A/N: My beta called this chapter, "Downton Takeout!" This fic will be updated in quick succession since it is a birthday fic for the amazing PiperHolmes. Without whom, you would not be reading this right now.
Thanks to Tripp3235 for a quick beta. Same universe as The Journey to Happiness and Branson and Crawley and one where Sybil and Matthew live and Edith marries Sir Anthony in 3x03 (which is a slight change from an earlier chapter of Branson and Crawley).
Disclaimer: Not mine. All Downton Abbey characters belong to Julian Fellowes and ITV. I'm just playing with them.
Chapter 6 - First Evening at Home
When Tom was on the lane leading up to the cottage, he could see one of the hall boys with a large picnic hamper glancing inside one of the windows by the front door. He didn't think too much of it since Sybil might be busy with the baby.
"Ned!" Tom called out.
The portly lad turned and saw Tom and looked relieved. "Mr. Branson. I knocked and knocked but no answer. I didn't want to leave it outside nor did I want to enter without permission."
Tom arrived at the doorstep. "How long had you been knocking?"
"About ten minutes, sir." Ned smiled. "That's why I started looking into the window to see if I could see anything."
"I'll take that." Not wanting to alarm the boy, Tom reached for the hamper that Ned was more than happy to hand over. "Thank you, Ned."
Ned nodded in acknowledgement. "I best be on my way."
After nodding to dismiss the hall boy, Tom opened the front door and found nothing odd with the cottage other than the lack of noises or activity. With the sun nearing the horizon, the light cast into the cottage drew odd shadows with the furniture. Placing the hamper on a work table in the kitchen, Tom called out, "Sybil?" Hearing no response, he walked to the nursery to find it empty. When he looked down the hallway, he noticed the door to their bedroom closed. Calling out again, he made his way to the closed door. Knocking once, he opened the door to find Sybil curled up fast asleep with the baby awake and quietly cooing beside her. Wanting to let her have some extra sleep, Tom picked up the baby from the bed quietly and took her to the nursery to see if she needed changing.
Once the baby was changed, Tom took her with him to the front room. Suspecting that it would be getting chilly soon, he put the baby down on the sofa facing him, while he started a fire in the fireplace. To keep her quiet, Tom spoke of what he was doing as he did it. "Your Da is putting the logs in the fireplace and placing some twigs and paper in between. He then looks for matches. Where did your Ma put them?" When he saw them in the match holder on the wall, he exaggerated his reaction by slapping his head. "Of course, they are in the match holder, your Da should look around before asking." The baby giggled. With theatrical flare, Tom struck the match and held it to light the paper which burned to eventually start the fire with other logs, all the while narrating his actions.
When the fire appeared to be firmly lit, Tom returned to the sofa and picked up his little girl and placed her on his lap. Stroking her cheek, he asked, "How was your day?"
Nora opened her mouth to coo in answer.
"Did you have a nice time with your Mama?" Tom smiled broadly at his daughter.
She gurgled and smiled at him.
"Did you go into the village with your Mama and go food shopping?" That was when Tom remembered the picnic hamper full of food. He didn't want it to get cold, so he picked the baby up and took her to the kitchen to bring the hamper in front of the fire to keep it warm.
When he settled back onto the sofa, he continued to ask the baby questions about her day and she continued to coo or laugh or gurgle in response. It was almost like having a real conversation and Tom enjoyed every minute of it, especially the smiles.
When he asked the baby, "Were you good for your Mama today?"
"She was very good." Sybil replied from the hallway, startling Tom.
Quickly turning his head to see Sybil leaning against the archway between the hallway and the front room. "We didn't wake you did we, love?"
"No, but I was a little surprised that it was dark when I woke up and I heard you talking, thinking someone was with you and when I reached over for the baby, she was gone." Sybil walked over to sit beside Tom and the baby on the sofa. Looking at them, she added, "At first I panicked that she vanished until I heard what you were saying and how you were saying it. Thank you for letting me sleep."
"I thought you needed your rest." Tom turned to smile at her. "It's been hustle and bustle all week for you and with the cricket game tomorrow afternoon, I figured that you could use the extra time."
Sybil blinked at the fire, still not fully awake. "What time is it? You must be famished."
"It's a quarter to eight, isn't it, my darling girl?" Tom made 'O's with his mouth.
Nora imitated him.
"Your Da could eat, but he'll wait until your Mama is ready, won't he?" Tom smiled at the wiggly infant on his lap.
Sybil rested her head on Tom's shoulder. I've missed this. Sitting in front of the fire at the end of the day just us. No need to dress for dinner. No one else to fuss over and serve us. I'm so happy that Matthew offered us this cottage. Looking at her daughter, Sybil noticed that she was starting to stick her hands in her mouth, a sure sign that she was starting to get hungry. "Would you like a cup of tea?" She asked, thinking that she should drink a glass of water to get ready to nurse.
Tom turned to kiss the top of Sybil's head. "Only if you're making some."
"I'll have some later, but I have to go for a glass of water in any case. Nora looks to be getting hungry." Sybil then stood up.
"Thank you," said Tom, looking at his wife lovingly. Waving his daughter's little arms, he added to her in a sing-songy voice, "Are we getting hungry? Yes, we are! Yes, we are!"
Sybil nodded and went to start the tea.
When she returned with a pot of tea, tea things and a glass of water, little Miss Branson was starting to fuss, even though Tom continued to try to keep her entertained.
"Just in the nick of time," Tom smiled at her. "She's almost at the hungry cry stage."
Sybil put the tray down on the coffee table. "I'll go find the pillow from the nursery."
"We will be here." Tom smiled at his fussy daughter. "I'd hurry though."
Sybil quickly retrieved the pillow and returned to take the baby from Tom. Placing her on the pillow and lifting the flap of the nursing dress, Sybil pulled out her breast and brought the baby to it. The way the baby latched told her that Nora was very hungry and the only reason why she hadn't been fully crying was because Tom had been distracting her. With a couple of sucks, Sybil felt herself let down.
"I don't think I will ever tire of watching you nourish our child," said Tom, in awe of his wife's ability to feed the baby. He poured some tea into a tea cup.
"Tom Branson, I think you just like to watch me bare my breast." Sybil teased.
"It's not that at all." Tom feigned being shocked that Sybil thought he was thinking in that direction at the moment. "Not that I don't love to watch you bare your breasts under other circumstances. I just think how marvelous it is that you can provide all the nourishment that our child requires." He picked up his tea and took a sip.
"I do enjoy it immensely." Sybil caressed the baby's back. "It's a bit of quiet time between us and I love how she watches me. It always makes my heart melt a little."
"She's very attentive, isn't she?" Tom smiled at his little family.
"She watches everything." Sybil smiled at the baby.
Tom's stomach growled loudly at that juncture. "I'm sorry. I haven't had anything since lunch."
"No, I'm the one who should be sorry. In my rush to feed her, I didn't think of you." Sybil felt so badly for forgetting Tom. The baby and the move had been what had preoccupied her thoughts the past week and Tom had inadvertently slipped her mind. Knowing he wouldn't eat without her, she added, "If you want to eat, we can do that while I'm nursing. You've had a long day and I'm a little hungry myself. Just pass me a napkin first so I can keep the crumbs from falling on her."
Tom grinned. He had been famished even before he arrived home, but he felt it wasn't right that he would eat before her. Taking the basket kept warm by the fire, he placed it on the coffee table and then retrieved some napkins, plates and utensils from the Welsh dresser. "Do you need help with this?"
"No, that's all right." Sybil took the napkin from Tom and tucked one end of it into the neck of the nursing dress, then laid the rest of it over the baby. "What did Mrs. Patmore send?" asked Sybil from her vantage point.
Tom opened the hamper to find a little of everything that was being served at the main house upstairs. There was beef bourguignon, salmon, herbed chicken with a honey glaze, a generous helping of potatoes and something warm wrapped in a clean cloth. "There's beef, fish, and chicken." The first thing Tom pulled out was a small loaf of fresh bread that looked to have been made especially for them. "Have we any butter?"
Looking up, Sybil said, "There's some in the pantry." Nora had finished one side and Sybil was burping her to switch her over. After the baby was settled, Sybil immediately replaced the napkin.
When Tom returned with the dish of butter, a knife and a small cutting board, he cut a generous slice, buttered it and handed it to Sybil before cutting a slice for himself. "How is it?"
Sybil swallowed the bite in her mouth first. "Divine. Any chance we can add meat to make a sandwich?"
"I'm afraid not." Tom took a bite of his own bread and swallowed. "The beef comes with a wine sauce and has a French name."
"Beef bourguignon. Hmmm." Sybil took another bite of her bread and swallowed before adding, "And the chicken?"
Tom swallowed first. "It's some sort of herbed chicken, but it has a clear sauce on it that smells like honey, so not likely." Seeing Sybil's mouth water at the description, he added, "Would you like me to feed you?"
"If you wouldn't mind, since I can't use a knife and fork at the moment. No place to put the plate." Sybil glanced between the food and the baby. The delectable smells from the opened hamper had whetted her appetite and she suddenly realized that she was famished.
"Beef, salmon or chicken first?"
"Beef, please, if you don't mind?" Sybil smiled at Tom to help convince him.
"Beef, it is then." Tom picked up the crockery containing the beef bourguignon. Opening it, he spooned some on a plate. Moving closer to where Sybil and the baby were on the sofa, he speared a piece and carefully fed it to Sybil, so none of the sauce was lost.
"Hmmmm." Sybil chewed and swallowed. "The only thing I'm going to miss living here is Mrs. Patmore's cooking. While I do try and I was getting better before we left Dublin, I don't think I will ever come close to Mrs. Patmore's league."
Tom swallowed his mouthful. "Well, you're an excellent baker, so you ought to be proud and you don't need to be in Mrs. Patmore's league for us." Tom fed Sybil another forkful. The way her mouth embraced the meat made Tom swallowed hard. Shaking himself a little, he added, "I thought you were doing fine before we left Dublin."
Sybil smiled and blushed at the compliments from Tom. "Thank you. Is there anything you would like me to bake next week, once we're settled? "
Tom reached out to take her hand in his and smiled. "Whatever strikes your fancy. I don't think that there's anything you've baked that I haven't liked."
Sybil stroked Tom's hand with her thumb and returned a smile. Tom had a notorious sweet tooth and back in their flat in Dublin, she often had to put rules around how much sweets he could eat a day. Otherwise, something she baked the day before would be completely gone. "I'll think of something then and you better not eat all of it in two days by yourself."
"Me?" asked Tom, trying to look incredulous.
"Yes, you." Sybil couldn't help but smile at him. "I still can't believe you led me to think that the mice ate the rest of the cake the first time."
"Can't fault a man for trying," said Tom, bringing the last bite of beef to Sybil. After she ate, he asked, "Now that we're done the beef, what next?"
"Actually, I was hoping that you'd cut another slice of bread and mop up the rest of the sauce, first." Sybil looked expectantly at plate and crockery. Since living in Dublin, Sybil learned to savour good food to the last drop. "We haven't been able to do that since we've been back because it's not polite and I miss it."
"Your wish is my command." Tom smiled and proceeded to do what she asked.
When Tom handed her the sauce soaked bread, Sybil looked at him and smiled. "You should choose the next course, while I feast on this."
"Don't mind if I do," said Tom, taking the glazed chicken out of its crockery. "Would you like some of this?" Tom looked over.
"When I'm done with this." Sybil licked the sauce from her lips.
Tom swallowed hard again and looked away so that he could maintain firm control of his body. It's been too long. Yesterday was not enough. Please let Nora fall asleep after she's done.
Before long, Nora was done with her meal and sleeping. With the baby in her basket by the fire, Sybil and Tom were able to make short work of the remainder of the food. After the dinner portion was finished, Tom took the empty crockery into the kitchen to wash, while Sybil relaxed and enjoyed her tea in front of the fire.
A/N2: Mmmmmm. I wish I had someone sending me such a picnic hamper for dinner. I hope you enjoyed it. Thanks for reading! :)