10th May 1941 was Matthew's fifty-sixth birthday. To celebrate they invited the Napier's for dinner. Evelyn and Adeline were bickering about having the Churchills come to stay, after bringing up the anniversary of his being sworn in, his plans to beat back the Riech. Evelyn had become quickly acquainted with Churchill and Adeline, to Mrs. Churchill even before he was announced Minister.

"You want to invite the prime minister for tea? What to you suppose we feed them? Are they to bring their own ration cards?"

"Don't be difficult, Ev. You know you'd love to see the Churchills again. We'll make cucumber sandwiches from the garden.." Adeline turned to Mary, "we have this little kitchen garden, we're growing strawberries."

As she went on talking, Matthew said to Evelyn, "I would love to meet Mr. Churchill."

"That sounds lovely!" Mary exclaimed in response to Adeline. "We should start doing that. Ration cards only go such a long way."

"Is he as short-tempered as they say?" Matthew asked Evelyn. "dear Winston?"

"Old Winston is always short-tempered, with the stuff he has to deal with. With the mess Chamberlin left."

Mary was asking about Nathaniel. "I didn't see him in the day nursery."

"Nathaniel has a bit of a cold. We left him at home with the nanny. I hope he isn't coming down with something."

"Children are always getting sick, but they get over it quicker these days." Evelyn responded.


Billy told her that he couldn't see her anymore. They had met in their usual spot as always, they were in the middle of kissing, when suddenly he broke away from her, standing up.

"This is wrong. We can't do this anymore."

"No one will know. It's not like something will happen. In a perfect world..."

He turned around, snappishly. "What? We would be married? That I'd be the perfect husband?" He scoffed.

"My parents don't care about that. They'd rather see me happy. If it's class you're so worried about?" She shrugged. I thought that sort of thinking was beneath you."

"You just don't get it, do you?"

"I'm not a little kid anymore, I'm nearly eighteen!"

"We should forget about whatever this is here. You should stay away from me. I'm bad news."

"What do you..."

"I got kicked out of law school." He gathered his things. "Congratulations on your engagement to the Duke. I wish you luck."

Was he jealous? Who could have told him about her engagement? One of her sisters? She should be mad; she did fume a bit but she supposed it would have gotten round the rumor mill anyway.

She had a chat with her mother before dinner.

"I know you quite like him, that you and he had a friendship, but it never would have worked. You must realize that by now..."

"Why not? What about Uncle Tom and Aunt Sybil? They were from two different worlds."

"Yes, but they were young, who knows if it would have stuck in the long run."

"I do. You and papa couldn't've been more different."

"Yes. That's a whole 'nother story." She waved it away. "Your father likes him, thinks him a nice chap but let's be realistic, darling, he wouldn't like the idea of him being a suitor, neither do I."

"It's not like he's a servant. He was studying law..."

"Was being the key factor. He got kicked out for drinking."

"He wouldn't have if they'd allowed him to sign up." She lied.

"He has no job, no prospects in front of him. It would be difficult for him to find any sort of job, quite frankly."

Her mother always sounded condescending. Yet she hated to admit that her mother was right.

"I can support him. Till we figure something out."

"On a teacher's salary, I think not. I hope he does make something of himself after this war, but your life is different, and it still will be after the war."

"You're wrong. Boundaries and social class were starting to be torn down after the first war, and they will continue to crumble. It will be all gone after the war, that's what Sybie is always on about. Then it won't matter. For once it's something I agree with her on."

"Your head's been filled with romantic notions." She couldn't believe that they would lose Downton one day, tried not to imagine it's crumbling bricks. "We must accept the life we're born into, no matter how boring we find it at times. The war will end and hopefully soon and then you shall resume your life, you'll get married, have a family. You'll be a lady of a great house. If you ask me, Billy did the most sensical thing, letting you go. I'm thankful for that. Accept the Dukes proposal, if you must."

She wanted to spend the Christmas holidays with her aunt. "It's starting to feel a little over-crowded here. It'll give me some time to think."


8th, December 1941

Kate retrieves the newspaper from Morrison after going downstairs for breakfast. He warned her that it was 'most destressing business' but she said that nothing could shock her at this point.

"Will this carnage ever end?" She heard the butler.

She entered the breakfast room where her parents, brother and sisters were already seated at the table.

"The Japanese bombed Pearl Harbor." She said, handing her father the paper.

"What's Pearl Harbor?" Andy asked.

"It's an American Military Base." Their father said.

"Do you think the American's will be joining the war now?" Asked Jo.

"Yes. We do." Meaning their parents had no doubt already heard. Maybe over the wireless.

"Leave it to the American's to come late to the party." Andy gave a shrug. "Can't be no worse than the French."

"I think by the way things are going, it's a good thing. The American's will beat back the German's. They don't stand a chance. This war will be over before you know it."

Kate was sitting up straight, her face paler, staring at their father. How could he think that there is any good to come out of this? Though he said it would be over soon, it sounded as if he didn't fully believe it himself.

When the children got word, that Jo was going to Brancaster, they all wanted to go.

"You're in a rather foul mood." Matthew said as his wife came to bed.

"All my children are leaving me."

"They will eventually. There comes a day when we must send our children out into the world."

"I'd rather it be later than sooner."

"It's only for the Christmas holiday. Besides, look at it this way..." He pulled her close to him. "We have the whole house to ourselves." A first in a very long time.

"I don't know how you do it. You always manage to find a silver lining."

"Damn right." He kissed his wife hard.


Brancaster had been offered up as a training field for the RAF. Brancaster was big enough, not as big as Downton but the grounds were big enough for aircraft to take off and land. Big enough to avoid the soldiers. Josephine thought to herself. And unlike Downton, the soldiers weren't allowed in the house. They often trained in the mornings. Jo now familiar with their routine, woke up early to get her ridding in.

Suddenly a young boy, about Caroline's age, stepped into her path. She had to pull on the reins hard, almost losing her balance.

"What in the world...you better have a good explanation." Once he got a proper look, she saw he was too small to be her cousin Jay.

"You wouldn't want to go this way, miss. A pilot crashed his plane. It's not a pretty sight."

"I'm not a miss. My parents are Lord and Lady Grantham. Have you heard of them?"

The boy shook his head. "I'm new. I work for the new groundskeeper."

"Is he dead?"

"Quite. I didn't want you to trample on him."

"I nearly trampled over you!" She took a moment to collect herself. "Can you show me where?"

The boy shook his head. "I wouldn't recommend it miss...uh my lady."

"Lady Josephine. I'll tell my uncle. But I'll need you to come with me so you can tell him where the body is."

"I'm not allowed in the house my lady."

"It'll be fine. Trust me. You won't get into trouble." The boy looked sheepish. "You have my word."


Within minutes the news had reached the breakfast table.

"Cool!" Andy exclaimed. "Can I go with you to see it Uncle?"

"Can I come too?" Jay chimed in.

"No, you may not!" His mother protested.

"Auntie what are you doing up? I thought you preferred the luxury of breakfast in bed." said Jo.

"You know me. Powered eggs and stale bread are no way to enjoy it."

"Is there any way to enjoy it?" Andy whispered to Jay, their heads together, giggling.

At that exact moment, Kate entered the breakfast room.

"What's going on here?" She could sense the tension in the room.

"Jo saw a pilot crash his plane." Andy said.

"No, I didn't. The groundskeeper's boy did. He stopped me from seeing it and almost made me fall off my horse."

"Well, I better go. The army will be asking for me." Uncle Bertie said, placing a napkin over his plate, dismissing himself from the room.

Of course, they had to go out to see the debacle, save for Andy and Jay who were ordered to stay back at the house, Jo and Carrie stayed back at a distance, while Kate had opted to stay inside to make sure Jay and Andy didn't try to sneak out to sneak a peek. Jo quickly lost interest and took her horse back to the stables.

She must be thinking about Lord Wroughton, Carrie thought as she listened to her uncle talking with the army men; his empty left sleeve pinned up to the shoulder, the loose fabric flapping in the wind. It made her feel sort of pitiful but no more ashamed than what had happened to her father.

"Training mishap. Happens more often than you'd think." A young boy said, not much older than herself. He was munching on something.

He had black hair and the longest eyelashes she had ever seen as they were taking the body away under a tarp and makeshift stretcher.

"Was he one of ours or a German spy do you reckon?" Carrie entertained the idea.

"Don't know but he was wearing one of our uniforms. I was the one who found 'im. I work for the Marquess...told me I could have this biscuit for helping. Didn't do much, he's dead 'en he?" He crunched in her ear. Did he have no manners? She found she didn't mind. Not often did a boy come to talk to her, though she was almost thirteen. He looked a year or two older than her. "I know I'm not supposed to watch...you won't tell anyone will you?" He eyed her suspiciously.

"Only if you tell me what you know. Do you know what caused it?" She thought she'd ask anyway, wanting to get his take on it for she doubted she'd get a straight answer or details from her uncle.

"Parachute malfunction, I reckon."

"You know so much about planes?"

"Do I? I love everything that fly's ever since I can remember. Once took care of a bird a school that flew into a window. Teacher said I'd never amount to anything."

"Teachers are always saying that. My sister has a friend in the RAF."

"Who doesn't? It doesn't happen as often, the malfunction." He gave a shrug. "In the first war., they didn't even give the men parachutes"

"How horrible!"

"They didn't want them abandoning their duty."

"And you want to join the RAF? You're less likely to die on the battlefield than in the air." She couldn't help but think that he was too beautiful to even die in the trenches. "You are almost old enough to be called up, aren't you?"

"I'll be fifteen soon. Still few several years off till they send my papers. You're not worried about me, are you? We only just met."

Was he laughing at her? She felt embarrassed. Her cheeks flushed. Thank goodness for the cold air.

"No... no. I just hope it doesn't come for you is all..."

Before she got his name, he was called back to work, the gardener calling, you boy! Not even a last name to go by.


January 1942

Sybil was coming to stay with them for the first time in almost three years. Kate ran across the garden, throwing her arms around her cousin.

"I missed you! So much has happened." As she looked her over. Her cousin had grown and filled out, her features a bit rounder, muscular but not fat. Suppose lifting all those stretchers and soldiers onto them, onto an ambulance. Sybil noticed the changes in her cousin too. Kate had more womanly features than when she had last seen her.

"You've grown so much! You were only just fifteen."

"So have you! So has Carrie. She's not a little mite anymore."

"I'll have to take your word for it."

"You're a nurse now, I'm so jealous. My nursing training consists of changing bandages and holding hands." Kate spoke sarcastically.

"Be glad for it. You're still much too young."

"I won't be old enough for a few years yet. I supposed I can lie about my age. Or wait. But I don't want the war to go on for years."

"It might. With the way things are going."

Before Kate could probe her, her parents came out to great them.

Sybil embraced her uncle first. "You're looking so well, Uncle."

"And you the same."


"We will get ourselves ready for the ball only after we have a carton of bandages and socks." Mary said. Only the prospect of the Soldier's Charity ball had the family in good spirits. She and the girls and the women from the Woman's Institute were making care packages that the soldiers could take back with them to the front.

She relayed the story of their Aunt Sybil making socks for the soldiers, how she had sent two to their father and how he'd given the extra pair to a friend, only for that friend to get killed.

"Your father saw a German trying to steal them, and he succeeded. He tried to chase after him without thinking. He was lucky the soldier was more afraid of him and only wanted the socks. I told him what a damn fool he was. He could have gotten killed over a pair of socks."

"I don't see why I have to knit. I'm not good at it." Josephine said.

"Of course, you are. You knitted a sweater for Nathaniel last year."

"Yeah, which was two sizes too small."

"It's the thought that counts."

"Where is our dear brother, Georgie? Why is he exempt from having the pleasure of helping?" Jo asked.

"He's bringing Duke Claiborne from the train." said their mother.

Her two younger sisters turned to look at their older sister. She felt like a bug under a microscope.

"Duke Claiborne can walk here himself!"

"Maybe he's gotten you another ring or some jewelry or something extraordinary, from France!" Her youngest sister brightened.

"The only extraordinary thing about the Duke is stepping on women's toes when he dances."

"That's such a small complaint to judge a man's character on." Mary said. "He's certainly devoted. And about to be sent off to the front again. Do be kind, Josephine."

"You declined him once." Carrie said.

"When was this?" Mary exclaimed. "You didn't tell me you called off the engagement. That's what I thought you went away for. I rejected your father's proposal many times and so did he..."

"We were never engaged!" Jo stood up, no longer to keep up pretenses. "Besides he's got a new woman now. That's exactly why I didn't want to tell you." She threw her knitting down on the sofa, leaving it in awkward silence.

"What I don't get is why we have balls and stuff while men are out their dying." Carrie said, continuing to knit away.

"This ball will be different. It's for the soldiers. To boost morale." Mary said. "And why wouldn't we throw a good party? Life must go on."


They had their first siren drill. Why they didn't before now was beyond Mary. They were on the way to the wine cellar.

"I'm not going down there." Jo protested, staring into the black depths as she approached the entrance of the stairwell.

"Because spiders and a little musty dirt is worth dying over." Carrie teased. "Or are you afraid to be cramped in with all the hot, sweaty soldiers?" She and Kate tittered.

Mary looked back to see that Matthew was lagging behind. A nurse helping a soldier with one leg using crutches had passed him. He had his head resting against the wall, his eyes closed.

As she came over to him, she could hear that he was trying to control his breathing. He was trying to hold back an episode, the memories threating to surface.

"Darling, are you alright?" She asked to get his attention. He was momentarily elsewhere. "Darling, it's only a drill." Placing a hand on his shoulder and gently touched his face. He slightly startled, his eyes snapping open; they looked almost totally lost. Awareness started creeping back into them. He took hold of her hands.

"Mary..."

"I'm right here."

He shook his head. "Mary, if it's ever the real thing...and I can't make it in time...I want you to leave me behind."

"What?"

"Save yourself and the girls and Andy first."

"You know I would never do that. I would come back for you." He gave her a begrudging look because he knew it. Kate came back up from the cellar.

"What's taking so long?"

"Your father's having a little bit of trouble."

Kate helped her with him down the stairs. They were halfway down when they started to feel his resistance.

He didn't want to go back into the bunker. It had partially collapsed before, baring and killing his second lieutenant Clark but leaving his unscathed. His part of the bunker hadn't collapsed. He himself had been buried once. He didn't want to be alone in total darkness. He didn't want to be trapped again. But his feet continued forward until they reached the final steps.

"It's dark. Why is it so dark? We...need a light."

Mary's heart tightened in her throat. She knows that tone, one dangerously close to losing grasp of reality. She needed to get him to pull it together.

"It has to be dark, so they won't see us." Jo said. Apparently, that was the wrong thing to do.

Kate gave Jo a warning look. Their eyes adjusting to the tiny light shining through a small rectangular window.

"Don't you hear them? They're close." He was on high alert, but his voice was also strained and stressed.

"It's alright, Papa. It's just a drill. Just listen to my voice." Kate carefully grasped his arm and he seemed to calm a little; Mary taken aback in awe as her daughter too charge of the situation, instinctively knowing what to do. "You're perfectly safe. Come over here and sit next to me and Mama." She led him over to a stack of wine crates.

A curtain was pulled over their only remaining light source, a small rectangular window, a sliver of light barley penetrating the darkness to begin with, and the cellar was plunged into complete darkness. And they waited.

Matthew sat silently without saying another word. Mary leaned her head on his shoulder, listening to his uneven breathing. He felt him stiffen.

Before he had sat down, he had felt cramped, standing up. There were so many bodies, shuffling around. Breathing the same air, making it feel thick. The dead didn't breathe, did they? Maybe if he sat still, they wouldn't see him. He felt one of them brush up against him. It wasn't the smell of rot or decay that he was met with. It was a scent he recognized.

"Mary, is that you?"

"Yes, it's me. I'm here. Katie is too."

"Katie?" He had to think for a moment. His Katie girl. His daughter.

"Yes, I'm here too, papa."

"We're all here."

Planes fly overhead but no bombs fall. "It must be our boys." Katie states but her father hears no more.

Then next thing he remember is that it's so bright.


It was nearly a month after the pilot had been found on his property, his body unidentified, Bertie suggested that the poor soul be buried on the estate.

"He did die on my land."

Edith was a little livid at first but touched. The young man wouldn't be alone and forgotten.

"What if he was a spy?" Jay asked.

"We're all human in the end." His father answered. "It doesn't matter what side you fought on."