Chapter Twenty-Five
"Have you had a productive afternoon Tim?" Dickie asked as he and Isobel entered the drawing room at Crawley House.
"I've not really done much, just read a book" Tim answered morosely.
"Well, Cora has invited you to join us for dinner at the Abbey this evening, so that should lift your spirits somewhat" Dickie said cheerily. Tim just huffed. "Will you come?"
"Do I have a choice?" Tim replied.
"I'm sure Mrs Field can whip you up a tray if you insist on staying at home, or there's always the pub." said Isobel, distinctly un-amused by Tim's attitude.
"Come now, you've known the Crawleys all your life. It can't be all that bad, surely?" Dickie cajoled.
"Maybe not" Tim still didn't look enthused.
"There's just something I want to check with you. I just need to fetch some papers from the study" Dickie left to collect what he needed.
"You know, you could make more of an effort." Isobel snapped at Tim "Your father thinks Larry's deception has hurt you deeply and is just trying to help you. You seem determined to wallow and avoid making any effort to either understand or improve your situation. He deserves more from you."
"You can't possibly understand!" Tim hissed back "I can't imagine you have ever had the amount of money I lost! Let alone understand the position I'm in now!"
"From what I can tell, you are still financially secure and you have a good job with prospects. Just what is so awful about that?" Isobel challenged "And no, I have never possessed that much money, but money isn't everything. I have faced much greater challenges in my life than you could ever comprehend, and I didn't have the people around me who were necessarily prepared to help me the way your father seems prepared to help you."
"Huh! He's only trying to soothe his guilty conscience for the way he treated my mother." Tim growled.
"I never met your mother, but I've heard plenty about her from a variety of sources and I can see the effect she has had on you and Larry." Isobel said angrily "By all accounts your mother was a bitter and self-absorbed snob who was intentionally cruel to those she took against, often for no reason. It's quite clear that both of you take after her. Before you judge your father, maybe you should take a long hard look in the mirror and judge your own behaviour first!" Isobel stood to leave the room.
"Is everything alright?" Dickie asked warily.
Isobel shot Tim a look. "Perfectly." she said tightly "I'm just going up to rest before dinner. If Tim does decide to join us, can you just telephone the Abbey and let them know?" she reached up to kiss Dickie in the cheek as a reassurance.
"Of course" Dickie said, a little distractedly. He watched Isobel leave the room and then turned to Tim "What was that about?"
Tim huffed "She told me off for not making enough of an effort! Can you believe her!"
"Yes." Dickie said shortly. Tim's head whipped round and he stared at his father open mouthed. "Tim, all your childhood your mother compared you to Larry and constantly judged you. I know you found it hard and I should have done more to reassure you. But now Larry has proved to you in the worst possible way how little he cares for you. I can understand you are disappointed and disillusioned, but your position is not dire. You are not criminally involved at least, you still have your job and a good portion to get you back on your feet. You still have a bright future."
"Did she lend you her hymn sheet?" Tim grumbled.
"Your behaviour towards many people, least of all Isobel, is something that I am heartily ashamed of Tim" Dickie continued. "But you are still my son, and I feel I owe it to you to try and help you sort yourself out. If you carry on this way I can only see that your future will be bitter and unhappy. I don't want that for you, but if you are determined to find fault with everyone that is trying to help you then I will let you choose your own path."
Tim swallowed hard. "I'm sorry Pa"
"Are you? Do you really know what you're expected to be sorry for?" Dickie said in exasperation. Then he sighed "I know when you were younger you were often unhappy, and I am sorry for that. But it doesn't have to be like that going forward, and I won't let it be like that for John." He looked at Tim "Now is the time to be the person you always really wanted to be, not the person your mother or Larry thought you should be. And you can start by coming to dinner tonight."
Tim groaned "They all hate me after the last dinner I had at the Abbey. And now they'll be laughing at me because of Larry too" He buried his face in his hands.
"You need to stop judging people by your own standards. Or rather Larry's standards" said Dickie more gently. "Yes, they were upset about that last dinner, but they have invited you again which means they are willing to give you a chance. They know about Larry, but they don't know your situation. You may find they are more sympathetic than you expect." There was a pause "Just because you would laugh at someone down on their luck, does not mean they will." Dickie said firmly.
Tim raised his head: there were tears in his eyes. "Alright". He said hoarsely.
"Good." Dickie said brusquely. "Now, these are what I went to get." He passed the papers across to Tim "These arrived in John's baggage. Do you recognise any of these holdings?"
-TW- -TW- -TW-
Dickie entered the bedroom quietly. The curtains were closed but Isobel's bedside lamp was on.
"You don't need to be quiet, I was just reading" Isobel smiled up at him. "Has Tim decided to come to dinner?"
"Yes, I just rang the Abbey to let them know. They asked if we could pick the Dowager up on our way." Dickie replied, with a slight smirk.
Isobel groaned "I wouldn't be surprised if she made Tim's attendance a pre-requisite of hers!"
Dickie chuckled. "Well, I'm hoping her thirst for drama will go unquenched." He leaned across the bed to kiss Isobel on the cheek "Did he upset you while I was out of the room?"
"No, we just exchanged views, that's all" Isobel looked at Dickie "Honestly! Nothing dramatic, just a couple of barbs." She reached out to squeeze his hand in reassurance.
Dickie sighed "We had words too. I told him he needs to start being the person he wants to be, rather than the person Ada and Larry always wanted him to be." There was a sharp intake of breath from Isobel. "I also told him to stop judging others by his own standards." Dickie shook his head. He looked up at Isobel "I should have done more. I should have somehow made him see that he could be a different type of person. That being kind doesn't make one weak."
"That's all past now. He is where he is, and he has to decide for himself how to move forward." Isobel squeezed his hand again. "Time will tell." Dickie nodded and lay down on the bed, staring at the ceiling.
"We looked at those papers that were in John's suitcase" Dickie recounted "And they don't bear the same names as any on the papers that Tim has." He turned to look at Isobel "I'm wondering if they're real. Maybe something that Amelia left for John on purpose?"
"You think she would do that?" Isobel wasn't so sure.
"I don't know." Dickie admitted "But I'm sure we can find out easily enough. One was a cattle ranch in Brazil and the other a German aviation company."
-TW- -TW- -TW-
"The Dowager Countess of Grantham, Lord and Lady Merton, Mr Timothy Grey" Mr Barrow announced.
"Good evening everyone" Cora smiled "Tim, it's good to see you again. Thank you for coming."
"It's very good of you to invite me" Tim replied, a little subdued "I hope I can leave a better impression this time."
"I hope so too" said Robert, earning himself a look from his wife "Can I get you a drink?"
"Thank you" Tim followed Robert over to the drinks tray.
"How has it been?" Cora asked Isobel quietly "We didn't really get a chance to talk this afternoon"
"You mean without Dickie in earshot?" said Isobel, looking to see where he was "It's been alright. We had a few words this afternoon, but nothing particularly bad. He seems to be on his best behaviour this evening, so we'll see how it goes."
Barrow came back in to announce that dinner was ready and everyone started to head through to the dining room.
"Tim! Tim" Violet hailed "I know it's not quite the thing, but as this is a family dinner, you can escort me through" Violet didn't give Tim a choice "Now, tell me, how are things at Crawley House? Isobel has been impossibly tight lipped!"
Tim looked towards Isobel who was going in to dinner with Tom "It's been a refreshing change, in all honesty Lady Grantham." Tim replied politely "It's been such a long time since I've been in the country for a family weekend." He smiled at the Countess.
"Well, that is good" Violet said as she was helped into her seat, a little disappointed.
Dinner was served and everyone settled into conversation with those around them. Tim was mostly quiet, observing what was going on. Violet was at the other end of the table with Tom and Mary. He never would have thought they had anything in common, but they seemed to discuss a variety of topics throughout dinner: children, crops, tenant farmers, the Christmas fair. Henry was to his left, and they had discussed the car industry as well as some local families they both knew. Cora, to his right, had been very kind in asking about his travels and showing a real interest in him. They had shared stories of their time in Rome, and he was actually thinking of trying to visit some of the places she mentioned on his next visit. Robert had also latched onto that conversation and asked him about where he might be off to next. It was nothing earth shattering, but it was a pleasant way to spend the evening, Tim concluded. There was no nastiness, no hidden agendas, no malicious humour. It made him think.
"Will you be in London then Tim?" Cora asked him.
"I'm sorry, I seem to be lost in my own thoughts for a moment." Tim smiled. "What were you asking about?"
"We're planning a shopping trip the first week in December. The men are coming too, although they're not interested in the shopping! We were planning on maybe visiting the theatre or something similar." Cora explained "Will you be around to join us?"
"I can't be absolutely sure, but I should think so, yes" Tim wondered for a moment "Have you seen The Lodger yet? It's really rather good."
"Is that a moving picture?" Robert asks suspiciously "I've never much enjoyed them."
"Oh come on Papa! It had really good reviews when it was released earlier this year, but I never got to see it" Mary turned to Tim "Is there somewhere it's showing?"
"I'm not sure" Tim admitted "But it's usually showing somewhere. I shall try and find out when I go home, if you like?"
"Thank you" Mary nodded "I think I'd enjoy that."
"Just make sure you go to a matinee" Tom pitched in "I've heard it can make even the bravest soul a little jumpy in the shadows"
"I'm a brave country lass. I'm sure I'll be alright!" Mary declared. "Besides, I'll have Henry."
"You said there was some kind of political event going on too?" Cora asked Isobel "We need to make sure we get to that."
"Yes, I'll be sure to get Barbara to give me the details." Isobel confirmed.
"Politicising more of the family now, are we?" Violet asked.
"It's just a meeting about the proposed voting reforms, that's all! We're not storming Westminster!" Isobel countered "Besides, it's important that people take an interest in how the country is run."
"I don't see why people want to get involved in all that nonsense" Violet quibbled "They should be grateful to leave it to the people that know what they're doing! I mean, what does Mrs Smith the baker's wife really know about Defence policy? Or the Home Office? Ridiculous idea"
"I'm sure Mrs Smith the baker's wife has an idea about whether or not she wants her sons to go off and fight a war, or a view on how she wants her daughter to be able to walk home from work safely of an evening. The general populace are not as ignorant as you would like to believe Cousin Violet!" Isobel declared.
"Just think Granny, as things stand George will be able to vote at 21, whereas Caroline will have to wait until she's 30 despite them having the same upbringing and education." Mary added "Surely you're not implying that's fair?"
"It has worked perfectly well for the last two hundred years just the way it is" Violet declared "I don't see why everything has to be changed just for the sake of it. That's all!"
"I don't think we can say it's a change just for the sake of it!" Isobel exclaimed "The war showed that women are an invaluable part of the workforce and as such they deserve to be taken seriously in every aspect of public life!"
"It is only a meeting with old friends, after all" Dickie interrupted the discussion to try and calm things down "Did you also suggest that there might be a chance to meet some of your old friends from Paris?"
"Oh yes! I'd very much like to meet them. Their stories sound fascinating" Cora agreed "I'm not sure a week will be long enough!"
"A week will be more than long enough for me!" Robert grumbled "I don't know how you cope with living there Tim. The noise, the smell, so many people."
"I suppose one gets used to it. I'm busy so much of the time" Tim took a drink "There's always something to do."
"You'll have to show us some of the highlights while we're there" Henry added "It's been a while since I've lived in London. It'll be nice to see how things have changed."