Thank you all for the wonderful reviews! I probably won't update as quickly next time, but this chapter was ready for me to write and so I did. I hope you enjoy it!
Chapter 51
1930s – Downton Abbey
Thomas turned around the corner just in time to find Pippa at the top of the staircase, about to place her leg over the top to slide down the bannister. He rose his brow and cleared his throat, forcing her to stop. Though when she saw it was him, she continued with her intentions.
"What do you think you're doing?" Thomas quickened his pace to move up the stairs.
"Sliding down the bannister," Pippa answered with a shrug.
"You just got home from the hospital. Your wrist is fractured. Trying to head back?" He countered.
Pippa dramatically rolled her eyes, but she did stand up straight and away from the bannister. Thomas did not know if Lady Mary had truly found Pippa at an orphanage or if she was hers. But whenever Pippa rolled her eyes like that, he was sure she had to be Lady Mary's. Where else could she have acquired that look from?
"You used to be fun," Pippa told him, crossing her arms firmly across her chest.
Pretending to be hurt, Thomas replied, "I am fun."
"Then let me slide down the bannister," Pippa pursed her lips stubbornly.
"You are hurt," Thomas reminded her. "I'm not getting let go because I allowed you to fall and break your neck."
"Fine," Pippa stated. "I won't do it, until I'm better."
"That's all I ask."
Pippa adjusted her sleeves and then made her way down the stairs. Thomas was sure Pippa was supposed to be in lessons with her governess, but he wasn't about to scold her and tell her to go. Her governess was quite sour and Pippa did well enough learning on her own. He did know that Lord and Lady Grantham had insisted on this particular governess and that Lady Mary had been searching for a new one who would help grow Pippa's interest instead of trying to make her into a common lady only suited for marriage. Thomas did have to admit that Lady Mary did always want what was best for Pippa and did not want her stifled by world conventions.
He continued his steps upstairs. The house was nearly empty today. Lord and Lady Grantham had gone out. They did that a lot more lately. Most of their days were spent out of the house exploring the world around them. He gathered that came with older age and no longer having responsibilities at Downton.
A small giggle made him pause his steps. There shouldn't be any staff up here right now. He then heard footsteps and placed his back against the wall, peeking his head around. He watched as Lady Mary stepped out of her bedroom. Her hand was locked with another.
"Come here," Lady Mary was whispering. More giggles. Thomas crooked his eyebrow. Who was with Lady Mary?
That was when he saw her. It was Anna. Lady Mary tugged Anna into the hallway with her.
"Don't worry, no one is up here," Lady Mary was telling Anna. Anna looked a bit sheepish, but when Lady Mary's hand cupped her cheek, she smiled at her.
Thomas quickly turned away. Lady Mary and Anna? He had to be imagining it. He decided he needed to take another look. But they were gone. He pulled himself off the wall and attempted to make his way further down the hall; they were no longer nearby. It was possible they had hidden in another room or taken the staff stairs somewhere.
How long had this been going on? And more importantly, how had he not noticed? Thomas made it his goal to know everything. That was how he did things. Sure he had been the butler at Downton Abbey for many years now and that kept him busy, but still.
Suddenly, he was taken over by a wicked idea. There was much he could do with this information. He would hold tightly onto it until he needed to use it in his favor. His lips curled up into its old, evil grin. Yes, this was wonderful information to have.
-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-
Anna went outside to the gardens. It was a beautiful day outside and she needed to get some air. The past several days had been a lot. It had brought back her hard past, which was being made harder with Pippa asking all of these questions. She understood why these questions were coming and wished she could just be open with her daughter, but it wasn't that easy. She didn't want her daughter to hold that burden nor did she want to relive that horrid past. However, that was already happening. The nightmares had returned. But they were different than the nightmares in the past.
Now the nightmares included Pippa. They included Pippa being stolen from her by the snake or Pippa learning the truth and hating Anna. Or, Pippa blaming herself for what Anna went through. Every nightmare woke Anna up with a jolt. She tried not to let Mary know just how much they were plaguing her. She did not want Mary to worry.
Behind her she heard footsteps and jumped. But then her face softened when she realized it was Mr. Carson. Sometimes he would make his way up to the house during the week to visit. She gave him a soft smile.
"Good afternoon, Mr. Carson."
"Anna," he greeted with a taut nod. He stepped forward.
"Have you come to see Lady Mary?" Carson shook his head. "Lord or Lady Grantham? I don't believe they are here."
"No," Carson stated. "I've come here to see you."
"Me?" Anna chuckled slightly. "Why me?"
Instead of answering her directly, Carson began to walk down the pathway of the garden. Anna followed beside him until they made it to the spot where Pippa had her daily lessons with her governess. Pippa was laying on her stomach, kicking back her feet, as she read a book. The governess was nowhere in sight. Anna wasn't surprised. The two didn't get along. She'd probably just told Pippa she'd leave her be if she read the book. Anna wondered when she'd finally quit and she hoped it was soon. She and Mary were searching for a better replacement.
"I see it now," Carson said, his eyes on Pippa.
"Hum?"
"She looks just like you."
Anna inhaled sharply. He knew. She wondered just how much he knew.
"I cannot believe I hadn't noticed it before," he went on to say. Anna opened her mouth, but no words came out. "I hope you won't be cross with her, Anna, but Mrs. Hughes told me the truth about Pippa."
"I'm not," Anna whispered. It made sense. She couldn't blame Mrs. Hughes for wanting to unload one of her secrets. She knew Mrs. Hughes would never say something if she thought it would harm Anna. She had proven on many occasions how much she truly cared.
"I'm just…" Carson paused, exhaling. "I wish I had known when it happened. I'm sorry that you had to go through that and I did nothing to help you." His words were sincere.
"But you did help me, Mr. Carson." This brought his eyes to hers. "You may not have known what had happened, but you knew something had happened. You were very kind and patient with me, but you still treated me as me. And truly that was what I needed at the time."
"I'm guessing she doesn't know?"
"About her father?"
"Yes," Carson cleared his throat, clearly uncomfortable thinking about the man who attacked Anna.
"No, she doesn't. She's only just found out who I am to her."
With a nod, Carson stepped forward slightly. Pippa looked up then and saw the two of them standing a little bit away from her. She jumped up from the blanket and dropped her book, before rushing toward them. Anna's eyes were on Carson, who looked at her daughter with much adoration- much like he looked to Mary.
"Carson!" Pippa was pleased to see him there.
"You shouldn't be running around," Anna lightly scolded. Pippa still wasn't fully healed.
"I'm alright. Carson, how long will you be here?"
"As long as you'd like."
"Want to walk around the garden with me?"
"Go on," Anna told the both of them. "I should get back to work."
-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-
Mary settled down on her vanity and began to remove her jewelry. It was time to change for supper. Her parents said they had company coming over. She hoped it wasn't a set up with someone. It had been a while since they had brought a man over. Her friendship with Henry had helped that. But now they had learned her had his own relationship with the American and their hope for Mary to marry him had faded.
The last thing Mary wanted to do this evening was to be a pleasant host to a man she had absolutely zero interest in. She wished she could just tell her parents that she was in love and had been for over eleven years now. If only she knew they would be happy for her, but she knew they wouldn't. Telling them would only destroy everything she and Anna had built for themselves.
Her finger ran over Matthew's ring. She still wore it and was sure she would never remove it, much like Anna still wore Bates' ring. Moments would hit her when she'd miss him so strongly and just touching the ring on her finger could bring her great peace. Her eyes closed and she thought of him. Oh how things would be much different if he and Bates were still alive.
Opening her eyes, she then brought her hand to the bracelet that hardly ever left her wrist. Soon after Anna had given it to her, she found on similar for Anna to wear. Anna could tuck hers into her dresses. But Mary's was often seen by others. Once Edith had asked her about it. And she had been impressed that Edith paid that much attention to her jewelry. Mary just answered that she found it in a shop and loved it.
The door opened and she expected it to be Anna. However, it was Pippa. She stepped further in and closed the door behind her, before sitting on the edge of the bed in her room. As Mary's eyes fell to Pippa's knees, she saw there were fresh tears in the stockings. Why did they even bother trying to get her to wear them?
"Yes, darling?"
"When do I get to go to school?"
"Ah," Mary turned on her stool. "Anna and I have spoken about it. When you are a bit older."
"George is just a little bit older than me and he gets to go," Pippa countered.
"He does," Mary agreed with a slight nod. "We want to provide you all with the best education, Pippa. I am looking for a new governess for you. One who doesn't focus on being a lady, but more your education. You are a bright girl."
Pippa picked at the hole in her stockings.
"I want to be an archeologist," Pippa then told her.
"Oh?"
"Yes, the world has a lot to discover. Do you think I could be one?"
"Pippa, I truly believe you can be whoever you want to be."
"Truly?'
"Truly," Mary smiled. Pippa hopped up off the edge of the bed and then walked over toward Mary.
"And do I have to go to dinner tonight? I heard there's some man coming." Pippa made a face. Mary followed her. She had been right. It seemed her parents were attempting to set her up.
"Yes, you must go. I'm going to need you in case the conversation gets boring," Mary winked up at her.
"Well, can I wear this?" Pippa questioned.
"Absolutely not. You have dirt on it and your stockings needs to be mended. You should wear that new purple dress."
"Ugh," Pippa huffed.
The door opened again and Anna walked inside.
"Oh hi," Anna warmly greeted. "Pippa, I set out that purple dress for you tonight. I thought you might like to wear it for dinner. Go and change and I'll help you with your hair."
"Alright!" Pippa gladly said, rushing out and to her room. Mary's eyes rolled.
"What's that about?" Anna laughed.
"I told her to wear that same dress and she huffed at me. It doesn't matter what I suggest. She'll do the opposite. She's so stubborn."
Again, Anna laughed.
"I wonder where in the world she could have gotten that from."
Summer 1971
"I can walk," Mary stubbornly stated, as they pushed her in a wheelchair up the makeshift ramp into the front door of the large home.
"Stop being stubborn, Mother," Pippa told her, as she walked beside Mary and her brother, George, pushed her inside.
They had ended up turning the library into a bedroom for Mary and Anna. It had taken some effort and getting help to make sure it would have everything Mary or Anna would need. Maebh would also be staying downstairs now, as well as the new nurse, Jenny.
When they pushed Mary into the library, she scowled.
"This isn't my room," she complained.
"It is now," George pointedly said. He knew how to combat his mother's stubbornness. It was a skill he had acquired over the years. "You and Anna will stay in here now, Mother. You can no longer make it up the stairs. It's here or a nursing home."
"Alright, alright," Mary sighed. "Now, where is Anna?"
"Outside with the children," Pippa answered. "Jack brought Annie by. Mama adores holding that baby." That made Mary smile.
"She's so proud."
George and Pippa helped adjust Mary into the bed and then went outside to tell the others that Mary was home. Johnny hadn't been able to come. He had an important meeting, but he promised to be back by dinner time.
The moment Anna saw Mary was home, she brightly smiled.
"Mary," she said. Jack led her toward Anna. Behind him, Lavender held Annie and her sisters cooed over the little one.
"Anna."
"Why don't we give them a minute," Pippa suggested. She happily took her great niece from her daughter, and kissed the top of her head. Then they all walked out of the room and shut the door.
"I was afraid I wouldn't see you again," Anna admitted.
"Oh darling, I'm not going anywhere. I will never leave you."
To be continued...
