A/N: It's been a while since I added to this. I was pleasantly surprised by all the lovely reviews of the last chapter, thanks ever so much.

Mildred Walker, feeling every bit her 59 years, gratefully lowered her body onto the bench while her five year old charge, Lady Sybil, galloped around the garden. She should have known that a walk to the tall stone gates that marked the main entrance to Downton and back to the house would not have been satisfying for the young girl. While Mildred had ambled the distance, Lady Sybil had skipped, jumped, and ran in a seemingly endless display of energy that only a child can exhibit.

"Do you think you could ride a deer like a horse?" Sybil had asked when they spotted three deer contentedly munching some low lying leaves on a bush half way down the drive towards the front gates. "I think they'd be good for someone my size much more than a pony."

Ever fearful of the child chasing off after a wild animal, which she did with some regularity on their walks when she spied rabbits, weasels and hedgehogs, Mildred had told her deer were wild animals that couldn't be tamed and could even be dangerous if one tried to pet them let alone try to ride them.

Now she had let the child cajole her into playing in the garden rather than returning to the house and taking part in more sedate activities like playing with her stuffed animals, reading a book (well looking at the pictures to be more accurate), or playing with some of the myriad number of toys that graced the Downton nursery. Nanny Walker leaned back against the bench and sighed heavily. Maybe it's time I consider giving up this job she thought as she gazed lovingly at the dark-haired little girl who was now racing up and down the lawn chasing butterflies.

She had come to Downton two weeks before Lady Sybil was born and had been here ever since with her sole charge the Earl's youngest daughter whom she had come to love as much as if the child was her own. But now she wasn't sure she could keep up with the energetic five year old yet if she stayed, she'd have some relief next year when as a six year old Lady Sybil would spend part of her days with a governess.

The immediate hours after luncheon were quiet time in the Downton nursery. While Sybil was expected to nap, Mary and Edith were excused from their governess and could read or relax as they wanted.

Although she was only five years old in some ways Sybil was wise beyond her years. She knew if she kept her nanny busy enough in the morning, the woman would take a long nap after lunch supposedly while Sybil herself napped. Today Sybil had lain on her bed for exactly twenty minutes before turning towards her sister Edith who was laying on her bed reading a book.

"Edith" she called but Edith didn't look up from her book.

Sybil got off her bed and sat down on Edith's bed. "Want to do some exploring?"

"I'm busy" Edith replied without even looking at her sister.

"You call that busy?"

"Yes" Edith curtly replied again without making eye contact with her sister.

"Wouldn't exploring be much more fun?" Sybil implored.

Edith finally set her book across her stomach and looked at Sybil. "You mean like last week when we went up to the attics where we got covered in dust, had sneezing fits, a mouse ran across my shoe, you broke that little chair and-"

"Well we didn't find any treasure so we-" Sybil

"Or do you mean like the other day when we were exploring" Edith emphasized the word as if it was something bad "those sheds and I stepped on that nail?" She could still remember the pain and her foot was still sore.

Sybil rolled her eyes as Edith looked towards her stockinged foot.

"Well-" Sybil began but Edith cut her off.

"I'm not ready for any more exploring!"

Having been rebuffed by Edith Sybil went looking for Mary. She finally found her in a little room down the corridor that Mary liked to consider her private room. Sybil hadn't bothered to knock because she knew if Mary was in there she'd yell "go away" or, more likely, wouldn't respond.

"There you are" Sybil gaily spoke upon seeing her oldest sister sitting on the floor surrounded by fashion magazines.

"Would you like to play a game of checkers or maybe-"

"I'm busy Sybil" Mary stated in that icy tone of hers.

"Looking at magazines?" That hardly seemed being busy to Sybil.

"Mama is taking me to the dressmaker's Thursday and I'm trying to decide what I want." Mary didn't even bother looking at Sybil as she leafed through another magazine.

"But surely playing checkers would be more fun" Sybil insisted.

Now that she had been rebuffed by both her sisters Sybil sat down on the top step of the stairway trying to decide what to do. Suddenly the idea came to her. She needed another brother or sister. A brother would probably be best after all Imogen was always talking about the fun she had with her brothers.

Mama wasn't in her sitting room or her bedroom so Sybil went looking for her father. Normally she could always find him in the library but today even the library was empty.

Looking at the shelves of books Sybil thought maybe she should find something to read, well something with a lot of pictures since she really couldn't read yet. But sitting here looking at books wouldn't get her what she really wanted.

Walking back into the grand foyer Sybil spied one of the footmen just before he darted through the open green blaze door. Since he was carrying a tray Sybil thought he must have been coming from the dining room.

And that's where she found her father sitting alone at the big table eating his lunch. He was looking at some papers lying on the table so he didn't notice Sybil until she was standing right beside him.

"Sybil!" he called as he set his fork down. "This is quite unexpected."

"I need to talk to you Papa" she spoke in her most solemn voice.

Robert quirked his brow as he looked at his young daughter who seldom appeared so serious.

"Whatever it is can't be that bad" Robert answered as he held out his arms to lift her onto his lap. At least that is what he hoped but he'd have to admit that Sybil could be a bit unruly. Yet neither the nanny nor a housemaid had run into the room after her so maybe …"

"I need a brother or another sister but I think a brother would be best."

She stated it so matter-of-factly he thought he must have heard her wrong. He sputtered "you what?"

"Oh papa I need someone to play with."

"You have Edith and Mary."

Sybil rolled her eyes. "They're too busy for me."

She reached out with her little hand and touched his face. "I'd be a really good big sister Papa."

"I'm sure you would be Sybil" he said the only thing that came to mind as he wished it was Cora having this conversation with their youngest.

"Then can we go get one now?"