III – Irish Blood, English Heart
As it turned out, the nanny had fallen ill with the same condition as Mary and half of the staff seemed to be sneezing more often than not. Due to Cora's sickness a few years ago, Dr. Clarkson had recommended her to travel away, and as he checked little Sybbie had given the same advice to Thomas, "I won't be away from my daughter, and I must come back and forth from London" he said curtly, still somewhat upset by the way his in-laws eyed him and treated Miss Matthews. Something was off and he couldn't quite grasp it. She had helped Sybbie and done nothing but being kind. Dr. Clarkson brought him back from his frown once again, "Is this Miss Matthews around? I'd like to have a word", he asked to Carson and her Ladyship, who was drinking a strong tea with honey, eying her granddaughter peacefully. The Earl nodded to Carson and off he went looking for the latest visitor.
"Is something the matter Dr. Clarkson? Is Sybbie not alright?" he questioned with mild concern, holding his daughter in his arms as the Dr checked her. "Oh no, your daughter seems to be alright. I would've done the same nurse Matthews did". Thomas couldn't help the defiant half smile towards his father in law but then he turned when the small steps of Edith and Miss Matthews came to the room. Edith seemed obviously upset with reddened eyes, holding her friend by the arm. It was unusual to see her in such close terms with someone, but it wasn't at all bad.
Edith was proving herself as settled in the new world as Sybil would've been. He kissed his daughter's forehead and caressed her little back remembering her mother as the toddler leaned on his shoulder, "Don't let her fall sleep", Miss Matthews said quickly as she walked along with Edith towards the Doctor. Shaking hands with the man, she answered his questions as he agreed with her prognosis. The woman could feel all the eyes on her, including the under butler's who she figured was both charming and deadly. Tom and little Sybbie were still hovering near the doctor, Maggie and Edith while they talked about how much she's grown and how strong she was, "She looks just like her mother at that age", Cora mentioned with a smile and a tint of harshness as she watched her granddaughter giggle at the sight of the stranger.
What was it about this young girl that had made Edith so close to her? That had bewitched her granddaughter and clearly her son-in-law. Didn't Thomas care about Sybil anymore? Was he to trash her memory in her own household? "You seem to have made a new friend my dear Maggie", Edith joked as little Sybbie kept tugging at the nurse's arm for her to carry her. "I'm sorry Miss Matthews", Thomas apologized trying to reprimand his daughter but Maggie shook her head with a smile, "I don't mind at all, I love children", she said and thought of carrying the little girl and then realized that it was probably anything but proper, and took the slightlest step back, her eyes moving back to the doctor.
The conversation went on as they sat down, Maggie sat close from Edith, and Thomas in the armchair between them and Lady Cora, with little Sybbie moving in circles between them causing giggles and the conversation to go quiet at times. She was a lovely girl, "You were stationed at the front then nurse Matthews?" Dr. Clarkson asked as he sipped his tea, eyeing the young woman in front of him. She seemed to be knowledgeable and kind, clearly a commoner that felt out of place in here but with the heart in the right place for how she was treating little Sybbie. Maybe he could offer her a job, he was in dire need of help at the hospital and if she was so close to Edith… "It's Miss Matthews now, but yes, I trained in London and then we were shipped to the continent. I spent most of the war in France. And I was at Amies until the end", she said curtly, trying to forget the sleepless night and the pleads from the soldiers, the blood, the missing limbs, Nathan's death bed… "Matthew fought there. And William" her Ladyship added to what Maggie nodded, "I know, I attended Mr. Crowley. He was kind. Not many in his position were".
"His position?" the Earl asked, mild concern in his tone. Little Sybbie kept tugging at her skirt and lightening up the mood, pulling her arms up for her to carry her, until finally Edith held her up and sat her between them, before Thomas or anyone else could object. Maggie's eyes went from the little girl to the Earl and a thousand thoughts came to her mind. She couldn't speak her mind. She couldn't say to the cream of the land that usually heirs were rude and uncalled for, trying any and every move possible to get into the nurse's pants, that were uncourageous and threw their servants or lower ranking officers to the mud in order to save themselves, "Position yes, he was injured. Injured men tend to be loud and angry and he was neither. He was very collected" she spoke softly as she fixed a lock of Sybbie's hair behind her little ear and smiled. As the conversation move forward towards lighter subjects such as the property, the weather, tea, children, Maggie's and Edith's work at the magazine everyone's mood seemed to lighten up somewhat.
Carson came in then saying that dinner was to be served in two hours, which caused everyone to get up hastily, Maggie unconsciously reaching for little Sybbie and holding her on her side with one arm as if it was the most normal thing in the world. The little girl set her head on the woman's shoulder as she had done with her father earlier and she couldn't help brushing the little girl's back softly, remembering the future that she never meant to have anymore. War had killed her future and hopes when Nathan died in Amies and it was only now, holding this stranger's little girl with such affection that she realized everything she was missing on.
When Thomas came near her to hold Sybil she gave her up with a little sigh, that didn't go amiss to him or Edith, who was now entirely and absolutely convinced that somehow little Sybbie liking her friend so much was a sign from her dead sister that this was the right thing to do. She couldn't afford to think of Michael one minute longer without crying so trying to make Thomas and Magdaline know each other more had become the first item on her to do
list for the rest of the weekend.
Since the Doctor was staying, Maggie felt somewhat obliged to tag along him, not really knowing much about how things worked here, but was swiftly rescued by Edith before the older man could lock her in conversation much further, stating that they should get ready for dinner, though it was much too early. The last thing Edith wanted was for Magdaline to focus on the doctor instead of Tom, who was now heading upstairs with little Sybbie in his arm, making the little one giggle loudly. Maggie's eyes followed him casually as they went upstairs behind him and then looked down, towards a small stain of dried in her favorite dress, which triggered much sadder memories. This was foolish. She was here to comfort Edith, not to fall for whatever ludicrous things Edith was thinking of about Tom and herself.
As he set the baby in her crib and gave instructions to one of the maids that was filling in for the nanny, Tom went to his room to get a bath and change for dinner, his thoughts unwilling to follow propriety and going back and again to the tall, small framed brunette that had burst into their lives. She was kind and well mannered but he could tell there was a lot more to her than what met the eye. There were many things that she was not speaking of, things that would probably define her and make her all the more appealing.
Drying his hair with a towel, he caught a glimpse of himself and his broad smile in the mirror. And then his eyes automatically moved to Sybil's picture on the boudoir. Sighing defeated, he held the picture frame in his hand as he fell on a sofa nearby. What was he doing? He was excited to show Downton around to Edith's friend, to talk to her, to get to know her a bit more. He didn't miss a single word that came out of those full pouty lips of hers during the conversation downstairs, and he was almost sure he could hear her thoughts, all the pauses she had made... she was holding her tongue. And her train gesture, that was defiant. She lived in London, she was a secretary, pending on herself... She was alone, otherwise she wouldn't be by herself here, would she?
Brushing his thumb over Sybil's face in the portrait he sighed again, setting back over the boudoir. When he saw himself in the mirror this time, his smile was gone, replaced by a guilty look and clenched teeth as he dressed formally to play his part at the family table.
As he went down the stairs, he realized he had taken far longer than what he thought, since both females were already changed and talking to Dr. Clarkson, looking astounding. Miss Matthews was wearing a simple blue dress, a long pearl necklace and had her somewhat long hair to one side, that alone made her stand out in a room of short hair women that seemed to had thrown their entire wardrobe over them. Seeing her brother in law walk in speechless, Edith half smiled pleased with herself, her happiness equally balanced with Lady Cora's foul mood. Taking a step away from her friend and close to her brother in law, Edith placed her arm around his and steered him towards her friend and Dr. Carson, who was offering Maggie a tour through the Hospital, which only caused Tom to clench his teeth. He wasn't entirely sure of Dr. Clarkson's intentions were and his amicable approach, though he had always respected the man's opinion and craft, knowing that he did everything he could to save Sybil. Edith picked on his mood and brushed her brother's in law's arm, "You look very sharp tonight Tom", Cora half praised from her seat, her furious eyes going from him to her daughter and the visitors.
"Thank you milady, you're charming as always", Tom replied locking his eyes with those of his mother in law, matching her clenched teeth. After accepting a drink from the Earl, the men walked towards one part of the room as the women to the other. Lady Mary was still ill unfortunately, though she may join them the following evening, and the Dowager had called earlier and was 'eager to meet Edith's new friend from London', so she'd tag along as well. Brilliant, even more pressure, both Maggie and Edith thought, though for different reasons.
Edith assessed the situation with her mother and swiftly started making conversation, asking casually in a louder tone how did Tom ended up driving Maggie to the place, which caused her friend's cheeks to turn red altogether again, despite of the cool day, "We shared seats in the train, kismet I'd say", Tom joked, eyeing Maggie's cheeks and feeling tenderness towards them. Collecting his thoughts, he looked back at his sister in law, trying to figure out if she was truly supportive and doing this on purpose or not, "Actually, she was asking for directions at the post office and your name came up. I couldn't leave your friend stranded and make her walk all the way here, what kind of gentleman would I be?"
"I hadn't thanked you yet I believe", Maggie spoke in a more steady tone, sounding more like herself than what she had all day, "You've done more than enough helping little Sybbie. I'm still in your debt Miss", Tom cut any potential nasty comments that could come from her inlaws, and then smiled towards her, his eyes swiftly moving to the doctor for agreement, "It was providential that you showed up in time. There is Thomas of course but I hear you handled the little girl very well", the doctor added finally noticing what seemed to be going on, not so much for them but for the irate look in Lady Cora's countenance.
As the evening progressed and the party moved to the dining area, Maggie found herself talking once more, the topics of news and war and Michael coming up, her eyes moving towards Tom's whenever he spoke as well. He seemed to be well adjusted and his accent was very pleasant to hear. She always loved accents, Nathan's american one ringing in her ears for a moment. "So you've been working for Mr. Gregson for a long time I pressume", the Earl asked, somewhat concerned about the familiarity this young woman showed with whom he thought was to be his next son in law. "Yes, we've known each other since we were children. Well, since I was a child and he was 12 or 13", she pursed her lips in a little smile, she had gone through the story a million times in her head, she knew how it could look and she wasn't going to let these people think poorly of Michael or herself, "My mother was a seamstress and worked for his family and I helped her but Michael and his parents thought that I could have a better future in this new world so they decided to give me an education. When I was older I started working at the office with him, I'm very good with the typewriter", she answered as truthfully as she could, her eyes moving towards Edith and giving her a small smile.
"New world? I guess you could call it that", the Earl ventured out in a sight, Tom and Maggie turning their heads towards him at the same time, "You think it's not a new world Lord Gratham? You have an Irish commoner and your eldest daughter running the state", Tom partially snapped out jokingly, having chosen the words to hurt his father in law, knowing they would have that precise effect on him. Maggie reached for her glass and sipped to hide her smile. Two peas in a pod, Cora thought for a moment seeing the interaction, as she wondered of her Sybil and how things would be if she were at this table.