Sorry for the delay in updates. My muse has been on strike. But here is one! Hopefully you enjoy it :o) one thing that I do love about this fic is how Larry gets under your skin...like there are times when you hate him and just want to throw him across the room, and then there are times when gosh darn it, you *kind of* feel sorry for him...will be interested to see what you think of him here ;o) Thanks for reading!
The Only Girl
April, 1918
The heir is missing. This is what Larry overhears being whispered by several servants as he attends yet another concert at Downton, though this one is being put on for the sake of "raising morale" for the convalescing officers.
He's not quite sure what to make of this. He's never cared for Lord Grantham's cousin, but if Matthew Crawley died (or was never found) who would take his place? Who would be the future earl?
He brushes those thoughts aside and instead focuses on Sybil's busy figure. She's moving around the room with a kettle, offering a hot beverage to any soldier who holds out his cup. She also carries blankets, and she's prepared to help "tuck in" any officer who makes a request.
Larry grits his teeth, noticing how some of those officers have wandering eyes. How dare they leer at her! Sybil is no object! She's his! He clenches his fists and bites the inside of his cheek, prepared to step forward and growl a threat, however all attention is turned towards the front, as Mary and Edith take their place on the stage to lead the room in a song.
"Sometimes when I feel bad,
And things look blue
I wish a pal I had...say one like you…"
Sybil has a sweet voice; he's heard her sing on a few occasions. Why isn't she beside Mary, singing now?
"Someone within my heart to build a throne…"
He searches the room for her, noticing how she's moved away from the front, but she's not sitting beside the rest of the Crawleys.
"Someone who'd never part, to call my own…"
Where is she? He's trying to find her, and practically jumps when the rest of the room joins Mary in singing.
"If you were the only girl in the world,
And I were the only boy…"
He finds her at last, standing in the back near the other nurses and servants. She's looking down, but her lips are moving; his sweet Sybil is singing…
"Nothing else would matter in the world today
We could go on loving in the same old way…"
Ah Sybil, why is she so blind? Can't she see that he would be the perfect husband for her? He would dote on her, give her anything she desired, including a fine house in both the country and London! They would be the talk of Society! Sybil and Larry Grey, the future Lord and Lady Merton—everyone would want them to attend their balls; they would sit up late at night and laugh at all the invitations they've received, trying to decide who to decline. Everyone would complement Larry about his lovely bride; and all his friends at the club would envy him.
Yes, Sybil truly is the only girl in the world. He'll have no need for a mistress with her as his wife.
The singing comes to a stop and people gasp as the missing heir suddenly appears, grinning broadly and his focus completely locked on Mary.
It's only then that Larry realizes another man's eyes are also intensely focused, but not on Lady Mary.
How he missed the grubby chauffeur, he'll never know, but there he is…standing beside Sybil, looking at her as the singing resumes.
Looking at her…the same way Larry is looking at her.
This time when he bites his cheek, he tastes blood.