Continued:
Chapter Sixteen
Anna sat on the chair in the corner of Emma's bedroom. She watched lovingly as her husband held a book so Emma could read the story and turn the pages on her own. It was one of the things her daughter would have to learn how to do all over again now that she was home.
Anna and John were both so proud of their younger daughter. She had been such an angel since the accident, never complaining though she must have been in pain occasionally. The nurses and the doctors had been exceptional at the hospital and now she was home, just the day before New Year's eve. A nurse would be coming by twice a day to check the bandage and the wound, but the doctor had been confident that she was well on her way to a healthy recovery.
Emma had taken the disadvantage in stride. She had watched her father limp around with a cane since the day she had been born ten years earlier, so perhaps she didn't see having a disability as being anything significant. The little girl adored her father and the two had bonded even further since her stay in the hospital.
It was Lena who was having a harder time with it all. She had come along a ways since her outburst at Christmas. She had started speaking again to those around her and had stopped being nearly catatonic from the shock of witnessing the accident. She was still very nervous about leaving the cottage for anything, but with the love and support of her parents, she was making progress.
Anna watched Emma's eyes getting heavy and was about to say something to her husband, but he had noticed as well. He carefully moved her away from himself and stood up carefully, taking the book with him. He leaned over his little girl and kissed her on the forehead. Emma looked up and smiled at him before she closed her eyes and fell fast asleep. She was very happy to be in her own bed again and the slight smile that turned up the corner of her mouth as she slept made her parents smile. Anna stood up and went to stand by John as they watched her sleep. They were so grateful that she hadn't been hurt more seriously and were even more grateful that she was now home and though she still had a long way to go, she seemed to be doing just fine.
"Come. Let her sleep. I'll make us some tea." Anna pulled gently on her husband's arm to encourage him out of the room so Emma could sleep.
"That sounds wonderful. I'll go get Lena. I think she's upstairs in her room." John limped along behind his wife as they left the room together.
Anna heard his careful steps go up the stairway and heard the hushed tones of him speaking to their older daughter as she filled the kettle from the tap. She looked out the window over the sink and noticed that it was starting to snow. It was beautiful and the peacefulness of it took away all her thoughts and stress of the past few weeks for just a moment. She was lost in the falling flakes that were settling gently on their garden.
So lost in her thoughts, that she jumped when John came up behind her and put his arms around her. He held her close and she leaned back into him. As always so grateful that he was there.
"Penny for your thoughts?" He whispered it in her ear.
"I was just watching the snow. My thoughts were actually quite blank. For once lately." For a moment they watched the snow together. It was as though the snow was blanketing all the worries that they had since the morning of the accident. Slowly.
"Lena says she's not quite up for some tea. But I'm sure if I took her up a tray she would eat if I sat with her for awhile. She looks tired and I know she was awake last night from nightmares." John kept holding Anna even though she turned around to face him. His wife looked both sad and tired.
"You're such a wonderful father. They're lucky to have you. We all are." She looked so sweet and loving that he had no choice but to bend down and connect their lips.
"And I am the luckiest of all." His eyes were warm and loving and even after all their years together he still got a warmth in his heart when he was that close to her.
Their moment was interrupted by a knocking at the door. They looked at each other surprised, but then not. Everyone would know that Emma was coming home that morning. They had to expect some visitors and well-wishers for their daughter.
Anna went to the door and opened to it a very snow covered young man who looked chilled to say the least. She turned quickly back to her husband before she opened the door completely. When he took a step closer and saw who it was he was more than a little shocked.
"Master George. What a surprise. Please won't you come in?" John welcomed the young man into the cottage and helped him off with his jacket and outer vestments after the young heir to Grantham gratefully accepted the offer. "Whatever are you doing out on a day like this?"
"I needed some fresh air and a walk. And I must be honest, your home was my destination. I was hoping to have a word with you." George looked at them both with his big blue eyes, one of them still blackened from the accident. They hadn't seen much of him since he was released from the hospital, only briefly in passing, but for good reason, George had been seeming to avoid Bates.
John and Anna stood there. Unsure of what could have brought the young man to their place exactly, but there could have been a fortitude of reasons.
"Please come in. I'm just making some tea. Are you hungry?" Anna started to head into the kitchen as she spoke. The poor boy looked chilled to the bone.
"Some tea would be lovely. Thank you. I ate luncheon with the family before I left, but thank you for the offer. It's very kind of you." George made his way into the kitchen behind Anna but in front of Bates.
John gestured for him to take the seat at the head of the table, but George refused. He insisted Bates should have what was clearly his seat when the family sat at the table. George picked another seat and both men sat down together and stared at each other over the table. George broke the silence.
"How is Emma?" He looked legitimately concerned.
"She's doing much better thank you." John answered politely. Another silence followed.
Anna put a plate of biscuits on the table with some fresh butter and George snapped one up and slathered it with the spread and bit half of it away before she had returned with the tea. She smiled. She knew a sixteen year old boy would eat if there was food in front of him. She had been right.
When the three of them had their hot beverages in front of them and George had taken a second biscuit and put it on the small plate in front of him, the silence was broken again.
"How is the house? I hope everyone is doing well." Anna spoke it, as George prepared to take another bite.
He put the biscuit back down on the plate and smiled strangely.
"I suppose they are as well as can be expected. It's very busy with all the family there. But Carson and Mrs. Hughes are running a very tight ship. Even Barrow seems calm."
To that, Anna smiled.
"That is a true testament isn't it. As long as Barrow is happy."
"Very true." George smiled. "So, the reason I am here."
John suddenly expected why the young man was there when George pulled two white envelopes out of the pocket in his trousers and set them on the table. He looked at the older man earnestly and watched as John looked to his wife. Anna reached her hand out and Bates took hers in his. What was in the envelopes was written a very difficult decision that they had come to.
"I suspect you have read them then?" John squeezed Anna's hand.
"I read the one addressed to me. I have not read the one addressed to my grandfather, Lord Grantham, but I suspect I know what it says. I took it from the table this morning after I had read mine. He hasn't seen it yet. "
John stared carefully at George, sizing up his reaction as the young heir stared back, not intimidated in the least.
"I cannot apologize enough for my reaction that night Master George. I am ashamed of my behaviour and I feel I am no longer worthy to work at Downton Abbey."John looked down at the table. He let George win the staring contest. "And I cannot guarantee that I may not have negative feeling towards Miss Sybbie. I was unprofessional and I hope you accept both my apology and my resignation"
"I don't accept it Bates. Not your resignation. I accept your apology only if you accept mine. Emma was injured by a member of my family and you should not feel as though you have done anything wrong. Sybbie made a bad judgement call that morning and she will pay for it for the rest of her life. She made a mistake. She's not proud and she wants nothing more than to make amends for what she did. I'm asking you to try to let her resolve it somehow. She's not a bad person, she just made a horrible mistake."
It made sense to Bates, and having George sitting there across from him in his own kitchen pleading the case of his cousin made him think hard. He hadn't seen much of the family since Christmas and his imagination had perhaps lead him astray. And dealing with Miss Sybbie, well perhaps it was too early to make any final judgements on that.
"And your leaving would upset my Grandfather terribly. It's not fair to him that he be punished by something out of his control entirely. You're his oldest friend and confidante." George was speaking from his heart. He knew the memory of Bates' behaviour that night would fade in time.
"You're right Master Crawley. It's not fair at all to Lord Grantham. The man who on more than one occasion has helped Anna and I." John looked at his wife. She smiled knowingly at her husband, she had made the same argument when they had discussed his decision.
"So will you reconsider? I am asking you to stay and help us all get through this. Take as much time as you need with Emma, but please don't abandon my Grandfather." George knew he had him on the ropes.
John stood up and walked over to where George was sitting and picked up the two envelopes. He walked over the stove, lifted the cover and threw them into the hot coals. He watched as they took only a few seconds to flare up and disappear into ash. A whiff of smoke shot up and the evidence was gone.
"Could you please tell your Grandfather I will return in the New Year?"
George smiled. His maturity dissolved for a moment and he looked like a young school boy.
"Of course I will!" He finally bit into the biscuit that had sat ignored on his plate while he plead his case to his Grandfather's long-time valet.
The three of them sat for a time, talking about Emma and her recovery strategy. George promised to have one of the best nurses he could find sent over to help the young Bates. John and Anna were grateful. It was very good that young George had come over to attempt to bridge the divide that had developed.
Eventually George excused himself and insisted he should be heading back to the Abbey. They would be wondering where he was. He thanked them immensely for their hospitality and complimented their beautiful home.
John and Anna both shook his hand and thanked him very much for stopping by that day. He had eased so much of the tension that Anna had been feeling. She hoped the same was true for her husband. She felt it truly was.
John helped Master Crawley into his jacket and made sure the young man was bundled up against the snow that was falling heavier now. As he opened the door George popped out quickly and retrieved a rather large package that he had left on the step, leaned up against the cottage. He shook the snow off it and handed it to Anna.
"I wasn't sure how this conversation would go, so I wasn't sure if this would be appropriate, but perhaps now it is okay." George almost looked shy as he handed it over. "It's a gift for Lena. I promised it to her before this whole business happened and I wanted her to have it as soon as it was ready. Can you tell her I'm sorry for acting like such a twit?"
John and Anna both looked at each other surprised. They had no idea what he could possibly mean.
"Of course. I shall tell her. Thank you again Sir. I just have to say, your father would be proud of you. I hope you know that." John reached his hand out to shake George's hand and they shook firmly. Man to man.
George bid them good day, a bit embarrassed by the compliment, and asked if he might stop again soon to visit with Emma. They both insisted they would be delighted if he would. He ventured out into the snow and soon disappeared down the lane.
The Bates' both called up to Lena to come down and see her gift. The nearly teenage girl came cautiously down the stairs, peeking at the door before coming the rest of the way down. She asked what it could possibly be. Neither of her parents had any idea.
She opened the outer packaging after cutting open the strings that held it all together. Inside was another package and a card. She opened the card and for the first time in weeks her parents watched her in astonishment as she smiled. She read the card aloud to them,
"Dear Lena. I'm sorry I splashed mud on your dress that day. Also, there is a gift for Emma as well. Kindest Regards, George Crawley"
She ripped open the paper and smiled again as she pulled out a beautiful pink silk dress. Underneath it was another dress. Anna took it from her daughter and held it up to the light. It was expertly crafted and looked the perfect size to fit Emma. She gasped when she noticed that the left sleeve had been stitched up and sealed with a beautiful silk rose. It was a beautiful dress and Anna was so completely touched by the thoughtfulness of George. Emma would love it. The young man certainly was trying to make amends with the family. Beautiful dresses for her daughters was very kind start.
"Oh Mama! Isn't it beautiful?" Anna smiled as Lena spun around with hers held up to her. It was the most life she had seen from the girl in weeks.
Yes, she was grateful. John stood close to her and wrapped his hand around her waist as they watched their daughter come back to life.
To be continued:
Thank you again for reading, reviewing and following this story. It's been so much fun to write so far. And there is still more to come... I do enjoys the twists... ;)