The next day dawned with a heavy frost on the grounds, causing everything to be crisp and white. The mood between Robert, Cora, Aurelia and Mrs Hughes was still somewhat sombre after the previous day's revelation, but as no else knew anything, they all had to carry on as normal as possible. However, Aurelia still couldn't face seeing the rest of her family and refused to go down to breakfast.
Mrs Hughes had gone in to wake her as normal, but the young woman was still very despondent and she looked as if she hadn't slept at all.
'Did you get any sleep last night?' She asked her kindly, choosing neither to refer to her as Milady or Ella.
'I slept on and off I'm afraid. How are you feeling this morning?' Aurelia replied as she sat up in her bed.
'I'll be fine.' Mrs Hughes replied with a not very convincing smile. 'You really should join your sisters downstairs.' She suggested.
'I can't bear to face them just now. They already know something is going on and I just can't tell them that…that they're not my sisters; especially not Sybbie. We've always been together…and I just…' Aurelia tried to explain, but broke off as she began to sob again.
She had been like that on and off all night; one moment she would be absolutely fine but the next, when she thought about her sisters and what they might think of her, she broke down and just couldn't tolerate the idea of what their reactions would be.
Mrs Hughes perched herself on the bed next to Aurelia and put her arm around her shoulders, trying to comfort her in the best way possible, but it hurt her to see Aurelia so distressed and to know that she was part of the reason that caused it.
She was still comforting her when Robert walked into the room. Her first instinct was to stand as protocol expected of her, but Robert quietly shook his head at her and she remained seated for a few moments. Robert approached Aurelia's bedside and sat on the other side and held Aurelia's hand. The sight of her father made her stop crying but she wasn't sure if the sight of him proved to be comforting or more distressing.
'Good morning Papa.' She said through chocked sobs.
'Morning my little one,' he replied with great sadness. 'May I speak with Mrs Hughes for a few moments?' He asked and received only the slightest of nods.
Mrs Hughes followed him out into the corridor and she glanced nervously around for any of the other servants, but none were to be found.
'I came up to see how Ella was, her sisters were asking for her; I made up some excuse that she wasn't feeling well, but I'm not sure Lady Sybil believed me.' He whispered.
'She won't go down to breakfast Milord. I've tried to persuade her but she says that she can't bear to face them.' Mrs Hughes whispered back.
'Well I've just had a telephone call from Mrs Crawley; she received a letter this morning. It's getting harder and harder to keep this quiet, but I've also just spoken to the police detectives who are investigating the case.' He explained.
'And what did they have to say Milord?' Mrs Hughes was terrified about what they may have dragged up. She hated the idea of her secret being in the hands of detectives and that they may reveal the real truth.
'Just that they are coming to talk to the staff; I am sorry Mrs Hughes, I did try to put them off, but they said that they have evidence of some kind which indicates that it's a member of staff sending the letters.' Robert explained.
'A member of staff?! Here?! They can't be serious!' Mrs Hughes exclaimed.
'Well they'll be here later this afternoon. I'll try to keep everything as low key as I possibly can, but I cannot guarantee anything. We may have to face that we can't keep this under wraps for much longer.' Robert said, sounding angry and frustrated.
The two stood silently for a few moments in disbelief at how quickly their lives had been changed. Mrs Hughes couldn't believe that anyone who worked under her would do something of this magnitude and Robert couldn't believe that he was powerless to stop any of it from happening. They were brought round from their thoughts when they heard Aurelia's sobs once again.
'She blames herself for all this.' Mrs Hughes stated.
'I know she does, and I don't know what we can say that will make her feel any better.' Robert replied honestly.
'Nor do I; she and I talked last night for many hours, but she's still one very lost and confused girl.' Mrs Hughes explained but her voice quivered and she felt ashamed of herself.
'Perhaps I should try speaking with her.' Robert said and he made his way into the room.
Mrs Hughes hesitated for a few moments, unsure where to go. She didn't want to go downstairs and have to face the other staff, knowing that one of them was their blackmailer. She chose to go into Cora's room and update her on Aurelia, she thought she at least owed her that much.
Robert sat silently with his daughter and held her in his arms the way he had done so many times before. He remembered the day she had been born and the way that he had felt a mixture of guilt and delight as Cora placed her into his arms. He fell in love with her instantly, as if she was his own child, in fact, it had never really entered into his head that she wasn't his natural daughter. And now to see her in so much pain and distress as a direct result of the decisions he had made, broke his heart.
'Your sisters are very worried about you.' He said quietly.
'I can't see them Papa; they can't know that I'm not…that I'm not one of them.' She sobbed uncontrollably.
'But you are one of them, nothing is ever going to change that fact; they love you and care about you.' He explained.
Downstairs at the dining table and Sybil, Mary and Edith were sat eating breakfast, but they were all frowning and worrying about Aurelia.
'Carson, has Mrs Hughes said anything to you about Lady Aurelia's condition?' Mary asked with calm concern.
'No Milady, all she has said is that Lady Aurelia was taken ill yesterday evening and I believe that she has been with her most of that time.' Mr Carson replied. Whilst he tried not to show it and tried to remain professional, there was still a hint of concern in his voice.
'I'm going to go up and see her.' Sybil said but as she got up from the table, Matthew came rushing in with a letter clutched in his hand.
'Matthew, we weren't expecting you this morning.' Mary said with a smile which soon fell when she saw the expression on her face.
'I'm afraid I'm not here for pleasant reasons. Mr Carson do you think you might be able to leave us?' Matthew said and the butler did as instructed and left the room, but left with further feelings of worry.
'Matthew what is it?' Mary asked.
'Mother and I received this letter in the post this morning.' Matthew said as he handed it to Mary.
'Oh my God!' She exclaimed as she read the words. 'Surely this can't be true?!'
'What is it?' Sybil anxiously asked.
'According to whoever wrote this letter, Papa had an illegitimate lovechild with one of the servants; apparently it's one of us!' Mary explained in utter disbelief.
'But that can't be true; Papa would never…he isn't the sort…no this just can't be true!' Edith replied with astonishment as she snatched the letter from Mary's hands and read it for herself.
'But if it isn't true, then why is Aurie hiding in her room?' Sybil replied simply.
All four of them were stunned into silence. The three girls couldn't believe that their father would do such a thing. They couldn't believe that he was dishonest enough to have an affair, he loved Cora too much and he loved his family too much; but still, all the activities over the last few days did now seem to makes sense.
'But if Aurie is the child that this letter refers to, then surly I must be as well?' Sybil said.
'But then, why did they tell Ella and not you?' Edith said with confusion, most certain that her parent's wouldn't do that, but then again she didn't believe her father could or would have had an affair.
'Look we're not going to get any answers sat down here, and if Ella has found this out then she is going to need our support.' Mary said as she took charge and led her two sisters out of the room, leaving Matthew looking very confused and with no idea what to do with himself.
The three sisters marched up the stairs until they got to Aurelia's room, they stood outside the door for a few moments before knocking and walking in. They found Aurelia sat on her bed crying, with Robert sat beside her and his arm draped round her. By this time Cora was now also in the room, standing at the window looking out on to the grounds. Aurelia's room had the best view in the house, overlooking the neat well-kept gardens. Cora was also crying and the three sisters took this sight as confirmation of their father's infidelity.
Cora, Robert and Aurelia were surprised to see the three girls and were a little confused by their sudden arrival, until Robert saw the letter still clasped in Edith's hand, which she handed to him.
'Papa, please tell us that this isn't true.' She said as she handed it to him and began to feel tears spring to her eyes.
Mary and Sybil joined Aurelia on the bed as Robert got up and moved himself into the centre of the room. Aurelia felt shocked by Mary's sudden compassion for her, but she was also surprised that she felt comfort in her sisters' company. The fact they were there to support her, somehow made the situation feel a little more bearable for the first time.
'I'm sorry Ella; I know you wanted to keep this quiet, but I cannot lie.' Robert said as he glanced at his youngest daughter and was joined by his wife at his side. 'No Edith, what it say in the letter isn't true, well not exactly anyway.' He added.
The three girls sat and listened to their story and Aurelia endured hearing the tale again; hearing it the second time certainly didn't make it any easier than the first, and by the end of it she was sobbing again, only this time, all three of her sisters were by her side to support her.
'Oh Ella, my sweet baby sister,' Mary said softly, the first one to speak, and her words were as astounding to Aurelia as anything else had been. 'This changes absolutely nothing, we Crawley girls stick together, the four musketeers remember?' She said, referring to a game they used to play as children.
'Absolutely Aurie; you and I are twins, more now than ever. We are kindred spirits you and I, from now until we're old and wrinkly together.' Sybil replied with a smile and she was pleased to see Aurelia give a little laugh.
The four sisters clutched each other's hands and sat together in silence as Robert and Cora held on to each other. The family of six felt as if they were mourning some sort of loss and yet no one had died, but they still felt duty bound to grieve.