Thank you all!

Chapter 30

"My mother invited you?" Mary eyed Tony carefully. Why on earth was he here? She moved her gaze over to the staircase where her mother was standing, as though she was hoping to overhear their conversation.

Mary gave Tony a tight smile.

"Why don't we go into the library? I'll ring for some tea."

Mary and he walked into the library, where Mary pulled the string. She kept looking at Tony and her mind was swirling with everything. She thought she had written Tony off months ago. There were absolutely no feelings between them.

Then she remembered her mother's questions about Pippa's parentage. She inhaled sharply, anger filling her bones.

"Mama," she growled under her breath. "Tony," she said, "I will be right back."

As she exited the room, she found her mother standing right outside the door. She gave Mary a pained smile.

"So…."

"What is he doing here?" Mary said between clinched teeth.

"You need to give him a chance to do the right thing, Mary. Did he even know you were pregnant?"

Mary huffed, rolling her eyes.

"Pippa is not Tony's child, Mama! I was never pregnant. I told you she was in an orphanage and I decided to bring her home with me."

Cora crossed her arms over her chest, twisting her lips to one side.

"You don't have to lie to me, Mary. We have time to settle all of this. If we do this right, we can avoid the scandal. You and Tony could marry and then go away for a while."

"I did not give birth to Pippa," Mary stated more strongly. "Tony Gillingham is not her father. Why don't you believe me?"

"Because it is the only thing that makes sense, Mary. Why would you potentially throw away your future by bringing home some stranger's child?"

"I've changed, Mama. Losing Matthew changed me," Mary simply stated. She didn't add in how Anna had also changed her. While it was the truth, she didn't want to bring Anna into this conversation at all. It was important her secret was kept. She didn't know how her parents would react if they knew the ward they had taken in belonged to her lady's maid. Their fears of scandal would grow and their instance to send Anna away would also start up again. No, Mary would not risk that.

Cora sighed, "I believe that she isn't Tony's."

"Or mine?"

Cora glanced her up and down.

"She has your hair. It's exactly how you looked as a baby. Neither of your sisters had all of that hair, but you did."

For some reason, this made Mary smile and feel proud. She may not have been Pippa's biological mother, but she did feel as though she was also hers. Pippa taking after her felt wonderful.

"I did?"

"Mary, who is her father?"

Mary was drawn back to the serious of the matter with this question. She pursed her lips together and then shrugged her shoulders.

"If I knew, I would tell you." Her mother gasped.

"Mary!"

"What? I told you, I don't know who her parents are. She was in an orphanage. Now, I'm going to go and send Tony away. I can't believe you invited him here." Cora stepped in front of the door to keep Mary from entering.

"Listen Mary, even if he isn't Pippa's father, you should marry him. He adores you. This could be your chance. Your chances of suitors will continue to lessen the older you get and now with an extra child…."

"Mama, I don't care. Please move. And please stop intruding on my life."

-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-

Anna was running late with her schedule. She usually made it to the nursery right after the children's nap in the afternoon. It was when she would get to nurse Pippa and cuddle with Johnny. Nanny had a special corner of the room set aside so that Anna got that special time with Pippa and didn't have to worry about someone accidently seeing her with her daughter. Even though Pippa mainly took a bottle, Anna worried the little girl would be screaming right now wanting her milk.

But as she entered the nursery, she found Pippa sleeping soundly in her cot. However, Nanny was pacing fanatically around the room with George on her hip.

"Nanny?" Anna said, breaking the Nanny from her thoughts.

"Oh Anna, oh…I…I turned around for one second and then….he was gone!"

"What?" Anna's eyes searched the room. "Johnny? Johnny is gone?"

"I'm so sorry. I was changing the baby's nappy and George was fussing because his milk had spilt."

"How…how long has he been gone?"

"Just a few minutes," Nanny promised her.

Anna inhaled sharply. It was a large house. Johnny could be anywhere in these halls. He was a fast and quiet little boy. Anna tried to think about where he might have gone. He often went downstairs with her, Mary, and the children to go outside. Sometimes he went to the downstairs to eat a meal with Anna or visit Mrs. Hughes.

"He's probably searching for me. I was late…." Anna rubbed her hands together nervously. Her mind started going to the dangerous areas her son could have wound up. What if he locked himself into one of the rooms? Or went up into the attics? There was a window that could easily open up there. What if he opened it and fell?

Anna stopped herself. Those were very unlikely scenarios.

"You stay here with the children. I'll look down the hallway. Perhaps he went to Lady Mary's room. He knows I am her lady's maid." She tried to control the racing of her heart. She couldn't help but be concerned. Where was her little boy?

-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-

"I was very pleased when your mother invited me here, Mary," Tony said, as she entered the library.

"I'm sure you were," Mary unhappily replied. "I did not tell her to invite you. I meant what I said the last time I saw you, you are not welcome here."

Tony only chuckled. He stepped closer toward her, reaching out and taking her hand within his.

"You know I love you, Mary. I want us to marry."

Mary tugged her hand away from his and shook her head.

"Green is dead," Tony added. "He is out of the equation. I know you weren't fond of him."

"Not fond? That's a kind way of putting it. He was filth. Filth that you had no problem employing."

"I fired him without a reference after we last spoke," Tony said, trying to make it right. "Had I known he bothered you so much, I would have fired him earlier."

Mary scoffed. "But did you fire him because of who he was or only to win points with me?"

Tony didn't answer.

"That's what I thought."

The two stood silently together for a moment. She still couldn't believe how her mother had overstepped. It was clear to Mary that her mother would never really believe her that she did not birth Pippa. She wondered what, exactly, she would need to do to assure her of this. Or maybe she just allowed her mother to believe it. It might make it easier for her to accept Pippa's presence in the house.

"I wanted to come for you sooner, but you were in Paris," Tony went on to explain. "I did write to you after I had him sacked. Your mother wrote me back to say you were gone. What were you doing in Paris?"

Mary was interrupted by a tug on her dress. She looked down to find Johnny standing sheepishly behind her legs. His eyes were wide and he appeared terrified.

"Oh," Mary smiled. She bent down and lifted him up into her arms. "Hello, darling, what are you doing here?" The little boy rested his head against her chest and she held him tightly. He was shaking. "Did you get lost?" He nodded his head. Mary ran her hand over his back. She knew Johnny was a shy child and probably felt overwhelmed from being lost within this large house.

"Is that George? He's grown since I saw him last," Tony said.

"No," Mary couldn't believe Tony thought Johnny, who was nearly two years older than her son, was George. "This is Anna's son, Johnny. I am going to go and find her. I am sure she's sick with worry about him."

"I could come and help you," Tony offered.

"No. Stay here and drink your tea. I'll be back soon."

-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-

Anna had checked nearly every room upstairs. She debated on heading up to the servant's quarters or to go downstairs. Though she was sure if Johnny was in the servant's hall, Mrs. Hughes or Mr. Carson would have brought him back up to the nursery.

She was growing more worried with each second that passed. She knew Johnny and knew he would be frightened if he was alone. Tears began to prickle behind her eyes. Perhaps she should go and ask for help in searching for him.

"Anna!" Mary's voice made her turn. A breath of relief left her when she saw Johnny in Mary's arms. His little arms were looped around Mary's neck, but when he noticed Anna, he reached out for her.

"Johnny! Where was he?"

"He found me in the library," Mary explained. She rubbed Johnny's back.

"I wanted you," Johnny whispered into Anna's ear. "You or other mummy," he added. Anna furrowed her brows. Then she and Mary met eyes. Did he…..?"

"You are my mummy too, right?" Johnny quietly asked Mary.

"Of course, darling," Mary just replied, winking. "But you call me Aunt Mary."

"Oh," he pressed his lips together. "Is that man going to marry you?"

"Man?" Anna questioned, wondering who Mary was speaking to downstairs. But Mary laughed.

"No, Johnny, he's not." She kissed John's cheek. "Now, don't worry your mummy again like that."

"I won't."

"I'll take him back to Nanny," Anna said to Mary. "Who is downstairs?"

"Tony Gillingham," Mary answered with a roll of her eyes. Anna felt her body grow cold. Even though she knew he was dead, that fear was still there. Mary seemed to notice the fear on Anna's face and she frowned.

"I'm sending him away," she promised her. "No one will hurt you ever again."

"I hope that's true."

"It is, if I have any say in it."

Mary walked away then.

Anna cuddled Johnny to her chest and kissed the top of his head.

"I'm so glad you are alright."

-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-

"You're leaving," Mary said the moment she reentered the library. Tony had been sitting. He immediately stood.

"Surely, we can discuss this some more. Why don't I stay for the evening, have dinner with your family, and then tomorrow I can take you out for a nice horse ride?"

"Tony, I am not going to marry you. I do not want to see you again. I actually plan never to marry ever again."

"You can't be serious," Tony replied.

"Well, I assure you that I am. In her letters, did my mother inform you of my new ward?"

"Ward?"

"Yes, a little girl, six months old. I brought her home with me from Paris."

Tony grew increasingly uncomfortable in front of her.

"A baby?"

"Yes, Tony, a baby. I found her in an orphanage. You want to start a marriage with two children with different fathers?"

"Mary….."

"Go," she stated. "Don't return. There is no future for us."

-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-

That night, Mary crawled into the bed with Anna and snuggled against her. She brushed her hand through her hair and brought her in for a kiss. Mary's hand lingered in Anna's hair. She wanted to wander it all over Anna's body, but she kept herself in check. They weren't there, not yet. And Mary understood that they may never be.

"I believe I scared him away for good," Mary winked. Anna chuckled, kissing her back.

"Is that so?"

"Yes, George is one thing. He is heir of the estate and the title. But a second child, one whom could potentially come with scandal involved? No, he doesn't want to attach himself to that."

"He might if he really loved you, Mary," Anna said as her hand rubbed up Mary's arm. "You should do what is best for you."

"I am," Mary assured her. "I love you. I want this. I want us."

Anna smiled. "Will you always?"

"Absolutely."

Winter 1970

"Aunt Mary, good news!" Maebh said, as she entered the library with a tray of food for her. Mary's dizzy spells had gotten worse and so she was taking it easy today. Anna sat beside her, snuggled up with her and watching the television.

"What is that, Maebh?"

"I just got off the phone with Granny Sybil! She is going to come for New Year's Eve."

"Oh really," Mary brightened. It had been far too long since she had seen her baby sister.

"Yes, and she said Aunt Edith will be coming as well."

"Oh goody." Mary deadpanned.

"That sounds lovely," Anna then added.

"Yes," Mary agreed, kissing the top of Anna's head. "It does."

To be continued...

Only two chapters left of Part 2. ;)