Finding Time

When they arrived back at the garage Lady Edith was impatiently tapping her foot waiting for them.

"Oh, no, it's your sister," Tom groaned when he spotted Edith first.

Sybil hadn't managed to get her clothes completely fastened right in the confines of the car and the tell tale handkerchief was something Tom had planned on disposing of once Sybil had left.

"You've been gone a long time," Edith complained as Sybil pulled up. Tom hastily opened the passenger door and got out ditching the handkerchief behind the door of the garage as discreetly as he could.

"We went further than expected," Sybil said coolly.

It was a good thing Tom was on the far side of the car as he blushed at Sybil's words.

"You seem to be learning to drive quite quickly," Edith said. "It took me a long time before I could travel very far from the estate."

"Branson is a good teacher," Sybil said with a smile.

"I'll just clean the car for you before your trip, milady," Tom said to Edith. "The car got a bit dusty on the back roads."

"Oh very well," Edith said. "Do hurry though. I'm going to be late for my call."

Sybil got out of the car like there was nothing wrong. Edith looked at her a bit strangely.

"Sybil what is wrong with your clothing?" she whispered. "You're all crooked."

Sybil looked down to see that in fact her blouse was miss buttoned as well as her jacket.

"My corset was too tight," Sybil whispered back. She glanced over her shoulder to see Tom busily wiping down the front seat. "I tried to loosen it myself but had some difficulty without Anna. I couldn't very well ask him." She nodded her head faintly in the chauffeur's direction.

"You had better fix it before anyone else sees," Edith whispered. "Or there will be havoc. You know Papa always thinks Branson is up to no good."

"I'll just refuel the car, milady," Branson said.

Edith just nodded to him as he moved the car to the refueling station.

"He's the perfect gentleman. I wish Papa wasn't so suspicious all the time."

"He's suspicious of you," Edith said. "I could have an affair with every man staying at the convalescent ward and he wouldn't blink an eye." Now that Branson was out of earshot she could say what she thought.

Sybil was hurriedly fixing her buttons.

"Edith!" she said.

"Well, it's true," Edith said. "You should be more careful. I'm not going to tell."

"Edith! Nothing's happened. We haven't done anything more than kiss," Sybil lied slightly.

"You and the chauffeur, Sybil honestly. What will Granny and Papa say?"

"They're not going to find out as long as you don't tell them."

"Just be more careful or they'll figure it out themselves. Just don't do anything too drastic."

Sybil had finished with her buttons and had her clothes straightened out. Tom pulled the car back around the building and got out, holding the door for Edith.

"Don't worry, Edith," Sybil said to her. "I won't do anything I haven't thought through carefully."

Edith just shook her head and walked towards the car. Sybil turned and watched Edith leave. When she was well out of sight she ran back and threw her arms around Tom's neck and kissed him.

"Six days from now, be ready," Sybil said. "I don't want to wait anymore."

"No more driving lessons for six days," Tom laughed. "I don't think my heart could take it. I thought your sister would catch on for sure."

"She did. She won't say anything."

Tom's face paled.

"She thinks we're having an affair. She warned me to be more careful."

"Speaking of that, you should go back to the house."

"I'll find a way to get away. I'll let you know when I have something figured out."

Tom gave her a final squeeze before she left him to run back to the house. He went to get the Renault and pull it up front for his next trip of the day.

A few days later Sybil had an idea that she thought might work. She decided to tell her parents that some of the girls from her nursing course who were living in a small town on the other side of York were having a small get together. She would stay overnight with them and travel back in the morning. She would have Branson drive her and since it fell on his half day, he could have his time off in York and drive her back in the morning. Her driving skills weren't up to such a long trip yet. She thought the plan was perfect and went to tell Tom about it.

"Do you really think they'll fall for it?" he asked.

"Edith is off visiting some ancient relative. She is the only one who might figure out something is not right. Paying calls is what my family does. They won't think it's strange. Besides I can tell them the nursing in our own home is starting to get to me and I need a short respite."

"All right I'll make the appointment with the judge. We still need to buy the rings. We'll have to give ourselves time to do that."

"Three days," Sybil sighed.

"I should hear back from the applications I sent next week," Tom said as he pulled her close. "Then we can tell them and everything will be settled one way or another."

He slowly drew Sybil in for a long kiss. She could feel the hard outline of his erection forming through his pants. They were in the garage with Tom leaning against the tool bench. Sybil shifted slightly closer and her lower body pressed against the unmistakable shape a small whimper formed in the back of her throat. Tom pulled back quickly.

"What's the matter?"

"Nothing," Sybil whispered against his mouth. "I should go back. Three days can't come soon enough for me."

"Or me, love."

Sybil headed back to the house with her fingernails digging into her palms. Waiting is what sets humans apart from animals she thought. But the way I react to him you wouldn't know there is a difference.

As luck would have it, Sybil's parents and eldest sister wound up going to London for a few days on the date of Sybil's overnight visit to her "friends". She just had to contend with Carson.

Tom had to endure one of Carson's endless lectures on looking out for her and making sure she didn't get up to anything his Lordship would disapprove of. Tom assured Carson he had friends in the area he could stay with and not to worry about a thing. When Tom finally pulled up to the front door, Sybil was waiting for him with one of the maids standing by her case. Tom got the door for her and then stowed her overnight case in the back. Once they had driven through Downton and were on the road to York, Tom pulled over in a secluded spot.

"What are you doing?" Sybil inquired.

"I'm not wearing that monkey suit to my wedding," he said. He quickly changed his clothes to a plain grey jacket with dark waistcoat and pants. He opened the door and helped Sybil down.

"Ride in the front with me," he said. The corners of his eyes crinkled with his smile and she gasped slightly at how handsome he was. She had never seen him dressed in anything besides his uniform and now in regular clothes his presence was even more virile than it had been before. Sybil sat in the passenger seat with her hands folded primly in her lap.

"When is the appointment?" she inquired.

"In two hours. We should have just enough time to stop at a jewelry shop before the service."

Sybil nodded. Tom handed her two envelopes.

"You do the honors. I couldn't bear to open them," he said.

Sybil opened the first letter to read the paper didn't have any full time openings at the moment but was accepting freelance work and hoped to hear from him in the near future. They had included an offer for an article.

"Damn," Tom muttered under his breath.

Sybil opened the second envelope. It contained a job offer at double what Tom made now at a medium sized paper in London.

"You have an offer," Sybil said excitedly. "Four hundred pounds a year."

"Which paper?" Tom asked.

Sybil read the name of the paper from the letter.

"We'll wait a few more days," Tom said. "That is only the first two I contacted. I contacted four others as well. The London paper wouldn't be my first choice, but it's better than no offers."

"You did well," Sybil said. "You've had one offer plus the offer of an article."

"I should hear back in the next few days, then we can really make plans."

Sybil slid her arms around his arm and leaned her head on his shoulder.

"Time seems to drag right now, but in a year we'll look back at how short our engagement really was."

"And how long you took to accept me," he said in a teasing voice.

It wasn't long and they were in York. They stopped at a small out of the way jewelry shop and purchased plain gold wedding bands. Their next stop was the courthouse. There was a small ladies waiting room and Sybil headed there to change her clothes. She had made a trip up to the attics and found Mary's coming out dress. It was a bit long for her and almost reached the floor, but it was a beautiful white dress. Another lady was in the waiting room and helped Sybil with the buttons on her dress and sleeves. Tom had purchased her a bouquet of flowers when they had stopped for the rings and Sybil held the flowers in her hands.

"You look lovely, my dear," she said.

"Thank you for your help," Sybil replied. She lifted the hem of her dress and went to meet Tom. He was waiting for her with the court clerk. Both men's mouths fell open slightly at the sight of Sybil in such an elaborate dress. Sybil took Tom's arm as they entered the courtroom. For the life of her she couldn't remember one second of the ceremony afterwards. As they each signed the register to make their union official Sybil breathed a sigh of relief. Once the witnesses had signed they were told when and where they could pick up a copy of the certificate in ten days time.

They left the courthouse with Tom carrying Sybil's case and her holding his other arm. They were so busy smiling at each other they were oblivious to anyone else passing by and failed to notice a group of army officers walking past. One of them raised his eyebrows and nodded his head her way while the other shrugged. They were both staying at the Abbey and had taken the bus to York for the day to do some shopping.

"Wasn't that Lady Sybil?" one of them asked the other.

"It was. Looked like a wedding dress."

"I wouldn't want to be that fellow when her father finds out."

"I'm not going to be the one to tell him."

"Well, don't look at me," the first one said.

Tom and Sybil made it back to the car and headed to a hotel on the outskirts of the city. Sybil was almost giddy with excitement as Tom signed the register Mr. and Mrs. Branson.

"You're newly weds then?" the lady behind the desk asked.

"Yes, just married," Sybil said with a blush.

"If you need anything dear, I'll be here all evening."

"I think we'll be fine, thank you," Sybil said. "Is there hot water in the bath?"

"Yes, it was just put in last year."

It was getting on for seven by the time they had made it to the room. It wasn't an elaborate room but had a private bath and it would do.

"Would you like to go for dinner?" Tom asked her. Now that they were married it was time for him to feel a bit shy. Marriage changed things somehow. He wanted to get it right and not repeat any of his earlier mistakes.

"I'm not hungry," Sybil said. She opened her case and pulled out her housecoat. "I'm going to take a bath." She paused for a second. "Would you like to join me?" Tom froze while fiddling with his cuff link. He looked at Sybil and slowly nodded. She walked across the room and lifted her hair. She turned her back for him to undo the series of buttons on the dress. He opened the buttons without a word then undid the remaining buttons on both sleeves. Sybil moved behind the screen in the corner and shed the dress and her undergarments. She slid her housecoat on and returned to stand in front of Tom. He was still standing there motionless.

"What's the matter, darling," she said.

"It just hit me. We really are married."

"So the judge said," Sybil said with a faint laugh. She reached up and loosened his tie then began sliding the buttons of his shirt free. Tom broke out of his trance and took off his jacket and waistcoat. He kicked off his shoes shucked off his shirt that Sybil had unbuttoned and quickly lost the rest of his clothing onto a pile on the floor. Once he had started to move, Sybil had gone to the washroom to run the bath. There was a large cast iron tub in the room and she had already gotten in and was sitting in the middle of the tub. Tom stepped in behind her and slid down into the water. Sybil slid herself back between his legs and leaned her back against his chest. When the water was high enough she turned the taps off. Tom's arms were around her and her fingers were twined between his. They lay in the warm water for a few minutes, finally Tom reached for a washcloth and soap, lathered it and began slowly washing her arms. He ran the cloth over her in slow circles running it down from her neck to caress her breasts and then lower down her abdomen until he could reach the juncture of her thighs.

Sybil turned half way in the tub so she could place her mouth against his. She opened her lips to accept his tongue fully into her mouth. He nibbled her bottom lip with his teeth before he leaned back and ran the cloth over her back. Sybil moved so she was kneeling in front of Tom. She took the cloth from him and began washing his body. He allowed her free reign until she pulled him forward to wash his back. She had to raise up slightly to reach and he pulled a nipple into his mouth while be played with the other before he gave that one equal attention. Sybil rinsed his back and then put her hands with the cloth under the water to wash his testicles and penis. When she finished with the cloth she allowed it to float away and continued to stroke him under the water.

Tom reached behind her and pulled the plug on the tub. They stood and dried each other off before Tom took her hand and lead her to the bed. Neither of them had said a word. They were looking into each other's eyes.

"Are you ready for this?" Tom asked.

"More than ready," Sybil replied in a quiet voice. She slid between the sheets with Tom right behind her.

He kissed her gently at first then with increasing passion as his erection continued to strengthen. He had been hard in the tub but now he was even harder. He had to remind himself over and over to take his time and bring her along with him. Sybil was returning his kiss and had her legs locked around his pulling him closer. He ran his lips down to her breasts, licking and sucking each in turn. He kissed her abdomen and ran his lips along her hips and down to her thighs. Sybil was twisting and moaning from his touch. She had been a walking ball of desire for the last six days and he was making her crazy with the wait.

Finally Tom returned to kissing her mouth. His fingers found her moistness. She was swollen beyond belief. He positioned himself to enter her and did it in one fluid movement.

"Aaa," Sybil gasped at her virginity tore away. Tom made to pull back and she wrapped her arms and legs around him not letting him move. "Wait," she whispered. Her body slowly relaxed enough to accept him inside her. He was full and thick and she felt full with every surface inside contacting him in some way. She kissed him and squirmed against him. Tom kissed her back deeply and began to move tentatively at first then with more confidence as Sybil began to respond. It was all he could do to hold on. Sybil was straining against him, pushing herself harder onto him and moaning her pleasure. Tom transferred his mouth to one nipple and reached between them to stroke her pleasure center with one finger.

"Oh," she cried as she grabbed his hair and drug his mouth up to hers. Her body clenched around him and trembled involuntarily as Tom let go his own orgasm and spilled him self into her. Their movements slowed and Tom moved to lie beside her and pull her into his arms. He lifted her hand with her wedding ring on it and kissed her wrist.

"Are you alright?" he asked.

"Yes," Sybil said hugging him slightly closer.

"You were a little hard on my hair," Tom said with a slight laugh.

"Did I hurt you?" Sybil said, stroking his hair and the side of his face.

"No, I didn't mind. it's nice to know that you were carried away."

"I love everything about us."

"Even the lying to your family?"

"Well, maybe not that so much."

"It will be over soon. Then we'll leave together."

"Mmm, together," Sybil sighed as she drifted off cuddled against him.