When Sybil returned to Downton, she felt torn between two worlds. One world consisted of her family and all the formality of the aristocratic life. While she loved seeing her family, Sybil realized how much she had changed. She was no longer so comfortable in that world. She much preferred the informality of her Dublin world.
To Sybil, dinners at Downton were stilted affairs. It didn't matter if there were 15 people or just the family it was always the same: Evening dress. Being waited on by footmen. Seven or eight courses with plates and silverware for each.. A different wine with each course. Polite conversation often very sedate and usually boring.
Oh how she had come to enjoy the Branson family dinners. Everyone squeezed around the table helping themselves to platters of food set in the middle of the table. Conversation fast and lively with Mrs. Branson's only rule being no swearing.
Or better yet were the quiet dinners with just her and Tom at their small flat. While her cooking had improved the dinners were more memorable for the conversation rather than the food. Sybil still delighted in the simple things of her new life such as deciding what food to prepare. Occasionally after an especially grueling day at the clinic Sybil would shower and change into her night clothes before preparing dinner. She laughed at the thought of coming to dinner at Downton in her nightgown. "Now that would really give Granny and Papa something to talk about."
Sometimes they'd eat sitting on the sofa in the living room instead of at the kitchen table. With Claire now being a bit older, dinnertime often found her sitting on either her or Tom's lap happily trying to taste their food.
"Oh heavens!" thought Sybil if her family could see that scene. Infants and toddlers were never brought into Downton's dining room. Actually one had to be at least twelve before being allowed to eat with the family at dinner. Even then one had to have had several lessons with Carson on proper dining etiquette and pass such lessons in order to be allowed a place at the table.
Sybil and Tom had planned their arrival at Downton for late afternoon. That way after tea in the library, they could plead tiredness and retire to their room for the evening. There they could have some semblance of home – they'd eat dinner, play with Claire, bathe her and read to her before she fell asleep. At least one evening of their visit would not be spent in formal attire dining on an eight course meal.
Three nights later was a beautiful summer evening just perfect for dining al fresco. After clearing her plans with her mother, Sybil asked Mrs. Patmore to pack a simple picnic dinner. Early evening found Sybil, Tom and their 13 month old daughter sitting on a blanket spread on the front lawn enjoying their simple dinner of half a roast chicken, two kinds of cheese, freshly baked bread, and an assortment of crudities. And of course there were freshly baked biscuits which Claire was especially fond of.
Matthew and Mary were the first ones down to the drawing room. Looking out the window a smile crossed Matthew's face as he spied Sybil, Tom and baby Claire having a picnic.
"I guess Sybil and Tom aren't joining us this evening" Matthew stated.
Mary joined him at the window. "What are they doing? Eating on the lawn? Oh heavens, Granny and Papa will have a field day with this".
"Well, I can hardly blame them for not wanting to join us after last night's dinner" Matthew replied.
Matthew chuckled as he watched 13 month old Claire, who was just starting to walk, toddle back and forth between Tom and Sybil. They looked like such a happy family. They looked like what he hoped he and Mary and their unborn child would soon look like.
Mary intently watched her younger sister and her family. "How different my child will be raised" thought Mary. But she couldn't deny that Sybil glowed with happiness.
Meanwhile, Cora was just finishing dressing when she looked out her bedroom window. Cora smiled when she saw Sybil, Tom and the baby enjoying their picnic. Last night's dinner had been especially trying for not only Tom but Cora and Sybil as well. Robert and even Violet had seemed to be deliberately trying to provoke Tom. Cora wasn't surprised when Sybil had approached her at tea about letting them have a picnic instead of attending dinner with all the family. Cora stayed at the window watching Sybil, Tom and Claire for several minutes. Although she wasn't initially pleased with Sybil's decision to marry the family chauffeur, Cora could see how happy her daughter was and this pleased her very much.
Down the hall from Cora, Edith was also looking out her bedroom window. Although she tried not to show it, Edith was envious of her younger sister. Sybil had followed her heart and chosen her own path, a path that led to a happy marriage and now a darling daughter. Edith smiled while looking at them enjoying the evening. One day, she thought, one day, I'll have that happy family.
The meeting had taken much longer than Robert thought it would and he wasn't sure he'd arrive back at Downton before Carson rang the dinner gong. As the car approached the house he couldn't believe his eyes. There on the lawn was his daughter, her husband, and his granddaughter sitting on a blanket and eating. He rolled his eyes in disbelief. What had happened to Sybil? Why couldn't she act like the lady she had been raised as? Well at least he wouldn't have to suffer through another meal with his radical Irish son-in-law.