Hey everyone! This is a little midweek present to you all for two reasons: firstly, it makes me feel better that I'm updating this story again. Secondly, I really liked this chapter and wanted to see what you all thought of it. We all shipped Tom and Sybil, but what if there was another man that loved Sybil as well. . .?

Tom Bellasis placed the telephone back down on the side table, and picked up his diary, preparing to mark in the date of his next meeting with his financial adviser. He filled in the date and time, then glanced back to today's schedule to see what was next on the agenda. Business had brought him to London, but he could only spare a few days so the last forty-eight hours had been non-stop. Now, there was something making him pause. The date. Had it been a year already? Yes, it had been.

His family had known the Crawley's rather well, but after the war they had lost contact. Therefore, it come as a great surprise when he had picked up the telephone one morning and hear Mary Crawley on the other end. The news had been an immense shock. He'd been greatly saddened as well, but kept himself composed and told her he'd come to the funeral. It had been a sad affair, but he had felt glad he'd gone. He met her husband, an Irish man also by the name of Tom who had seemed too wrapped in his grief to notice anything else was going on. He'd also had a glimpse of Sybil's daughter, a cherubic-looking baby with big eyes and tufts of dark hair. Just that brief view of her indicated that she would be the spitting image of her mother.

He'd never admit it to anyone, but he had fallen in love with Sybil Crawley. At her coming out ball, he had danced with her several times and it was clear they enjoyed each other's company. But there had been more than the fact that she was a good dancer, and was a beautiful young woman. She was vivacious, intelligent, charming, witty and sarcastic. Tom was grateful she enjoyed his company, and they had many conversations peppered their comments to amuse each other. He let out a chuckle as he remembered at one of their friend's ball when he had made her laugh out loud whilst Imogen's uncle had been in the middle of a speech. It had drawn some disapproving glances, but when everyone had turned their attention back to the speech, her straight face slid straight back into that of someone who was failing to suppress their laughter.

He had decided after the London season to propose to her. But he'd been packed off to France to fight in the war. Despite regular visits home, plus a long period back in Britain, when he got struck down with a bad case pneumonia he never saw her again. He thought about her now and then, but that was it. Until that awful phone call from Mary.

The gold wedding band on his finger glinted in the sunlight. Last year he'd married Lady Cecilia Allerton, a petite woman with doe-shaped hazel eyes and thick red hair. She was smart, witty and had a sunny disposition. He was happy with her. But Sybil. . . she'd been the first woman to steal his heart. He'd always loved her first.

I know that Tom Bellasis was killed during the war, which upset Sybil, which made her take up nursing because she felt she was wasting her life, but I hope you enjoyed it. Reviews would be great!