A/N: It's now Easter Sunday. Thanks so very much for all the reviews, etc., for the last chapter. It's always lovely to hear what people think of the story. Please feel free to point out typos or grammatical errors (especially those pesky verbs in the wrong tense that crop up every so often). 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 16
Easter Sunday was a whirlwind of activity. After Mass, both Ciaran and Mairin brought their families to the Branson home for a late luncheon that Mrs. Branson started at five in the morning and everyone helped with before they left. Fitting nine adults and the two youngest at the main table was tight though Mairin was often dealing with her brood at the children's table rather than eating, but everyone managed and it was over quickly as groups spilled onto the sofa and chairs all over the flat while Cathleen and Connor did the dishes.
Sybil and Tom eventually found themselves on the sofa talking to Mairin who was very intrigued by the girl her brother brought back with him to Ireland but had not the opportunity to meet her before today.
"What made you choose nursing?" asked Mairin from the sofa chair as she was trying to entertain her youngest who was teething.
"I wanted to be useful and do real work and my cousin, who is a nurse, suggested that I train as an auxiliary nurse," said Sybil making polite conversation with Tom's eldest sister. "With her connections, she was able to get me into a training course shortly thereafter when someone else dropped out. When I completed my training, and started at the hospital in the village, I found that I truly liked the work. Funny how something I did out of duty became something I truly enjoyed."
As Mairin held a toy for the baby to chew, she said, "I worked as a seamstress before my third came along. Ma looked after the older boys when they were young, but found three too difficult to keep up with, so now I do the occasional bit when Ma has too much on her hands, but I don't miss it like Ma did. I much prefer to look after the little ones. So-"
At this moment, a shriek came from one of the bedrooms followed by great wailing. Mairin instinctively knew that it was one of hers as her niece, Maeve, was the only other child there and was playing quietly with her grandmother at the table. Looking at Sybil, she said, "Excuse me." She then handed the babe on her lap to Tom and said, "Watch Deirdre for me while I sort this out."
"Of course," said Tom as he took Deirdre and her toy from his sister and proceeded to entertain her.
Sybil was fascinated. Being the youngest with no close relations with young children meant that she didn't have many opportunities to interact with babies and here was Tom looking quite comfortable handling one.
"How did you get so comfortable handling a baby?" asked Sybil. Despite the two younger siblings Tom had, it never occurred to her that he knew how to handle infants.
In between gently bouncing Deirdre on his knee and making silly faces at her, he said, "You forget that Cathleen and Connor are both more than ten years younger than I am. I helped Ma with them often as I was still in school and living at home. It's fairly easy once you sort out what a baby likes. Did you want to hold her?"
"May I?" asked Sybil, slightly nervous but yet drawn to the infant.
"Mairin won't mind," said Tom as he handed the babe over. "She didn't give her to you because she didn't think you'd want to hold her and didn't want to impose. Now gently bounce her bottom with the arm underneath her."
"Like this?" asked Sybil as she awkwardly handled the child.
"Not so much," said Tom with a smile. "Alternatively, hold her under the arms and gently bounce your knee like this." Tom adjusted Deirdre to be facing Sybil. "She's old enough to hold up her own head so you can do this instead. Smile with your teeth and make some funny faces."
With Tom's direction, Sybil was able to make Deirdre laugh eventually and kept her entertained while Mairin dealt with one of her older children.
After about ten minutes, Mairin came back and sat down on the sofa chair and made no effort to take the baby from Sybil. Sitting down and making herself comfortable, Mairin adjusted her clothing a little and said, "Ma said that you were planning to have the wedding on Niamh's first half day in June."
"Yes," said Tom as he watched Sybil play with the baby. "At a small church in Rathgar. Ma and Cathleen found it for us."
"Why can't you be married at the local parish?" asked Mairin who felt that the only true church was the one in Rome.
"They have a residency requirement," said Tom, who knew that his eldest sister might have a problem with them marrying outside of the Catholic church. "And we didn't want to wait six months before getting married."
"Why didn't you just go to the registrar's office then, if you're in such a hurry?" asked Mairin as her next youngest toddled over wanting to get on her lap.
"We want a church wedding," said Tom. It was now his turn to defend their decisions. "And we wanted at least some family to attend. When we made the decision in March to marry in Dublin, we didn't think that Sybil's family would approve of us and so I thought my sisters would be happy if we married here."
"I wouldn't miss your wedding for the world," said Mairin as she picked up her young son and placed him on her lap. "And I'm very happy you're back in Dublin. I just feel it ought to be at the local parish, not some small church in Rathgar."
"Well, you and Kevin married at the local parish." Tom shot back. "Sybil and I will be married in Rathgar."
"That's entirely your choice," said Mairin, "But you know that Da would not have been happy."
"You know Da and I never saw eye to eye on this matter," said Tom. "And it was Ma who found us this church. Since Da isn't with us any more, he can't possibly object." With that, Tom got up to go and talk to other members of his family much to Sybil's dismay as she was still holding Deirdre.
After making a non-committal sound to Tom's last sentence, Mairin turned to Sybil and said, "So Sybil, what do you have for a wedding dress?"
Sybil, who had been very glad that she had Deirdre to occupy her while Tom and Mairin argued, said, "I'm planning to wear a dress that was made for another wedding."
"Oh," said Mairin. "Wearing a dress that was worn to another wedding is unlucky."
"Well," said Sybil, "The wedding never took place, so it's never been worn to another wedding. My cousin was supposed to have been married last Saturday, but sadly his fiancée passed away from the Spanish flu three days before it was to occur."
"I see," said Mairin. "I'm sorry to hear about your cousin's fiancée. We had our wave of the Spanish Flu in the fall. Connor, Kevin, Emmet and Brigid fell ill, but I prayed to a number of patron saints and God was kind to us so they all recovered. Thank heaven that I didn't fall ill. Deirdre wasn't born yet and there wouldn't have been anyone to nurse my brood if I did."
"Tom never mentioned," said Sybil. "I'm happy that everyone recovered."
"Well, the extended family wasn't so lucky," said Mairin. "A number of our cousins were struck down." This was when Deirdre started to fuss no matter what Sybil did. Without skipping a beat, Mairin looked over to her husband, who was talking with Ciaran and Tom and said, "Kevin, can you take Liam and put him on Ma's bed? I need to feed Deirdre."
After Kevin came over and took little Liam who had fallen asleep from her lap, Mairin smiled at Sybil, reached for Deirdre who wanted her mother, and said, "I'll take her now. Thank you for watching her." Mairin then got up with the baby and followed Kevin into Mrs. Branson's bedroom.
Seeing that Mairin had left, Tom wandered back over to Sybil and sat down beside her. "I'm sorry about what happened before. As you know my family is Catholic, Mairin is just more opinionated about the whole thing than the rest of them. She takes after my father in that regard."
"You mentioned that you and your father didn't see eye to eye on the matter," said Sybil. "You must have formed your opinions early as I know your father passed away almost fourteen years ago."
"While I've been baptised and confirmed in the faith because it's what you do," said Tom. "I have never been devoutly religious and when I was about Connor's age or a little younger, I would have these rows with my father about why someone should go to church every week. I had started reading Marx at the time, and felt that religion was controlling us. I believe in God but at the time I wasn't certain that the church was the only way to God and that was blasphemous in my father's eyes."
"And yet you attended our church in the village," said Sybil puzzled.
"Well, the alternative was to wait by the car," said Tom slightly sheepish. "Which was very hot in the summer and very cold in the winter and Reverend Travis, at least, had the occasional sermon that piqued my interest." Changing the subject, Tom asked, "How did you like playing with Deirdre? I'm sorry I left you alone with her but you seemed to be getting along and I didn't want to exchange more unpleasantries with Mairin."
Sybil smiled and said, "Deirdre's very active. I've never actually held a baby before as Mama's family all live in America and Aunt Rosamund never had any children."
"Actually, Deirdre is a very calm baby," said Tom with a chuckle. "You should have seen Cathleen as a baby. Now she was a handful."
Sybil smiled and asked, "What do we need to accomplish before your interview on Friday?"
"I was hoping to settle on the flat, open a bank account, look at and perhaps order some furniture, and get you a ring," said Tom. "I want to be able to move into our flat once we're married."
"There's still the wedding to organize," said Sybil. "Your mother alluded to the wedding breakfast, decorating the church, sending out invitations, sorting out attendants. Speaking of attendants, I was thinking of asking Cathleen to be a bridesmaid as well as having my sisters. She has been a lovely roommate and made me feel so welcomed here. Do you think there will be any objections?"
"I'm sure that Cathleen will be thrilled," said Tom. "She was just telling me last night that you've been so kind to her. I told her that you're kind to everyone."
Sybil ducked her head and smiled at the compliment. "You are exaggerating now," she teased. "Cathleen was telling me about the factory where she works and the conditions she has to endure. I suggested that she save up some money while living at home to take a training course in doing something she enjoys rather than be stuck with a job she detests for the rest of her life. I told her about Gwen and I offered to help her find a new job once she had the training behind her. I'm surprised that she finished school a year early but chose to work rather than take some sort of training?"
"Cathleen prefers to work with her hands," said Tom. "She's very smart but she feels stifled in a classroom or office environment. That's partially why she did whatever she could to finish school early so that she could get out."
Just then, Mrs. Branson called out, "Cathleen and Sybil, can you both come into the kitchen to help get tea ready?"
Sybil looked at Tom and said, "I'd better go. We can talk more later."
Tom smiled and nodded.
Sybil then got up to get her apron to help Cathleen and Mrs. Branson. After tea, Mairin and Ciaran left with their families. As dinner was just going to be warmed leftovers from lunch and with the weather holding out, Tom suggested a walk with Sybil to continue their conversation. After offering to do the dinner dishes, Sybil and Tom stepped out.
As they started walking down the street, Sybil said, "I wrote to Mama, Mary and Edith last night and told them the wedding date and the location of the church. I suppose we can post it tomorrow when we go out to do a few things."
"If you want to give it to me before I go tonight," said Tom as he stole a glance at her. "I can post it for you tomorrow morning on the way to Ma's."
"Thank you. I'll do that," said Sybil as she looked at the streets around them. "It would mean that it would get out earlier."
"Have you asked your sisters to be bridesmaids?" asked Tom as they turned a corner.
"No, not yet," said Sybil. "I didn't think that far ahead when I was getting ready to leave and I want to do it in person."
"Won't they have to get dresses ready?" asked Tom.
"Well, since I will be wearing the dress made for Matthew's wedding," said Sybil. "I don't see why my sisters can't pick something that they brought with them."
Tom looked at Sybil and said, "Well, once you ask Cathleen, I'm willing to bet that Ma will start inquiring about your dress and your sisters' dresses because what Cathleen has at the moment won't compare to what your sisters will be wearing."
"Mairin asked me what I was wearing for the wedding earlier this afternoon after you left us," said Sybil. "I was wondering what that was about."
"She and Ma are always interested in wedding dresses," said Tom. "They designed a few when Mairin was still working. Just don't expect that it will be the last of the questions."
"So noted," said Sybil with a smile. "What are the plans for tomorrow?"
"First thing I'd like to do is set up some bank accounts," said Tom. "I'd rather not have to carry all of the money with me much longer. Then if we have some time, I'd like to look for a ring for you. Do you have an idea of what you like?"
Sybil smiled shyly and said, "A simple band is all I need. I don't need fancy jewelry to denote that we're married."
"You must have some idea," encouraged Tom. "Don't all girls dream of and play out their wedding day and everything that goes with it?"
"Actually, no," said Sybil with a laugh. "When we played wedding as little girls, Mary was always the bride because she could then make all the decisions, Edith was always the minister and I was always the groom because Edith didn't want to be marrying Mary. The only time I was reprieved was when Patrick came for a visit and he was the groom and I was the bridesmaid. By the time I was old enough to object to playing the groom, Mary and Edith were too old and didn't want to play wedding any more. So no, I never played out what my wedding would be like."
"But did you not dream about it?"
"Do you know what I dreamt about? Doing something with my life other than to marry a peer and bear his children," said Sybil. "Even then, I dreamt of what it would be like to be Mary Kingsley to explore Africa or Flora Shaw to cover stories abroad or Marie Curie to work in a laboratory."
"Why is it that these dreams don't surprise me," said Tom with a chuckle. "Well, we can go and look tomorrow then after our visit to the bank, and you can get some ideas of what kind of ring you would like."
Sybil smiled at the idea and asked. "Are you getting excited about the interview on Friday?"
"Yes, very excited," said Tom with a smile. "And a little nervous. It's been almost six years since I interviewed for a position and it's for a position in which I've not had much experience."
"I'm sure you'll be fine," said Sybil as she looked at Tom. "I have confidence that your work will speak for you. Have you any idea how much the salary might be?" It had never occurred for her to ask before, but now that she was away from Downton, money was on her mind more.
"I'd expect around £200 to £220 a year, maybe £250 if we're lucky as advertisements I've seen for experienced journalist positions indicate compensation to be £300-£450 a year," said Tom as he returned the wave of an extended family member across the street. "I was making £140 a year when I left, so the extra £60 to £80 will come in handy since we will have to pay rent, food, fuel and water."
"Don't forget my salary when I find a job, though it will be much less than what you bring home," said Sybil as she looked at the ground ahead of them. "The nurses at the village hospital make £30 a year, so I suspect that it will likely be about a tenth of your take home pay."
"Still, it would enable us to perhaps travel a little and not have to scrimp and save for everything," said Tom as he looked at her, "So I wouldn't belittle it. Has Ma mentioned the rent for the flat she has in mind?"
"No," said Sybil. "She's been so busy getting Easter luncheon ready and teaching me about food and groceries the last few days that she hasn't mentioned it, but then we don't know when we will get to see the flat, so it hasn't come up. Perhaps we'll know more later this week."
"Maybe I can get Ma to send a note to her cousin if we don't hear by mid-week," said Tom as they turned another corner. "I want to sort it out before I start work."
"Likely Easter has kept people busy," said Sybil. "I'm sure a little patience will be rewarded."
They continued to walk around the neighbourhood discussing plans for the week before the interview until they could hear the bells of the local church chime seven, at which point they decided to go back to help set the table for dinner.
A/N2: Hope you liked this chapter. I just had to fit a scene with Sybil and Tom and a baby in there and Deirdre was just so handy. Anyway, I'd love to hear what you think of this chapter good or bad, so please do review. :)
