Epilogue

A month later they were married at the little church in Downton village. Rev. Travers was once again officiating and looked at Anthony nervously as Edith made her way down the aisle. Everyone relaxed as the service began and Anthony showed no signs of bolting. After spending a blissful six weeks travelling around Europe for their honeymoon, the happy couple returned to Locksley to begin building the life they had dreamed of for so long.

Edith did not go to Robbie's grave on the anniversary of his death that year. She was confined to her bed…Anthony insisted. Their baby was due just after Christmas and he would not listen to any discussion of her travelling. His firmness had both surprised her and warmed her. He feared for her, he'd explained, and for their baby. And once he had convinced her to stay home that year, he promised they would make a trip after the new baby was able to travel. "We won't forget Robbie," he'd told her earnestly. "How could we? He is a part of you…"

Philip George Anthony Strallan made his appearance the day before Christmas to the delight of his father. Once Dr. Clarkson was done checking mother and baby over, Anthony settled next to Edith on the bed and could not be pried away. She marveled at how long he could sit, leaning against their headboard, simply gazing down into the face of his son. His gaze of awe as she fed the baby made her self conscious, but in a decidedly wonderful way. And when his blue eyes looked up into her face, she could see his love. They both were so ecstatically happy that they would burst into little fits of giggles for no apparent reason.

One New Year's Day, as they all gathered at Downtown, Anthony hovered near his wife in case she might need anything. He was so attentive in fact, that the other men became a little uncomfortable and the other women were a tad jealous. It was easy to see how much Edith and Anthony loved one another and the little family circle they had created.

Robert stood in his customary spot by the fireplace, watching a particularly fond exchange of glances between the two and wondered how he could have ever stood in the way of their happiness. Glancing across at his mother, he saw that she too was thinking about that. "So how much longer will my new grandson be napping?" he asked finally, his chest puffed with pride.

"Not much longer, I should think, "Anthony replied. "We could go fetch him now, if you'd like" he suggested. It was obvious to everyone in the room that Anthony was as eager to see the baby as Robert. The two men disappeared through the door to the amusement of all who remained in the room.

Once they were out of earshot of the others, Robert's steps slowed and he reached out to Anthony's arm, stopping him. "I just wanted to say how very wrong I was…before….when I discouraged you away from Edith. Clearly her happiness hinges on you and always has."

Anthony listened patiently and nodded. "I believe you are correct, Robert. Even I did not realize how much we were tied to one another until after I walked away from her. And when I think how much she suffered as a result… but on the other hand, I believe her happiness now is possibly in part because of all that happened in between. But she is happy now and I intend to do everything I can to see that she remain so. There are some things in life that are inevitable and most surely I will precede her in death. But until that time, everything I do, every decision I make, will be with her happiness in mind…her happiness and the future of that little boy asleep upstairs."

Robert looked into the determined eyes of his son-in-law and flashed a quick, accepting smile. "Quite so… and speaking of that little boy…" he turned and led Anthony up the steps.

Anthony kept his promise and spent his life making Edith happy and they continued to have fun, as Edith wished. They had two more children, a daughter and then another son. When Anthony died in a bombing raid while in London during the second war to end all wars, his family mourned him deeply but none felt the emptiness more than Lady Strallan. A few months later when news came of the death of the younger son, Edmund, in battle she was devastated. But as heartbroken as she was, she also felt relief that Anthony had not lived to suffer through it. He had doted on all their children but Edmund had held a special place in his heart since the baby almost died even as he entered the world. Edith knew that the loss would have broken Anthony.

Her parents passed during the war years as well and Edith and her sister Mary nurtured the friendship they'd forged when Sybil had died. It was Edith that Mary turned to the following year when her own baby boy died in combat. Mary had declared that only Edith knew the heartbreak she felt. So the Crawleys and the Strallans continued as neighbors and as family, the cousins having grown up together and as the war ended, began to rebuild together.

Young Cora Ellen Strallan married the son of John and Anna Bates and made her mother quite happy when she produced a son the following year, Anthony John Strallan Bates. Edith smiled happily as the baby opened his eyes to her and stared with the startling blue of his grandfather's eyes.

The following year Philip married a young lady of society, the daughter of a duke. Edith moved to Crawley House in the village, which had been vacated by Cousin Isobel's death the year before. After living in the country house without Anthony, she was happy to be in the village where she might find more activity for her always active mind. But even as her children built their own lives and her life settled into an easy routine, Edith thought constantly of Anthony.

Her grandchildren grew up with memories of their grandmother sitting serenely by the window, gazing out into nothing, with a satisfied smile on her face. They knew of whom she was thinking in those moments. So it came as a surprise to no one that on the twenty-fifth anniversary of Anthony Strallan's death she should follow him, pursuing him as she had done so many years before; it was inevitable.

Everyone has been so supportive of this little story and I do appreciate it all. But this is the end of it. It has to be because I need to start thinking about the Christmas story I'm going to write. Perhaps I'll make it a part of the Flummoxed series, lol. Anyway, thank you for reading this one and all the wonderful comments. I'll be back soon;-)