A/N: I struggled a bit with this chapter, but finally I like it. Enjoy! ;-))
P.S. I love Thomas (Branson) !
"Edith dear, but I feel so bad... I'm afraid you have to go to the opera with Sybil and her husband alone."
Edith felt pity for her aunt, who fetched a terrible cold. "I'm so sorry for you, aunt Rosamund" she replied therefore. She had been very excited about this evening and thankful to her aunt that she wanted to give her the opportunity to spend an entertaining evening.
"Thank you, girl! But please don't let my cold spoil you all the enjoyment" Rosamund answered. She coughed badly. It took awhile until she was able to speak again.
"However, I think, we shouldn't waste the seat. This might be a very good opportunity to invite a friend" she suggested with a smile. "A very dear friend."
"A letter arrived for you some minutes ago, Sir" the butler said shortly after the welcome.
Sir Anthony looked at the envelope and recognized the handwriting. Apparently Lady Edith had sent him some lines. He had no idea, what it could be about as they had just met each other for walk the day before, but the best way to find out was to read the letter.
Dear Sir Anthony, she wrote, it seems very odd to bother you in this matter and in such hurry, but my aunt Rosamund became ill and won't therefore be able to join me, my sister and my brother in law for tonight's opera performance. I remember a concert we attended together years ago. As I recall it right, you used to be very fond of this kind of music. So, would you do me the favour to accompany us to tonight's performance? If so, we would come to meet you at 7 pm. Yours sincerely, Edith Crawley
Of course, Sir Anthony loved to accompany Lady Edith. The only problem was the lack of time to the mentioned meeting. He had to hurry.
"What is it?" Sybil asked. "You loved this dress. Why do you want to change now again?"
Actually it was her sister's third or even fourth attempt to find the perfect dress for this evening. Heavens, it was an opera performance, not a reception at the court. Sybil recognised at once, how much she had change during the past months. She had used to be focussed at the same things Edith still did. It wasn't that she didn't cared about clothing anymore, but it somehow lost its overwhelming importance.
"I think I'll wear this" Edith finally decided. She looked pretty in the coral-coloured dress, which was slightly sequined. "Do you like it?"
Sybil suspected that it wouldn't matter, if she liked her sister in that dress or not, but she nodded, especially because this gown suited Edith perfect. "Now hurry" she said. "Otherwise we will be late."
Edith collected her gloves and her evening bag from the dressing table and took a last look in the mirror. She loved what she saw and hoped for certain recognition.
She had been very excited, when she received Sir Anthony's answer to her letter earlier this evening. He wrote about being grateful that she had remembered the concert (even, if it had been such a long time ago) as well as about indeed loving opera music. She had read his lines several times, but it was the last sentence that made her heart overflowing. So, I would be delighted to spend this evening in your lovely company, dear Lady Edith. It was silly, she was aware of this, because it was obvious that he was only being polite, but the idea of him longing to spend time with her in the same way she did made her inordinately happy.
With this feeling still comfort her, Edith hurried downstairs. Sybil and Tom already waited in the hall.
"You look gorgeous" Edith's brother in law said as he caught sight of her. In addition he gave an appreciative whistle.
"Thomas", his wife rebuked him.
"I'm sorry" he immediately apologised, but his grin from one ear to the other indicated the contrary. It made Edith blush.
"We should hurry now" Sybil warned.
"Feels aunt Rosamund a bit better?" Edith asked. She panicked a bit and felt terrible nervous.
"Don't worry" her sister replied. "Mama is with her and granny cancelled a visit." Lady Cora had always been a perfect nurse for her little daughter, when they had been ill. She had always personally taken care. So, surely she would take good care for aunt Rosamund.
Sir Anthony wasn't exactly the dear friend aunt Rosamund had had in mind during their talk earlier. Therefore Edith would be glad to avoid any further conversation before the performance. There would be enough explanations to be made tomorrow.
"Well, then, ladies, off we go." Tom made an inviting gesture.
Anthony Strallan was astonished by Lady Edith's appearance. Her gown emphasized her charming guise. She seemed to glow from inside. He'd love to quote from a poem – only to himself, but he wasn't able to concentrate on thinking about it. He felt somehow paralysed by her beauty. Together with Lady Sybil's husband he accompanied both women to their box seating and assisted them to decide from which the view was the best.
Edith felt a bit disappointed. Sir Anthony seemed being very reserved on this evening. When she looked at him, he smiled back, but he hardly spoke. He was gentle, attentive and participated politely on all conversations, but she missed their closeness of the days before as well as of his last letter. What was wrong?
The performance started and it became a splendid and enjoyable evening. The music sounded marvellous. The singers were superb. Sometime during the second act Sybil noticed that her sister's hand rested slightly on Sir Anthony's arm. None of both seemed to recognise it. They appeared very concentrated on the music and of what happened on stage.
When Edith started to cry a bit during the grand finale, Sir Anthony immediately offered his handkerchief. Both were so familiar and such a perfect match that Sybil started to wonder, why her mother and her granny were still discussing her sister's prospects. Sybil remembered that there had been something between Edith and Sir Anthony before the war, but she could hardly recall any details.
"I admit this was marvellous" Sir Anthony said while they drove home. "Thank you for having me to take part!"
Edith, who sat with Sybil in the back seat, smiled. She met his eyes in the driving mirror.
"You're right" Sybil agreed. "I enjoyed it too."
"Much singing" Tom replied. "Too much singing all about."
Now Edith laughed aloud. "I always thought the Irish would be very keen about singing."
Tom answered her laughter. "More in pubs I'd say or in church than in opera houses."
"The traditional Irish music is full of the same issues tonight's opera was about, I think" Sir Anthony contributed. "Happiness, mourning, revenge and love."
A further glance was sent to him from the back. He replied by looking at her through mirror. His astonishing blue eyes appeared to take away all her doubts. Edith felt happy and comfortable. She was afraid that these feelings would disappear the next morning, but she was determined not to give up.
"Edith, didn't you hear me?" Sybil interrupted the deep thinking. "Did you like the soprano also so much?"
"Yes, she was excellent." Edith said and tried to resist the temptation to look into the driving mirror again. She automatically made conversation, but she was elsewhere with her thoughts. From time to time she caught a smile from Sir Anthony, which made her longing to speak to him alone. Maybe the next day would bring an opportunity.
Finally the car reached Sir Anthony's house and he said goodnight. Edith felt sorry about the quickly past evening. She felt sad and was thrilled at the same time.
"Edith, you shouldn't waste this opportunity" Tom said out of the blue. "This guy's completely nuts about you."
"Thomas!" Sybil burst out while her sister blushed in deep red.
"What?" he protested from the front. "I was only naming the obvious."
His wife hit him with her fan. "You know that there are things, which shall not be named as obvious they might be. Remember?"
Tom murmured something cloudy, but Edith didn't want a row between them. "How obvious is it?" she asked.
Her brother in law laughed. "From his side or from yours?" he simply asked back, while Sybil suggested: "Let us talk later, dear, without any male interference."
She embraced her sister's shoulder and offered some comfort.