouldn't have called the police, the witch. And we wouldn't have had to run for our lives and you - oh!" She closed her eyes. "You wouldn't be facing the sack from my father."
"Don't worry about me. I've a cousin in London who has a motor company."
"I suppose everyone has a cousin somewhere... but you suffer because of me I'll speak with Lord Grantham, I will - he'll have to listen."
"As long as Mr Carson doesn't get involved... are you alright?"
Edith wiped her cheek and nodded, then opened her mouth "I am a bit cold," she shivered. "I think my shawl must have fallen in the garden too."
"I didn't have time for a jacket either."
Edith shuffled closer to him and put her head on his shoulder.
"...What a mess, eh? What do we do now?"
"We AREN'T going back to the house, the police will be there, and everyone will be up."
"Maybe that's why we should head back, Sir Anthony might not actually press charges."
"It's bad enough that we ran off! Never mind the fact that I broke into his house and - oh, part of me just wants to stay here, with you. And never go back, do what Sybil did."
"Isn't she the sister who ran of with... the chauffeur?" The two of them hooted with laughter. "Looks like you're taking a leaf out of her book then."
"No it's a good thing. It means my father won't be bothered to find another chauffeur."
"Oh I think he'll be bothered, after this."
"Bernes?"
"Hm."
"Thank you."
"For what?"
"You stayed. You waited for me. I wasn't sure if you would, I hadn't told you to."
He rolled his eyes, "well I wasn't going to bloomin well go zooming off back to the house."
"There was also something I was going to ask you."
"And what's that?" He quirked his eyebrows.
"... what's your first name?"
"Oh, that." He chuckled. "It's Jason."
Edit grinned. It suited him.
