"Go on, let's have a look then…"
Daisy peeled off her glove and displayed the neat and dainty ring on her stubby finger. Anna took her hand and cooed over it, while Phyllis beamed at her. The gold band was puckered up into a small flower shape, the centre of which was set with a little white stone.
"It looks a bit like a daisy, but with yellow petals and a white middle," mused Phyllis.
"It's lovely, is what it is," chirped Daisy, as Andy's hand closed over her other hand, tucked snugly into the crook of his arms.
"Did you have one when Joseph proposed, Phyllis?"
Phyllis smiled, blushing a little. Her eyes met her husband's, a slight asking of permission, to which he nodded.
"I did," she said, drawing off her glove. A smooth, worn gold band, set with a single glowing red stone, decorated her wedding finger.
"Oh that colour is lovely…" Daisy raised her hand for a closer inspection.
"It was my mother's, her garnet ring," Joseph cleared his throat. "She left it for me, when she died. She hoped that I would find the right girl. And, well, as it happens, I found the right woman."
Anna cherished the warm smile that passed between the Moseley's. Whatever affection Joseph might once have cherished for her had long since been surpassed by the glow of his love for Phyllis.
"I never had one," Mrs Patmore chimed in. "But then, we didn't really get engaged. We just decided it were the right thing for us and we went to see the vicar the next day. I handed in my notice at the Abbey, the banns were read, and within a month I were livin' at Yew Tree Farm, all married and settled."
"Much like myself and Dr Clarkson," agreed Isobel. "We didn't have an engagement either. I'm rather glad in a way. My engagement to Dr Crawley lasted far too long for my liking. My mother was so particular about me having an exact wedding. All of those terrible details, and all I wanted was to be a married woman."
"I hope we don't have to wait too long…?" Daisy looked up anxiously at Andy.
"We can see the vicar this week if you'd like… but if you want a grand wedding, I'll wait until you have everything you want."
Daisy's face brightened.
"I think it must be awful to have to wait ages to get married when you love someone."
"It is, rather."
Everyone stopped and turned to look at Anna.
"But Anna, you and Mr Bates got married all of a sudden. In secret, like. You didn't have to wait did you?"
Anna and John smiled at each other. Perhaps it was time to tell their story.
"The truth is Daisy, I asked Anna to marry me a long time before that. Many years in fact."
"You did? But why did you wait so long then?"
"I wasn't free to marry," he glanced down pointedly at Josie, who was adjusting Dolly's bonnet. He had no wish to discuss his first wife in front of his daughter, and Daisy and Mrs Patmore well remembered the troubles he endured as a result of her death. "But I knew even then that Anna was the love of my life."
"By gosh John Bates, you could knock me down with a feather! Here was all of us thinking that you were taking your time, and you were engaged all along!"
"I didn't do a very good job of asking her either…"
"You did well enough," Anna patted his hand, anxious that he should not darken his memory.
"I did better the second time though. Ring and everything."
"Have you got an engagement ring then Anna?"
"Well sort of…" Anna grinned, dimples showing in her cheeks. "It was all when we went to Whitby the first time, to see the Gull's Nest. We had a second engagement, a sort of new start for us, to get away from… everything."
Anna tugged off her glove and held out her hand. There was a general gasp at the beauty of the fine emerald, set snugly into the band of gold which topped Anna's wedding ring. Mrs Clarkson held Anna's fingers gently, and bent down for a closer look.
"Now that is very fine," she said softly. "Very fine indeed. Well chosen, Mr Bates."
"Well chosen to all the men I think."
"In our choice of rings, and the women we gave them to," said Andy, squidging his arm around Daisy.
"Here here! I quite agree!"
"Alright, everyone! We're here!"
The tractor shuddered to a halt.
"And in good time too, we should have a grand view from here. Come on lass, jump down, I've got you," Bill helped Anna down from the trap, as the others scrambled down to the floor. While Joseph lent an arm to John, Bill stretched up to get Josie, who with some reluctance had been persuaded to leave Dolly in the trap so that she wouldn't get muddy.
Before too long, the group were assembled along the bridge, gazing out across the field to see where the hunt would come across the fields in search of quarry. Hands wrapped around mugs of hot mulligatawny soup, with thick folded hunks of bread and butter to dip into it, their breath steamed into the crisp air as they chattered. Bill lifted Josie up to sit on the wide stone edge of the bridge, while John kept a firm grip on the back of her little coat, knowing that the first sign of a horse in full gallop would lead to spasms of excitement in his little girl.
Anna relished the weak wintery sunshine and the cold, crisp tang of the air. The sky was white, with clouds thickening over to the east. It would turn dark early tonight. She hoped that the snow would hold off until they got home from the party, but either way, it was sure to be a splendid day.
"Are you alright dear?"
Isobel materialised beside her. "You look miles away."
"It's so nice to be outdoors. I've been inside for most of the autumn and all of the winter. I forgot how lovely the Downton Estate was when it's so crisp and fresh like this…"
"You're seeing it at the best. It's been a really wet year so far, but the weather does seem to have turned now."
"Do you think it will snow Bill?"
Bill turned to the eastern sky, sniffed at the air and thought for a minute.
"Happen it might, lass. Wind's coming from the east, and those clouds are thick with it. The ground's hard as iron. If it does snow, it will stick alright."
"Here they come!"
The shout came from Phyllis, as the first hound raced across the field, leading the pack. In twos and threes they followed, baying loudly, as the rumble of hooves rounded the tree line.
"Look there's Mary, in the front on Diamond…" Andy called, pointing to a sleek dark horse, whose muscles rippled with power. Mary, who had long since abandoned any notion of riding side saddle, was seated in her beige breeches, her hunting cap secured into her glossy hair, chestnut boots gleaming. Her face was alight with pleasure, relishing the thrill of the chase, just as she had when she was younger.
Anna remembered in years gone by that Mary had worn black for the hunts, but now, she wore a scarlet jacket. Anna couldn't remember ever seeing such a thing in her wardrobe.
"Why is she in red? I thought women wore black on a hunt…"
"My goodness… that must be a first for the York and Ainsty…" John whistled softly.
"What, what does it mean?"
"It means she's now the Master of the Hunt. They're the ones who wear red."
"However did you come to know such things, John Bates?"
"Part of my valet's training. Lord Grantham didn't go out with the hunt often, but when he did, he wore red too, because he was a Hunt Master. Mary must have taken that role over from him. Look, here come the others…"
They looked marvellous. The horses, with shiny chestnut and ebony black coats, moved with majesty, carrying their riders with ease across the wintery ground. A horn sounded. Not far behind Mary came Bertie, Mary's brother in law, Marquess of Hexham, his great Bay charger giving chase to Mary's own steed. Edith was nowhere to be seen, but she had never enjoyed riding horses so much as she had loved driving. Anna was sure that she caught sight of Mabel Lane Fox, now Lady Mabel Gillingham, but didn't see Lord Gillingham anywhere among the pack.
Josie clapped and cheered, thrilled by the sight of so many beautiful horses racing past at terrific speed. She waved to the riders and was delighted when Mary raised her whip in salute to the little group.
"Oh look there's George! And Sybbie too!" Isobel called with delight.
Sure enough, on two stout ponies, trailing behind the main pack, there was Master George and Miss Sybil, accompanied by the Downton Abbey stable master. George in his new black coat and breeches, with shiny black boots with tan tops, urged his pony forwards even faster.
"Come on Sybbie," his high excited voice carried across the field.
Not to be outdone, Sybbie sped after him. Dressed in her neat navy coat and shiny black boots, her dark braid streaming behind her from beneath her black hard hat, she was the very image of her mother in miniature.
Josie was enraptured. She had never seen an actual pony before, only the great horses kept for the heavy farm work at Yew Tree Farm. There was no question of ever riding them, they were simply too big for her to sit astride. But here were some other small people, bigger than her, yes, but smaller than the grownups, and they were riding horses their own size. For the first time, an exciting idea formed in her little mind, and when the last hound had disappeared from sight, she gave voice to the wish that many fathers lived in dread of hearing.
"Daddy, can I have a pony?"
Josie was at a loss to understand why all of the other grownups, including Mummy, dissolved into giggles, while Daddy just put his head in his hands for a few seconds, before smiling at her in a funny way, with crinkles round his eyes, just like there were before he laughed.
"Perhaps when you're older sweetheart."
Josie nodded to herself firmly. She knew exactly what was going onto next year's Christmas list. She would be older by then.
Rosy faced and warmed by excitement and happiness, the little party clambered aboard the trap once more. The evening was drawing in, and sure enough the clouds were thickening into a dull grey. Soon it would be dark, and it was time to head home to have tea and get all spruced up before the party at Downton Abbey that evening.