While he was working under the nom de guerre, the Scarlet Pimpernel never talked to those he rescued. To do so would risk exposure to the French regime however inadvertently and though he had given up caring about the danger to himself a long time ago, he refused to place in peril those brave enough to join the League and to serve the cause of the innocent with him. The worst that could happen was not his capture and death, but the death of his friends and the destruction of the League itself, and the torture and murder of those he and his friends might have saved.
Therefore when they reached the Calais inn that was one of the Pimpernel's secret boltholes, he kept quietly to himself, as usual. He remained on the box as merely as the driver of the carriage as the family alighted, confused and terrified after a much longer ride than they were expecting. Matthew ran forward first, seizing Mary into a tear-filled, joyous reunion. Tom approached the Earl to explain what had happened. Grantham turned to embrace his wife with utter relief, and Tom … well, he took more time than was strictly necessary informing the youngest daughter about how they would travel onwards from here. The young Irishman kept close to her as they transferred onto Sir Anthony's schooner and set sail for Dover, and she seemed to welcome his company. Anthony didn't blame him for making hay while the sun shone: who knew what contact he might possibly be able to have with the young beauty once they had all returned to England?
For himself, Anthony watched the middle daughter stand to one side of the deck, pensively watching the horizon. The news that they were all safe had not affected her as it had her family. She shed a few tears, yes, but Anthony felt her underlying sorrow … it wasn't mere sadness: it seemed almost to be a numbness to feeling anything … though he couldn't place its origin without speaking with her, which he just could not do.
But the crossing was easy with a fair, following wind, the rain of the previous night having blown itself out, and they made good time to the White Cliffs. A much grander, better built carriage awaited the family at the port to take them to London and their home. Tom, as Anthony could've predicted, volunteered to escort the Crawleys back to the capital, which made Anthony smile and offer a quick prayer to whoever might be listening to bless and protect Tom's young heart. Matthew had endured much opposition from Grantham to win the hand of Lady Mary, and he had the 'advantages' of being a lawyer with a good lineage. Anthony doubted that the Earl would easily accept the suit of a penniless Captain, whatever his talent and prospects, and despite the fact that Tom had been part of the team that saved them all from certain death. It went without saying that Anthony would help the young Irishman in any way he could, preferably without Tom's knowledge.
His own heart, however, ached. Once back in society in London, should he address himself to the middle daughter, as Tom had had the courage to do with the younger lady? He doubted very much that his courtship would be as warmly welcomed as Tom's had been. The girl was, he thought, about fifteen or even twenty years his junior. He despised himself for being so weak as to be so affected by her. And yet the deed was done: she had caught him in the most enduring and subtle of nets. He was still reeling from it, but, perhaps, it was just a temporary madness? Perhaps, with rest at home and without her presence, he might recover. He kept his solitude, and watched as the coach sped off towards the capital.
.
As Anthony predicted, Tom's increasing interest in Lady Sybil was not welcomed by Robert Crawley, who had gone so far as to ban him from Grantham House. This had only worked to strengthen Sybil's resolve to meet her beau, which they had to do in secret. With the household in uproar following the family's French misadventures, arranging assignations was not difficult. As her father's opposition hardened, Tom told Anthony over a glass of ale one night, that Sybil and he reluctantly felt that elopement was the only option left to them, followed by a return to Ireland. Then the most miraculous thing happened.
Sybil had been summoned by her father to his study. She expected another dressing down, but when she entered, both her father and Captain Tom Branson, in full uniform and looking all the more magnificent for it, rose from their seats to acknowledge her.
"Here is the lady herself" remarked her father in perfectly ordinary tones. "I will leave you together to … " He gave Tom a subtle nod and fled the room.
"Wha-?" began Sybil, but she was startled by Tom's elated embrace, lifting her and spinning her around in his joy.
"I love you, Sybil."
"Put me down! What is going on?"
"Well, whatever it was you said to your father worked. He's given me his permission to do this" and he knelt before her. "Lady Sybil, will you marry me?"
Her astonishment then gave way to blissful, tearful happiness. "Yes, oh yes!"
A little later, after a certain amount of celebratory deliciousness, she remembered something that had concerned her with Tom's news, before he had distracted her.
"Did Papa tell you what I said that changed his mind? Because the last time I spoke to him, he was still adamant that you were a treasure hunting oik."
"No, he didn't. He just said that he had come to believe that I could be of great use to him and the estate in the future. He even wants me leave the regiment and join the reserves so he can teach me about estate management along with Matthew. Not that I'm interested in any of that, my darling, for its own sake, but I'll agree to anything if it means we can be together."
Sybil sat up. "That doesn't sound right. For days, he's been shouting it to the rafters that you are a revolutionary and a danger to us all (which I know is rubbish, sweetheart). I wonder what convinced him?"
.
A day earlier – Boodle's Club
"This is my daughter we are discussing, Anthony!"
"Yes … and her happiness would be well served if you would be sensible enough to regard this offer not as a merely mercenary one, but instead see it as a practical solution for everyone involved, you and your estate included."
Robert Crawley harrumphed and looked away, chewing over what Anthony had put forward.
Anthony continued "I am not trying to buy your daughter for Tom. I am attempting to find a way to enable two young people deeply in love to marry, and for Tom to demonstrate to you that he is a brave, resourceful young man with many useful qualities. I believe you said that he was part of the Pimpernel's band that rescued you and the family, yes? So he is willing to risk even his life in order to serve his principles. That, surely, must count for something? He may take time to adapt to the civilian life, but with your tutoring, Robert, I am sure that you will find him a quick learner."
"But Matthew … ?"
" … will always be your heir. Tom recognises that, I'm sure; he knows that he will be the agent not the owner, no more, no less. He is an honourable man, and he and Matthew are good friends, you know. But please promise me that you will not tell a living soul about this arrangement. It would mortify them, and embarrass me."
"Very well. £5,000 is a lot of money, Anthony. It would save Downton. If I accept the money, and then something happens that Sybil refuses him?"
"I will stand by my offer. As long as I am sure that you didn't intervene."
"I give you my word that I would not do that. I remain unconvinced about Captain Branson, but I'm willing to give him a chance. I know that Sybil has set her heart on him. She's usually a better judge of character than I am." He sighed. "Yes, I agree, for Sybil's sake, and for Downton's."
"Thank you Robert, because I know you to be a good man too. If you had said it with different priorities "for Downton's sake, and for Sybil's", I would've withdrawn the offer" Anthony smiled like a fox.
.
It wasn't the wedding of the year. But it was, according to anyone lucky enough to attend, the most romantic. The bride and groom didn't seem to see anyone else in the church. They made their vows firmly. Once pronounced "man and wife" they appeared to have arrived at the state of being for which they had been waiting all their lives. They left for a honeymoon in Ireland in a carriage lent to them by their dear friend, Sir Anthony Strallan. Lady Sybil threw her bouquet at the last second before it lurched away, and it was caught by her sister, Lady Edith.
"Well, that's a wedding wish wasted!" murmured Lady Mary, causing her mother to tut as they led the way to Crawley House for refreshments.
Lady Edith remained still, looking at the flowers in her hand, then dropped them in the mud at her feet, and followed slowly behind.
.
Soon after the wedding, despite Robert's declarations, rumours began to circulate. Some said that all of the Crawley girls' dowries had been promised to Mr Matthew Crawley to convince him to marry Lady Mary and keep the title and estate in the immediate family. Others said that Captain Branson had only his army salary and so had to be subsidised in order to marry into the nobility. But all the stories agreed that the Earl of Grantham was broke, and that the one remaining Crawley daughter had no dowry at all, and therefore, for the benefit of Downton, she would go to the highest bidder, if any bidders could be found.
Anthony cornered Robert again, this time while at a party at the house of Sir Andrew ffoulkes, the Scarlet Pimpernel's loyal second-in-command.
"Where did my £5,000 go to, Robert?"
"Ah. Hello Anthony. I … er, thought you might want to ask that. But, look here, I hope you haven't been listening to … "
Anthony was still, his eyes boring into Robert's face.
"The truth is … it went on clearing debts, long-standing debts, as in debts I inherited when my father died."
"Why, in God's name, didn't you tell me this before?"
"It just seemed too … humiliating! I am grateful, very grateful, Anthony, but …"
" … but £5,000 wasn't enough to get the estate back on its feet after the loss of the French vineyards" stated Anthony, to Robert's surprise. "The revenue from the château subsidised Downton, yes I know. Do you actually have a plan on which to run your estate, Robert?"
"Of course, yes, um … I mean, Matthew and Tom are full of silly modern ideas. The tenancies worked well in my father's day and everything ran smoothly!"
"But now with cotton coming in from the colonies, the price of wool has plummeted, and you aren't properly balanced with arable crops along with pastoral smallholdings."
"Oh yes, I forgot that you are such an expert on this sort of thing, Anthony" the Earl sneered.
Anthony, for the first time in Robert's experience, was disconcerted. "I may be the most boring man in England, but at least the subjects I am boring about are useful." He took a deep, steadying breath. "I hear that you are auctioning off your remaining daughter."
"I wouldn't exactly put it like that."
"Really? How would you put it?"
It was Robert's turn to look sheepish. "Well … she has no dowry and I would appreciate a contribution …"
Anthony glared at him. With determination, he moved the conversation forward. "I will offer you £5,000 for your permission to ask Lady Edith for her hand in marriage."
"You?! But …"
"Yes, I realise that I am somewhat older than her, but, to be honest, I can offer her a secure position, financially and in society, a title, a promise not to interfere in her life no matter what, and a considerable inheritance when I die. Now tell me, has anyone else offered so well for her?"
"No one else has offered for her" replied Robert, bitterly.
"Do you accept?" urged Anthony.
"Yes, most heartily. I am very, very pleased to welcome you to the family" he said shaking Anthony's hand.
"Steady on, she hasn't accepted me yet!"
"She'd better, or I'll make her!"
"Robert, please, I don't want her to be forced into marrying me."
"No! No, of course not! Call round sometime and make your offer, and we'll talk again afterwards about arrangements and so forth."
Anthony was not at all sure that this was the best way of proceeding, but he just couldn't leave Edith to be sold off like a prize Whitebred Shorthorn! He knew that he was older than she had a right to expect in a suitor, but there were many advantages to that: he was rich, richer than almost any other man in England, and he really had no care for his reputation since it was his disguise, what protected his identity as the Scarlet Pimpernel. If people thought that he was being made a cuckold as well as a boring one, all to the good. Therefore he could allow Edith as much freedom as she desired. His position was powerful, so he could protect her. And, who could tell? They might be able to become friends. He wanted that so much. He wanted her in his life so much, that he would bear any amount of other discomfort just to have her company at least some of the time.
The next day found him at the door of Grantham House, asking the owlish butler if Lady Edith was at home.