Nuala Branson had never seen her son so angry. He had stormed into her room, cradling his infant daughter in his arms, then proceeded to pace up and down the room, his voice rising higher and higher in anger. Nuala sat in stunned silence, his words making no sense to her. It was only Sybbie's soft cries and the flailing of her little arms that finally made Tom pause in both movement and speech as he looked down at the small bundle in his arms.

He stood there for several moments, completely silent, his eyes focused on his daughter before finally sitting in the room's other lounge chair. He moved Sybbie so that her chest was against his and her head rested on his shoulder. Hugging her closely, he ran his hand gently across her back and lightly kissed her head as he softly murmured in Irish. Her cries ceased as she appeared to fall back to sleep.

"Tom what has happened?"

Nuala rose from her chair and sat down on the ottoman in front of him. As he stared at her she noticed the anger or rage in his eyes had been replaced by shimmering tears matching the expression of anguish on his face. She reached out took hold of his arm.

"Tom?"

oooooo

Although she had only been at Downton for a few days, Nuala Branson had had a profound effect on Cora. For the first time since Sybil's death, Cora no longer spent the greater part of her day in her room leaving her bed only for short visits with her granddaughter. Instead she spent most of the day in Nuala's company whether sitting in the nursery or in Cora's sitting room where the two grandmothers would dote over their granddaughter while Nuala knitted and Cora embroidered.

The two grandmothers would take short walks in one of the gardens while taking turns pushing Sybbie's pram. It was surprising to Cora how much Nuala seemed to enjoy the gardens making Cora realize how much she took them for granted.

What Nuala also offered Cora was the opportunity to freely and openly mention Sybil's name. Mary and Edith's emotions were still too raw to talk about their sister and Robert … well Cora still harbored too much resentment and anger towards him. She knew it would take time but even then she wasn't sure if she would truly ever forgive him.

But with Nuala, Cora found herself talking about Sybil as a child and wondering how much Sybbie would be like her mother. She talked about how proud she was of Sybil's work as a nurse during the war and her regret at never telling Sybil that. And Nuala talked about Sybil's integration into the Branson family and to Ireland.

Cora had some correspondence she needed to attend to so she was a bit late in coming to the sitting room that afternoon. Fully expecting to see Nuala sitting on the sofa, knitting needles flying away, while Sybbie, in the cradle Cora had had placed in the room, slept or waved her little feet and hands in the air, Cora was surprised to find the room empty.

oooooo

Cora did not find Nuala was in the nursery nor did she find Sybbie there. To her surprise not only was Sybbie not there but her bassinet was gone. Cora quickly looked around the small room wondering why nanny would have moved it but the bassinet was nowhere to be seen. However, Nanny Swanson was there with her back towards the door, she was bent over her bed folding clothes and packing them in the open suitcase which laid on the bed.

"Nanny Swanson" Cora's words startled the woman.

Cora walked into the room and stood beside the nanny. It was then that she realized the clothes the nanny was packing were Sybbie's.

"What's going on?" Cora pointed to the suitcase. "Why are you packing Sybbie's things? Where's her bassinet?"

ooooooo

Usually during the day, Nuala left her bedroom door open whether she was in there or not, so Cora was surprised to find the door closed. She knocked two times, then tried opening the door and was shocked at finding it locked. Her first thought was that no one locked their bedroom door at Downton. Now growing a bit panicked, Cora knocked louder on the door.

Nuala finally opened the door just enough to show her face, her body firmly blocking the door from being fully opened.

"Nuala … I … I just came from the nursery" Cora stammered still in shock at what the nanny had told her.

Nuala, her face cloaked in coldness rather than her usual warm smile, said nothing. The two women stood there facing each other.

"I don't understand what's happened!" Cora wailed. "Please …" she reached out her hand towards Nuala "please tell me what's happened."

Nuala turned her head to look back into the room before once more facing Cora. Her facial expression had softened a bit but still bore no warmth. "Do you really not know?"

ooooo

"How could you do this!" Cora's raised voice caused Robert to wince. He didn't immediately look at his wife fearing the anger he sensed in her voice.

It had been most uncharacteristic for Cora to practically run into the library and now for her to stand there almost yelling at him was unheard of. Not that they had never argued before but it had always been in the privacy of their bedroom and not here in the library where anyone including the servants could hear.

He felt her eyes bore into him and he realized he had never seen her so angry.

"How could you offer him money?"

"Isn't that what his type usually wants?"

"He didn't accept it when you offered it before why would you think he'd accept it now?"

Robert felt as if she had slapped him. Before! How could she possibly know that?

But after 30 years of marriage, she could tell what he was thinking. "Tom's told Nuala everything including the offer you made at the Grantham Arms."

Visibly shaken, the color drained from his face.

"Did Sybil know?" he whispered.

"If she did do you think she would have come back here?" Cora suddenly stopped talking as she looked away from Robert. She sat down in the closest chair.

When she spoke again her voice was eerily hushed as she seemed to speak to more to herself than Robert. "If she had known … if she hadn't come back here …" Cora dissolved into tears.

Robert wasn't sure what to say or do.

"Do you want your granddaughter to be raised by a mechanic living over a garage?"

"Of course not" Cora answered automatically the fight seemingly gone from her. "But that is beside the point."

She rose from the chair and stood facing him. "You must make this right. I've lost my daughter. I will not lose my granddaughter" and with that she calmly and deliberately walked out of the library.

ooooo

The next morning dawned cold and gray as if matching the mood of everyone in the house. At breakfast, where Robert was noticeably absent, Matthew had tried to lighten the mood cooing over Sybbie who, in a break from all tradition and much to Carson's consternation, was held in her father's arms. But his questions on the plans for Tom and his brother's new business were answered mostly by Tom in short sentences delivered in a monotone voice.

Among the women, only Nuala did not have eyes red from tears.

The quietness in the room allowed everyone to hear the crunch of gravel on the outside drive signaling the arrival of Tom's brother. Tom took one last sip of tea and rose from his chair. Nuala gave a slight nod to those still seated as she too rose from her chair.

Tom ignored Carson as he walked past him to open the front door himself and went out to greet his brother. Not knowing how much luggage Tom would have, his brother had borrowed a small lorry in which the three adults could squeeze into the lone front seat. Looking at the two trunks and the four suitcases sitting on the gravel, Kiernan was glad he had brought the lorry.

Tom handed Sybbie to his mother so he and his brother could begin to load Tom's belongings.

"Wait!" Robert called out as he now appeared outside.

Tom paused for a moment and then immediate went to his mother's side fearing Robert or one of the servants at his behest would try to physically take Sybbie.

"I think you should load these things first" Robert commended as several footmen walked out of the house carrying the cradle Sybbie had been using as well as a crib and other furniture such as a small dresser and a rocking to complete a nursery as well as several large boxes.

"The cradle was Sybil's" Robert, now standing beside Tom and his mother, said. "It's only fitting that her daughter should have it."

His eyes full of tears, he looked at Tom. "She was the last one to use the crib and Sybbie" he looked at his granddaughter "will need one soon. And the boxes have some clothes and books and toys of Sybil's I found in the attic."

"I … I'm not" Tom began but Robert cut him off.

"I can't begin to make up for what I've said and done" Robert looked from Tom to Cora and back to Tom. "Whatever else you think of me know that I loved my daughter with all my heart."

Tom wasn't sure what to say. He was filled with so many emotions including those in direct contradiction to each other. He wanted to scream at Robert and at the same time he was touched at the gesture of the gifts especially those things that had been Sybil's.

But he knew Sybil had loved her father and so he stuck out his hand which Robert gladly shook.

A/N: When I started this story I always knew I'd end with Tom and Sybbie leaving. However I wasn't so sure under what circumstances and I've gone back and forth on that and finally settled on this one. Thanks to all who have reviewed this story and I'd appreciate any final comments.