Author's note

Thank you so much to everyone who has read/followed/reviewed/favourited this collection so far! I always love to hear from you.

I wrote this little drabble for gothamgirl28, based on a prompt she gave me on Tumblr.

The crossing

"WHHHHHOOOOOOOO! WHHHHHOOOOOOOO!"

Sybil's eyes lit up as she heard the mighty horn of the steam ship let those left on shore in Liverpool know that she had cleared the end of the Mersey estuary safely. She wrapped her arms around herself, feeling the bitter wind and stinging drops of rain hit her face as she stood by the railings, hardly able to tell where the sea ended and the sky began. At last, they were on their way to Ireland – she felt as if she could take off and fly!

Tom came up behind her, wrapping his arms around her waist and nuzzling into her neck.

"Tom – people will see!" she chided him gently, still a little nervous about public displays of affection.

He had no such qualms – "Darling, I don't care – Sybil Crawley has finally bet on me! I could shout it to the world! Now, come here …"

She turned around to face him and he pulled her into his body, sharing his warmth with her as he wrapped his coat around them both. Their lips met briefly, then she put one gloved hand on his cheek and smiled as he leaned into her touch.

"You're a real stormy petrel, Sybil – I think you are enjoying this weather."

"Why shouldn't I – after what we went through to get here, a bit of wind and rain is nothing! And anyway," she murmured, looking up at him through her eyelashes, "I've got you to keep me warm, don't I?"

His eyes shone with adoration – "Always – wild horses couldn't tear me away from you, Sybil, let alone wild winds."

She rested her head on his shoulder, feeling his love enfold her like a blanket. She spoke softly – "I'm so excited, Tom! I just can't wait for us to be Mr and Mrs Branson, free to live as we choose."

Tom felt a lump form in his throat as he put a finger under her chin, tipping her face up to his for a kiss that glowed with warmth, defying the cold, stormy weather. Sybil let out out a quiet purr of contentment in his arms as she nestled as close to him as she could.

Closing his eyes, he felt a shiver of joy go down his spine. He'd been willing to wait forever for her, and he still couldn't believe that, instead, he'd get to spend forever with her.