Chapter 6

Another week or so passed and Mary was practically better – a few visits from Dr. Clarkson and a lot of comfort from Matthew had helped Mary along the way, and she was almost 100%, but Matthew still insisted she be cautious with herself, but she decided Sybil was more important than her, so she did obey Matthew – but barely. Sybil was going through labour and Mary felt so sorry for her. Mary knew Sybil was in pain and probably wanted to be left alone with Tom, but she went to check on her anyway – she couldn't leave her youngest sister to her own devices at a time like this. Mary knew her well enough to know that even a woman of her independence would not want to be left alone for a second now. When Mary walked in, Sybil seemed as relaxed as someone about to give birth could be. Tom had left to get changed for supper, so Mary sat next to her on the bed. "Mary, you'll ruin your dress – you'll make yourself untidy."

"I don't care, Sybil. Do you really think I'll find my dress more important than your first child? I know I'm vain, but you are more important than me at the moment."

"Wow, maybe I should have had children earlier!"

"I suppose if you did have children earlier I would have been a whole heap nicer to you in previous years. I think that when one of us – you, me or Edith – are ever about to be the happiest we've ever been we tend to stick together a whole lot more than we would otherwise. You know we do love you Sybil, dear. I know we don't often say it, but we do."

"Do you really think I'll be the happiest I've ever been?"

"After you've given birth and have got through the pain, I'm absolutely certain you'll agree with me. Just ask mama, look what children did to her happiness."

"I suppose you're right."

"Anyway, you've got Tom – if you had to have children everyone who knows you knows that you'd have them with Tom." Then, as if on cue he entered in his fancy clothes for the evening... or, Tom thought they were fancy, and Sybil was beginning to think that way too, but Mary stayed still true to the tradition that was buried deep within her.

"Tom..." Sybil said, just seconds before she screamed with pain.

"Sybil!" Tom worried, frantically rushing to sit next to her to offer her his hand to squeeze. Suddenly Dr. Clarkson and a nurse rushed in. After panicked questions from Tom, a few shrieks from Sybil and Mary stuck in the middle of it all, it soon became clear that nothing was happening (but Sybil protested that it was everything but nothing). Everyone was informed by Dr. Clarkson that nothing would happen for a while, and they were all advised to go and have supper. Tom refused, but after a lot of persuasion from Mary and the doctor he gave in.

Down in the dining room the family were just being served their main course when a nurse came down. Tom suddenly got, understandably, rather agitated, "Oh God, what's happening? Is it coming?"

"Not quite yet, Mr. Branson, but it won't be long now," the nurse answered before going on. "Lady Sybil would like Lady Mary, Lady Edith and Her Ladyship upstairs." Mary, Edith and Cora all rose to begin to ascend the stairs to their relative's room. Once the women were gone the men were left to talk amongst themselves, but all Tom could say was,

"I feel so helpless. I can't do anything."

"Don't worry, it will only last until your child is born, then she'll want you again!" Robert said, speaking from experience.

"I find it strange, actually, how men are so often so useless in situations like this," Matthew said, trying to lighten the general talk, but it didn't stop Tom from thinking about nothing but his wife and child. "Cheer up, Tom. Let's face it – if you were to go upstairs you would be blamed for putting her through this or you'd be kicked in places where you do not want to be kicked!"

"He's telling the truth..." Robert said, knowingly. The three of them chuckled quietly. Tom suddenly realised what Matthew had said,

"How do you know what women are like when they're giving birth, anyway? You and Mary have never had children."

"Well, my wife isn't about to give birth, so I still have the ability to think rationally – it's just common sense, but honestly, I can't blame you. When Mary gives birth I'd be surprised if my common sense didn't go out the window. No doubt once she's given birth you'll be there thinking, What was I thinking? and, How on Earth could I have decided to do that of all things?" Tom chuckled silently again, but he knew – as did Matthew and Robert – that it was filled with nerves and angst.

Meanwhile, up in Sybil's room all the ladies were there, including Anna, as she had brought up some things for Sybil simply as a 'just in case' – Anna was over preparing, just as she often over packed to prepare for the worst case scenario – her mother had always said that it's better to over prepare and not use everything, than to run out before you've finished. Sybil was getting ever closer to giving new life to the world and she was making it known through shrieks. She wanted her sisters and mother around when it came, and as much as she loved and wanted Tom, she knew that if he were there he would suffer. Anna came and went, as did the doctor and the nurse. The men finished dinner and all came upstairs – Tom refused to stay away any longer than he absolutely had to, but Matthew felt a bit awkward being there when his sister-in-law was giving birth, so he decided to hang around outside, and Mary used it as a chance to get some space. "The food is being warmed for you girls if you want some at some point tonight," Robert informed just as Mary walked out, but their minds were on everything but food. Everyone was in with Sybil, and it was getting closer and closer to the birth, so Dr. Clarkson and the nurse weren't planning on leaving any time soon and Anna had chosen to stay away and not to come back until the baby was born, so although Mary and Matthew were right outside a room where anyone could walk out at any minute, they felt safe and secluded enough to take the risk. "Is she alright? I do feel sorry for her," Matthew asked.

"She's about as fine as she could be, but it'll happen any minute I think. It certainly won't be long," Mary answered before looking as her husband as if to say, Kiss me. And he did. He knew her well, and leant in to kiss his wife, supporting her with a comforting arm and a loving hand on her back. She returned his kiss happily – after all, she was the one who'd asked for it in the first place – as she touched his cheek with one hand and placed her other on his chest. Just then, in the heat of the moment there came a cry from Sybil and the tiny sound of a newborn. Mary pulled away from Matthew and looked him in the eyes, and although she said nothing, Matthew knew her eyes were saying, Oh my God, Matthew, Sybil's given birth, I love you and I want to stay here and kiss you forever without stopping, but I really have to go and see Sybil. Mary hurried into Sybil's room where Sybil was concentrating on nothing other than Tom. Cora and Robert were standing together being a little lovey-dovey, but Mary went over to Edith to keep her company. Temporarily the two sisters, who were known for doing nothing but have arguments, were friends. Matthew also came in and stood by the door, slightly awkwardly. Everyone in that room had someone else to be with apart from him, but he wasn't about to complain to Mary for leaving him mid-kiss. He'd had his moment with her and her leaving him standing alone at this point in time was inevitable really. Sybil was her sister and even though Mary wasn't always the nicest person to Sybil (or to anyone for that matter), she knew this was a moment when everybody in the house would be nice – even the likes of O'Brien and Thomas downstairs.

The next day Sybil stayed in bed, but everyone was in her room again, just as it was when her daughter was born the night before, but there was no doctor or nurse this time, and there was Anna. Mary and Edith were sitting either side of Sybil on the bed, Matthew was with Mary standing behind her, Cora and Robert were standing together to the side of the bed, Branson was sitting right next to Sybil with the baby in between the two of them and Anna was going about her business, being invisible, just as normal. "Do you know what you want to call her?" Mary asked, but everybody in that room were dying to know.

"We thought Harriet," Tom answered, not lifting his eyes away from his wife and child.

"Harriet Sybil, we think," Sybil said, looking at everyone in the family. They all just smiled, "What do you think?" they were all speechless – Cora just shed a tear.

"You lot are hopeless you know!" Tom teased, and Sybil laughed.

"Stop it, don't make me laugh, it hurts!" Tom smiled at her and kissed her forehead. "What about you Anna? Or are you speechless too?" Sybil finished.

"I've always liked the name Harriet, and you can't go wrong with a good family name." Sybil smiled at her.

"She does look like a Harriet – it suits her in some way," Matthew finally answered.

"Yes, we thought so," Tom said, before kissing his daughter's head.

"You know what, we should leave you two... three... alone," Robert said. Everyone obeyed and one by one they left the room slowly. Anna was the last. She finished doing her duties – being as invisible as ever, and she was about to leave, but Tom stopped her,

"Anna?" She stopped in her stride and turned to face Tom, but didn't say anything, she just smiled. "It's just us, come here, take a look. Why should you never be allowed to see her just because you work here." Anna smiled and looked for Sybil for conformation.

"Oh, come here, Anna. We're not that scary, are we?" Sybil asked jokily.

"No, Milady," Anna replied as she walked over with a spring in her step. She wanted to see Harriet just as much as everybody else did. Once she was over by the bed Tom picked up Harriet to make it easier for Anna to see her. Anna clearly loved Harriet.

"Do you think you'll have any with Mr. Bates?" Sybil asked.

"It's hard to say, Milady. I want a family, and I hope to have one with him, but he isn't home yet," there was a long pause before Anna finished with, "She is gorgeous... um..."

Tom cut in, "Tom, please. There's no point in all that sir, Milord, Milady stuff."

"Well, either way, she's beautiful. Congratulations," there was a few second pause as Tom looked puzzled at Anna, "I mean it – congratulations. I'm not saying it just to be nice, I'm being honest!" Tom and Sybil laughed at Anna's words.

"Didn't I say it hurts to laugh?" Sybil said between breaths in laughing.

Thanks for all the support you've given me so far, but I really, really appreciate comments you know. I like knowing what people think of my work. I'm trying to keep this as my own story without incorporating too much from season 3, so, in case you were wondering (I'm trying not to give spoilers here), no, what happened to Sybil after she gave birth in the real thing will not happen here - sorry to disappoint some of you, but I love Sybil!