AN: Thank you so much for all the lovely reviews! It really keeps me going to see how many people like what I write (I always think that it isn't very good). So THANK YOU!

I know that the chapter titles are shown in a 'weird' way, e.g. it says ' 3'. Does anyone know how to get rid of that first number? Because I obviously don't. Would you please PM me if you do know that? That would be very nice :)

Have a good day everyone! (it is 5:40 am here :( )

Kat

Cora

She watches her daughter and Matthew return to the drawing room and knows by the looks on their faces that Mary didn't show Matthew any books in the library. She needs to talk to her eldest daughter about this, but she needs to talk to Edith too. Edith followed them, returned with a smug look on her face, smiled at Patrick and sat down next to him. They have been in deep conversation ever since. This surprises her because she always thought that Patrick had eyes for Mary only but that doesn't seem to be true anymore. What surprises her even more is the smile that Mary gives Edith when she sees her sister obviously flirting with the man who is supposed to be her future husband. She looks over to her own husband who at the moment she catches his eye gives her a look that says 'we'll talk about this later'. She smiles at him in thanks because she knows that he knows that she is bursting to talk to someone about this.

"What do you think is going on with those four?" She doesn't have to explain who she means. "Darling, I have no idea. But I might have to have a serious talk with Matthew. Sneaking of into the library with Mary. While Patrick is here too of all things."

"I don't think that Patrick minded too much, to be honest. Maybe the affection between Mary and Patrick isn't one sided anymore. Maybe it has dissolved into nothingness." Her husband pulls a face at this.

"But they need to get married."

"Do they really, Robert? Does it matter which of our daughters he chooses as long as he chooses one of them?" Her husband smiles at her.

"No, I don't think so. Does that mean that you think that he might be interested in Edith?"

"Yes, I am almost sure."

"That would solve a few problems. Edith is in love with him. She's loved him for years." She is surprised by her husband's bland statement about their daughter's feelings.

"But it would also create at least two new problems. Mary would lose the title she was sure to have and we would have to find a suitable husband for her within the next few years."

"Well, you are an expert at finding suitable husbands", he says while he moves closer to her.

"Really?"

"Yes. You found me. For yourself. And I am very suitable." He pushes her towards their bed and she has to smile.

"I'll be the judge of your suitabilty." She lets herself be pushed onto their bed and is surprised when her husband suddenly moves away from her.

"Enter", he says. She rolls her eyes.

"Oh Papa, I am sorry, I didn't know you were in here."

"No Edith, how could you know this after having lived with us for more than 18 years?"

Her daughter looks so abashed that Cora feels sorry for her despite the exasperation Edith' untimely interruption causes her. "Edith, don't mind your father. He is a little impatient tonight." She has to bite her lower lip to not burst out laughing when she sees how red her husband becomes at that statement. But she is almost sure that Edith didn't understand the double meaning. She is sure that Mary certainly and that Sybil probably would have understood, but Edith is too innocent. "What do you want, darling?"

"Mama, Patrick has proposed to me."

"What did you say?"

"I said yes."

"Congratulations my dear."

"Are you happy for me, Papa?" Her middle daughter turns to Robert, obviously begging for approval. "If that is what you both want, then yes. I am happy for you. Your sister Mary might not be too happy for you though."

"I don't care about Mary."

"Edith, that is unkind. But let's not talk about that tonight. I suppose that Patrick will talk to me tomorrow."

"He said so."

"Then go to bed, darling. Dream of your wedding."

"Good night Mama, Papa", she says and leaves the room.

"We are in for a great war among sisters, Robert."

"I know. But what are we supposed to do? Tell Edith she can't marry Patrick? Force him and Mary to marry? They'd all be miserable. And you said yourself that it doesn't matter which one of them he marries. This all just happened much faster than we thought it would. Let's not worry about that right now though. You were right when you said that I was impatient tonight."

She pulls her husband back into their bed and stops thinking.