AN: So, Here it is, the next chapter! Thanks to everyone who reviewed this story! You're all my favorites!
Time went seemed to go slowly for a few moments. The ticking of the grandfather clock was the only sound.
"Yes, I'm certain of it. This baby is coming, right now!" Mary moaned, burying her face in her hands. Sybil supported her under her elbows, and rubbed her back gently.
"Do we have time to go to Crawley house, do you think Mary? If you think you can, We could call the chauffeur to drive us- hell, Tom could drive us if needs be!" Sybil said. Patrick was at the back of their minds now- why should they care for him when a new Crawley was on the way. A true Crawley.
"I'm not certain- My last labor went so quickly- but I want to be at Crawley house, I really do!" Mary said as the first pain faded.
"Then we will take you to Crawley house! Sit down, I'll ring for Carson, tell him to fetch Tom, And then I'll telephone Matthew." Sybil said.
"No- No, let me do it. I'll call him. He's in Ripon, and I want to tell him!" Mary whined like a child. Sybil looked skeptically at the phone, but shrugged, and held Mary's hand all the way over to the phone as she rung for Carson.
"Perhaps this isn't the best time for this- I could come back in a few days." Patrick said. By now he was feeling rather uncomfortable, and wished to be anywhere but there.
"No, No, Patrick you should stay here. I'm certain Papa will want to speak to you!" Edith insisted after a moment. Patrick looked skeptical, but didn't move. But he had all but vanished from Mary's mind, as she finally heard the telephone ring.
"You rang, Mi'ladies?" Carson asked as he entered the room.
"Yes, we did, Carson. Mary has just gone into labor, and we want to take her to Crawley house. Please fetch Tom to drive us in one of the autos. I'd get him myself, but I won't leave Mary now. Please, send Anna to us, and have someone come to clean up the mess on the flooring over there, I'm afraid Lady Mary's water has broken." Sybil explained quickly, but the butler seemed to comprehend everything, and left the room quickly.
"Hello?" Mary sighed with relief when she finally heard Matthew's voice on the telephone.
"Matthew, Darling." She said, almost crying with happiness.
"Mary, my love, is everything alright?" Matthew asked. He'd been so jumpy for the last two weeks, always expecting the baby to come. But she had insisted that he continued to go to work, but now she wished she hadn't.
"Darling, I think you'd best start home now." Mary said, a smile playing on her lips until she felt another pain in her back.
"Now darling? Is everything alright?" Matthew asked, though she could hear papers rustling in the background. She took a moment to breath through her pain so she could speak calmly.
"Now, darling. I'm afraid our daughter has chosen this moment to start her journey into the world." Mary said.
"Now!- Did you just say daughter?! Never mind that- Now?" Matthew sputtered.
"Yes darling, Our baby is coming. My water has broken. We're going to go to Crawley house now, You'd better meet us there." Mary warned and smiled at his nervous, wordless sputtering. "We'll send Catherine and William to the Dower house so Granny can look after them. That's been the plan, any how." She was surprised at her own calmness.
"Alright Darling, I'll be home as soon as I possibly can. I love you so terribly much." Matthew said, his voice hoarse.
"I love you Matthew. I really do." Mary said, and then hung up the phone.
"Is everything alright Mi'lady?" Anna's sweet voice came from behind her.
"Oh, Anna, would you telephone Crawley house and tell Isobel to ready the children for a trip to the Dower house? Oh I need to sit down! And for that matter, call the Dower house. And then you'll come with us, wont you? " Mary asked, her eyes pleading.
"Of course Mi'lady. I'll help you in any way that I possibly can." Anna promised.
"So, Mr. Gordon, tell us, How did you end up here again?" Mary asked bitterly as Sybil helped ease her into a chair. And he spun some tale about being on the Titanic, hitting his head, being pulled up by an officer on a life boat. Forgetting who he was, ending up in Canada, taking his name from a rum bottle. Nonsense, utter nonsense. Mary thought, her fingers thrumming against the arm of the chair as another contraction pulsed through her body. Well, if nothing else, He is quite a distraction from my pain.
"You're all set Mi'lady, everyone has been contacted." Anna said. Of course she was instantly at Mary's side with a glass of water when she saw the slight give of Mary's perfect mask.
"Thank you Anna." Mary said, taking the glass and sipping at it delicately. "I suppose you're simply glad to be reunited with your family." Mary continued, directed at Patrick, though in the back of her mind she could only wonder where on earth Tom was with the car!
"Of course, Yes. For months now I've been longing to come back, to be with you all again. All of you." He said, looking specifically at Edith, who was staring pensively at her hands. "And to come back to take up my duty." At this Mary went stiff.
"Your duty? But haven't you heard? There's a new heir." Mary said, her voice all the cool calm Lady.
"Your husband, I know. But, Mary, surely you must realize that-" Mary cut him off with a wave of her hand.
"No, No. I meant Robert. Robert William Crawley the second. Our brother." Mary said, her brow arched. Sybil bit back a smile- how clever her sister was, even when she was in labor.y
"Ro-What? I mean to say that I hadn't heard of the birth of a son- even when I was living here during the war. Is he a new addition?" Patrick asked, the bravado seemingly gone from his voice.
"Not terribly new, no. Just-" Mary bit her tongue and felt another contraction. "Sybil, where the hell is your husband with the car?"
"I don't know Mary, But stay calm, just breathe." Sybil said, rubbing gentle circles on her back.
"What Mary was trying to say is that he was born in November 1914. With the war, we decided not to make a big fuss over it. It seemed unfair that so many family's were losing men they loved, when we had gained one." Edith said, her voice as clear as it ever had been, though she couldn't stop her ring finger, yes just that one, from trembling.
"Oh. I...I hadn't heard. Robert must have been well pleased." The would be Patrick Crawley said, a smile as fake as wax fruit on his face.
"He certainly was. It was a bit difficult for him though, we all loved Matthew, his new heir very much, some of us more than others, obviously." Edith said, sending Mary a coy smile, which she could appreciate even though she was miserable. "But when everything is said and done, we wouldn't trade him for anything. He's a darling boy."
"I think so. And he's so good with my son, William. The little dear's going to be a year old in two weeks." Mary smiled proudly. A part of her had hoped that this baby would wait until just after the twin's birthday to make their appearance. But that was not to be- but she wouldn't fret... two weeks early was nothing to be worried about.
"A bit of a problem love," Tom entered the room quickly, without being announced. "The auto is broken down. Lord Grantham and the chauffeur have the other one- I think he took Robbie out for a day in Ripon." Tom said, making the four women raise their brows, but not too much.
"Bloody hell! Pardon my language- but what do we do now?" Sybil asked, kneeling beside her sister.
"Well, I absolutely am not walking. So mama will get her wish after all. Another grandchild born at downton."
(AN: thanks so much for reading this chapter! The birth is in the next one, I promise! Feel free to read and review as much as you want!)