Maybe if we think and wish and hope and pray it might come true
Baby then there wouldn't be a single thing we couldn't do.
We could be married
And then we'd be happy.
Wouldn't it be nice
It seems the more we talk about it
It only makes it worse to live without it.
Wouldn't It Be Nice – The Beach Boys
x-X-x
"I know this may be terribly sudden." Anthony began, leaning against the gate. "And I hope that should you say no we might be able to continue on…"
"Anthony, why are you nervous?" She asked, moving to stand closer to him. There was something oddly comforting about standing so close to him, looking up into those bright blue eyes.
"Because I'm trying to propose marriage." Was his gentle answer.
"To me?" Edith was sincerely surprised by his suggestion.
"Indeed. I've got the ring and everything." He managed, pulling the box from his pocket and opening it for her. The band was gold, with a platinum setting woven into a simple design to cradle the three diamonds.
"Oh, Anthony! It's beautiful." She glanced from the ring back up to him. "Are you sure you want to marry me? I've never been a wife before, I might not be any good at it."
"As long as you're my wife I couldn't want or ask for anything more."
"Yes."
"Yes?" His smile grew wider.
"Yes." She nodded with a giggle before pulling him into a kiss.
News of pending nuptials was met with a lackluster response. Which was hardly surprising, only Sybil and Cora seemed to be truly excited at the notion of a wedding.
"Wonderful!" Cora beamed. "We'll begin planning immediately."
"Mother, before things get out of hand, Anthony and I want a small ceremony. Small, as in just family and a few friends."
"How small is that?"
"Twenty guests at most." Cora looked as though her daughter had slapped her.
"Twenty? Just twenty? But that's barely the size of the wait staff…"
"A simple country wedding." Edith repeated.
"Simple…" Cora repeated the word slowly, letting it sink in. "Well, I suppose we can do simple."
x-X-x
The speed with which the wedding was organized left many wondering if there wasn't another little reason for the rush. There wasn't, Anthony and Edith simply couldn't find a good reason to prolong things any longer.
"I can't believe the wedding is tomorrow already." Cora mused to her husband as she sorted out a stack of Thank You cards. Edith heard her mother from the hallway but found herself unwilling to push the door open the rest of the way an join them.
"I can't believe she's marrying someone I went to university with." Robert sounded much more shell shocked than happy.
"You will manage a smile tomorrow, yes?"
"Don't worry, I'll play my part in this charade."
"It isn't a charade, Robert. It's a marriage. One that is making your daughter and your friend quite happy, something you should try to remember. When have you ever seen Edith as happy as she is with Anthony?"
"I will keep my comments cordial."
"That's the least of what I'm asking of you. Do this for your daughter, please."
"Let her make this mistake?" He demanded.
"It isn't a mistake, they're in love."
"For how long?"
The last comment from her father struck a blow, Edith knew that everything was coming about rather quickly, but that didn't mean it was doomed to fail. How could it? Everything felt so right.
The forced separation the night before the wedding felt like it was going to be nearly impossible. Anthony met her at Downton for the evening, they had dinner with the family before spending some time together, alone, in the library.
"It's only for the night, Edie." He reminded her, pressing a soft kiss just below her ear.
"Do you realize we haven't spent a single night apart in the last three months?" She countered, trying to nestle a bit closer into his side, her arms holding him tightly. Her father's words were still echoing in her head.
"Feels like it has been a lifetime together, doesn't it?"
"It does. How fortunate you were sent to find me." She rested her head against his shoulder, simply inhaling the smell that was uniquely Anthony; a bit of spice, a touch of the antiqued pages from his library.
"Hand of fate, pushing us together."
"Do you believe in fate?"
"I didn't before."
"And now?"
"Now I believe in so many things, thanks to you… You've given me my life back… better than that, you've given me a life I never knew I might have." He whispered, pulling her a bit closer.
"Time to part ways, love birds." Sybil giggled from the door. With a sigh they sat up, sharing another kiss before leaving the seclusion of the room.
"I'll see you tomorrow, love." He whispered, pressing a longer kiss to her lips than before.
"I'll be the one in the dress."
"I'm looking forward to it."
x-X-x
Edith had decided to take to her room for the rest of the night. Hoping that her last night as a Crawley, in the family home could be spent like the rest of her time in Downton, invisible. In the morning she would meet Anthony at the church and a whole new life would begin. A happy life, of that there was little doubt.
"Ready for tomorrow?" Mary asked, pushing the door open and letting herself in.
"Yes." Edith answered quickly, hoping that this visit would be a short one. "Did you need something?"
"Just thinking… It's such a shame you're willing to throw away your hard earned independence so easily." Mary sighed, trailing a finger over the lace of Edith's wedding dress.
"What on earth are you on about? Anthony finds my independence to be one of my finer qualities."
"Now he does. But when he wants to start having children, then what? Where will that independence go when there's a babe in the bassinette?"
"We'll figure it out."
"I hope it's 'we' and not just his decision. Anthony isn't a young man of our modern standards, Edith. He's from a different time, when men made the decisions of the house. Besides, how much do you two really know about each other after three months? Matthew and I spent two years courting before we got married and we're still learning new things about each other."
Edith should've known better than to let her sister get to her. But at two am she was still lying awake in bed, the wedding dress she once found beautiful taunting her, taking on the shape of a straight jacket equipped with an apron. She couldn't do this… she couldn't do this…
With a shaky hand she penned a quick note and packed her small bag.
I'm sorry, Anthony. Please don't hate me. I love you but I don't think I can do this.
Anthony woke, the note his butler found that morning with the milk waiting for him on his breakfast tray. In that moment, his world seemed to completely fall apart. Edith was gone.
x-X-x
Hey, little girl
Comb your hair, fix your make-up
Soon he will open the door.
Don't think because
There's a ring on your finger
You needn't try any more.
For wives should always be lovers, too.
Run to his arms the moment he comes home to you,
I'm warning you.
Wives and Lovers – Dionne Warwick