Richard and Isobel spent as much time as they could in Gretna Green before they piled back into the car and drove back into England. In her hands Isobel held the wedding certificate, she kept checking it, fearful that the ink may have vanished on it somehow.
Doctor Clarkson now had a Mrs. Doctor Clarkson as his own. They returned to Downton just before the sun kissed the hills. Their honeymoon would have to wait since this day had been a boon by Dr. Tiller. Still with night beginning to fall there were still ways to celebrate a wedding. The car came to halt beside Crawley House and Isobel was confused.
Richard cleared his throat, "we should tell Ethel. I'm now your husband so I can stay with you freely."
Isobel inwardly sighed, he wasn't breaking his promise and sending her away. Together they went into Crawley House.
"Married, you two?" Ethel asked her voice laced with shock.
Isobel nodded.
The shock had given way excitement and the need to know details."When?"
"Just this morning" Richard answered.
Isobel told Ethel of Gretna Green, of the clerk in the office the blacksmith shop. The maid listened to it all with rapt attention. At the end Isobel asked. "How have things been?"
While she had only been away for a day not a fortnight she still asked. When Ethel's face tightened she knew something had happened. "The Baker refused to serve me. Mrs. Hughes was in the village and saw, she took the money and bought what I needed."
Ethel didn't want her black cloud to cast a pall over Dr. and Mrs. Clarkson's wedding day. She glanced down and saw Isobel's hand. "lovely ring." She said hoping to steer the conversation back to something more cheerful.
"May I use your telephone?" Richard asked.
His wife stammered, "Yes, what for?"
"Going to ring the Hospital, let them know they can reach me here tonight." He answered nonchalantly.
Isobel's cheeks burned with a blush, Ethel saw this and said she would bring tea. Isobel thought about how to tell the family and then decided that she didn't need to. They had done nothing wrong, they had married within the law. Parental consent was not needed so why the need to disclose this information. When he came back to her she asked him. "I want people to know but I don't want to tell them all at the same time."
"I know what you mean, I want to keep you to myself yet there is no shame I wish to conceal." Nodded Richard comically.
Isobel pointed towards the bookshelf, "It's like The Purloined Letter"
It took a moment for Richard's mind to put substance to her reference, "Hide in plain sight?"
"Yes, you stay here when I must we attend functions together." She slowly began moving towards him, " Be a pair."
At her approach his heart began to beat quicker, his wife was approaching...his wife!
The knowledge of this fact flared in him a deep possessiveness, more than he had felt when he had escorted her through that snake pit in York, which he didn't think was possible. His fingers reached for her cheek. As he made contact Isobel heard the rattling of china and rolled her eyes. Richard smirked and called out, "Ethel, is that the tea?"
"Yes, sir" her voice drifted through the door.
"Can you leave it on the table near the door?" He asked.
There was a muffled giggle, "Yes sir."
Bringing his other hand up to touch her other cheek, "Let's hide." he whispered before kissing his wife.
The issue of Ethel was quickly put on the back burner by the issue of young Radha's baptism. Tom had already made the arrangements with Father Dominic for the Catholic Church in Ripon. It somehow escaped the family that when Tom was just Branson he would go to this church on Sunday's for mass. Robert had conceded defeat long ago yet he couldn't shake the feeling that somehow this would damage Radha in someway.
His mind carried him back to the day that Sybil had left for Ireland, the funeral of Miss Lavinia Swire.
"The aristocracy has not survived by its intransigence. Oh, no, no, we must work with what we've got to minimize the scandal." His mother told him.
"But what have we got to work with?" He nearly wailed in the graveyard.
His mother shot him a look that she hadn't used since he was a child, "Well, you'd be surprised. He's political, isn't he? And a writer. Well, I could make something out of that. And there's a family called Branson with a place not far from Cork. I believe they have a connection with the Howards. Well, surely, we can hitch him onto them."
Robert scoffed at the memory. While Tom's politics caused some awkward moments he had been on his best behavior since his exile. As he came into the library for breakfast he asked, "Tom, what date have you set? Would you mind if we had a gathering here afterward?"
At the cottage the post slot clanked signalling the arrival of letters. Richard squatted down and retrieved the envelopes. As he read the invitation to Radha Sybil Branson's baptism he smiled.
Isobel was at Crawley House, she had needed some papers for the shelter. Whilst there other things that she had forgotten about demanded attention. It was during the afternoon that Ethel handed her mail. Some were from other charities wanting her help or money. One letter had a local postmark, she opened it and found the baptismal invite.
The day had come for Radha's baptism. Father Dominic welcomed everyone inside. Isobel watched as Richard dipped his right fore and middle finger in the stoup and blessed himself up entrance to the church. Isobel was stunned, she had had absolutely no clue that he was a Catholic. A thousand questions popped up in her head at once clamoring for attention. As they made their way to the pew the organ began playing a hymn. Isobel looked ahead and saw that the church had a similar layout to that of the Downton Church and had the hymn numbers posted. She turned to Richard, he winked at her as if to say, "Don't worry, I will tell you everything later." The hymn was found and their voices joined those singing.
Lord and Lady Grantham were too nervous about the event to notice that Richard and Isobel arrived together. It was only when they sat down together on the same pew that Cousin Violet made a mental note. However, with a congregation of twelve it would be in bad taste to have Dr. Clarkson sit away from the family.
As the hymn ended Father Dominic came to stand before them all and said, "may the lord be with you."
Only Tom, Kieran and Richard answered with outstretched hands, "And also with you." Mary, Matthew indeed the all the inhabitants from Downton Abbey save for Tom were mute. Upon hearing another voice in the answer Lord Robert turned to see that it was Doctor Clarkson who had spoken.
The priest then began, "A reading from the book of Luke"
Isobel watched as Richard's right thumb went to his forehead, his lips and then his chest. At each stop his thumb made a gesture, looking around she saw Tom and Kieran doing the same thing. Richard ignored the looks around him and enjoyed the service. As was customary communion was to be given, Isobel moved aside to let Richard through. He leaned down, "If you cross your arms across your chest you can walk up and the priest will give you a blessing."
While she wasn't a baptized Catholic he had given her a way to share this experience. Nodding he moved back so she could go before him. She crossed her arms and walked forward, Father Dominic was surprised. So far she was the only protestant in line. It was an odd procession Tom, his brother Kieran, Isobel and then Richard came before the Priest. After Isobel received her blessing she could hear Richard behind her and his whispered "Amen".
There were pictures to be taken, the photographer called "Family."
Bodies moved to form a line and Isobel tightened her grip on her husband, hide in plain sight! The photographer merely placed him on the end. Again no one save Cousin Violet took any notice. It was time for everyone to leave Ripon and make their way back to the Abbey. In the car Isobel found she didn't know where to start. Luckily for her Richard could glean her thoughts. "The Clarkson line has been Catholic since the emancipation. My Mother was devout my Father not so much. It's funny I thought it would please my Mother being a doctor but she seemed disappointed somehow. It was my Father who encouraged me the most to go into medicine."
Hearing about Richard's past made her feel closer to him. However, she couldn't get over the fact that Richard was a Catholic. "I've seen you at services in Downton."
Richard smiled and laughed, "I get invites from my patients to attend church and when I can I go, like you said 'I doubt God will care'. Being around protestants doesn't make me one just like you working with prostitutes doesn't make you a whore."
A/N: Been cleaning up after the rain, hope you enjoy.