Thanks for the reviews from the last chapter! I'm glad people were pleased to see two characters bonding together ;o) This one is a bit different, but was written for several purposes: one, to show Edith's coming out ball, and two, to foreshadow Larry's "prankster behavior" when he drugged Tom, as well as a brief conversation he had with Edith in 3x01, hinting that she is in fact aware of this behavior. Hope you enjoy! THANK YOU FOR READING!
Original Prankster
June 1912
It's his father's idea. "Lady Edith needs an escort to her ball! And since you failed in obtaining the Honorable Miss Belmont's hand…"
Yes, his father loves to bring that up whenever he can. He swears the man's favorite pastime is finding ways to "once again prove" that he's nothing but a disappointment. Not like Patrick Crawley, of course.
No, he's nothing like Patrick.
For one thing, he's alive!
Although he can't help but wonder if in his father's eyes, he'd rather have a dead man for his son.
But despite his bitterness, his agrees; after all, he's convinced it's what Patrick would have wanted. Wasn't he always going on about how Edith wasn't "that bad"?
He arrives early, and is sad to learn that Sybil hasn't come to London this season. There will be no opportunities to watch her dancing with invisible partners like she had at Mary's ball. And now that she's sixteen, she wouldn't have had to dance alone; he's certain he could have convinced Lord Grantham to permit one dance.
Instead, he is to dance with a different Crawley sister. And he wouldn't mind it so much if Edith would stop her damn moping! But she can't; she keeps going on and on about how this doesn't seem right, celebrating her entrance into Society…without Patrick there.
Does she realize that Patrick only tolerated her? If he had truly loved her the way Edith seems to believe, he would have fought for her hand and insisted on marrying a different Crawley. But he didn't, he was resigned to do his family's bidding, and take Mary for his bride.
It's tempting to tell her that, to "wake her up" from her grief, but he decides to be kind instead, another way to honor Patrick.
But he needs to do something to get her to STOP sulking!
And that's when it strikes him.
"Edith, do you like games?"
She's confused by his question, but he only grins as his eyes spot an easy target.
"See that footman? The one carrying that tray of champagne?"
Her eyes follow to where he is pointing. The lad is precariously close to where his father is standing.
"Go and speak to my father; distract him," he encourages.
She still looks confused, but is now intrigued and does as he says, greeting Lord Merton in warm politeness, being the perfect decoy as he makes his own move.
He approaches the footman from behind, as if he were going for a glass himself. But what the footman doesn't see is his foot snaking out…and tripping the man.
A shriek goes up in the room as dozens of glasses go flying in the air.
…And their contents splash all over his father.
Lord Merton is sputtering in anger. The footman is begging forgiveness. Everyone else is staring in horror!
But not Edith. Her hands cover her mouth to hide her giggles.
Two birds, one stone. He has managed to make Edith smile and extract his revenge.
All in all, it's a good evening.