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 when I heard a particular quote (see below) from Tom Branson, and I was inspired to put it back into s2 where it belonged...
Claire de lune
"Branson, are you listening? I just told you, the Dowager Countess is ready to go home. Bring the car around, now!"
"Yes, Mr Carson. Sorry, Mr Carson."
Tom got up from the table in the servants' hall and headed to the garage. What's wrong with me? But he already knew - he was deep in a daydream he couldn't seem to wake from, the same dream that had kept him tossing and turning during the whole of the previous night.
Even now… Everywhere he looked, he saw her face. Every time he turned around, he heard her voice. Whenever he reached out his hand, he was touching her again. Being in the garage brought what happened last night flooding back to him …
Sybil's smile, when she told him she was ready to marry him…
Sybil's eyes, shining as they met his…
Sybil's voice, murmuring "Yes, you can kiss me…"
Sybil's cheek, blushing like a wild rose as he caressed it…
Sybil's hands, on the back of his neck as she rose on tiptoe…
Sybil's lips, so soft and warm as they met his…
Sybil's breath, sighing into his mouth as their kiss deepened…
Sybil's body, pressing against his own as his arms tightened around her…
Sybil's heart, ready to admit, at last, that she loved him…
It was the most amazing moment of his life. So much more wonderful than he had ever dreamed it could be. He had thought he was in love before she said yes, but now - now, it was as if he were mad, hypnotised by love…
She had been with her family all day, helping with the planning for Matthew's wedding, and she hadn't been able to come down to the garage. I have to see her …
He shook his head to try and clear it, climbing into the Renault and driving around to the front of Downton Abbey, where the Dowager Countess was already waiting.
"What kept you, Branson? I've been standing out here in the night air for several minutes."
"My apologies, your ladyship."
During the short journey, he was silent, focusing all his attention on the quiet road to ensure he didn't drift off and crash them into a tree. He stopped the car outside the Dower House and got out, offering his hand to the Dowager Countess as she alighted.
"Good night, your ladyship."
"Good night, Branson."
Tom drove back to Downton Abbey and pulled the car into the garage, giving it a final check before he went outside, into the shimmering, moonlit night.
His feet automatically followed a path they had followed so many times before, to the tree underneath Sybil's window. He saw a light in her bedroom and smiled - Is she up there, thinking about me?
He heard the window open. She looked out - her beloved face was lit by the full moon and he could see it bore a dreamy expression. He hesitated - Should I call out to her?
She sighed, leaning her cheek on her hand. Somehow, she knew he was there -
"Tom, is that you?
He stepped forward - "Yes - it's me, sweetheart. I had to come. I needed to be near you before going to sleep tonight."
She smiled - "Oh, I'm so glad - I've been thinking about you all day, longing to see you …."
She trailled off as their eyes met and locked. He caught his breath, knowing she felt the same way he did - lost, for all time, in total mutual rapture and delight. I could stay here forever, just looking at her…
"Goodnight, Sybil. I'll see you tomorrow."
"Goodnight, my love. Until then." She kissed her hand to him then pulled the window closed.
He lingered for a while in the cool night air, hoping it would calm his racing heart so that he could get some sleep that night. Looking up at the black velvet sky above, his words were half whisper, half prayer -
"Soon, my darling, soon…"
"It was the same for me. As if I had gone mad or been hypnotised or something. For days. Weeks. All I could think about was her."
As soon as I heard this quote from Tom, describing his feelings once he and Sybil got engaged in a recent DA s4 episode, I knew I just had to write about it. This story also has a music cue if you want to listen to it on youtube - a beautiful piece by Claude Debussy of the same name (meaning "moonlight").
Thank you so much to the talented magfreak whose lovely post included the images I used to illustrate this post on Tumblr - I appreciate you letting me use them!