One of Our Last
Robert had been proud. Excited even. He would be serving King and country. He would prove himself as a man. After all, there was a long and noble tradition of men of the peerage serving during wartime. This was Robert's chance to be more than just the son of his father. He would be his own man with his own achievements in his own right.
The South African Wars had been going on for the last number of years but with Papa ill and the estate needing his attention, Robert had not been able to lend his support to the crown. But Papa had passed, the estate was settled with Robert in control, and the agent was more than able to manage things. It was time for Robert Crawley, Earl of Grantham to do his duty as a British citizen.
In the past weeks, Robert had made all the preparations. He wrote to the proper persons, he went to London to be reviewed by Army doctors to ensure his fitness for battle, and he had received his uniform and official weaponry. In three days' time, he would board the train and go off to his training before then boarding the ship to South Africa to join his regiment in fighting the Boers. He had been eager for it all to begin.
He was still eager. He had to remind himself a bit that he was ready for this and eager for the opportunities that Army service would provide. He shouldn't have to remind himself. Today he did.
"Be careful, darling," Cora warned.
Robert blinked himself back to the present to look over and see Mary, their eldest daughter, pouring tea from the pot into her cup at the sideboard. She stood tall and confident. Elegant, even at nine years old. She was quite a marvel, their growing young lady.
"I am careful, Mama. You needn't worry. I'm capable of pouring tea," Mary replied to her mother in a very haughty tone.
Yes, with that natural elegance and confidence came a streak of arrogance. Robert had noticed it before but had not thought to make mention of it to anyone. Mary would grow out of it or else would be corrected by Cora and Robert's own mama when necessary.
"Edith, would you like more tea?" Mary offered.
Cora gave a small, approving nod. "That was very polite to offer, Mary."
Edith, just turned eight, stood up from the settee with her cup and saucer in hand. "Yes. I can pour my own," she insisted.
Robert glanced back to Cora, whose brow furrowed slightly. "Edith, let Mary do it for you. You wouldn't want to spill and make a mess," she advised.
"I can do it too!" Edith insisted. "Mary gets to do everything!"
"Edith, may I have a biscuit, please?" Sybil interrupted from where she sat on the floor with her doll.
It was awe-inspiring to see their sweet baby Sybil diffuse the tension of her sisters with such ease. Edith immediately went to the tray and picked up a biscuit to put on a plate for Sybil and brought it to her. Her anger at Mary was snuffed out instantly as soon as her little sister made her innocent request.
"Here's your tea, Edith," Mary said, having poured tea for herself and Edith while avoiding a fight.
"Thank you, Mary," Edith grumbled.
"Come sit by me, Edith," Robert beckoned.
Edith was very careful to pick up her cup and saucer and bring it to sit beside her father on the settee. Robert put a gentle hand around her shoulders and kissed her temple gently. Edith looked up at him with equal parts adoration and confusion. It gave him a pang of sadness that she should be confused by his attention to her, but perhaps he could not blame her for that. He was not nearly as demonstrative with his affection as Cora was. But even he was not immune to the charms of these three lovely girls he had created with his beloved wife.
"I want you all to remember to be good sisters to each other. I don't want to get letters from your mama that you've been quarreling. Mary, you look after Edith and Sybil. Edith, you be kind to Mary and help Sybil. And Sybil, you be sweet and do as you're told," he said to each of his daughters in turn.
"Yes, Papa," they each murmured in response.
Robert spared a glance up at Cora whose eyes shone with unshed tears. He had to look away from her. It hurt him too much to see that look on her beautiful face.
Nanny came in a moment later to collect the girls. Mary and Edith would return to their lessons with the governess and Sybil would go back up to the nursery.
The footmen cleared away the tea things. Robert and Cora were left alone in the library. Robert gave a heavy sigh and leaned back staring at the ceiling. The settee shifted as Cora came to sit beside him. She nuzzled herself under his arm, her hand on his chest and her head resting in the crook of his shoulder.
"I'm going to miss them terribly," Robert confessed. He hadn't wanted to admit it, even to himself, but it was true. "It feels surreal that this is one of our last afternoons like this we'll have all together."
"I'm trying not to think about it," Cora replied.
"I know. I am sorry. I don't mean to be insensitive," he apologized.
"You aren't. I know you've put off your service for a long time with the girls being little and Papa being ill. You can't put it off any longer, and I would never even think to ask you to shirk your duty. I just don't like that you'll be away from us for so long." Cora snuggled closer to him, clinging to him for one of the last times like this.
Robert let out another heavy sigh. "I know," he said again.
He had been eager to go to war. He still was eager to go. It was only that now, he was realizing how much he was dreading having to leave home. Leave his family. His wife and his daughters. Going was one thing. Leaving was quite another.