French Rivera

Robert smiled as all their family climbed off the boat onto their Sybbie's villa, the servants carrying their luggage. The younger children ran ahead, while Sybbie, George, Marigold, and Caroline walked more dignified towards the house.

Cora soaked up their families' joy like the sun absorbed a puddle on a warm day. Time with their family had always been fundamental to his wife, but ever since she'd recovered from her ghastly illness, these holidays to the French Rivera meant even more to her. Her blue eyes were even brighter than normal, her smile was wide, and her head turned everywhere in her enjoyment.

Robert gazed at her, loving Cora's joy and in awe of how easily she expressed herself. She made her pink day dress appear especially lovely. "I'm so glad Rose and Atticus have agreed to meet us here this year. They should be here tomorrow, right?" she said as they walked slowly to the house.

"That's what the telegram said before we left Downton," Robert said with a small nod. He looked forward to seeing Rose as well, having grown to care for her almost as another daughter, when she'd lived at Downton for a couple of years.

"Oh, Robert to have so many people we love together, enjoying this holiday," Cora said, her mere voice showing how wonderful she thought it was. Then her head turned toward Mary and Edith who were chatting together as they approached the house, and somehow her smile grew even larger, and her eyes sparkled even more.

Robert nodded, appreciating how nice it was that Mary and Edith were finally getting on, but not brave enough to show his emotions as she was. Still, when they entered the house, he carefully took her gloved hand in his; perhaps he was braver than he'd thought, especially when Cora gazed at him like that in return.

OOOOOOOOOO

"Rose and Atticus are here!" Cora said as she saw their boat dock from Robert and Cora's window the next afternoon. She almost flew out of the room and down the stairs to greet them. Robert smiled, finding her eager expressiveness as endearing as ever.

Mary and Edith also came downstairs, although a bit slower than their mother, while the younger children struggled to catch up to their Granny.

By the time Robert arrived at the dock, Cora was hugging Rose fiercely. What was even nicer was Rose was hugging Cora just as strongly, and Robert's heart swelled. He knew Rose gave he and Cora another young woman to care for at a time when they'd just begun living again after Sybil's death. What was even better was how much Rose grew to admire Cora.

"This is Victoria," Atticus said as the hugging continued. He placed his hand on the shoulder of a young woman about Caroline's age, with hair a cross between blonde and brown. "Victoria, these are your mother's cousins that she lived with for a time and grew to admire so."

"I'm pleased to meet you," Victoria said politely, holding out her hand to both Mary, Edith, George, and Caroline. But the sharp American accent made Robert wince; even his Cora's wasn't that strong.

"And this is Jacob," said Atticus," placing his hand on the shoulder of a boy about Erin's age. He looked like a junior version of his father.

"Pleased to meet you all as well," said Jacob, and Robert realized both children's voices reminded him of Martha Levinson's. Cora, who had finally released Rose, clearly heard her mother's accent in both Victoria and Jacob's voices as well, although it didn't annoy her as much as it did Robert.

On the contrary, with Cora's soft smile and sad eyes, Robert knew she was missing her mother a bit. He wished he could kiss her fingertips or stroke her cheek, but she was too far away. Instead, he waited for her to meet his eyes, hoping that was enough for now.

"… And you're Sybbie?" Rose said on the other side of Robert, where his oldest granddaughter stood. "…So grown-up!" He turned to see Rose admiring her in her light blue day dress and hair. "I suppose your presentation is approaching soon."

Robert bristled, hoping Tom, who he'd just realized was standing behind the younger children with Lucy, would not protest.

OOOOOOOOOO

A few days later, Robert sat on the terrace with Cora, sipping a cool drink. Meanwhile, Tom played in the sand with his children. Sweet Erin sculpted a castle that resembled Downton, while Patrick buried his feet. Tom assisted his daughter with her sculpture, then chuckled as he pulled Patrick's feet out of hiding, causing the boy to laugh in delight.

Robert couldn't stop himself from smiling, despite how sore he'd been at Tom for the past couple of months. He was such a loving father, reminding Robert of himself as he'd played with Sybbie, George, Caroline and now Erin at Downton.

Taking another drink, Robert wished it wasn't so warm in France. He was used to the cooler temperatures of Yorkshire. But he wouldn't complain about such things out loud.

Robert returned his attention to the Branson family. Sybbie, had always been a wonderful big sister, nodded in approval at her sister's sand sculpture, before removing her shoes and dipping her feet in the ocean. He bristled, wondering if that was appropriate behavior for a young lady. Was Tom teaching her the correct lessons?

"I was just noticing how good Tom is with his children," Cora said cheerfully from across the terrace, as if she'd followed Robert's exact thoughts.

How did she do that?

"I just wish it wasn't so warm in France," Robert said, voicing his other thought. He took another sip of his cool drink, but it didn't decrease the stickiness of his skin. On the beach, Tom had put Patrick down and he and Lucy were splashing each other with water. It was so undignified, but the feel cool water on his person was so tempting. As was seeing Cora's dress a bit wet.

He forced the images from his brain, shaking his head.

"I have warned you repeatedly that your normal wardrobe isn't right for the French Riviera, darling," Cora said shaking her head. She tossed back a drink herself, but with her sleeveless flowery dress, was obviously more comfortable than he was in his white cotton suit.

"Would you like to go to town tomorrow and find a more suitable outfit?" said Cora.

Robert took another look at the Branson family, who were now all splashing water at each other. He and Cora couldn't do such a thing, especially as others might see them. What would Mary, or Edith, or worst of all, Tom himself think if they saw the heads of the family doing something like that?

A new outfit was the only answer. "Yes, we shall do that," Robert said to Cora.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXX

OOOOOOO

Water droplets covered Tom's outfit, but he didn't care. "Take that, Dad," Sybbie said, flicking his white silk shirt with more water. Her sweet laughter filled his soul in a way nothing else could.

"So that's how it is, Sybbie?" Tom said, splashing his oldest daughter's dark hair with a handful of the sea. She laughed even more.

Meanwhile, Patrick's little legs ran after Erin, while she stayed just ahead of her brother. Lucy, who had been splashing Tom just before Sybbie, turned to pick up their son. "Come on, let's get Erin together?" she said to him, allowing him to dip his hands in the sea before taking off after Erin again.

"Mum!" Erin said, her eyes blazing as Lucy lifted Patrick up to dump water on Erin's head.

Warm laughter filled Tom's belly, exploding from his chest as he looked at his wife and children. Several years ago, when he and Lucy had come here just after their wedding, they had played on this beach. The water had almost felt as if it were washing away all the past hurts in both their lives.

Now, would it do the same again for Tom and the rest of his family?

He dipped his hands in the sea and splashed Lucy, covering her white dress with pink flowers all over again.

Her hair, already wet from previous splatters, dripped all around her face. When Lucy placed their son back on the sand, Tom studied her form. The water made her breasts more prominent, and her lips were especially inviting. He leaned in, pausing to briefly to make certain his wife found this an acceptable time for a kiss. When she smiled widely, Tom dove. She tasted of sea and happiness. His wife gave him another small smile when they withdrew, although she wasn't always comfortable with public affection.

Everyone seemed happy today.

In the distance, Tom could see Mary, Henry, George, Caroline, Rose, and Atticus sailing with their two children. Lord and Lady Grantham sipped lemonade from the terrace that stood outside their room. And Edith, Bertie, and their children were enjoying the courtyard on the other side of the villa.

OOOOOOOOOO

Dancing music played on the villa's courtyard a few nights later, and Tom twirled around with Lucy. The music wasn't as fast as the typical jazz, but "swing" was still considered a type of it, and he felt the beat in his feet. "I'm so glad to see you smile," Lucy said as her body returned to his again. "You've been struggling with your identity too much at Downton and even Brompton. Here, all your worries are gone."

Tom grinned, unable to argue with that thought. He felt lighter here than he had in months. "I truly wasn't certain whether our family should come here this year," he said as he gazed into Lucy's deep blue eyes. "Sometimes I still think the best thing for our family is to have more distance from the Crawley's and their extravagant lifestyle. But I suppose leaving Downton, Brompton, and even being further away from Ireland has helped me relax." His mind shifted back to the time he and his family had played in the seawater, washing away their troubles. With that, Tom held his arm open, and Lucy spun around.

In the distance Rose twirled around with Atticus in an even more spirited manner, and Tom smiled. When Rose had arrived at Downton, she'd been so frivolous and immature, but he'd grown fond of her, despite himself, just as Tom had with all the Crawley's. It was nice to see her happy with Atticus and her two children. America was clearly a good place for their family.

Even Lord and Lady Grantham twirled in a lively manner, though perhaps Tom shouldn't be so surprised as they'd always had a fondness for dancing with each other. He still remembered when Rose had organized a jazz band for Lord Grantham's birthday, and the English lord had run into his wife's arms. Tom also noticed they had bought new clothing since arriving at the villa, Lord Grantham now sporting a much thinner looking grey suit and shorter sleeves than the ones he wore at Downton. Lady Grantham wore what appeared to be a new dress, a cross between blue and purple which suited her tall form.

Sybbie had picked up her brother and was bouncing and twirling him to the music, much to Patrick's delight. "She's so good with her younger siblings," Lucy said as she followed Tom's eyes. "I've noticed it since we've come here even more."

"Maybe because she isn't so distracted by Lord Grantham's library," Tom said, opening his arm for her to twirl back to him again. "Seriously, our Sybbie comes to taking care of people naturally, so of course she does so with her siblings." He watched as Sybbie gently set Patrick back on the ground and accepted a dance with George, and Tom was overwhelmed at how mature she appeared.

"She truly is growing up," he said, forcing the words out of his mouth, even if only to Lucy.

Lucy pulled herself into Tom's arms in response.

A new song began, and the French language was impossible to understand the words, but the melody still had a pleasing sound, so Tom swung Lucy from side to side. Meanwhile, he saw Henry pull Mary onto the dance floor, and Tom had to smile. It was so nice to see her with someone who made her less rigid.

Lady Grantham took a moment to have a drink with Edith and Bertie, while Rose danced with her son and Atticus twirled Victoria around.

Lord Grantham, on the other hand, took Tom's Sybbie's hand, and he immediately tensed. Was the wide smile that his daughter was wearing what he had to tolerate when Sybbie danced with her grandfather at that pompous ball?

"Tom," Lucy's wife said softly. "She's having fun, and we were just praising her for being grown-up. I thought you were feeling more relaxed here," she stroked his face with her hand, clearly hoping to erase the scowl.

Tom sighed, still fighting the urge to scowl. He wished to say it wasn't that simple, but he also remembered how nice it was to relax in the last couple of days. An image of Sybbie splashing water on him appeared in his mind, and he finally smiled. "I suppose." With that he opened his arm to spin Lucy around.

Edith and Bertie's son, Peter meanwhile, held his hand out to Erin and she giggled as she began swinging to the beat.

As the song ended, Lucy stepped off the dance floor and picked up their son, who despite insisting otherwise, looked as if he would fall asleep at any moment. "I'll take him upstairs," she said, as everyone else continued socializing. Tom nodded, smiling at how caring his Lucy was.

"Hey, Tom," Henry slapped him on the back with excided energy. "Are you looking forward to going to the World's Fair in Paris as much as I am? I bet they have some great new motor's there."

Tom sighed. A month ago, he'd planned on returning as soon as the holiday on Sybbie's villa ended, so not to spend extended time with the Crawley's. But now he reveled in the lightness he felt away from Downton, Brompton, and Ireland, and Henry's excitement to see new motors was contagious.

"Yes," he said finally, slapping Henry in return at the same time another song began, almost like a trumpet or drum roll announcing a big event. "They'll be some great motors there."