Chapter 34
1920s Downton Abbey
Anna had to admit that she loved the way Mary's new hairstyle gave her better access to Mary's neck. Her lips caressed the spot right behind Mary's ear and she happily hummed against her skin. But she paused her movements, when she realized Mary wasn't doing anything in response. Anna sat back and saw Mary just looking over in the corner, looking annoyed.
"Mary?"
With a huff, Mary sat up straighter and shook her head, "Everyone is going absolutely insane over Edith's disappearance."
Anna's lips curved downwards. So, this was what they were going to do right now. When she came into the bedroom to help Mary dress for dinner, she had not expected Mary to quickly tug her into the bedroom and start kissing her. It had been a delightful surprise. However, that seemed to have completely changed and now Mary had stood up and began pacing the bedroom.
"Well, it isn't like Edith to just up and leave, is it?" Anna attempted to help explain why people might be worried about Mary's sister. Mary's eyes rolled.
"She's a grown woman. Edith can handle herself. If she gets herself into trouble, she knows Mama and Papa would just get her out of it. God, she's so dramatic."
Anna couldn't help it and she laughed. She slid off the edge of the bed and gathered Mary's hand into her own.
"Why don't we focus on something else," she suggested.
"Like what?"
"Oh, I don't know, the kissing we started that you interrupted to complain about your sister? If I didn't know any better, I'd think you might actually be concerned," Anna pointedly stated.
"I'm definitely not," Mary quipped. "Just annoyed."
Anna sighed. "So, no more kissing?" She then teased. Mary's eyes lifted up then and her lips began to tug upwards.
"That does sound nice." She stepped forward, her hand running up the side of Anna's arm. But then her face changed and she added, "I'm sure dinner will be all about where Edith could have gone."
"Honestly, Mary, can we not talk about your sister?" Anna said. Mary chuckled.
"You're right, darling. I'd much rather pull you back onto this bed."
"Good."
-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-
Anna peeked her eyes into the nursery. Today only their children were in the room. She saw Johnny, George, and Pippa sitting together on the floor and playing. Pippa kept her dolly tucked into her arms.
Glancing down at her own hands, Anna saw the little dress she had made for Pippa's doll. She needed to go inside and give it to her, but something had her stuck in her spot. As Pippa grew older, this all got harder for Anna.
She was so grateful to have her daughter here in the house. Every day, she got to see her and play with her. It was a blessing. However, she could not claim Pippa as her own, not even to Pippa. The little girl didn't get to know she was her mother.
Anna tried not to dwell on it too much. She knew she was fortunate to have her in any capacity. Yet, it didn't keep her from missing the earlier days when she could nurse and cuddle with her multiple times a day. Now, she had to be more careful about how she acted around her. And to be honest, it hurt.
"Mummy?" Johnny asked, glancing up from the blocks he was intently building.
"Hello, darling," Anna greeted. She stepped inside the nursery and hid the dress behind her back.
"Play with us, Aunt Anna?" George questioned. Anna smiled down at him. She inched herself between the two boys.
"Pippa," Anna then said, her eyes glancing over at the little girl. She twisted her head and then gathered herself up onto her feet. Anna reached out for her and tried to pull her into her lap, but Pippa stepped back.
"No, Nah-nah. I play!"
"Yes, darling, of course," she murmured. She then pulled the dress out from behind her back. "Would you like a new dress for your dolly?" Pippa's eyes lit up. She rushed over and took it out of Anna's hands.
"Tank oo!"
"Mummy, why doesn't Pippa call you Aunt Anna?"
"When she's older she will," Anna replied, brushing her hands through Johnny's hair to brush the locks out of his eyes. He needed a haircut. She hated when she cut his hair, because it always made him look so much older. Her little boy was growing up.
Lately, she and Mary had begun discussing when they should hire a governess for him. They decided they would wait until George was a little older. Until then both she and Mary would teach Johnny the things he needed to know. But it was just around the corner. Her little boy would outgrow the nursery sooner than she was ready.
Once that happened, things would become more complicated. Anna fretted about how they would fit a young man in the house. Mary often told her not to worry about such things, that she would handle it. While Anna believed Mary, she did know that both Lord and Lady Grantham weren't too keen on her and Johnny's place in this house. She did worry what would happen when Johnny got bigger and needed his own space.
"Mummy?" Johnny rested his head on her shoulder and she wrapped her arm around him. "I love you."
"I love you too, Johnny."
-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-
"You are going to take a child away from the Drewes?" Mary asked her sister, completely confused. She didn't know what all had happened in the past twenty-four hours. But now her sister had returned and was talking about bringing in her own ward to the house.
"She isn't their child," Edith nervously explained. "They took her in as a baby and have been raising her since."
"But they love her, don't they?" Mary felt a strange, but fierce protectiveness over these people she hardly knew. "Why would they allow you to take this child they have cared for all this time?"
Edith let out a loud breath and turned to her mother for help. Mary did not miss this gesture. Her eyes moved to her mother, who shifted uneasily in her seat.
"Well, they have so little, Mary. We could provide much more to that little girl. Plus, they have other children to care for. It's become right much for them."
"Who says having little means you can't love a child or that you can just take one away? Pippa is not my child, but if someone tried to take her away from me, I would be devastated. Pippa would too. I am the closest thing she knows as a mother." Mary stood, anger consuming her. This situation seemed to hit too close to home. It was almost as though they were dismissing Mrs. Drewe's love for the child even though she hadn't birthed her.
"Oh Mary," her mother said, shaking her head. "This is not the same. I think perhaps you should let your father and I discuss this with Edith alone."
Mary eyed everyone in the room. Despite her mother saying that, Rose and Sybil were not asked to leave. But she decided her mother was right. She did not want to hear another word of this.
Before she left the room, she turned to her mother and added, "If you are in favor of Edith's plan, I guess I won't be hearing anymore about Pippa from you." Then she harshly closed the door behind her.
-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-
"What's wrong, my love?" Anna questioned Mary that evening. She noticed how Mary was tenser than usual. At first, she chopped it up to Edith returning home. However, she quickly noted that there was more to it than that.
Anna combed the brush through Mary's locks and met her eyes in the mirror. Mary quickly turned.
"You know I love Pippa and Johnny as my own, don't you?" A soft smile grew on Anna's lips.
"Of course I do. Just as I love George."
"I would not allow anyone to take Pippa away," she added. This made Anna's chest tighten.
"Is….is someone wanting to send her away?" Tears filled her eyes. Mary then stood and grabbed Anna's hands.
"Oh no, darling, no one wants to do anything with Pippa. This has nothing to do with her. It's….well, it's Edith."
"Edith?"
"She's taking in a ward of her own," Mary explained. Anna still didn't know how any of this connected. "Both she and Mama seemed to imply that since the Drewes were not this child's parents and that they are not as well off as we were, that they could take in this little girl."
"Oh," Anna simply said. She still needed to calm her beating heart. No one would be stealing her daughter away. Pippa was safe.
"I'm sorry," Mary shook her head. "I don't know why, but it got me all riled up. And it's not because it's Edith."
"I know," Anna soothed. She pressed her hand against Mary's cheek. "I'm glad you love Pippa"
"I really do, Anna. No one can take her from us." Anna smiled. She lifted her chin to brush her lips against Mary's.
"Never," she whispered in return.
-X-X-X-X-X-X-
The next day, Anna decided they needed to do more than their usual picnic. She walked to the nursery to pick up the children. When she entered, she saw that Sybil's girls and the new ward, Marigold, was in the room.
Her eyes went to the new child. She was a sweet thing, but she looked very nervous. Anna felt for her. She was surrounded by new people she didn't know. She hoped the children were helping her to feel welcome.
"Come on Johnny, Master George, and Miss Pippa, it's time to go."
They followed Anna down the hallway and down the stairs. Pippa allowed Anna to hold her and she sang a nonsensical song in her ears on the journey to the front of the house. But Mary wasn't there.
"Where's Aunt Mary?" Johnny asked.
"I'm not sure," Anna honestly answered.
"I'm here," Mary announced, walking from around the house. Pippa asked to be let down and she rushed to Mary, lifting her hands up toward her.
"Lady!" She called out.
Mary quickly picked Pippa up and held her close. Anna didn't miss how Mary's hand slid into Pippa's hair and she tucked her against her chest. She kissed the top of Pippa's dark curls and closed her eyes.
"You know, she loves you too, right?" Anna said to Mary. Mary opened her eyes and they were wet with tears.
"I do," she whispered.
"I also wouldn't allow anyone to take her from you," Anna added.
"She's our baby!" Johnny then reminded them. Mary glanced down at Johnny and smiled.
"You're right, Johnny. She's ours. Now, what is the plan for today?"
"Town!" George yelled. "Biscuits?"
"Town?" Mary glanced over at Anna, curiously. They never went into town. That seemed a bit risky.
Anna shrugged her shoulders. "Sometimes, it's nice for a change. It will just look like a lady out with her children and her lady's maid helping her. It will be fine."
"Alright, darling, let's do it."
Spring 1971
Mary met her eyes in the mirror. She was growing weaker each day. It was growing harder to ignore the pain in her body. If things were different, she wouldn't worry as much. She had lived a full life. She was ready to leave this world, except she couldn't leave Anna behind, not like this. A year ago, Anna would have been fine without her. Yes, she would miss Mary, but Anna was a strong woman. But now, Anna sometimes didn't even know who she was.
"Maehb," Mary called out to her great niece.
"Yes, Aunt Mary?'
"I need you to book a week at the closest beach to here," Mary told her. Maehb twisted her lips.
"But it's still cold outside."
"I know," Mary replied. "But Anna and I go to the beach every summer together. I am not sure that I will still be around by then, so I want you to book us a spot for next week. I want to be able to go to the beach with her one last time. And if I am still around this summer, then we will go again."
"Yes, Aunt Mary," Maehb answered, leaving to make the arrangements.
Mary looked back into the mirror. Yes, a week at the beach might do them both some good.
To be continued...
As always, thank you for reading :)
