My dear friends...my dear, dear friends...I was overwhelmed by your vote of confidence at the end of When I Say Run. You just don't know how it cheered me. Then RL threw another wobbly and I haven't been able to write much, apart from the rather sub-par Christmas story. All thanks for Lady Spotted Horse and Lady Love Edith who have teased and cajoled me back into the spirit of the thing. And thank you, dear readers, for still reading.
The look on Stewart's face was a picture. He was obviously very shocked and surprised to see Lady Edith on the doorstep of Sir Anthony's London town house because he was struggling to keep his usual implacable butler's expression of two parts hauteur mixed with one part respect.
"Stewart, I know Sir Anthony will probably have told you not to admit me, but I really need to see him. It's about Paddington."
"But Lady Edith, he isn't here, honestly. I believe he was going to visit his lawyer. He said he didn't know when he would be back and not to bother making lunch arrangements. I'm sorry, I really don't know any more than that."
"His lawyers are in The City, if I remember rightly, yes?"
"He's recently moved his affairs from the old firm. The barrister handling Paddington's case is a Mr Crawley."
"Mr Matthew Crawley?"
"Yes, my lady."
"Hmm" Edith said thoughtfully before asking for the address of her almost-brother-in-law's chambers, and thanking Stewart kindly for his help.
"My lady, I am overstepping the mark now but I want you to know that Sir Anthony has been utterly heartbroken and miserable since...well, ever since. He did not want to hurt you."
"You could've fooled me" she answered bitterly.
"He loves you, with everything that he is. He just can't bring himself to believe that he deserves you, that he won't ruin your life, that you wouldn't be happier with someone else. All that has happened has brought him very low. He blames himself. Please don't be too hard on him."
She stared at Stewart for a long, uncomfortable moment before thanking him again and leaving. Anthony's loyal butler had given her lots to think about. She was still considering his words when she passed the Council kennels on her way back to the Underground. If she was going to champion Paddington shouldn't she meet him? She dodged into a corner shop for a second and then presented herself at the main desk. The official took her name and then led her out to the yard.
"Another bleedin' titled visitor for you, bear" he said without malice, as though it was now a joke between them, and left.
Paddington stood politely, looking at the lady with curiosity.
"Pardon me, but would you be Lady Edith?" he enquire with a short bow.
"Yes, I am." Edith was taken aback by how gentle this sweet bear was, and how beautifully well-mannered.
"It is a pleasure to meet you, my lady. Sir Anthony has told me a great deal about you, and he did indeed tell the truth when he said how very lovely you are."
Edith, embarrassed, swallowed uneasily. "Did he really say that?"
"Yes, and much more besides."
"I'm sorry, but the last time I saw Sir Anthony he was running away from our wedding. He broke my heart."
"He also broke his own heart. He only ran because he had been made to believe that he was not good enough for you." Paddington had no scruples about snitching on a family he hadn't met, and who had wounded his friend.
While he told her what Anthony had told him about the Earl and his mother, she sat down allowing Paddington to do the same. When he had finished she wiped her eyes, and tried to pull herself together. She fished around in her handbag for a handkerchief.
"It would seem, Mr Paddington, that tragedy has brought us both to London."
"Alas, yes, my lady. But whereas I cannot bring Uncle Pastuzo back, you can forgive Sir Anthony and turn your tragedy into a happy ending...that is, if you want to."
"I had forgiven him before he left the church. The trouble isn't me, though, is it? What makes you think we can change his mind about himself? That he would allow himself to marry me now when he wouldn't then?"
Paddington was about to answer when she brought a jar out of her bag.
"Oh, I nearly forgot. I brought you a small present." She passed the jar to him through the bars of his cage.
"Honey! That's very kind of you. I am very fond of honey, almost as much as marmalade! Would you like a taste, Lady Edith?"
"No, thank you. I bought it for you. But I didn't know bears liked marmalade."
"Mmm" said Paddington with his mouth full. "Especially South American bears. You see, in order to make marmalade, all we have to do is collect enough oranges. But for honey we have to tackle bees, and in Peru, all bees are Killer Bees. Our European cousins have it a lot easier."
Edith thought about the harsh life Paddington had led, and still did. Meanwhile he enjoyed the honey, although his attention was distracted by something behind Lady Edith, something she didn't see.
"I'm not sure what use I'll be, Paddington, but I want to help you and Anthony...that is, if he will let me. Apart from getting justice for you, which is worth it in itself, this is a chance for me to spend some time with him, you see, and that's so very precious, now more than ever. I...I don't think I would ever be able to stand it if we parted completely."
Paddington stood, a strange expression on his face.
"You wouldn't, Lady Edith?"
"No, because I love him, like I've never loved anyone before or ever will again. He...he's my soulmate. The only person in the world with whom I feel safe and comfortable."
Paddington saw her tears. He also saw the tears of the gentleman standing behind her. Anthony had seen that Paddington had another visitor, and had hurried over in case it was a reporter bothering him. Just as quickly, though, he realised precisely who it was, and had stood behind the cage quietly so as not to disturb her.
But having heard her declaration, he rubbed his eyes roughly, turned, and walked towards the exit. But Paddington was not going to let him escape so easily.
"Sir Anthony! How kind of you to visit me again. You know, Lady Edith, he's been here every day that I've been incarcerated."
Anthony turned to Paddington and Lady Edith, not able to hide his emotions completely despite his best efforts.
"Hello Paddington. Hello Lady Edith. I...I'm so very sorry for barging in on you like this…" Anthony's words melted away. Seeing her again so unexpectedly brought all the pain of the not-wedding day to the surface.
"I... I don't want to interrupt either of you, or make a nuisance of myself…"
Edith was a jumble of nerves, hurt, frustration, and love, but she couldn't let Anthony run away again.
"You're not interrupting, Sir Anthony. Please join us."
In the awkward silence that followed, Paddington asked how Sir Anthony's visit to Mr Crawley had gone.
"Well. Very well in fact. Mr Crawley applied for bail for you, Paddington, just as we agreed. He appears to have pulled a double bluff on the judge."
"Sorry?" asked Paddington.
"Matthew says that, in the main, judges like to feel that they are one step ahead of barristers. So, to make sure this judge refused bail, Matthew acted as though he was trying to pull the wool over the judge's eyes whilst making enough mistakes for the judge to pick up on it. He did spot them and flatly refused bail."
"But surely that's a bad thing?" Edith couldn't help marvelling at how easily she and Anthony could slip back into their friendship, despite all that had passed between them.
"Not in this case. Because Paddington has been refused bail, it means we could immediately apply to the Court of Appeal, which Matthew has done. With the increasing amount of interest in Paddington's case, they felt that they had to act quickly, so they have scheduled the hearing for tomorrow. If they find for Paddington, it'll be going against the law as it stands presently. That will mean that the point of law will have to be referred to Parliament to debate, and then to confirm it or change it."
"Tomorrow?" They looked into Paddington's worried little face.
"Don't worry, little bear, Sir Anthony and I will be there to support you, and Mr Crawley will do all he can, I know." Anthony gave Edith a look, surprised at her willingness to be involved, despite all he'd heard.
"The court will send an escort for you in good time for the hearing. We'll meet you there."
"All right." Paddington didn't look like he was much comforted, but he put on a brave face. "I'd best sort things out here then, and get some rest. Thank you Sir Anthony. Thank you my lady."
...
Anthony waited until they were outside of the pound before addressing his former fiancée.
"I...I don't know how to thank you for your support. I've been contacted by important people offering their help...people I had tried to lobby unsuccessfully before your letter was published. You seem to have brought public opinion round, and brought media interest and political will with it."
"I couldn't stand idly by. That poor bear. And how many others do you think there might be like him? Hiding away for fear of human ignorance and aggression? Not just bears but all kinds of animals. It doesn't bear thinking about."
They walked on in silence, but a moment later Anthony noticed Edith was making a strange, strangulated sort of noise.
"Are you all right?" he asked, mildly panicked.
"Yes. Yes. I just realised what I'd said" she laughed gently. To Anthony's blank face she repeated "bear thinking about?"
"Oh! Oh, yes, I see" and he shared the joke. It was the least tense moment he had had for a very long time. And it had been caused by Edith, of course. She always knew how to make him laugh at himself. Really she was a treasure for someone to win...no, no, for some YOUNG man to win.
"Do you think Paddington will be all right this evening?" she asked, becoming more serious again.
"The poor little chap has no choice; visiting hours finish at four o'clock. The honey you took, and the marmalade I left for him at the front desk will cheer him, I'm sure."
"I wouldn't want to wait out these last hours in a kennel like that. More like a prison cell…"
"Honestly, Lady Edith, it's best if you don't think of it like that. I assure you Paddington doesn't. He has made friends with the dogs and they all keep each other company."
He looked at her tenderly. So kind he thought...and a little more than kind. Does she pity Paddington because she feels trapped in the same way?
"Are you staying with your Aunt?" he asked.
"Good heavens, no! Aunt Rosamund would pack me straight back onto a train north! I expect my father has sent out search parties for me, and that will include my Aunt however much against her will."
"You didn't tell your family you were coming?" Anthony sounded more horrified than he felt. In fact, he felt really very admiring of her.
"Er, I'm afraid I did. I left after everyone thought I'd gone to bed, and took the milk train. I really don't know where I'll stay."
Anthony immediately began analysing the situation. Edith obviously couldn't stay with her Aunt, and staying at a hotel might mean that the Press might hound her. Grantham House was out of the question. So, despite impropriety, that left her with one option...if she wanted to take it.
"If you didn't want to stay in a hotel, and I can understand why you should not with journalists on the prowl, I can offer you a room at Strallan House. I can move out for the duration should you feel it improper of me to stay."
Edith looked at him, her face transformed from fear of his censure to joy that he seemed truly glad that she was here.
"Thank you, Anthony. I...I don't know what to say...except that there must be an alternative to turning you out of your own home."
Anthony thought some more.
"There's my sister, of course. She's been rather conspicuous by her absence over the last few days. She could perhaps come to stay? Would that be acceptable to you?"
"More than acceptable...I never did get to see her at the…" Edith stopped. They looked at each other, equally fearful of the other, but carried on walking until Anthony paused outside of a particularly handsome Georgian Town House.
"Well, um, here we are, Strallan House. Do come in and relax. I'll just have a word with Stewart."
That is, if he doesn't hand in his notice he thought, nervously.