"Lady Grantham, sir."
"Oh dear" Anthony said under his breath.
"The Dowager Lady Grantham, sir" Stewart clarified.
"Where's the bear?" Violet growled as she entered.
...
"How nice to see you too, Granny" Edith shot back.
"That…animal…!"
"Lady Grantham…" Anthony began, but Violet looked at him, and he stopped short.
There was a very tense pause.
Then the Dowager Countess broke into the biggest smile he had ever seen on her face.
"That marvellous animal expressed everything I have always felt about Shakespeare in the main and that play in particular, but which politeness prevented me from articulating. I want to shake that bear's paw. He has excellent manners, but also has strength of character and opinion, and conveys it without fear. Last night, when he leapt onto that stage to give those presumptuous thespians a taste of their own medicine, he made me proud." She chuckled. "And I haven't been able to stop laughing since! Where is the little fellow?"
Edith looked at Anthony and Anthony, equally dumb-struck, looked back at her, neither finding the words to cope.
"Master Paddington went for a walk, Sir, my ladies. I have taken the liberty of arranging some coffee and cake if you would care to wait" intoned Stewart from the door, unflappable as always.
But over an hour later, Violet decided that she could wait until another time to congratulate Paddington on showing some backbone, and went to call on Lady Roxburgh (who knew Lady Victoria Bear) specifically so she could continue talking about bears.
Her parting words were "Tell Paddington he's welcome at Crawley House or the Dower House any time!"
…
Meanwhile, Paddington was walking around Green Park and grieving over Victoria, looking longingly at the rows of windows of Buck House. What a mess he had made of things! Everything had been going so well, and then he lost his temper with that stupid actor and ruined it all, including the chance to woo the sweet, lovely, adorable bear who lived over there behind that grand façade. And he had disappointed Sir Anthony, who had gone to so much trouble on his behalf. He couldn't face returning to Strallan House for lunch. Or tea. Or dinner. Becoming more and more uncharacteristically depressed, when the sun set and the lights began to shine out from the windows of the Palace, Paddington climbed one of the trees nearest to his darling Victoria's home, just where The Mall snaked around the Victoria Monument, and sat staring idly at the figures silhouetted inside. He never wanted to leave. Eventually, he made himself as comfortable as he could and dozed into a fitful sleep.
…
"I said I wanted to report a missing person, not a missing human!" Anthony almost snarled at the dense police clerk on the other end of the telephone. "He's Mr Paddington Bear…yes, that bear. It is totally out of character for him to leave the house and not let us know where he was going, and as for not returning within a reasonable time…yes, I'm afraid we did have a sort of falling out just beforehand: I had just had to admonish him about his behaviour at the theatre last night…I don't care if you thought it was funny! I want you to do your job and find the poor bear preferably alive and well!"
Edith gently, but firmly, took the receiver from Anthony's shaking fingers.
"Hello? Yes, hello. Lady Edith Crawley here. What my fiancé is trying to say is that we are very worried about Paddington. This isn't like him. We're afraid he might have run into trouble or danger, and we'd be very grateful if you could treat this seriously. He knows the King and Queen, you know, and I may have to tell them that he's gone missing. Of course, you probably would prefer to do that yourself" she added very pointedly.
The clerk suddenly became very serious and business-like, declined Edith's prompting that he should inform their majesties that a friend of theirs was missing, and took down a very detailed report, saying that they would act upon it immediately, if not before. When she put the phone down, she turned to Anthony who was only just in control of himself.
"I'm sorry Edith, it's just…"
"I know, my dear, I know." She put her arms around him and they consoled each other in their worry.
…
Just after one o'clock, Paddington's sensitive bear senses brought him back from his dozing to sudden full alertness.
"I smell smoke! Fire!"
He looked around him and to his horror saw smoke billowing from the second floor windows of Buckingham Palace. Without thought for his own safety, he half-climbed and half-jumped from the tree and ran as fast as he could towards the place where palace guards and firemen were stood in a crowd at the foot of the walls behind the tall railings surrounding the building. They posed no problem to a desperate bear and he scaled them with ease.
"Have you got everyone out?" shouted Paddington, but over the roar of the fire nobody heard him. He, however, heard what was being said among the men.
"Have you called out the Army?"
"Of course, but they won't get here for another half hour!"
"How's His Majesty?"
"Colonel Cathcart had to restrain him for his own safety! He was going to go back in there to get them!"
"I just don't know what to do!"
Paddington butted into the conversation, ignoring politeness for once.
"Who's in there?!"
"The Queen and Lady Victoria" said one.
"A ceiling collapsed in front of them while we were leading them and the King to safety. And now there's no way we can reach them without very long ladders, and…and we don't have any" added another, visibly distressed.
"The King's Cross Brigade have some, and they're on their way, but they won't get here in time before the roof falls in!"
Paddington took a moment to absorb this, then turned to the huge building, scanning for a good climbing route. I'll show you "special skills" he thought.
Then, before the men could stop him he found a foothold that would support a bear, but not a man, and began to scale the crumbling walls of the royal residence. It was not the sort of climbing he was used to, but love drove him to keep calm and find a way. Twice the masonry disintegrated under his paws and he almost fell. The men below gasped at his bravery and held their breath. When he finally made it to a window on the second floor they all cheered.
Paddington ripped an enormous curtain from its hangings and tossed it down to them.
"Get ready to catch us when I bring them out" he shouted, and although they couldn't hear him they understood what to do.
It was hellish inside the building; smoke smothered him and he tied his hat over his muzzle as a makeshift mask. He wasn't entirely sure that he'd got his bearings either because the sumptuous rooms that he had visited so recently were now dark and littered with fallen walls and smouldering furniture. The ceiling creaked and he knew that he had to act quickly before the whole floor came smashing down.
Despite the smoke stinging his eyes he scoured the darkness for lady and bear. Room after room were empty, and his panic was rising when, at last, he saw them, huddled together and hugging each other, cloth torn from somewhere tied around their faces wet with terrified tears.
He rushed up to them trying to indicate that they should follow him, but when Victoria saw him she threw her arms around him and sobbed into his ear "Oh Paddington!"
Gently, he hugged her back for a split second, then grasped her paw and the Queen's hand and literally pulled them back to the front of the Palace.
The Queen was distraught, but trying to be brave, outrageously grateful to Paddington for coming to rescue them. He led them to the window and pointed to where the men below were holding the curtain as a safety net.
"I know it's a high jump, Your Majesty, but it's the only way."
She nodded stoically, then turned to Victoria.
"If you make it and I don't, Vicky, tell Georgie that I loved him so very much!"
Then she faced the window, and jumped.
The men pulled for all they were worth on the curtain, and Queen Mary was caught, unharmed. A relieved cheer went up.
Paddington turned to Victoria.
"You next, my lady."
Victoria leaned up and kissed him.
"Thank you, Paddington. You are so brave and…and I…I love you."
Then without waiting for a response she too jumped.
It was much easier to catch a bear of Victoria's size than a full grown woman, and the men were more confident in what they were doing. Victoria landed softly and was helped to her hind paws, quickly being embraced by the Queen.
Paddington was stunned.
"She loves me. She loves me!" And jumping to the safety of the curtain below, Paddington gave a long cry of joy.
"Yippee!"
…
The Army and the Fire Brigade got the fire under control quite quickly once they had the manpower and the equipment to do it. Everyone rescued was examined by doctors and given blankets and tea and told to try to get a little sleep in the staff block behind the main Palace. No one was badly hurt enough to warrant going to hospital.
News about the fire, and the dramatic rescue, was beginning to be reported across London...
Stewart rushed in to the Library at Strallan House around six o'clock in the morning. Neither Anthony nor Edith could sleep but stayed up waiting for word about Paddington. When it came it was like nothing they could have expected.
"Sir! My Lady! Paddington's safe!" Stewart shouted, tired but elated.
"What?!" they both exclaimed.
"There's been a serious fire at Buckingham Palace. The Queen and Lady Victoria were trapped on the upper floors. It appears that Paddington was there, at just the right time. He climbed up the outside of the burning building and rescued them. Everyone's safe. And Paddington is the toast of the town, the hero of the hour!"
"How did you hear all this, Stewart?" asked Anthony, hoping but not believing.
"The milkman told Mrs Bird. And I went down to the crossroads to ask the Constable on Point Duty, to confirm it. It's true!"
"Paddington, oh Paddington" breathed Anthony, a grateful smile playing on his lips.
"Life is so much more exciting with him around" Edith smiled. Anthony heaved a sigh, and then became business-like and commanding.
"Stewart: would you help me be ready to leave for Green Park in, say, twenty minutes? And Lady Edith, of course. I think you and Mrs Bird should stay here in case Paddington returns."
"Very good, Sir."
…
Buckingham Palace was bloodied but unbowed by the fire. It would continue to stand, although the repairs might take some time.
It was, however at this moment, surrounded by the world's pressmen. The Palace Guard was only just keeping everyone at a safe distance. Pushing politely through the crowd, Anthony and Edith made their slow way up to the front.
"May we check if Mr Paddington Bear is still here?" asked Anthony.
"Can't tell anyone anything" replied the guard.
"We are his…" Edith stopped. She didn't really know what they were.
"We are his family" declared Anthony, solidly and with pride.
"Well that's different, sir, madam. Follow the path around the building and ask there" he said, indicating where they should go.
"I do hope he's all right" Edith allowed her worries to come to the fore now she was near to seeing Paddington again.
"I'm sure he is, and even if he's not he'll be getting the best of care" replied Anthony, trying to sound more confident than he felt.
They asked someone in Palace livery (albeit covered in soot) where they should go, and were directed to the largest of the outhouses in the yard. Inside there were lots of people bustling about, quite a few people covered in blankets, some still coughing from smoke inhalation. Anthony looked about and stopped the man in the highest ranking uniform he could see.
"Colonel, could you direct us to where Mr Paddington Bear is, please?"
"Good God, Major Strallan! What are you doing here?" replied the Colonel.
"Brigadier Cathcart, Sir! Colonel, I mean" Anthony stuttered, standing to attention from habit. "Sorry, I didn't recognise you. And congratulations on the promotion. Are you a staff officer here?"
"Yes, although God knows for how long I'll stay one after last night." The Colonel looked very serious remembering the events of the last twelve hours. He had physically restrained the King, threatening to knock him out if he continued trying to return to the fire. Vaguely, he wondered if George could still legally have his head cut off on Tower Green.
"We're Paddington's family, and we're dreadfully worried about him" Edith interrupted both men's thoughts.
"Oh yes! I read about it in the papers. Jolly good show, that! The brave little bear's fine, madam. Follow me!"
He led them through a door at the end of the large room and announced "Major Sir Anthony Strallan to see Mr Paddington Bear" then left putting his hand on Anthony's shoulder as he went past. "We'll talk again later, when things have calmed down."
Anthony nodded companionably. As he turned, he saw Paddington, fur singed here and there and still a bit dirty with ash in places, rush up to Edith to hug her. He smiled as he saw her cuddle him and let a few tears of relief fall.
"Oh Paddington! We've been so worried about you. Thank God you're safe."
"Lady Edith. I'm so sorry. I'm so sorry."
Edith drew back.
"Sorry for what?" she asked confusion plain in her features.
"For the incident at the theatre, of course. Nothing like it will ever happen again, I promise! And I'm sorry I was so ashamed that I couldn't face coming home yesterday. I didn't mean to worry you."
"My dear boy" said Anthony, "please don't concern yourself about that."
Paddington faced Anthony contritely and stood straight.
"I know I let you down, Sir. But I've learned my lesson, I assure you."
"Paddington! You didn't let me down. But I feared for your future reputation. Now, I can see that my fears were groundless. You have redeemed yourself a hundredfold."
"I only did what any bear would do, Sir, in the circumstances."
"My brave boy" Anthony sniffed, holding his good arm out. Paddington choked down a sob himself before launching himself into the man's embrace. "I am so terribly, terribly proud of you."
Another door opened. Through it strode His Majesty George V, Queen Mary, and Lady Victoria Bear, all looking the worse for wear. With them was Colonel Cathcart.
Sir Anthony and Paddington bowed, and Lady Edith curtsied. George began without ceremony.
"Mr Bear. The Colonel here told me that you were up to visitors, and I couldn't wait any longer to thank you most sincerely for your brave service. Without your valiant efforts, my wife and Lady Victoria would be…well, it doesn't bear thinking about."
Paddington and Victoria exchanged a rather charged look, both blushing.
"I want to thank you properly, and though I have some ideas myself of what might be suitable, I should like to ask you what I might bestow upon you that would please you, and be sure that only the most unreasonable request will be refused. You have earned all my gratitude. Name your reward."
Paddington hesitated only a beat.
"Your Majesty, the fact that I was able to assist the royal family is reward enough. Other than the opportunity to serve you, there is only one thing I desire in all the world."
"What is that, Mr Bear?"
"Your permission to ask for Lady Victoria's paw in marriage."
Victoria gulped audibly, bringing her paw to her mouth.
"Oh Paddington!"
Queen Mary, Edith, and even Anthony were smiling at the two bears, who were so obviously very deeply in love.
"No" said George, and everyone stared at him shocked.
"No, I will not allow my adopted daughter to marry a commoner, a common bear."
Once again, Paddington's heart broke.