Edith started to gather her things as the train was slowing down coming into Brancaster. Bertie had talked about inviting just her for another visit during their last time in London, although he admitted there were things he had to take care of as Marquess and landlord that would delay the visit he was very enthusiastic. He seemed to be enthusiastic about most things, that was something Edith loved about him, after Anthony had passed the responsibility of managing an estate and a journalism career and raising a child nearly on her own caused Edith to become a bit more serious and more prone to over looking the simple things in life that usually brought her joy.
But with Bertie becoming a part of her life the pleasure he took from small things such as a quiet walk, sharing a newspaper over coffee in a café or even just sitting near each other was rubbing off on Edith and even when they were apart she found herself more appreciative of her time with Marigold and more engaged with other members of her family.
Edith was guarded at first with Bertie, she couldn't deny that she was attracted to him in everyway but now after knowing each other for a few months she had to admit to herself that she was falling for him and if her women's intuition was worth anything she knew he was falling for her as well.
The train came to a stop and Edith could see Bertie waiting for her on the platform, she quickly checked her reflection in the glass of the compartment door and went out to meet him
"Hello there." Edith greeted as Bertie watched her walk up to him
"Lovely to see you darling." Bertie replied as he leaned down to give her a quick kiss on the lips
"Bertie! Don't make a spectacle of us." Edith whispered as she looked around at the other people milling about the station
"I'm the Marquess of Hexam I think I can kiss a beautiful woman at the train station if I want." Bertie told her in mock seriousness and earned a smile from Edith as the Porter appeared with Edith's luggage.
"That's mine shall we go?" Edith asked
"Yes, right this way. I hope the journey wasn't too tough." Bertie led Edith to the waiting car but with no chauffer in sight
"Oh, it was fine. Where's your driver?"
"I wanted to get you all by myself, I thought we'd enjoy a little time to ourselves right off the bat…If that's not too scandalous." Bertie told her with a teasing smile
"I trust you but I'm afraid you're reputation might take a beating if it gets out." Edith warned him as he tipped the Porter and went to open her door
"I think the risk is worth it." Bertie replied before he shut her door and walked around to his side
"So what do you have planned for us this weekend?" Edith asked as Bertie started the car
"Well I've gave the whole staff the weekend off and sent them away and I've shipped my mother off to my aunt's house so you and I will do nothing but sit in the library together with no one to bother us until one of the footmen comes back to carry down your bags." Bertie confidently told her struggling to keep a joking smile from breaking across his face
"Sounds lovely but I think you forgot that we'll need to eat this weekend, how do you expect to deal with that? I'm afraid I'm not much of a cook."
"You're dealing with an Army man, I'll handle all of that. You don't mind eating sandwiches all weekend do you?"
"I might, but I'm sure you make wonderful sandwiches."
"I do actually, but you'll have to carry in the firewood and all that, can't expect me to do everything." Bertie joked as he drove through the small village toward the castle
"That would be nice wouldn't it? Just you and I tucked away somewhere for a few days with no one to bother us?" Edith imagined and Bertie looked over at her and gave her a warm smile
"I could arrange that Edith, if you really wanted to."
"I would, but…"
"Not quite yet?" Bertie finished for her
"Right, not quite yet. Sorry if I got your hopes up."
"Don't worry, I'm just happy you're here now."
"So am I." Edith replied as she looked over a Bertie with his eyes on the road and reached over to give his arm a squeeze
"We will have to deal with a full house unfortunately and the real plan for tonight is dinner with Reverend Janes and Lord and Lady Linsley, they live nearby and have turned out to be good friends of mine, they're very excited to meet you in fact."
"And why's that?"
"Can't you guess?" Bertie laughed to himself as Edith did seem a bit clueless
"I don't know…they read my column?" Edith ventured
"They do now…"
"Go on Bertie, stop teasing me!" Edith demanded as she used her glove to give him a playful slap on the arm
'"It's because I've been talking about you non stop for the past five months. I'm fairly certain they know almost everything about you so conversation might be a bit one sided." Bertie told her as he gave her an apologetic smile
"And you like them?" Edith asked beaming inside knowing that Bertie felt so proud of her
"I do very much, they're only a few years older than us and they've been a great help to me adjusting to everything, you'll like them. But tomorrow night I was thinking we could go into town for dinner? There's a restaurant there I'd like to take you to, it's not exactly London standards but it's charming enough."
"I'd love to." Edith answered already looking forward to dinner with just Bertie and no one else
"And I was thinking Sunday you could come to church with me and mother and take the afternoon train home? Reverend Janes will probably invite you but I can always make your excuses if you'd rather not."
"If it means being able to have lunch with you before I go I think I can stand it."
Bertie turned the car onto the long drive up to Brancaster and snuck another look at Edith admiring the grounds
"Sounds like a plan to me"
"Join me in the library for a night cap?" Bertie suggested as a footman took Edith's coat after they returned from their night out
"I was hoping you'd ask me that." Edith answered him as she wrapped her arms around his and walked with him toward the library
Bertie prepared their drinks as Edith took a seat close to the already roaring fire, she was careful to give Bertie just enough space to sit comfortable in between her and the arm of the couch
"Here we are." Edith heard Bertie say as he held out the glass he made for Edith and sat down next to her encouraging her to lean back into his chest
"Thank you and thank you for dinner tonight, I enjoyed it very much maybe we can go back?"
"I guess that means you'll have to visit Brancaster again."
"Would you mind?" Edith asked as she looked up at him
Bertie let out a soft laugh and smiled down at her "Hardly…in fact it's quite the opposite…"
Edith waited for Bertie to finish and just took another sip of her drink to buy time
"…Edith, what I mean is I'd rather have you here than not, all the time. That wasn't very articulate but I think you know what I mean, that I'm wondering how you would feel about living here and of course everything that would go along with that."
"You're talking about taking a big step."
"I am, I hope it doesn't come as a huge surprise you know I'm mad for you." Bertie told her hoping he wasn't scaring her away
"I'm not exactly the type of girl men are mad about but no, it's not a surprise. But there is something we need to talk about before we go any further." Edith said as she straightened herself out and turned to face Bertie directly
"Alright, go on."
Edith cleared her throat before starting, what she was about to say was something she wanted to talk about and was something she was worried about but she never found the right time to bring it up
"It's just that, you know that I have a responsibility toward Marigold and if you're serious about me you'll have to take her on as well, we're a package deal. And I need to say that I won't have her treated as less than and stashed away in the attics, she's my daughter and I won't have her pushed away."
Edith strongly finished, a part of her worried that Bertie wasn't taking the entire situation seriously enough, that he was just infatuated with her and didn't realize that when it came down to it he would have to be a step-father and be responsible for someone else's child
"Edith, I would never want that. I know you're Marigold's mother first and I won't ask you to change that."
"Have you really considered everything Bertie? She'll know you're not her natural father and she might have difficulties with that later on, she won't be a shy little girl forever." Edith challenged him still worried that he was caught up in the emotion of their courtship and was ignoring the possible problems they might have later on
"I know, and I don't intend to try and replace Anthony. But I would like to be involved in raising her, I'd like to be there for her just as any father would be and I know there will be a time where she'll come to you wanting to know about who her real father was and you'll have to tell her."
"You say you're fine with that now but what about in ten years? She might have times where she misses him, where she resents you because you're here and he's not. Could you deal with that?"
"I understand it will be difficult at times but if I take the easy route and go after someone just because they don't have a past to deal with I'll always regret not giving it my all with you. If Marigold can capture my heart like her mother did then I couldn't imagine a bigger honor than being a part of her life."
"You're a rare breed, do you know that?" Edith told him as she brought his hand into her lap
"And you think very highly of me, much more than I deserve…" Bertie told her as her leaned forward and gave her a soft kiss, but before he could continue something was on his mind that he wanted to address with her
"…Edith, when you were talking about Marigold missing Anthony do you think you might feel that too at times?"
Edith gave him a weak smile grateful that he was being considerate of her feelings
"I'd be lying if I said I'll never think of Anthony again, he's the father of my child and we had our happy times together but I've also realized that I don't want to live in the past and I think that you're my future, at least I hope so." Edith bashfully finished knowing the weight of the words she was saying.
"Well I hope so too." Bertie said unable to contain the smile that spread across his face
"I'm happy with where we are Bertie, and I can't thank you enough for being patient with me."
"No need to rush anything…" Bertie quietly agreed with her as his free hand came up to cradle the side of her face "…good things are worth waiting for anyway."
A/N; Thanks for still sticking with the story! I have a few chapters left and things should pick up a bit in the next one, I did borrow some dialogue from Fellowes in this one and his characters of course