A/N: This chapter is dedicated to the amazing PiperHolmes for her birthday. I don't think I would be still writing S/T fic if it wasn't for you. I'm afraid that this is the best I could do with a mild concussion. Happy Birthday, my friend!
Unbeta'd. All mistakes are mine. Same universe as The Journey to Happiness and Branson and Crawley and one where Sybil and Matthew live and (which is a slight change from an earlier chapter of Branson and Crawley) is that Edith marries Sir Anthony in 3x03.
Disclaimer: Not mine. All Downton Abbey characters belong to Julian Fellowes and ITV. I'm just playing with them.
How Lord Grantham was Won Over
"Is the parlour swept?" asked Sybil, from the kitchen where she was making biscuits and cucumber sandwiches. "Mama and Papa will be arriving in the next half hour."
Tom, meanwhile, was frantically rushing around while Nora napped to make the cottage presentable to Sybil's parents who had been invited to tea that afternoon. "That's next, once I plump the pillows for the sofa." It wasn't that they didn't keep the cottage clean and livable. It just wasn't sufficient for the likes of visitors.
In the days that followed the cricket game, Sybil, Tom and Nora had settled into a happy routine at the cottage, with Sybil looking after their home and Nora, while Tom had worked with Matthew on modernizing the estate. Each evening when he had returned home from work, Tom had marveled at what Sybil had accomplished during the day. One day it had been new curtains for the kitchen. Another had been cutting the lawn with their push mower.
A telephone had been installed the week following the game and suddenly, the cottage wasn't very isolated at all. The first call had been to Tom's mother. Mrs. Branson had marveled that she could speak to her son and daughter-in-law just by going down to Mr. Walsh's store and paying for the call. While she couldn't fathom calling Downton Abbey, she had no compunction in calling the cottage each Sunday afternoon to speak with her son and to hear about how her granddaughter was doing.
As soon as Sybil put the biscuits into the oven, Nora's cries could be heard emanating from her room. "I'll get her, if you can arrange the cucumber sandwiches on the plate."
"Yes, love, once I finish sweeping," said Tom, while Sybil rushed past him to retrieve their daughter.
"The biscuits need to come out in five minutes," she called out just before entering the baby's room.
"Five minutes," said Tom, taking out his pocket watch to check the time. He then continued sweeping the parlour.
When Sybil returned with Nora in her arms, Tom was already in the kitchen taking out the biscuits from the oven. "How are they?
Seeing his wife with their daughter in her arms, he smiled. "They look and smell delicious."
Sybil then saw a movement out the kitchen window. Looking through, she sees her parents' motor stopping out front. "Looks like they're here. Let's go and greet them."
"I'll come after I've arranged the biscuits on a plate and put the kettle on the stove," said Tom. He was in no hurry to see Lord and Lady Grantham.
Sybil opened the door to find her parents descending the vehicle with the help of Pratt.
"Sybil," shouted the countess, making her way to the steps of the yellow cottage. "How is little Nora today?"
"She's doing fine, Mama," said Sybil, holding Nora out for her mother to see. "Just woke up from a nap not five minutes ago. Do come in."
Lady Grantham kissed Nora on the cheek before entering the house.
When her father walked past her, Sybil smiled at him though he did not return it. "Papa, so good to see you here." She leaned in to kiss his cheek and he entered without another word. She followed him in with Nora.
Inside the house, Tom was taking the countess's coat from her just past the entranceway.
"You've done wonderful things to this cottage," said Lady Grantham. "It feels so cozy. Rather like the house in Ohio where I was born."
"Please make yourselves at home," said Tom affably. "The parlour is just this way." After retrieving his mother-in-law's outerwear, he reached to take Lord Grantham's overcoat and hat.
Handing his hat to Tom, the earl absentmindedly said, "Thank you, Branson."
Tom plastered a smile on his face and moved to hang the outerwear on hooks in the entranceway.
Sybil moved past her parents with Nora and waited by the rocking chair by the fireplace. Once Tom had taken all their coats, the countess looked around the parlour and marveled at what they had accomplished in a few short weeks. "I love how this has all been arranged."
"It's very similar to how our flat was laid out in Dublin," said Sybil, sitting down once her mother had. "We're mainly using the first floor of the cottage. We don't use the upstairs aside from the lavatory."
"How is the telephone working?" asked Lady Grantham curious about her housewarming present.
"It's wonderful, Lady Grantham," said Tom enthusiastically. "My mother calls us every Sunday afternoon to keep her apprised of Nora. Thank you again."
"Tom, what have I told you about calling me Cora?" said the countess with a smile.
Lord Grantham, who to this point had said nary a word, spoke up before Tom could say anything. "So what's wrong if he wants to call you by your title, Cora?"
"He's family, Robert," the countess countered curtly.
"Tom, perhaps it's time to bring out the tea," said Sybil sweetly, bouncing Nora on her knee.
Looks were exchanged before Tom rose and headed to the kitchen.
Turning to her mother, she added, "I made fresh biscuits this afternoon."
"How delightful!" said Lady Grantham. Looking at her husband, who was still surveying the parlour, "Isn't it, Robert?"
"Delightful," said the earl, who was clearly uncomfortable in the cottage. Setting his eyes on Sybil, he asked, "Have you invited your grandmother to the cottage?"
"No, not yet, Papa," said Sybil. "We wanted you to visit first."
"Is that so?" asked Lord Grantham. "You may wish to wait until you've furnished the upstairs before you do. You wouldn't want to invite her to a half-finished house."
"Robert!" Lady Grantham looked at her ill-mannered husband.
At this juncture, Tom returned with a tray of tea things, biscuits and cucumber sandwiches and the next few minutes were filled with tea making. When Tom was finally settled into the chair across from Sybil with Nora on his lap, he asked, "Lad—Cora, would you like a tour of the cottage and the gardens after tea?"
"Of course," said the countess. "That would be wonderful."
"That would take what? Five minutes?" muttered the earl into his tea.
"Papa!" said Sybil, rightfully indignant. She stood up to face her father. "I know that you don't like us living at the cottage rather than at Downton, but it is our home—"
Lord Grantham stood at this juncture. "What home?" the earl thundered. "You can't even furnish the entire cottage. This is a charade."
"This is no charade," Tom countered forcefully when he stood up desperately trying to keep his temper in check. "I work with Matthew to help modernize your estate so that it can be profitable for you and those who depend on you. This cottage is part of my compensation. Just because we can't furnish it from top to bottom doesn't mean that it is not our home. We are trying to live within our means."
"Wouldn't it be better if you all lived at Downton?" the earl countered. "Where Elinor would want for nothing?"
"Papa!" said Sybil, glaring at her father. "Nora wants for nothing now and no, we would not prefer to live at Downton. The year in our flat taught us that we could live the way we wanted in our own home, where we could invite anyone we wish without having to consult with someone else first; where we are free to choose what we want for dinner. I would appreciate if you don't insult our home while you're visiting. If you would prefer, we will happily decamp from here and move to Liverpool where Tom's brother would be happy to take us in."
The countess stood up at this juncture. "Robert, we're leaving."
"I'm not finished," said Lord Grantham, not bothering to look at his wife.
"Yes, you are, Robert," said Lady Grantham in a tone that brooked no opposition. "Come this instant! Now!"
Tom placed Nora in her basket and walked toward the entrance way to retrieve Lord and Lady Grantham's outerwear, but the countess stopped him. "That won't be necessary, Tom. Robert and I will get our own coats and hats. Thank you for your hospitality." Turning to her daughter, she added. I'll call you later Sybil." She then proceeded to the hooks and took her own things. Quickly shrugging them on, she marched out of the house without waiting for her husband to follow.
Seeing that his wife had left, Lord Grantham quickly exited with his coat after placing the hat on his head.
After her parents left, Sybil turned to her husband who had picked up Nora again. "I'm sorry for my father's behaviour."
"Don't be," said Tom, who focused on entertaining Nora. "It's not your fault that your father is ill-mannered."
"Well, until he apologizes," said Sybil, sitting down on her rocking chair again and picked up her sewing. "We won't be setting foot in Downton or borrowing the Renault. We'll walk to Mass in Ripon, if we have to."
"I'll support you whatever you decide," said Tom, who let Nora chew on his finger while he drank his tea. "But I'm going to have to consult with Matthew at Downton on Monday. If we're not to set foot there, that might make it a touch difficult."
"If you have business with Matthew by all means, but we will not be attending any social engagements with Papa until he apologizes." Sybil then stabbed the cloth in her hand with ferocity. "The audacity to insult us in our own home!"
"Let's hope that Mrs. Crawley's visit tomorrow afternoon will go more smoothly," said Tom.
The weeks that followed, Sybil refused all invitations to dine at Downton. The countess had come for another tea on her own while Tom was at work the following week. Tom continued to work with Matthew as if nothing had happened, but declined all invitations for billiards. Tom and Sybil took Nora to Loxley for a picnic with Edith and Anthony the following Saturday where Edith announced that they were expecting and Anthony offered them the use of one of his older cars for their weekly jaunt to Ripon for Mass. At length, they invited everyone to the cottage in turn for tea or dinner including the Dowager Countess.
Soon after the older woman's visit in mid-November, a letter arrived at the cottage from Lord Grantham. In it, he apologized for his behaviour at the tea and invited them for a visit and a dinner at Downton. Sybil and Tom discussed at length whether to accept his apology and invitation. In the end, it took a call from Sybil's mother telling her that her father had been miserable since he calmed down later on but had too much pride to apologize until his mother called him and told him to apologize or only he was going to miss out on his first grandchild's life.
The day of the visit, Lord Grantham paced in the library until his wife told him to sit down. When Sybil, Tom and Nora were announced when they entered the library, he leapt up to greet his daughter and her family.
"I'm so glad you could visit," said the earl, kissing Sybil on the cheek. He even extended his hand for Tom to shake, which Tom did once he realized that his father-in-law was serious. "How is Nora?" her grandfather asked.
"She's doing well," said Sybil, noting that her father called her daughter Nora. "She started solid food last week. She loves her porridge."
"Excellent," said Lord Grantham. Turning to Carson, he asked, "Tea?"
"Yes, my lord," said Carson before leaving the library to retrieve tea. "Will little Miss Branson require anything?"
"If Mrs Patmore has any porridge leftover from breakfast?" said Sybil, smiling.
"I will ask Mrs. Patmore myself, Lady Sybil," said Carson, exiting the library.
"Thank you, Carson." Sybil then handed Nora to Tom before retrieving a bib from the bag of Nora's things.
Sitting across from the Bransons on the red sofa, Lord Grantham asked, "Tell me all about the things I've missed in Nora's life since September."
A/N2: Happy Birthday, Piper!