A/N: Thank you all for the lovely reviews! I'm going to take a quick break tomorrow, as it's looking like it will be a busy day and I want to get the next chapter of The Lady in Black out, but Chapter 9 will be up Monday!

From York to New York

Chapter Eight

Mary woke before Tom, still sleepy but excited when she remembered what day it was. Instead of shaking him awake as she had the first couple of days, she began pressing kisses against the expanse of his chest. She had learned how much he liked it and how it was a more effective method of rousing him.

She felt him groan, the low hum vibrating against her lips. "We need to get up," she said softly as his eyes began fluttering open. "Edith and George will be here soon and I need to dress."

"Alright," he agreed, but he wrapped an arm around her waist, pulling her down towards him. A giggle escaped her, a strange sound for her to make but one that was increasing in regularity the longer she adjusted to this new arrangement with Tom. "But give me a kiss first."

Mary obliged gladly, hands finding a place on either side of his face. It was hard to remember why she had needed to leave in the first place, given how warm and comfortable it was under his covers. Nevertheless, she forced herself to extricate herself from him and find her dressing gown on the floor.

Mary moved through the hall back to her own room, her bare feet quiet against the carpeted floor. They learned quickly that it was simpler for Mary to slip into Tom's room after Klein readied her for bed than for him to approximate which time the maid had left. Mary didn't mind; it was worth the risk, in her opinion.

As Klein helped her dress, Mary's nerves began to flood back. As happy as she was to see George again, she wasn't sure if she was ready to tell Edith that her and Tom were marrying. "Why?" Tom asked when she raised her concerns. "Isn't that why she summoned me here?"

Mary had rolled her eyes. "No. She still thinks you're here to keep me company." When Tom still appeared confused, she clarified, "I didn't tell her whose it was."

He understood her meaning. "You didn't?"

"I meant what I said, Tom. I wasn't going to tell anyone." He met her eyes and she didn't allow herself to turn away. "Knowing Edith, she would have done some sneaky, underhanded thing like write you and tell you." She arched her eyebrow, aiming for some humor.

Tom laughed, thankfully. "You aren't mad that she told me you were here, are you?"

Mary raised her eyebrows. "What do you think?" But, just in case it was unclear, she leaned forward to give him a kiss.

Once she was dressed, Mary tried to steel up her nerves. She joined everyone (including Uncle Harold, who had arrived the day before) downstairs, barely eating any of her breakfast. Tom noticed, reaching for the hand that wasn't holding her fork. She smiled gratefully at him.

"It'll be alright," Tom said to Mary once they had a chance to be alone. "Even if she's angry, I'll be here."

She smiled gratefully at him. "I don't care what Edith thinks about me," she said honestly, reaching for his hand. "I just don't want her to be nasty to you."

"Why would she do that?"

"You'll be marrying the enemy."

Tom scoffed, but was grinning. "If she saw you as her enemy, I don't think she would have taken so much care to help you and the little one."

Mary couldn't resist smiling herself. Tom had started calling the baby that, already speaking to it. It was rather sweet and it made Mary think of that fondness he had shown Sybbie at the park. "We might be on friendlier terms at the moment, but I'd say we've merely called a ceasefire. The war isn't over yet and I doubt it shall be over until one of us is dead."

Tom rolled his eyes but his gaze softened. "Don't stress yourself out worrying about me. I can handle Edith. You forget that once upon a time it was the both of you against me. You put on quite the united front."

Mary stifled a laugh, remembering the night they had chased him and Sybil down to stop them from eloping. It seemed unfathomable, that they were the same people. "I think that was the last time Edith and I agreed on something," she said, arching an eyebrow. "But of course we were wrong."

Despite his reassurances, Mary was beyond nervous when, midway through one of Uncle Harold's tales regaling them of his time in Newport, Olsen announced the arrival of their guests to those collected in the drawing room. "We'd best go out and greet them," said Grandmama, rising to her feet.

Mary was smiling as they walked outside, ready to hug her son and maybe even Edith... only for her smile to fall.

"Tom!" Papa cried out, stepping out of the motor, followed by Mama. He was holding Marigold in his arms, squinting thanks to the bright sunshine. "How marvelous to see you again!"

"It's wonderful to see you as well," Tom said somewhere beside her, though he didn't sound as enthused as he might have normally.

When Edith emerged from the car with George, she gave Mary an apologetic look. Before Mary could make her displeasure with this display fully known, Mama was pressing a kiss to her cheek. "Oh, Mary, you look so lovely! New York clearly agrees with you, you're just glowing!"

"Thank you, Mama," Mary said with little emotion, inwardly panicking

It wasn't until she finally had a chance to bend down and hug George that her smile properly returned. "I missed you, Mummy," he said, burying his face in her neck.

"And I missed you, my darling boy. You have no idea how much." She let her hands stroke his smooth blond hair. At least now they could be together.

Mary pulled Edith aside after everyone else had gone in to the parlor. "Why did you bring Mama and Papa?" she hissed, standing out in the hall.

"I tried to stop them! They wouldn't listen to me!"

"You might have sent a telegram to warn me!"

"It will only be for a few days," insisted Edith. "They're going to try to persuade you to come home but as long as you remain firm they'll go home without an argument... and perhaps we can convince Tom to go home instead. That would take the pressure off you."

Mary said nothing, mentally debating with herself if she should say anything. Edith mistook her silence as anger and let out a huff. "Don't tell me you two are still feuding."

"No. It's not that at all. We're on good terms again." Edith let out a sigh of relief. "But... Tom's going to be staying here as well."

"But why? Does he know about...?" Her gaze dropped down to Mary abdomen.

"Yes, for heaven's sake, he knows!"

"Don't bite my head off!" Edith snapped. "So that wasn't why you were fighting?"

"What do you mean?" Had Edith somehow guessed the reason why they had been at each other's throats before he left Downton?

"I wondered if he knew who the baby's father was and he wanted you to put a stop to the affair."

"No. That wasn't it."

"Is he staying then? To help you with... you know?"

"Among other things," said Mary uncomfortably.

"Like what?"

"You'll find out later."

"No," Edith was firm, jaw jutting out. "You'll tell me right now. I've concealed your secret for months and I haven't breathed a word to anyone."

"Hasn't it occurred to you that it isn't your business?"

"You made it my business," insisted Edith. Then, adding rather petulantly, "And why does Tom get to know but I don't? You couldn't even bear hearing his name a month ago—"

Mary's frustration was reaching new heights as her sister carried on. Eventually, it came bursting out, like lava from a volcano. "Oh for heavens sake, Tom is the father."

A stunned silence fell over the two sisters. Edith's eyes were wide open with shock, mouth agape. Mary braced herself, cringing internally. She hadn't meant to tell Edith this... and if she ever had, it wasn't meant to be like this.

"What...? You mean... you and Tom?" Mary nodded slowly. Edith paled, looking faint. "Oh my God."

"We're getting married," Mary said, figuring she might as well pull off the plaster all in one go.

"Oh my God!" Edith's voice was growing shriller and shriller. Mary glanced nervously at the door, hoping no one would overhear her sister breaking down. This wasn't the way everyone should find out.

"We wanted Mama and Papa to find out after the wedding was over— but now that's ruined and they'll likely object." She thought bitterly about all the plans they had made, knowing there would be a fight now, a permanent black shadowing hanging over what was supposed to be one of happiest times of their lives.

"I can't believe it! You and Tom!"

"Yes, Edith, it's all very shocking."

"Don't be glib about this!" Edith hissed, eyes still wide. "You— you slept with our brother-in-law! Sybil's husband!"

"Yes. I know."

"How can you be so calm about this? You know it's going to kill Mama and Papa when they find out!"

"Funnily enough, I wasn't planning on telling them about the sleeping together bit," Mary said in a monotone, though she herself was lamenting how poorly this was all going. "We were planning on announcing the pregnancy after the wedding, as to not arouse suspicion."

Edith suddenly grimaced. "Oh God!" Before Mary could ask what it was about, Edith cried out, "Why— Where? You said you two didn't make it to a bed!"

"Are you sure you want me answering that question?" Mary asked, not certain her sister could handle it and not wanting to divulge details hers and Tom's intimate life. Besides, given how serious things were with Bertie Pelham (who was agent at Brancaster and clearly had thoughts of marriage), Mary suspected Edith would be even more horrified to learn their escapade took place at Brancaster Castle.

"Mary? Edith? Is everything alright? You're missed in the parlor." Tom had stepped out now, rejoining them in the hall. His footsteps began slowing. "Edith?"

"I'm afraid Edith's had rather a shock," Mary told him, turning to look at him over her shoulder. "She knows."

Tom nodded slowly, before giving her a quizzical look. "Does she know...?"

"She knows everything now."

"Ah. I see how that could be overwhelming."

"How can you two stand there and joke about this?" demanded Edith. "Have you forgotten about Sybil? How could you go to bed together? I expected better from you, Tom!"

Mary only had eyes for him after her sister's nasty pronouncement, especially when he flinched. They hadn't really discussed that yet and she couldn't help but worry this was the shove Tom would need to convince him otherwise of their plan, especially given his past anxieties.

"Edith," Tom said levelly, with much more composure than she thought he might, "you've had a shock. I don't mean to make light of that." His eyes scanned her over. "Are you feeling well?"

Edith blinked rapidly before shaking her head. "I—I think I need to sit. Or to lie down..."

"I'll help you upstairs," said Tom, moving to Edith's side and wrapping an arm around her waist. "Mary, will you go into the parlor and make our excuses? Tell them Edith's had a spell and that I'll be back soon."

Mary nodded wordlessly in response, hanging back as her fiancé guided Edith up the stairs... or was he even her fiancé anymore? Suppose he changed his mind? There were so many factors at hand that could lead to all this crumbling down. Suddenly all the excitement from this morning, along with the anticipation that had been building up with each passing day, dissipated.