A/N: It's now Good Friday 1919. Thanks so very much for all the reviews, etc., I received since I last posted. Every single one is greatly appreciated. I always love hearing from my readers about the story good or bad. Please feel free to point out typos or grammatical errors. Sometimes no matter how hard you or your betas look, something gets missed. :) As always, many thanks to my ever patient betas, Tripp3235 and mswainwright.

Disclaimer: Not mine. All Downton Abbey characters belong to Julian Fellowes and ITV. I'm just playing with them.

Chapter 14

The next morning Tom arrived at his mother's a little after nine o'clock in the morning with the aspirin in hand. Since it was Good Friday, Connor was cleaning the windows, while Cathleen swept and Sybil was just drying the last of the breakfast dishes. Meanwhile Mrs. Branson was in the kitchen sorting out ingredients to go into the fish soup for tonight as Sybil watched.

"Well, I start by looking in the cupboards to know what I have and what I need, then we go to get the fish and the rest," explained Mrs. Branson. "We have Mass at three in the afternoon, so we'll need to have everything ready by two so that we can get ready and leave by half past to get a good seat."

"Good morning," said Tom as he walked into the main area.

When she realized he was there, Sybil went over to give him a quick kiss on the cheek and said, "Good morning, Tom." As he put the package in his hand on the table, he said, "I picked up the aspirin." Sybil goes back to her spot by the stove to watch the cooking.

Not even bothering to look over her shoulder, Mrs. Branson said, "I forgot to give it to you yesterday, Tom, but there's a letter here for you from The Dublin Times on the table. Came about a week ago."

"Thanks, Ma," said Tom. "Must be details about my interview. I told Mr. Connolly that I was in transit this week and asked him to send me the details here." As Tom opened the letter, he asked, "How is everything going here?"

"Very well," said Sybil with a smile as she looked at Tom from her spot beside Mrs. Branson at the stove. "I've been helping out with chores and your mother is teaching me how to get tonight's dinner ready."

"Well, I have the interview on Friday the 25th at two in the afternoon," said Tom as he scanned the letter. "So it looks like we have a week to get other things settled. Do we still bank at Munster and Leinster? We need to open some accounts there."

"Yes," said Mrs. Branson. "They moved down the street last year, so it will be convenient, but they'll be closed today what with it being Good Friday."

"Is there anything we can get done this morning?" asked Tom. "We need to go see the church you found, get our banking sorted out, look at the place your cousin has for us, get some furniture together. Am I missing something?"

"Yes," said Sybil as she smiled at him. "We'll have to sort out the wedding breakfast, furnish our home and find me a job."

As Mrs. Branson limped to the table to sit down, she brought a pencil and a pad of paper with her and said, "What with it being Easter and all, the banking, the flat and the job will have to wait until next week and there's no point in looking at furniture until you've settled on a flat. You can probably go to the church tomorrow, it's just outside Rathgar so you'll need to take a cab there. I wouldn't worry too much about the wedding breakfast. There's a hall associated with the church that you can use if you're marrying there and for the food, that's what family's for. Just leave that to me."

"Mrs. Branson," said Sybil as she dried a pot. "As we mentioned last night, my parents and sisters are planning to attend the wedding now and my mother has expressed a wish that she manages the wedding breakfast, though I do like the idea of having it in the church hall. I hope you don't mind."

"Not at all," said Mrs. Branson. "It's good to hear that your family has shown some interest in the proceedings. Let me know if your mother requires any help."

"Thank you," said Sybil with a smile as she looked at Tom before putting the pot away. "I'm sure that she will need some help in order to get organized before my family arrives."

"Good, good," said Mrs. Branson as she started jotting down items into a list. "Now, Sybil, what do you know about grocery shopping?"

Drying her hands on a towel before walking to the table, Sybil said, "Nothing at all. Aside from some childhood experiences with cooking, I had never cooked before I decided to train to be an auxiliary nurse and while I was on training, the food was made available to us for breakfast and tea while luncheon and dinner were both prepared meals." Sybil could hear Cathleen and Connor giggling at her lack of experience but she maintained her composure.

When Mrs. Branson heard, she looked up from her list said with a slightly raise tone to no one in particular, "Laughing isn't getting this house cleaned and what did I tell you both about eavesdropping? Get back to your chores if you know what's good for you and when you're done I better find the windows sparkling and the floor good enough to eat off."

Connor and Cathleen could be heard scrambling to get back to their chores. Sybil now understood why Tom was always so neat and tidy.

Tom looked at his mother and said, "Why don't I go help them? Do you still keep the mop and pail in the same place?"

"Yes," said Mrs. Branson. "Thank you, Tom. You might knock some sense into the two of them. They've been working on the same set of windows and sweeping the same small area since they finished breakfast. At this rate, they won't be done by the time we go to Mass."

Turning back to Sybil, Mrs. Branson continued as if nothing untoward had occurred, "Then I guess you'll have your first lesson in food shopping later this morning. Today, you can watch and learn. In the following weeks, you can start making purchases. By the time, you're married, I suspect that you should be able to go and get groceries on your own. Does that work for you?"

"Of course," said Sybil. "I appreciate any help you can provide."

"Good," said Mrs. Branson. "Why don't you sit down beside me and we'll go over the list of groceries we will need for tonight."


At half past two, the house was sparkling, the fish soup was done and being kept warm, and the whole family was dressed in their good clothes and ready to head out for the church service. Connor, Tom and Sybil waited for Mrs. Branson and Cathleen to lock up on the front stoop. Connor looked almost exactly like Tom, except for being smaller and having brown eyes.

"So Connor," asked Tom as he stood on the top step. "What are your plans for when you're done with school in a few years?"

"I'd like to learn a trade like you did," said Connor as he leaned on the stoop. "I don't want to work on the docks like Ciaran does. What with strikes being threatened all the time, you don't know any stable employment. Working in a factory like Cathleen does is not exciting enough."

"So you'd rather go into service like I did?" asked Tom as he looked at his younger brother.

"No," said Connor as he looked at Tom and Sybil. "I want to design and fix airplanes."

"And you think designing and fixing airplanes is steady employment?" asked Tom.

"What with the advancements we've seen during the war," said Connor eagerly. "There's bound to be people who want to used them more and more. "Don't you think? I read it's a growing industry."

"Growing industry?" said Tom as he raised an eyebrow at the term. "Where did you learn terms like that?"

"It was in a newspaper article that I read," said Connor with some pride. "They were saying that in ten years, planes will be used by everyone who wants to travel."

"Well, I hope you're keeping up on your mathematics and all," said Tom. "You'll need that to know to understand combustion and aerodynamics."

"And I do," said Connor, getting more comfortable talking with a brother he hadn't seen in almost half his life. "I got first place in mathematics last year at school and I'm aiming to do that again this year."

"Have you thought of going to university?" asked Sybil, who felt invested in this young man's education.

"Nah, how will that help?" scoffed Connor. "It's all just book learning. I want to work with my hands."

"Well, university would provide concepts beyond what you're learning in school and would give you a better foundation in the sciences to make better designs," said Tom backing Sybil up.

"How would I afford it?" said Connor with a shrug.

"Well, getting first place in mathematics two years in a row would certainly allow you to apply for scholarships," said Sybil. "There must be some here. My parents have an endowment at the University of York for boys in Yorkshire who excel in mathematics. My grandparents have several of them at Harvard University in America for a litany of subjects."

"You think so?" asked Tom. University was not something his family could afford. As much as he had wanted to go when he was a little older than Connor, there was just no money for it so he learned a trade and went into service.

"Most definitely," said Sybil. "You have to know to look though, but universities have brochures listing them. My parents get them every year to show that their endowment is being advertised. It can't hurt to ask."

"What's this about university?" asks Mrs. Branson, who just came out to the stoop.

"I was just telling Connor that with his grades in mathematics," said Sybil. "He should consider applying for a scholarship at university. If he wants to design and fix airplanes for a living, then a university degree would go a long way. There are endowments at universities that generate scholarships which are targeted to specific groups."

"Hm, more book learning," said Mrs. Branson. "We better get going if we want to get a good seat at Mass."


After Mass, a number of people came up to them to talk to Tom and to find out who Sybil was. They met more cousins, friends and neighbours than Sybil could keep track. To avoid bringing up the subject of her status, she was just introduced as Sybil Crawley and everyone just assumed that she was a Miss once they learned that she was a nurse in the war. After Mrs. Branson ushered them on their way, Tom and Sybil lagged a bit behind Mrs. Branson, Cathleen and Connor to get some privacy.

"I need to get you a ring," said Tom as he stole a glance at her as they walked down the street with Sybil holding on to his arm. "I'm tired of people thinking that you're available since you have none."

"Are we jealous?" asked Sybil with a smile.

"Perhaps a little," admitted Tom.

"You know you don't need to be," said Sybil as she smiled up at him. "After all it took to get us to this point, I'm yours forever."

"My head knows that," said Tom. "But my heart has a mind of its own."

"How can I show you that I will be true to you?" asked Sybil.

"Marry me?" asked Tom.

"We need to have the banns read, remember?" said Sybil. "I don't want to marry someone who might already be taken." Sybil winked at Tom when he looked at her.

"And exactly where could I have hidden a wife for all those years in Yorkshire," said Tom.

"I don't know? You had a cottage," said Sybil as she played along.

"You've been in my cottage many times," said Tom, giving her a look. "Where would I have hidden her?"

"Perhaps in the chimney?" suggested Sybil with wry smile.

"Oh and what would happen when I should light a fire?" asked Tom.

Sybil said the first thing that came to her mind. "Maybe under the bed then?"

"And where would my valise have gone?" asked Tom, feeling that he was getting the upper hand.

"Very well," said Sybil with a pout. "You don't have a wife then. Spoil sport."

"And who's been accusing me of being already married?" asked Tom.

"I love you regardless," said Sybil with her best innocent face.

"I know you do," said Tom as he leaned in to give her a kiss.

As they broke the kiss, Tom asked, "How are you finding Ireland?"

"It's rather hard to determine from your mother's home and from going to Mass on Good Friday," said Sybil as she looked at the ground. "Ask me again in a few months when we've settled down."

"Ma mentioned that you're sharing Cathleen's room with her," said Tom. "Has she talked your ear off yet?"

"No," said Sybil. "Cathleen's been an angel."

"Wait a few weeks," said Tom. "You'll be happy to be marrying me and moving into our new home. On the subject of marrying me, when did you want to visit the church tomorrow? Morning? Afternoon?"

"If I say morning, what could we do in the afternoon?" asked Sybil.

"I could show you some of Dublin, if you'd like," said Tom. "You know we will be very busy next week before the interview and then I hope to be working after that. We'll still have to procure furniture for our new home as well as get ready for the wedding. So we might as well spend some time together before the hustle and bustle forces us in different directions."

"I'd like that," said Sybil with a smile.

"I can't wait until we're married and we don't have to spend nights apart," said Tom wistfully.

"I'm looking forward to that as well," said Sybil shyly.

Quickly catching on to her meaning, Tom stopped walking and turned to look at her. Putting his free hand to caress her cheek, he said, "That wasn't what I was referring to when I said it, but I am looking forward to that aspect as well." Leaning in, he gave her a kiss and when she responded in kind, a fire runs through them both awakening the longing that they felt but had suppressed in the last week with packing and traveling. They broke apart not to much later as they were still in the middle of the street in broad daylight.

The first to regain his senses, Tom said rather huskily, "Would you care to have a picnic tomorrow afternoon instead? I know of a beautiful park with some secluded areas for picnicking near where we are going."

Looking up at Tom, Sybil said, "I'd like that immensely. I have missed our time alone together."

Seeing that his family was well ahead of them, Tom said, "Let's catch up before they wonder what we've been doing."


After dinner, Tom made his departure, promising to return early the next morning so that they could pack for the picnic before heading to the church. Sybil then helped with cleaning up. As Sybil was getting ready for bed, she noticed that Mrs. Branson had her glasses on and was looking puzzled at the fine print on the bottle of aspirin.

"Would you like help with that, Mrs. Branson?" asked Sybil.

Looking up to see Sybil, Mrs. Branson said, "Please. I can read the words, but they make little sense to me."

Taking up the bottle, Sybil quickly read the direction and they were the same dosage as the ones she had worked with in England. "I realize that this bottle says three tablets, but I would recommend starting with one and if you don't find it sufficient to move to two before trying three. We found in some cases when supplies were low that one tablet was sufficient with much fewer side effects."

"Side effects?" asked Mrs. Branson. "What are side effects?"

"Well, yes," said Sybil. "Since this is an acid, sometimes people experience heartburn or acid indigestion. Many medicines have such side effects and it's the weighing between the benefits versus side effects that decides whether a medicine is worth taking for an ailment. Does that make sense?"

"Yes, it does," said Mrs. Branson. "Thank you, dear. My knee is acting up again tonight especially with the shopping and walking to Mass today."

After a short pause, Sybil said, "Something I've been meaning to talk to you about but I'm not certain how to approach it."

"What is it?" asked Mrs. Branson, looking at her from above her reading glasses.

"I'd like to make a contribution to the household budget while I'm staying here," said Sybil as she wringed her hands nervously.

"But you've been helping out thus far with the chores," said Mrs. Branson as a matter of fact.

"As I should," said Sybil. "I'll have some money once we've been to the bank and I'd like to pay for my share of the expenses."

Mrs. Branson said, "You're family and this is what we do for family."

"But I don't want to be a burden," said Sybil.

"You're not a burden and I won't take your money," said Mrs. Branson as she took out one pill from the bottle. "You'll need it to set up your household."

"I-" started Sybil.

"I insist," said Mrs. Branson as she got up to get a glass of water to take the aspirin.

"Very well then," said Sybil as she looked to the ground. "Good night, Mrs. Branson." Sybil then walked to the bedroom she shared with Cathleen to change for bed.

"Good night, Sybil."

A/N2: Well, next is the visit to the church to set the wedding date. I'd love to hear what you think of this chapter good or bad, so please do review. :)