Aftermath
Chapter 20
Mary looked at the telegram telling them that her parents had arrived at the chalet in Switzerland. She thought the trip was extravagant, but they hadn't vacationed since before the war. She and Edith had both had vacations. Her parents had not.
One thing she had promised her papa was that she would look in on her granny. It had been his one misgiving about leaving for at least a month. Mary walked down to the village, checked into a few things and then went to the Dower House. Spratt let her in and led her to the parlor. Violet was sitting by the fire, reading a novel.
"Granny, how are you feeling?" Mary asked.
"I am a little tired, but that is to be expected." Violet said dismissively. Mary sat down in the armchair next to hers and fixed them both a cup of tea.
"I had a telegram from Papa. He and Mama have arrived in Switzerland. I wonder what they will find to do in Switzerland for a month." Mary said.
"They will get to know one another again. I was married to your grandpapa for nearly forty years. It is hard to stay happy. You grow apart, you grow at different rates, and you eventually fall apart. They are having to rebuild things." Violet said.
"You never liked Mama. I'm surprised at you, Granny." Mary said.
"I love your mama as I do a daughter and I have missed her. I haven't always treated her well, but I know she has made my only son very happy. There have been problems, but I truly believe they were made for one another." Violet said.
"You usually don't speak so…eloquently." Mary pointed out.
"Mary, your grandpapa and I pushed your parents together. I didn't care for my son marrying an American who had to adjust to our ways, but had it not been for Cora, you would have never known a life at Downton. Your papa would have been like so many now. A peer without an estate. Downton has been in this family since Henry VII. We have kept it through wars, famines, death, and destruction. I made that first year of their marriage miserable for Cora. I countermanded her with the servants, treated her poorly and allowed your papa to not treat her well, but through it all, she persevered. I rather admire her strength and tenacity now. I only wish I had seen it sooner." Violet said.
"I think the servants are thrilled that she might be coming home." Mary commented.
"She always treated the servants well. They respect her. She was the one that would always get them Christmas presents every year. I would just order a several yards of fabric, but she went to the shops and found things that would interest them more. Prints they would like, books they liked to read, things like that. She also always let them go through the missionary barrels before they were taken away." Violet reminisced.
"And I tend to be too sharp with them?" Mary said.
"You do. I do. We should always look at your mama as an example in how to treat others. And we've all treated her poorly but despite that, she has always showered us in love." Violet answered.
"She was so angry with me after the incident with Pamuk." Mary commented.
"She might have been, but she still protected you, albeit, more for your father, but still." Violet said.
"The children love her too." Mary said.
"Your mama has always been hands on. With her own children and now with her grandchildren. When you children were small, I scolded her for spending too much time in the nursery. I also hated that she didn't employ a wet nurse. The cradles were always at the end of her bed and she cared for her children herself. Eventually, she employed nannies, but until she had Edith, she took care of you by herself." Violet reminisced.
"I never knew that, Granny." Mary said.
"I hated it then, but your mama was…is a good mother. I'm not certain where it came from, because her mother is…not." Violet said.
"I will admit that she is." Mary agreed.
"Don't sound so unhappy about it. Perhaps you need to tell her that when she arrives home." Violet said.
"I am not certain she would hear it from me." Mary said.
"Then you don't know your mama at all. You need to spend this time thinking about how you would react if George or Caroline said those things to you that you said to your mama. I believe you would have forgiven them regardless of how much it hurt." Violet said as she slowly stood up, obviously dismissing Mary.
"Granny, where are you going?" Mary asked.
"I am going for a rest. Can you ask Spratt to send in my lady's maid?" Violet asked before leaving the room. Mary could only shake her head, ring for Spratt and give him her granny's orders. She had some thinking to do.
I may have been off in my timing concerning when the Crawley family was given their peerage and estate, but the math could be correct, depending on lifespan and such. Thanks for those that have reviewed. I love reading them.