A/N: I presume most of you saw the ITV trailer/promo that was released yesterday? So, so happy for the S/T bits! :)

Thank you for all the suggestions for With Love From Dublin, keep them coming!

Thanks also for all the reviews, etc., since the last chapter was posted. As always, all of it is greatly appreciated. Thank you to those who reviewed for the first time, I hope you decide to review this one, too. :)

A great big thank you to my beta team: Tripp3235, mswainwright and _livingfree (on Twitter) (in absentia due to school work). I learned so much from each of you on this journey that as a writer I have been greatly enriched by the experience. I cannot thank you enough for your encouragement, your comments and your help. Not sure I could have done this without you.

A heartfelt thanks to all my reviewers and rebloggers, and those who liked it on tumblr. Whether you reviewed one chapter or a bunch of them, I value and treasure your feedback in all its forms.

To my readers, thank you so much for taking the time to come on this journey with me. Seeing every hit/visitor to this story in the traffic stats warmed the cockles of my heart. If you've not reviewed before, I'd love to hear from you no matter how short or long it is. :)

To provide a time reference for the weekly readers, we pick up in this epilogue on Thursday, December 18, 1919.

Without further ado, the epilogue interweaves with the C/S. (Warning: Contains some spoilers for S3.)

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

Epilogue

The holiday season was upon them since Christmas was mid-next week and both Sybil and Tom had Christmas and Boxing Day off. They had decided soon after they had married that they would spend their first Christmas in Ireland with his family since Tom had been away in Yorkshire for six years. As was tradition in the Branson family, everyone would go to midnight Mass at Christmas and each family would spent Christmas in their own home and then Boxing Day at Mother Branson's to celebrate Christmas because Niamh would be home for dinner. Since Dr. Byrne didn't have family in Dublin and she was scheduled to work at the hospital on Christmas morning and part of Boxing Day, Tom and Sybil had invited her to share Christmas dinner with them. In the three months since Sybil started working at the clinic, she and Dr. Byrne had become fast friends and Dr. Byrne had occasionally dined with them after work on a Saturday night. Though they kept a strictly professional relationship at work, they were familiar enough to call one another by their first names outside the clinic.

Since it was December, Sybil and Tom had been married for just over six months and it had been six months of unfettered happiness between them. More often than not they would fall blissfully asleep in one another's arms each night after at least one round of vigorous lovemaking. What Sybil and Tom felt for one another after six months of marriage was so much more than what they had felt on their wedding day. As the bible passage that had been read at their wedding said, they were now one flesh. Neither felt complete without the other.

With respect to their work, Tom's column was very popular in Dublin, though his pay had become rather intermittent and often only in part since the British were now targeting The Dublin Times as a republican newspaper and seizing some assets. Mr. Connolly had promised Tom the day officials from the British government had paid the paper a visit that he would run the paper from a secret location, if he must, and "Damn the British!" Tom had been taking the odd job in his spare time to compensate, but it wasn't always enough. Sybil enjoyed her nursing position immensely since the clinic had attracted more attention and hence more patients after Ciaran woke Sybil and Tom up in the middle of the night to get Dr. Byrne, after Aileen ran into complications the midwife couldn't manage with the birth of the twins in late September.

Despite this bliss, Sybil was feeling very tired the last few weeks when autumn arrived in Dublin. She could barely get up in the morning to go to work, but she forced herself, and when she came home often she would take a nap before starting dinner and then fall asleep again while Tom did the dishes. At first, she had dismissed it as the lessening of sunlight with winter approaching, since she always slept more in winter than the summer at Downton.

The tiredness was initially accompanied by sore breasts and she thought perhaps she might be with child since they had eschewed trying to prevent a baby, but she had her last monthly just five weeks ago though it was much lighter than usual. Something else she noticed in the last two weeks was that her clothes felt constricting, especially around her chest and her waist, which she thought was another possible sign. She decided to wait to see if her next monthly arrived before she went to see the doctor. No point in getting their hopes up if all the symptoms went away with it.

When one day last week, Tom arrived home to find her fast asleep on their bed, he didn't wake her until after he cooked dinner for them, but he did become concerned and insisted that she see a doctor at the clinic where she worked. That discussion ended in their first full blown argument since they married with Sybil in tears in the bedroom and Tom very angry with himself for losing his temper in the main living area. They did eventually reconciled later that evening.

Finally, when her monthly did not arrive this week, she made an appointment on Thursday to see Dr. Byrne after her shift was complete. Thursday afternoon found Sybil in one of the examination rooms, looking around when Dr. Byrne entered the room.

"Sybil, I didn't notice that it was you who was next," said Dr. Byrne, smiling. "How can I help you?"

"Dr. Byrne, I've been feeling very tired the last few weeks. My last monthly was over five weeks ago and it was very light," said Sybil, maintaining their doctor/patient relationship. "I wonder if I might be with child."

"I see," said Dr. Byrne. "I had been noticing the circles under your eyes the last little while and thought perhaps you were just still adjusting to married life and working full time. Let me take your vitals first and then you know the procedure for a pelvic examination."

"Yes, I do." Sybil smiled while Dr. Byrne took her pulse and blood pressure.

"I'll return in few minutes while you undress." Dr. Byrne made some notes and then left.

After the pelvic examination was conducted and Sybil was dressed again, Dr. Byrne came back into the examination room for the third time. "Congratulations, Sybil. You are about to become a mother. By my calculations, it will be sometime next summer."

"That's excellent news," said Sybil, smiling broadly. "Tom will be so happy. How far along am I?"

"By my estimates, you're just over two months along," said Dr. Byrne.

"Over two months along?" asked Sybil, puzzled. "How can that be? I had a monthly five weeks ago."

Dr. Byrne looked up from her clipboard. "For some women, they will have a light monthly the first month and then it stops."

"I see. How will this affect my job?" asked Sybil, concerned that she wouldn't be able to work most of her pregnancy.

"As you know, we don't have a marriage bar here," said Dr. Byrne, looking at Sybil. "I expect that unless you have complications, you can work all the way until your seventh month. In fact, I recommend that you keep active."

"I'm glad to hear, Dr. Byrne." Sybil rubbed her still flat belly.

"We can discuss your plans for after the baby arrives in a few months when you have an idea of what you'd like to do."

"Are there any activities I should avoid?" asked Sybil, hoping Dr. Byrne understood what she meant. Since being married, she had been enjoying marital relations far more than she had ever anticipated and hoped that it wouldn't need to curtail.

"No, there's no need to avoid anything at this stage," said Dr. Byrne, smiling at Sybil. "You can continue intimate relations with your husband without worry. Just don't do anything that makes you feel uncomfortable."

"Thank you, Dr. Byrne." Sybil smiled.


After purchasing food for dinner, Sybil veritably skipped home in the wet falling snow. She couldn't wait to tell Tom about the baby. Since finding out, Sybil felt a surge of energy and she wanted to make a good dinner for him.

Once home, Sybil put together dinner and even baked a cake for dessert. Tom could smell the baking even before he walked into the flat.

"What's the special occasion?" asked Tom, when he came through the door.

"I'll tell you once I'm finished with dinner," said Sybil, turning to look at him.

Tom walked to where Sybil was, put his hands on her upper arms and his chin on her shoulder to glance at the dinner she was making. "How did your appointment with Sarah go today?"

"Very well." Sybil turned to give Tom a quick kiss. "Can you set the table?"

"Of course," said Tom, giving Sybil a quick kiss on the cheek. "As my wife commands."

Just as Tom finished setting the table, dinner was ready. Once everything was on the table, they both sat down.

Tom reached across the table to take Sybil's hand in his. "So what's the special occasion?"

"You know the tiredness I've been experiencing?" Sybil didn't want to just blurt it out.

"Yes," said Tom, looking puzzled. "What about it?"

"There's going to be an addition to our family next summer," said Sybil, smiling broadly.

"Addition?" said Tom, not cluing in until he finished the word. "Do you mean you're - ?"

"We're going to have a baby," said Sybil, nodding. "You're going to be a father, Tom."

Tom blinked at the implication. He knew that children were a natural consequence of marriage, but the thought becoming a father still struck him like lightning and he was momentarily stunned. This child was created from their love for one another and they were bringing a new generation into the world. When he recovered from his initial reaction, Tom stood up, walked over to the other side of the table to hug Sybil, who stood up and returned his hug. "This is wonderful news! Did Sarah say when?"

Sybil looked Tom in the face. "She said that I was over two months along."

"So a summer baby," said Tom, still holding on to Sybil.

"Yes." Sybil smiled. "The best thing she told me was that I could continue working until my seventh month. Is this not wonderful news?"

"It is," said Tom, savouring the feel of his wife in his arms.

After a few minutes, Sybil blushed and smiled. "We should eat dinner before it gets cold."

"We should," said Tom, returning to his side of the table.

The rest of the dinner was surprisingly quiet as Tom contemplated the news. Once they finished dinner, Tom picked up the dishes while Sybil threw another log into the fireplace and sat on the sofa. When Tom joined her after doing dishes in silence and making tea to go with the cake, Sybil asked, "You've been very quiet. You're not upset by this development, are you?"

"No," said Tom, smiling wanly at Sybil. "I'm very happy that we're having a baby and you're not dying of some horrible disease, which was what worried me last week when you slept so long, though I had hoped that we had a little more time with just the two of us."

"Tom," said Sybil, giving him a look. "We discussed this before we married that contraceptives were too expensive post war. You saw how expensive the devices were in Ripon, and we weren't going to abstain once we were married since the whole point of marrying was the freedom to love one another. We can still make the most out of our time before the baby arrives. Sarah told me that there's no reason to avoid any sort of activity for the time being."

Tom perked up at this news. "So we don't have to stop … anything?"

"No," said Sybil, blushing. "Just to avoid something if it makes me uncomfortable, but I don't feel any different than I did last week."

"When should we tell everyone?" asked Tom after a bit.

"Usually," said Sybil. "One waits until the three month mark to share this type of news in case it wasn't meant to be, which means around mid-January. I want to write Mama to ask some questions though. I'll ask her not to share the news for now."

"If you wish," said Tom. "I'd like for us to tell Niamh when she's here on Boxing Day. We're not likely to see her again until the spring and I want to tell her in person. She would keep the secret for us."

"I'm sure she would." Sybil looked at the fire.

Tom reached over with his other hand to rub her still flat belly. "So there's a baby in there?"

Sybil smiled at Tom and placed her hand over his. "Our baby."

Tom caressed her cheek and leaned in for a kiss. "You are even more beautiful as the mother of our child."

Sybil blushed at the compliment and ducked her head. "Let's drink the tea before it gets cold."

Tom reached for his piece of cake first. "Which cake is this one?"

"Spice cake," said Sybil, taking a sip of her tea. "I thought it would be nice to have for this festive season."

"It's delicious, as usual." Tom had an insatiable sweet tooth and it was a good thing that baking was Sybil's forte.

"It's one of Mrs. Patmore's receipts," said Sybil.

"I thought it tasted familiar," said Tom, taking another bite.

They ate the rest of the cake in silence while they each contemplated the change a baby would bring individually. Tom put down his empty plate on the coffee table and placed his arm about Sybil's shoulders. "When should we start thinking about names?"

"Probably at the three month mark," said Sybil, leaning into him. "We'll have to think of one for a boy and one for a girl."

"I think it's a boy," said Tom, confidently. "But so long as the baby is healthy I will be happy with either."

"How can you be so sure?" asked Sybil, glancing at him. "I'm carrying the baby and I can't tell."

"It's just the sense I have," said Tom, smiling. "I might be wrong. You never know."

"I'm just glad you're not upset by the news," said Sybil, placing a hand protectively over the belly area.

"I could never be upset by this type of news," said Tom, kissing Sybil's head. "When I married I expected that children would come."

Sybil looked up at Tom and smiled. "That's good to know."

Tom leaned down to kiss her irresistible lips. Sybil kissed Tom back with fervour and adjusted to be in a more comfortable position. Soon they were both working to get each other's clothes off, kissing all the while.

"I love you so much." Tom murmured onto the skin of her neck, while he loosened another button of her blouse. He reached into the blouse to cup one of her breasts beneath the corset.

"I love you, too, Tom Branson," whispered Sybil into his ear, her arms having come about his neck and she was running her hands through his hair.

"Let's take this to the bed where I can properly love you," said Tom, his voice husky with desire.

"Let's," sighed Sybil in contentment.

Tom then took Sybil by the hand and led her to the bedroom where they were occupied for the next half hour showing each other their love to celebrate the news before they fell asleep in each other's arms.


The following evening after dinner, Sybil was writing the letter to her mother for the third time. The previous attempts having been tossed into the fireplace and burnt. Tom was doing the dishes and hid his amusement at Sybil's predicament.

Friday, December 19, 1919
Dublin, Ireland

Dear Mama,

I hope that the festive season has been a joy to you as it has been a joy to us. Though I miss you all, I eagerly await spending Christmas in Ireland with Tom and his family. Last week I started baking some of Mrs. Patmore's Christmas shortbread and it almost seemed like I was back at Downton when the first batch was done.

Tom's recent columns have been well-received and he received a Christmas bonus today that was almost a tenth of his salary. Family and friends often ask me what his next column will be about but I'm sworn to secrecy. I'm doing well at the Langford Clinic. We delivered a couple of babies this week - two boys.

Speaking of babies, I thought you might like to know that we're expecting a baby in the summer. I'm currently slightly over two months along and we're very happy about it. I hope that you like the idea of becoming a grandmother because you're likely to be one by July. Please don't tell anyone yet not even Mary and Edith since we're not at the three months safe mark yet.

The reason I'm writing today is because I have some questions about pregnancy for you. How were your clothing adjusted to accommodate your growing parts before you started wearing maternity clothing? I'm starting to feel constricted with my clothing but it's too early to be wearing maternity clothes. I've adjusted my corset but as my clothing was made by Madame Swann, they're not meant to be loosened without changing the lines. I'd ask Mother Branson for help, but we're not ready to share the news in Dublin yet.

Also, how did you hide your tiredness before you shared your news? I have circles under my eyes when I don't sleep enough and it's never enough.

I hope that you have some ideas for me.

Happy Christmas to you and the rest of the family!

Much Love,
Sybil

Sybil folded the letter quickly and sealed it before she changed her mind this time. Quickly writing the address, she placed a stamp on it. Once she gathered her letter writing things and put them away in the desk in the second bedroom, she went to the kitchen, where Tom was drying the dishes. Picking out a dish towel from the linen closet, she started drying beside Tom.

Tom looked at Sybil while he dried a dish. "Did you manage to say what you wanted?"

"Yes, finally," said Sybil, sighing. "I've never told anyone in a letter that we're expecting before. I didn't realize how difficult it would be."

"I'm sure if anyone was up to the task, it would be you," said Tom, leaning in for a quick kiss.

Sybil blushed. Tom was always complimenting her and encouraging her and it always gave her more confidence than she would have otherwise. "Thank you."

They dried the rest of the dishes in silence with each casting furtive glances at the other.

"Why don't you go and sit by the fire?" said Tom when they were done. "I'll make us tea and cut a couple of pieces of that delicious spice cake."

"Sounds lovely," said Sybil, smiling. She went and made herself comfortable on the sofa while Tom sorted out the food.

When Tom brought over the tea things and the cake, Sybil giggled at the size of one of the pieces of spice cake. She presumed Tom had cut it for himself because Sybil couldn't fathom eating that much spice cake in one sitting. "I presume that piece is for you?" Sybil pointed to the enormous piece of cake.

Tom grinned. "Is it too big for you then?"

"At least by half!" Sybil wondered where Tom put the food since he was still slim as ever. Meanwhile, she had gained a couple of pounds since getting married. The constant sleeping probably didn't help, not to mention the growing baby.

"Well, it's delicious," said Tom, taking a bite.

"I'm glad you're enjoying it," said Sybil, stirring her tea.

"Do you think you could make one for Boxing Day?" asked Tom after he swallowed. "I think Niamh, Cathleen, Ma and the rest would enjoy it if we were to bring it to dinner."

"I'm sure that can be arranged," said Sybil. "Did you purchase the gifts for Mairin's boys?"

"I picked them up today after I got the bonus," said Tom in between bites. "I didn't want to spend all that money if I wasn't going to be paid again until the new year. They are in the second bedroom. Also found something for the twins."

"I'm glad the bonus came along at the right time." Sybil had been worried about the intermittent pay, but for now the bonus meant that they had a small buffer again. She didn't dare tell her family about the situation in her letter. She believed that they could manage themselves and she didn't want to worry her mother. "What did you find for the twins?" asked Sybil after a moment. Aileen was notorious for wanting the best for her children, so it was often difficult to find something that was at the same time "the best" and of similar value to the gifts given to Mairin's children. Tom had spent several Saturdays looking for that special something. They had managed to find a beautiful doll for Maeve the last Saturday Sybil had been off that was on sale, but were unable to find something for the twins.

"A pair of identical stuffed bears," said Tom. "They're soft and life-like. I'm sure you or your sisters must have one, but I don't recall seeing them here. I found them in a store in the neighbourhood of our church."

"Are they also in the second bedroom?" asked Sybil, taking a sip of her tea.

Tom nodded.

"I'll take a look at the lot tomorrow," said Sybil. "We'll need to wrap them up, perhaps before we head to your mother's for dinner on Sunday?"

Tom swallowed the last of his cake. "I'd be happy to do my share." Tom picked up his tea. "Did you need me to post your letter?"

"No, I can do it on my way to work," said Sybil. "I'll just drop it in the post box."

Putting his teacup and saucer down, Tom pull Sybil closer to him. She put down her tea and leaned her head on his shoulder. Sybil loved watching the the glowing embers in the fireplace when Tom held her. It always made her feel so secure. Before long, Sybil's eyelids grew heavy and soon she was fast asleep.

The first few times this happened, Tom would carry Sybil into the bedroom and spend a half hour undressing her and then dressing her in her night clothes, but Sybil complained that he didn't know how to put her night clothes on her, so now Tom would gently nudge her awake after a half hour and direct her to her night clothes and Sybil would wake up enough to fix her hair, undress and dress in her night clothes before falling asleep in bed. This also enabled Tom to clean up the tea and dessert before working on his column or going directly to bed. On this night, he chose to go directly to bed.


The next few days past quickly and Christmas Eve was soon upon them. Tom had picked up a Christmas tree the day before on his way home and they had trimmed it with homemade decorations that Sybil had been working on since they decided to stay in Ireland for Christmas.

Both Sybil and Tom's work concluded at noon in order for the employees to get food and last minute gifts before the shops closed at three. Sybil purchased a small goose for Christmas dinner and though she was able to recreate most of the other dishes from Downton, her favourite, Christmas pudding eluded her.

Sybil made two attempts and neither resulted in a pudding that stuck together. As some of the ingredients were specialty items, Sybil gave it up that year and purchased a small one instead. As Christmas pudding was the one sweet that Tom didn't like, it meant that there was more for her.

When Sybil arrived home, it was already two o'clock and they had promised to go to midnight mass with Tom's family, so in order for Sybil to survive the late hour, Tom had suggested that they have an early dinner and sleep until eleven o'clock. The local parish was five minutes away so there would be plenty of time to get up and get ready.

Just as Sybil put their dinner in the oven, someone could be heard banging their way up the stairs with something large. Tom's keys could be heard unlocking the flat door. Sybil went to the door to unlock it, but Tom had managed to open it by that point.

"I'm sorry to have made such a racket," said Tom. "I couldn't very well buy this earlier since there's nowhere to hide it in this flat. I hope that you don't mind getting it a day early and not wrapped with paper. With the baby coming, I thought you might like it. Happy Christmas." Tom turned to lock the flat door.

Sybil looked at the large item wrapped in cloth in front of her. "Oh Tom! Is this a rocking chair?" Sybil rushed around the worktable to take a look at her present.

"Let me take off the cloth that the shop assistant wrapped it in to keep it dry." Tom pulled at a cloth tie and pulled the sheet off for Sybil to see. It was an oaken rocking chair with a solid wood seat and rods shaped into a curved back with an elaborate design etched into the wooden headrest. It also matched the wood on the sofa and the coffee table

"It's beautiful, Tom," said Sybil in awe. "I love it. Thank you. I really don't mind getting it early or not having it paper wrapped at all. I know it will be useful when the baby arrives."

"I'll put it beside the sofa by the fireplace." Tom took off his winter coat and hung it up. "On which side would you like the rocking chair?" Tom took off his suit jacket and hung it on a dining chair.

"With the sofa to my left and the fireplace to my right when I'm sitting down," said Sybil, thinking with her eyes closed.

"You'll probably want to get out of my way," said Tom, smiling. "This chair is heavier than it looks."

Sybil moved into the kitchen. "I'll check on the pie while you move it."

Tom nodded and lifted it to the spot Sybil had described. "Here?"

Sybil walked to the area beside the sofa. "Yes."

"Did you want to try it?" asked Tom.

"If you don't mind, you can sit on it and I'll sit on your lap." Sybil smiled at her husband.

"I don't mind at all," said Tom, sitting down on the rocking chair. Tom held out his hand to guide Sybil onto his lap.

Wrapping her arms about Tom's neck, Sybil kissed him on the cheek. "Thank you for this lovely present."

Tom looked into Sybil's eyes. "Happy Christmas!" One arm went about her waist, the other caressed her cheek, and he leaned in for a kiss, which lasted longer than either had planned.

When Tom started to kiss her neck and to unbutton her blouse, Sybil batted his hand away. "Not yet," Sybil whispered by his ear. "The pie is in the oven. Let's have dinner first."

"How much longer before the pie is ready?" asked Tom while he nuzzled her neck.

Sybil twisted to look at the clock. "Another half hour."

"I can think of doing something more enjoyable than just waiting for that half hour." Tom was already running his hand down her back and cupping her backside, while he continued to nuzzle her neck. She could feel his growing desire on the underside of her leg while she sat on his lap.

"Oh, Tom," Sybil sighed when Tom ran his hand down her leg. "Just don't complain when our dinner is burnt." She used her hands to direct his face to her for a kiss.

"I'll eat every bite," said Tom between kisses. "Every ... single ... burnt ... bite."

Sybil's fingers started working on the buttons of his vest shirt, while he fumbled with the buttons on her blouse. Soon, both his vest and her shirt were on the floor. Next, they took off his suspenders and worked together to unbutton his shirt. Soon the shirt followed the vest. Tom deftly unbuttoned her skirt as they kissed and it came off along with the underskirt, and her shoes, hosiery and garters when they moved to the sofa, having deemed the bedroom much too far right now. Tom's pants, shoes and sock came off during that migration as well.

While Sybil unhooked her corset, Tom took off his undershirt and placed it on the sofa to keep it clean. Once the corset was removed, Tom helped her out of the chemise underneath, while she discarded her knickers and he discarded his drawers and everything was discarded on the floor in their haste to be one. Tom pulled her in for a kiss as they sat on the sofa in the nude. He then laid Sybil down gently on the sofa while he trailed kisses all the way down her body ensuring he reached each erogenous zone in the process. The recently pregnancy-enlarged breasts were a magnet for him. He couldn't touch and kiss them enough.

Before he even reached her core, he could smell that she was ready and it hardened his desire. After licking her nectar from her core and tasting her swollen nub, Sybil gasped in pleasure while she arched her back to keep in contact with his tongue. Just as she was about to reach her high, he moved up to kiss her on the lips, his elbows on both sides of her to keep from crushing her belly which had become more sensitive with the pregnancy. When he did that she grasped his member to align it to her core and he entered and filled her.

As with each time he entered her, Tom felt that if he didn't try to maintain control, he would go then and there. Breaking the kiss, he gasped. "Oh God!" Her warm, wet, tight center held him and her legs had wrapped around his back to keep him in place. Every nerve in his body was on edge.

Controlling his breathing helped Tom gain control again and he started to move slowly in and out. As he gained speed, Sybil felt the build up again and she tried to kiss him but they were both gasping for breath while he pounded into her. "Oh Tom. Don't stop." Then every nerve in her body twitched when she reached her high and she muffled her noises into Tom's shoulder. When her core began to rhythmically grasp his member, Tom reached his high with one final thrust. "Oh God!" He shuddered and spilt into her.

When their breathing finally slowed down, Tom moved and they both sat up on the sofa. Looking at the clock, he knew that they had another five minutes before the pie needed to be taken out of the oven. Using the undershirt, they both cleaned themselves. This wasn't the first time they had used the sofa for this purpose, but it was the first since the weather had turned cold and the fire had kept them toasty warm.

Tom placed his arm about Sybil's shoulders, while she rested her head on his and curled herself about him. As she wound her arms about her husband's bare torso, she smiled while she recalled how shy she had been with him the night of the failed elopement and here she was, less than a year later, completely comfortable in their intimacy and expecting their first child.

"Well, that was a lovely diversion, though it wasn't what I had in mind when I asked if you wanted to try out your gift." Tom kissed the top of Sybil's head affectionately, breaking her out of her reverie.

"It's never what you have in mind when you ask me these questions." Sybil smiled against his bare chest, while lazily drawing designs on it with her finger. "But it always seems to be the inevitable result." Sybil looked up at Tom. "Not that I'm complaining."

Tom leaned down to kiss Sybil. "I didn't hear a complaint."

"Did you want to get dressed and eat at the table?" asked Sybil. "It's too cold these days to eat at the table in our current state."

"Why don't we eat here?" Tom looked at Sybil. "I don't see the point in getting completely dressed, eating and then getting undressed again to get into our night clothes."

"Then why don't you set the coffee table, while I go and get the pie out of the oven?" asked Sybil.

"As my wife commands." Tom kissed Sybil's nose before the went their separate ways.

Dinner nude in front of the fire was lively. They spoke of their dinner tomorrow with Dr. Byrne and Tom told Sybil of his favorite childhood Christmas memories. After they were done, Tom sent Sybil to bed, then dressed in his nightclothes and did the dishes by himself. After they were done, Tom spent a couple of hours working on his next column. Before heading to bed, he threw another couple of logs in the fireplace to keep the flat cozy while they slept.

They woke up to the alarm clock at eleven and were able to dress for midnight Mass, even arriving early at the local parish. Mrs. Branson was quite impressed with their timeliness and remarked on it. After Mass was over, they chatted with various friends that they don't get to see often as they still attended Rathgar Christian on Sundays and headed home while snow fell onto the streets.

When they arrived home, Tom made some hot cocoa and they ate their dessert before putting the gifts under the tree and heading to bed. They had intended to go straight to sleep after they changed into their night clothes and got into bed, but of course one thing led to another and soon they were kissing and caressing in the dark bedroom. It was another thirty minutes before they curled up against one another and fell asleep.


The next morning, Sybil woke up to Tom kissing various parts of her in such a delicious way that she smiled before she opened her eyes. They had been warm and cozy under the bedclothes for the night and now she could feel Tom's stubble occasionally grazing each part when he kissed it under the bedclothes.

When Sybil ran her fingers through his hair, he knew that she was awake and he came up to kiss her on the lips. "Happy Christmas, love." Tom grinned.

"Happy Christmas, Tom." Sybil pulled him in for another kiss that lasted quite a while.

It was another hour before they emerged from the bedroom for a lazy start to their Christmas day.

Tom made a full Irish breakfast including both white and black pudding and bacon rashers, while Sybil started on the bread for their dinner with Dr. Byrne that night. After breakfast, Tom pulled a dining chair and the rocking chair over to the corner where the tree sat to open gifts. A few packages had arrived from Yorkshire a week ago and they had gone under the tree.

They first opened the gift from Mary and Sir Richard. It was a royal blue tablecloth of the finest quality with matching serving napkins. No doubt something that Sir Richard had asked Mary to pick. The next gift was from Edith. It was a small embroidered picture of a beautiful lilac blossom in bloom in a frame with a note that said, "To remind you of spring at Downton." Finally, they opened the gift from Sybil's parents. It was bedspread in a shade of green with gold accents that matched the walls of their bedroom.

Once they had opened the gifts from her family, Sybil gave Tom a large brown paper package wrapped in colourful ribbon. While at Downton, gifts were wrapped in colourful paper, the trend hadn't caught on in Ireland yet and Sybil hadn't been able to find any when she shopped around. Also, it wasn't the first time Sybil had physically given Tom a Christmas gift. During the years of Tom's employment at Downton, on two occasions, Sybil had been the Crawley who handed Tom his gift from the family, but this was completely different in that Sybil shopped for this gift and wrapped it herself.

"What's this?" asked Tom, smiling at his wife.

"Why don't you open it and find out?" suggested Sybil, returning his smile.

Tom quickly pulled the ribbon the held the paper in place and pulled apart the paper. The gift was a carpet satchel for bringing papers to and from the office. Tom was often bringing papers home to continue his writing at night and Sybil thought it would be useful to have something to keep them in.

"This is lovely," said Tom, smiling broadly. "I had been looking at one of these, but didn't want to purchase one while my pay was intermittent. Thank you."

"I'm glad you like it," said Sybil, smiling. "I know that you've mislaid papers before and thought this would be an easy way to keep everything in one place."

"It's perfect," said Tom, leaning in to give Sybil a kiss. "It's doubly sweet because it's a present from my wife." Tom still got a thrill from calling Sybil his wife. There were days that it still felt as if it was all a dream.

Sybil beamed and handed Tom another wrapped gift. "Here's your other gift. It's not nearly as exciting as your first gift though."

"Any gift from my wife is exciting." Tom smiled at Sybil while pulling the ribbon. The package opened to reveal a new pair of grey striped pyjamas.

"I hope you like them," said Sybil, smiling. "I know you needed a new pair and your mother offered to help me with the project."

"I love them," said Tom, grinning. Winking at Sybil, Tom added, "They may last me for decades."

Sybil blushed at the implication. While Tom's old pyjamas were well worn, it wasn't often that slept in them at night these days.

Tom leaned over to give Sybil another kiss. Caressing her cheeks with the back of his hand, he said, "Thank you." Tom then grinned. "I have something else for you."

"You didn't have to get me anything else," Sybil protested. "This chair was more than enough."

Reaching under the tree, Tom retrieved a small box and handed it to Sybil. "I know it's not the brand you're used to, but it was the closest I could find in Dublin and the shop assistant assured me that it was best in the city."

Wondering what it was, Sybil pulled the ribbon and inside was a bottle of lilac-scented lotion. She had run out of the hand lotion she brought from Downton at the beginning of autumn and had been unable to find an acceptably scented one since. In the meanwhile, she had been using a recommended one from Tom's mother that was unscented. With the number of times she washed her hands at the clinic and at home, she couldn't consider not using something without having completely chapped hands.

Sybil opened the bottle and took a sniff. It was quite like the scent she used back at Downton. Taking some out, she rubbed it on her hands and it felt nice. "This is lovely. Thank you for the gift." Sybil smiled at her beloved husband. "Where did you find it?"

"Remember I went to Rathgar to get the stuffed bears?" asked Tom.

Sybil nodded, looking up from the lotion bottle in her hands.

"It was in a shop down the street from the toy store." Tom looked fondly at his wife. "As soon as the shop assistant let me smell it, I knew it was the right scent."

The clock chimed and Sybil glanced at it. "I need to get the goose stuffed and in the oven or else Sarah won't have anything to eat."

Tom looked at his wife. "Did you need any help?"

"If you want to help chop the stuffing ingredients?" Sybil looked at him.

"Your wish is my command." Tom grinned.

Sybil and Tom spent the next hour getting the ingredients ready to stuff the goose and it involved a lot of kissing and hugging and laughing and after the goose was in the oven, eventually another hour was spent in bed and lunch was eaten later than planned though neither Sybil nor Tom minded the delay.


When Dr. Byrne arrived at two in the afternoon, the goose was about to come out and the bread was ready to go in. Tom was just finishing the lunch dishes.

"Happy Christmas, Sarah," said Sybil when she opened the door. "Do come in."

"Happy Christmas, Sybil." Dr. Byrne walked into the flat. "Happy Christmas, Tom."

"Happy Christmas, Sarah." Tom smiled from his position in front of the sink.

Dr. Byrne gave Sybil a hug. "I know you said not to bring anything, but I'm unable to visit someone without bringing something, so I brought a bottle of wine for dinner. Since it's Christmas, I also have a small gift for the both of you." Dr. Byrne placed both on the work table by the door. "You can blame my mother."

"Thank you, Sarah. You really shouldn't have." Sybil smiled. "May I take your coat?"

The doctor held up her hand. "I think I've been to dinner here enough times to know how to hang up a coat. I insist."

"If you insist, then take this hanger." Sybil laughed and handed the hanger to Dr. Byrne.

"How are you feeling today?" Dr. Byrne asked while she hung up her winter coat.

"Rather energetic." Sybil smiled. "I slept from about four o'clock in the afternoon yesterday until eleven in the evening. Went to midnight Mass with Tom's family, then came home and went back to sleep. I was also able to sleep late this morning, which helped immensely."

The doctor smiled. "I'm glad you're feeling better. The tiredness should go away around the end of the first trimester."

"That's good to know," said Sybil.

"How was the hospital this morning?" asked Tom from the kitchen sink.

"Busy," said Dr. Byrne leaning on the work table by the door while Sybil checked the goose. "Sickness knows no holiday, but I did deliver a six pound baby boy early this morning." The doctor looked over at Sybil. "It was Mrs. O'Neill. They named him Seamus Noel."

"Noel means Christmas in French." Sybil looked up from the goose at Dr. Byrne. At the doctor's look of surprise, Sybil added, "It's one of the few things one learns from a governess. That and how to curtsey."

"Can I help with something?" asked Dr. Byrne. "I can't just stand here while the two of you work in the kitchen."

Tom hung the dish towel on the hook. "What else did you need help with, love?"

Sybil looked up from the bread she just put into the pan. "I need the table set, the vegetables chopped and cooked and the potatoes fried."

"Would you mind setting the table, Sarah?" asked Tom. "I'll help Sybil with the cooking."

"That's fine by me." Dr. Byrne smiled. "The Wedgwood for Christmas, I presume?"

"You know me well, Sarah." Sybil smiled. "And the matching silverware and red wine glasses. That is what you brought, right?"

"That's correct," said the doctor. "You told me reds went with goose once."

"Because they are rather gamey," said Sybil.

"Which are the red wine glasses?" asked Dr. Byrne from the Welsh dresser.

"The rounder, wider ones," said Sybil while she directed Tom with the chopping of the vegetables.

"Any particular tablecloth?" asked the doctor.

"No, a clean one from the linen closet will do." Sybil put the first of the potato to fry. "Second shelf from the bottom."

By the time Dr. Byrne set the table, the vegetables were cooking, the potatoes were fried and Tom was looking at the best way to slice up the goose.

"I don't think it's big enough to separate the breast meat to slice up," Dr. Byrne offered. "Just cut it into quarters. The first thing that came under my knife was the first Christmas goose we had after my mother passed away which was after Da got remarried. My father never sliced Christmas goose before and my stepmother only knew how to cook them."

Soon the food was on the table and the three of them were seated around the table, with Tom at the head of the table and Dr. Byrne and Sybil on either side of him. After grace was said and the food was being passed around, Tom asked, "Have you heard from Lochlan?"

"Just earlier in the week," said Dr. Byrne. "He expects the Colony of Kenya will be established next summer and he hopes to return by next autumn." Dr. Byrne's fiancé was Anglo-Irish and worked for in British East Africa for the Colonial Office. Sybil and Tom had met him earlier in the fall when he was in Ireland for a month to visit family.

"Does that mean that you'll finally be able to get married then?" asked Sybil, cutting her goose.

"Perhaps," said Dr. Byrne, smiling wanly. "He's not very happy to hear the news from Ireland. The War of Independence worries him. He's concerned once independence is won that there'll be a fight between the nationalist and the republicans."

"Does he think that the British will more likely offer a free state then?" asked Tom, the convinced republican.

"He seems to think so." Dr. Byrne glanced between Sybil and Tom. "But he's working in British East Africa, so perhaps the news he gets is old news." Dr. Byrne didn't want to lie but she didn't want to cause strain between her friends.

"Have you read the article on the call to demonstration in latest Suffragette Voice?" asked Sybil, deftly changing the subject.

"I did," said Dr. Byrne. "It would appear that with the Great War over, women are returning to the business of women's rights. That's good to hear."

"I wonder if it would be a good idea for us to organize a demonstration in the spring?" asked Sybil.

"Are you sure you want to demonstrate in your state?" asked Dr. Byrne. "You'll be heading into your third trimester."

"You suggested that I stay active," said Sybil.

"Yes, but I'm sure you recall that those demonstrations can turn violent," Dr. Byrne replied. "As your physician, I'd recommend waiting until you had weaned the baby."

"Perhaps Sarah is right, love," offered Tom, gently. "I'm sure that you can organize the demonstration, but it might be better if you wait to participate."

Looking between her husband and her closest friend in Ireland, Sybil backed down. "Perhaps you're right. I could organize it, just not participate. Where do you think it should be, Sarah?"

The rest of the dinner conversation revolved around the demonstration, the baby and the situation in British East Africa.


After dinner was done, the friends opened their gifts from one another. Dr. Byrne's gift for Sybil and Tom was a beautiful picture frame. She had asked once why there were not pictures of their wedding day in their home and Sybil had said it was because they had not found an appropriate frame, but when she discovered that Tom wasn't getting paid regularly, Dr. Byrne thought that maybe it would be a good Christmas gift. For Dr. Byrne, Sybil made a sleep mask for her by hand with Tom's help, after she heard about the summer sun shining in the doctor's eyes too early in the morning at the boarding house where she lived.

Tom then served tea and spice cake before Dr. Byrne had to leave. She had another shift at the hospital the following morning and wanted to get enough rest so that she could work a full day at the clinic on Saturday.

After Sybil and Tom said their goodbyes to the doctor, Sybil made the spice cake for dinner at Mother Branson's the following day before retiring. Tom decided to write some more of his latest column first. When he finally retired for the night, Sybil rolled over to him and whispered, "Oh, Tom." She then snuggled closer to him. With his wife cuddling him, Tom fell fast asleep.


The following morning, Tom awoke to Sybil kissing him which led to other activities that kept them in bed for another hour. Afterward, Tom made breakfast and they headed out the door for Mrs. Branson's with the gifts after the dishes were done.

By the time they arrived, Niamh was already there, along with Mairin, Kevin and their brood. The only ones remaining were Ciaran, Aileen, Maeve and the twins. Cathleen was nowhere to be seen.

Tom and Sybil greeted Mrs. Branson and Mairin by the stove and Connor by the kitchen sink, washing the dirty pots. Kevin was holding Deirdre who was asleep in his arms and entertaining Liam and Brigid while nodding in agreement to what Niamh was saying. Conall and Emmett were keeping themselves busy in the toy alcove.

Niamh leapt out of her chair to hug Tom and Sybil, and both quickly put down the gifts they had brought to return the hug. "Wonderful to see you both! Happy Christmas!" Looking Tom over, she added, "Married life agrees with you little brother."

Glancing at Sybil, Tom smiled. "Happy Christmas, Niamh! It does indeed! So, did the Dillons have a good Christmas?"

"I think they did." Niamh grinned. "They have a new housekeeper for the new year."

"You got the promotion," said Tom, grinning broadly. "That's wonderful!"

"Yes, I did." Niamh couldn't contain her exuberance. "You're looking at the new housekeeper to the Mayor of Athlone."

"Congratulations, Niamh. Happy Christmas!" Sybil was so very happy for her sister-in-law and gave her a hug. "That is wonderful news. I know that you've been doing the work of one without the title or the pay for some time now." Sybil and Niamh had started corresponding after Niamh came for dinner one evening on her half day before Sybil started at the clinic.

"Thank you." Niamh was beaming from the compliments.

Cathleen joined them when she came out of her room. "Happy Christmas!" She hugged Tom and Sybil and she saw the gifts by their feet. "Let me take those from you and put them under the tree."

"Thank you, Cathleen." Sybil smiled. "Let me help you." With a quick glance at Tom who was deep in conversation with Niamh, she followed Cathleen.

"Did you have a lovely Christmas dinner with Dr. Byrne?" Cathleen lead the way to the tree in the corner. "We had a couple of cousins, who are on their own, over. I'm sure it was much less exciting than yours."

"It was very nice," said Sybil, taking each of the wrapped presents out of the bag that held them and placed them under the tree. "We had some lovely conversation, some laughs and a nice, but simple dinner. I'm going to organize a women's rights demonstration in the spring."

"Do you know when and where?" asked Cathleen, placing the gifts from her bag. "I'd love to participate."

"No, not yet." Sybil smiled at Cathleen's enthusiasm. Since she and Tom started taking Cathleen with them to the suffrage league meeting in October, she has been quite enthusiastic about the cause. "It will also depend on what the situation with the war is like then. If it takes over Dublin like it has some of the western counties, then we may not be able to hold it after all."

While Cathleen chattered on about the demonstration, Sybil glanced over at Tom who was having an animate discussion with his sister. Before the wedding, she never realized how close Tom was to Niamh, but both times that she saw the two together before today, she noticed that Tom truly valued her opinions in a way that he didn't with either of his other older siblings. She hoped that they would have more opportunity to see one another in the future.

Ciaran and Aileen arrived just then and the family went to admire the twins. At three months, the twins were enjoying the attention and smiled and coo'd. Maeve, on the other hand, just turned two and became jealous of the attention that her siblings were getting. Unable to get her parents' attention, she started to cry, so after giving Tom a look, Sybil went to say hello to her instead.

"Hello, Maeve!" Sybil kneeled to give the little girl the attention she craved. "Happy Christmas!"

Tom joined her shortly. "Maeve, darling! What's the matter?"

"UncTom! AniSybil!" Maeve smiled. "Maeve dress pretty?"

"Very much so Maeve!" Sybil smiled.

"Yes, Maeve!" Tom looked at his niece. "Very pretty. Did you want to go play with Brigid and Liam?"

Maeve nodded. Brigid was her idol and Liam was great fun.

"Let's go this way then." Tom stood up and held out his hand for Maeve to take. After nodding to Sybil, Tom led Maeve to where Brigid and Liam were playing.

Sybil went to greet Ciaran, Aileen and the twins before Aileen felt slighted by neither of them greeting her and Ciaran directly. After a round of Happy Christmases, Sybil asked, "How are the twins today?"

"Fractious!" said Ciaran before Aileen shot him a look.

"They were angels." Aileen beamed. "Declan and Sarah just needed to nap before we could come." Sarah had been named after Dr. Byrne after she saved Aileen's life. Ciaran had insisted on it. "Did you want to hold one of them, Sybil?"

"Certainly." Sybil held out her hands. "Let me take Sarah off your hands."

Declan started his hunger cry and after handing Sarah to Sybil, Aileen asked, "Cathleen, can I use your room to feed Declan? We think he's having a growth spurt. He just ate before we left."

"Go right ahead, Aileen." Cathleen answered from the kitchen.

Sybil brought Sarah to Tom, who was sitting on the sofa near where Maeve, Liam and Brigid were playing. Kevin had gone to greet Ciaran and Aileen with Deirdre still sleeping in his arms when Tom brought Maeve over and now he was chatting with Niamh and Ciaran.

"Hello Sarah." Tom smiled at his youngest niece. Sarah gurgled and drooled at him from Sybil's lap. How things had changed in eight short months, when Sybil held Deirdre for the first time on Easter Sunday and she didn't know what to do. Now she looked to have been around babies all her life.

Sybil looked at Tom and spoke in quiet tones. "I was just thinking that we'll have one of our own to hold next Christmas." Sarah had taken hold of Sybil's thumb and was gumming it like a chew toy.

Tom smiled at her. "Isn't that wonderful?"

Sybil returned his smile. "It certainly is."

"You know I love the smell that newborns have," said Tom, draping his arm around Sybil's shoulders. Leaning forward to smell Sarah, he added. "Sarah has a faint trace of it still."

"Sarah is adorable." Sybil leaned her head on Tom's shoulder. "To think that Aileen almost died."

"But she didn't because of Sarah Byrne." Tom reassured her. "You'll have Sarah helping you right from the beginning."

"I suppose you're right." Sybil played with little Sarah's wispy hair.

"Nothing is going to happen to you when you give birth, love." Tom kissed Sybil's head. "I just know it, and you shouldn't dwell on such morbid things at Christmas."

"You're right." Sybil tickled Sarah under the chin and Sarah laughed aloud. "I love her laugh."

They played with Sarah for the next twenty minutes before Aileen came to claim her. Just as they were settling down again on the sofa, Mrs. Branson called from the kitchen. "Dinner is ready in five minutes. Please wash up and I need someone to set the tables. Not you Niamh."

Tom looked at Sybil, who nodded. "Sybil and I will do that."

"Thank you, Tom and Sybil." Mrs. Branson returned to the kitchen to supervise the rest of the cooking.

Once the table was set, a boisterous dinner began with the adults sitting around the regular kitchen table, and all the children other than Deirdre and the twins at a smaller children's table. Other than a small fight between Emmet and Brigid, dinner was pleasant and full of conversation.

After dinner, it was gift opening time. The children started first and not surprisingly, it became rather chaotic as children played with their toys while the adults opened their gifts. Sybil and Tom received a set of dishcloths from Mrs. Branson, a pair of oven mitts from Mairin and Kevin, a tea cozy from Ciaran and Aileen, another James Joyce book, A Portrait of the Artist as a Young Man, from Niamh, and some tea from Cathleen and Connor.

At five o'clock in the afternoon, Niamh had to head out to the railway station to catch the half past five train to Athlone. Sybil and Tom said their goodbyes at the same time and took a cab with Niamh there so they could continue their conversation about the war and tell her about the baby.

While they were waiting on the platform for the train to arrive, Sybil said, "Since we may not see you again until the spring, we wanted to tell you in person that we're expecting a baby in the summer."

"Congratulations!" said Niamh, pulling Sybil in for a hug. "That's wonderful news." Niamh hugged Tom.

"Thank you, Niamh." Tom smiled at his sister. "We're very excited about the news ourselves."

"I'm so happy for both of you." Niamh looked from Tom to Sybil. "You can't possibly be very far along. You're still wearing all your regular clothes."

"I'm not," said Sybil, smiling shyly. "I'm just over two months, so please don't tell anyone else yet."

"We're planning to tell Ma and the others around mid-to-late January," said Tom. "In case it wasn't meant to be."

The trained pulled into the station.

"My pen and my lips are sealed." Niamh grinned. "Tell me when I can talk to the others about it."

"I will," said Sybil.

"Tell us the next time you want to have dinner with us." Tom pulled Niamh in for a hug. "We don't want to wait until next Christmas to see you again."

"I will." Niamh hugged Sybil before climbing into her car.

"Have a safe trip home," Sybil called out.

Tom and Sybil stood on the platform until they could not longer see the train and then they headed home.


The post on the second Friday in January brought a letter from Lady Grantham. Sybil didn't open it until they were relaxing in front of the fire after dinner, since she wanted to share the contents with Tom.

Tuesday, January 6, 1920
Downton Abbey
Downton, Yorkshire

My Darling Sybil,

Words cannot express my joy at hearing your news. That I'm going to be a grandmama makes me quite happy. Despite the war, I hope that you are eating well enough. What you eat is what nourishes that baby.

As requested, I haven't shared your news other than with your Papa, who sends his love. I hope that we will see you and your husband at Downton on occasion. Perhaps I'll visit you in Dublin in the spring. I will not be kept from from my first grandchild.

Like you I did feel tired most of the time when I was first expecting you girls. Often that was the sign for me that I was with child. That was mainly the reason I didn't realize I was expecting your late brother until several months along. I would sleep when I could and only rose when I needed to be up and about to greet guests and attend dinners and other functions. Your grandmother commented once that I stayed in bed for a week when I was expecting Edith.

Regarding the clothes, my lady's maid, Miss Reynolds, at the time would move buttons a quarter of an inch or half an inch and it would make an immense difference without pulling the lines too much. Perhaps you can try that first.

To conceal any dark circles under your eyes, I would suggest using a light layer of base around the eyes and blend it out so that the change in colour is not abrupt.

We had a lovely Christmas, though we missed you a great deal. Your Aunt Rosamund came for Christmas and will be leaving soon. She brought her new beau with her, a Lord Hepworth. I'm not sure you know him, but your grandmother, I understand, knew his father. We had restarted the New Years hunt and it was thoroughly a success as over two hundred birds were brought down. As usual, we donated the game to the tenants and they were grateful.

I thought you should know that Mary and Sir Richard decided to call off their engagement this week. It was a mutual decision that had been expected for the last several weeks. Sir Richard had been impatient to set a date for the wedding and Mary was unable to put him off any longer. They fought at the new year's hunt and again at a recent dinner. Our hope now lies with Matthew, who had to deal with Lavinia's father's passing between Christmas and the New Year.

Also, we just had news this morning that Bates's sentence, which was to be hanged, has been commuted to life imprisonment. Anna went to see him in York right away. This is much better news than we had hoped just yesterday. We hope that he will remain incarcerated in York so that Anna can see him often.

Tonight is the Servants Ball and because of the news of Bates's sentence, it will go on. I have to say that while I do recall on occasion you danced with Mr. Branson at past Servants Balls, I do confess that I don't recall any particular attachment between the two of you. Be that as it may, you are now married and the point is moot.

I do hope to hear more from you as your time progresses.

Your loving Mama

Sybil looked up at Tom after she read it aloud. "What do you think? I'm not happy about the idea of Mama coming to Dublin."

"At least it won't be until spring." Tom sipped his tea. "Good news about Mr. Bates's sentence. Though life imprisonment isn't what he deserves, it's better than being hanged."

"I'm certain that Anna is pleased the development." Sybil looked at the letter again. "I wonder what changed Mary's mind about marrying Sir Richard. When we heard in September that it was being postpone to the winter, remember I wondered whether it would come off?"

Tom gave a non-response before taking another sip of his tea. He never thought that Sir Richard and Lady Mary were compatible, but he was going to keep that to himself. "I'm surprised that your mother remembers that we danced together at the Servants Ball. We did each year it was held, but I would try to lead us to a corner away from the tables and the prying eyes of your family."

Sybil swallowed her piece of cake. "Those were my favorite dances each year. I recall one year in particular when you lead me around the dancing area."

"That might have been the first one I attended in 1914." Tom looked over at his wife. "I think I tried to impress you with my dance steps."

"And succeeded in treading on my toes a few times." Sybil giggled.

"I did apologize and I never trod on your toes again, did I?" Tom raised an eyebrow.

"No, you did not trod on them again." Sybil sipped some tea.

"And are your toes worse for wear?" asked Tom.

"Not since a week after that ball." Sybil smiled.

"Good." Tom got up from the sofa and held out his hand. "Lady Sybil Branson, may I have this dance?"

"Tom, here? Now?" Sybil put down her tea. "We have no music. There's no room."

"Let's move the sofa, coffee table and rocking chair to the open area there to give us a little room by the fire," said Tom, picking up the rocking chair. "I will provide the music."

Sybil got up from the sofa and helped Tom move the coffee table with the dessert and tea things to where the rocking chair was. Tom pushed the sofa over as well. Standing in front of the fire, Tom held out his hand to her and they went into the position for a waltz.

"Are we ready?" asked Tom, looking into his wife's eyes.

"Ready as I'll ever be." Sybil smiled at her husband.

Tom began to hum a waltz tune that was popular before the war. Sybil looked at him with astonishment and they began to dance. They moved around the open area in front of the fire until the end of the song. Sybil was astonished that he remembered the whole song.

"Would you care for another, my lady?" Tom looked at Sybil.

"Perhaps something a little slower this time, Mr. Branson." Sybil smiled.

"Very well." Tom started humming another waltz except at a much slower pace and Sybil placed her head on his shoulder. Tom moved their hands to his other shoulder and placed his cheek against her head. This time they dance slowly and even after Tom stopped humming, they danced until the fire started to turn to embers.

Finis!

A/N2: Hope you don't mind the lengthy epilogue! :) What did you think? Did I send Sybil and Tom nicely off to S3?

If you think of any more snippets of S/T's life in Dublin that you'd like to see, drop me a review or a PM. You never know what prompt starts off a chapter. :)

I have to admit that this is the first multi-chapter fic that I have ever completed and that is a significant accomplishment for me. When I set the post a chapter every six days timetable in late Dec 2011, I figured that it would give me enough time to work on new chapters. While sometimes I squeezed it in by the skin of my teeth, it required a commitment to a hobby I never thought I had.

Thank you for reading!

P.S. Thanks to Savannah Fan for pointing out that duvets were not introduced to Europe until much later than 1920. It's been fixed. :)