Epilogue
Edith would always remember her wedding day November 3, 1917 as a day when the sky's over Yorkshire had decided to let loose a torrential downpour. A sure sign of good luck and a happy life together, she had been assured numerous times by the guests at the wedding.
They had decided to stay at Downton until after the Christmas holidays then moved to one of the houses on the estate to allow Edith to continue to work with the estate manager and complete her studies. Mark received a conditional release from the military in January. He no longer had to wear a uniform and would be fully discharged from his commission once he was back in New Zealand. He was kept busy arranging contracts for the sheep operation back home. When he made trips away from Downton Edith accompanied him.
In the spring of 1918 Edith received her Associate Degree. They decided to wait until late fall to make the trip to New Zealand. The war was winding down. Once it was over, the treat of torpedo attack would end. Mark couldn't stand the thought of taking a risk with Edith's life so they decided to wait. They had the time and money to make side trips away from the estate and took every opportunity to do so. They spent most of the summer attending live stock shows and looking at different breeds of sheep Mark was contemplating incorporating into the operation back home.
"Not too dull, for you?" he asked her one-day after they had spent all morning and most of the afternoon looking at sheep.
"Never," Edith replied with a smile.
Before they left England a very pregnant Sybil and her husband had come to Downton to attend Mary and Matthew Crawley's engagement party. Matthew had been shot in the leg in the spring of that year and had proposed to Mary during his convalescence. This time she had accepted without any reservations.
The day Edith and Mark stepped off the ship in Christchurch Mark had looked at Edith and said, "I'm glad we're finally here. Now you won't be seasick all the time."
"I think I have another few months of that," she said with a shy smile.
"Why? The train south is slow but it doesn't sway….. Oh," Mark said finally catching Edith's meaning. He grabbed her in an embrace and hugged her then set her down quickly.
"I didn't hurt you did I?"
"No, you didn't hurt me. Are you pleased?"
"Delighted and may I say, Lady Edith, welcome to my homeland. Let's go order that tractor."