Downton Abbey 1. Chapter 1

**Chapter 1**

It was about six months after she was left at the alter by the man, who she thought loved her and was suppose to changed her life forever.

Lady Edith Crawley had just returned from New York after the disaster of her supposed wedding day to Sir Anthony Strallan. Her grandmother Martha Levinson had also decided to come back to Britain with her, to spend some time in london and with her new great-grandchild as she always enjoyed herself when she was there, (getting reacquainted with old friends and going to balls and finding out what was fashionable in london).

"But grandmama where are we going to stay?"

Edith asked,

"Oh! i asked your father if we could stay at Grantham lodge" (the residents of Lord and Lady Grantham when they stay in london), Edith replied with a simple.

"Oh!"

Edith had not spoken to her father since that fateful day, when Sir Anthony stopped the wedding and looked at Edith and said

"I can't do this, i can't do it."

Then he looked around at her father and said,

"You know it's wrong, you told me several times,"

it was all such a blur to her, she could only remember what Anthony said to her and what she said to the man she thought loved her,

"No! I should not have let it get this far, i should have stopped it long ago, i tried to stop it."

She looked confused, when she replied to what she had just heard,

"What are you saying, i don't understand what your saying."

Then he cut's her off and said,

"Edith!"

In which the church fell silent, he continued,

"Edith! i can't let you throw away your life like this."

where she reached for his good hand and held it in her's in which she replied,

"what do you mean, we so happy aren't we? we're going to be so terribly terribly happy."

where he replies,

"you are going to be happy, i pray that you are, but only if you don't waste your self on me."

Then her grandmother (the dowager of grantham) said something but she couldn't remember what it was, the last thing he said before he quickly walked out of the church was "goodbye my dearest darling, god bless you. Always."

She started to tear up, but stopped and thought to herself,

"i have shed enough tears over him, i gave him my heart and he threw it away."

When she was in New York she spoke to her grandmother about that horrible day, but all her grandmother would say is,

"I was there remember and he did what he did for you, well what he thought was best for you, he didn't want you to waste your life on him, he's a goodman, he an honorable man, i don't want to blame anyone, but i did find out from my maid Reed, which she heard from Alfred that your father did not really approve of you marring him, but give him his consent anyway."

That was when Edith decided not to speak to her father again about anything but would be civil to him.


	2. Chapter 2

**Chapter 2**

Martha and Edith had just returned from tea at the Ritz, the footman Jenkins walked towards them so he could help them both with their coat's and said

"Lady Edith there is a bouquet of flowers in the drawing room for you, malady."

Edith looked at her grandmother and her grandmother gave her a quizzical look, Edith walked quickly to the drawing room and opened the door and saw the most beautiful and biggest bouquet of deep red roses, she went closer to them and took a long deep intake of breath, they smelled wonderful, she started to look for a card but she could not find one anywhere, she called to the footman who was still helping her grandmother to take off her coat, he followed Mrs Levinson into the room and said

"malady?"

She asked "Jenkins there's no card, how do you know these flowers are for me?"

he replies,

"The boy who delivered them said that they had to be delivered to Lady Edith Crawley."

She looked confused, she wondered who on earth would send her, her favorite flowers to her with no card, her mind automatically when to Sir Anthony but she knew that he had no idea where she was and put that thought out of her mind,

"So who then",

She thought but she was distracted by the question her grandmother said,

"Oh! There beautiful, who are they from?"

Edith replied,

"i don't know, there is no card."

Edith asked her,

"Do you know who they could be from grandmama?"

Martha just shrugged and said they could be from your father as an apology, or he just thought you might like them, but she quickly looked at her grandmother (in which Martha did not see her looking at her) the look across her grandmamas face was a mixture of knowingness and amusement, which infuriated Edith even more. She slept unease that night, pondering who on earth could it be.

A couple of days later she had just come home early that day from meeting her friend Lady Samantha Kemp and her new fiance Alister (Earl of Aberdeen), she was just taking off her coat when Jenkins the footman walking quickly to towards her and apologized he said a bit panicked

"sorry malady i didn't hear you come in",

she said,

"that's fine you don't have to worry, where is my grandmother is she in the drawing room..." he cut her off "em, yes but she has company and do's not what to be disturb."

She replied,

"Oh! em i will just go into the library then, could you please tell her, if she asks, by the way who is in there with her?"

The footman looked anxious, uneasy and did not reply at first, but then said,

"malady i don't know."

She did not push the issue, she walked towards the library, but as she walked, she could hear her grandmother's muffled voice talking to a man through the wall.

She was sitting in one of the library's great big armchairs reading a book, when her grandmother came walking in and sat in the opposite chair to her and said to her granddaughter,

"Your home early, did you enjoy your time with your friend Lady Samantha is it?"

Edith replied

"Yes, but i suddenly came down with a headache and had to leave early, who was visiting, anyone i know?"

Her grandmother just smiled and said,

"it was just an acquaintance, you'll meet him tomorrow night, he is coming for dinner."

Edith replied,

"Oh! that's nice, i thought it was a man, as i could hear both of you talking,

"But did not look up from her book. Her grandmother said to her,

"i will leave you to your book my dear."

She stood up from the chair she was in, crossed to were her granddaughter sat reading and gave her a small kiss on her forehead, Edith looked up at her grandmother and gave her a little smile.


	3. Chapter 3

**Chapter 3**

It was just about a little before six-thirty in the evening as Edith had gotten dressed early as she always did and was sitting in her grandmothers bedroom keeping her company as she was getting ready for dinner, she could start to hear rain on the window outside, when the front door bell rang and martha turned to Edith and said,

"I'm not ready yet, could you apologize to my guest that i am running a little late, i will be there in a moment."

Edith nodded and said,

"Yes grandmama,"

And left the room, she skipped down the stairs and asked Jenkins,

"Did you put my grandmother's guest in the drawing room."

He responded with a simple nod of the his head.

She entered the drawing room but was looking at and adjusting her evening gloves and said,

"i'm so sorry but my grandmama is running a bit late and told me to let you know that she won't be long,"

She then looked at the man beside the fireplace with his back to her, she realized it was Sir Anthony Strallan he turned around to look at her, he had a look of unease on his face, her mouth fell open a little and went dry, they stood for what seamed like forever and just looked at each other, then she turned and walk towards the door, she walked out of the drawing room and crossed the hallway to the stairs, her grandmama had just finished descending the stair's, when she saw edith and stopped her in her tracks by saying,

"hey! hey! hey! where's the fire."

The elderly lady could see that edith had started to cry and said to her grandmother "how could you grandmama, how could you"

but before edith could finish martha had put her arm around edith's body and gave her a hug and said,

"now my dear, you have to dry your eye's and go in there and listen to what that dear, sweet man has to say. He want's to apologize to you, for all the hurt he has caused, but what is really important is that he want's to explain what he did and why he did it. Now go on, if you need me i will be in the library."

The elderly lady turned and walked towards the library, leaving edith standing in the hall, edith wiped her eyes on her handkerchief and took in a large shuddering breath and as she reached the door she exhaled and entered the room again.

Sir Anthony had not moved an inch, when she entered he gave her a very weak smile, she went and sat in a chair as far opposite to where Sir Anthony was standing and just looked at him, he saw the expression across her face and could tell that she had been crying as her eyes were slightly red and puffy, it was like someone had plunged a dagger into his heart, he stood and looked at her for a moment and kept opening his mouth as to start talking but nothing would come out, then, Edith broke the silence and said,

"My grandmother says you want to say something to me,"

He could hear the tone in her voice as rather cold and unfeeling, so he started to say

"i heard about the sudden death of your sister, i'm so very sorry she was a sweet girl and all of you must miss her terribly and especially Tom, i know how he is feeling, i told him myself when i saw him, that day and said "that with time the pain will pass," i also saw the baby, she looks like her mother."

He looked at her very quickly and he saw that she was about to start to cry again, he paused and then said to try and change the subject.

"I shouldn't have left you at the alter, i'm so sorry to have done that to you, i regretted it as soon as i did it but it was the best or so i thought. The reason i did it was to save you from wasting your life as a nurse and you would have been a nurse, i was scared too, about sharing my life with someone again, you see i have been on my own since Maud died and couldn't bear to lose you to, so i thought the best thing was to let you go, rather than you leave me later and i could not have bared it as i love you so very much."

As he spoke he had moved slowly towards her but did not look at her at all as he was scared to look just incase she was crying and he would have probably started to cry himself as he could feel the tears start to form in his eyes, so he just looking at his feet all the time, was still standing and breathing heavy with every word, he was waiting for a response from the lady but didn't get one, he briefly looked at her but could not read her face, he gave a shuddering sigh and shook his head, then said,

"No reply then, i shall go and leave you, good luck in the future."

Then he quickly walked out of the room putting on his top hat and collecting his umbrella, draping his coat over the crock of his wounded arm and walked out the front door.

Edith was in a state of shock, tears still forming in her eyes and she was still sitting in the drawing room, she only came to her senses when her grandmother came walking in and said,

"Did i hear the front door open and then close, where's Sir Anthony?"

Edith replied,

"He's gone"

Martha said with a tone of anger in her voice,

"What do you mean he's gone, did you listen to what he had to say,"

Edith could still hear the thinly vailed anger in her grandmothers voice, she just nodded, then eventually said

"He love's me, he really love's me, he's never told me that before."

Her grandmother then cupped her granddaughter's face in her hands and said

"Yes he do's, so go after him and never let him go, he is you equal in everything and your soul mate. Edith! did you tell him you love him as well?"

Edith replied weakly,

"I don't know if i do love him"

"Of course you do, i've watched the pair of you together and you light up whenever you are near him and he you, so don't be so foolish and let him slip through your fingers, so go after him and tell him how you feel or you will regret it for the rest of your life, so go! run after him and bring him back."

Edith said to her grandmother it's not ladylike to run after a man."

In which the elderly lady sighed and said,

"Times are changing, my dear and if you want something so bad you have to grab it with both hands and take it".

She simply gave a wide smile to her grandmother and off she went.

Edith closed the front door behind her, she forgot that it was raining, she was so happy that she did not want to waste any more time and went down the front steps and looked about to try and see him, she could see his distinctive tall figure in the distance and ran after it, she caught up with the him and tapped him on the shoulder and said in a breathless whisper,

"Sir Anthony"

Trying to catch her breath, Sir Anthony turned and the look on his face was of shock and he had tears running down his face, he had noticed that she did not have any protection from the now pouring rain and was soaked to the skin, he put his umbrella over her to protect her from the cold rain and then he noticed she was shivering and so told her to put his coat on or she would catch her death, she put it on and he helped her with it, the coat was warm and it smelled of him, she always loved the smell of him, he smelled of sandalwood. She finally caught her breath and said,

"I love you too."

A big smile creeped across both of there faces and then Sir Anthony started to speak so softly that Edith had to move closer to him in order to hear what he was saying, as the rain was now hitting the umbrella quit hard in which it made it almost impossible to hear, but it was a great excuse to be closer to him, he started to apologize again and Edith put her little gloved hand up to his mouth to stop him and said to him,

"You have all ready apologized and that is in the past now and i only want to concentrate on the future, our future,"

Then she looked into his eyes, his wonderful sky blue eyes, then she could not resist many more and kissed him ever so gently on his lips and then the kiss turned more passionate, she had draped her arms on his shoulders, then she was shocked that he had rapped his good arm around her waist and rested his hand on the small of her back to draw her even closer to his body, his warm body, she thought. They finally broke away from each other for air, then Edith wiped away his tears from his beautiful face and said "we had better go back to the house as grandmama will be sending out a search party for me, well for both of us, and then Anthony, her Anthony said,

"yes"

that they had better get back as Edith was still sopping wet and he was concerned that she could catch cold or worst, but edith didn't feel the cold at all as she was in love and was loved by this very handsome gentleman.

They started to walk back to the house very slowly, hand in hand and then she stopped, he turned to look at her and then said with a rather questioning look across her face "i have a couple of questions for you and i don't want you to answer them till i have finished, he nodded in agreement and she started her questions.

"Did you send me those flowers with no card?"

"How did you know that roses are my favorites?"

He just looked at her and after a moment, he asked her if she had finished, she nodded, he said,

"Yes i did sent you those flowers."

And then he paused and she could see a little sheepish look on his face, as though a naughty schoolboy was away to tattle on someone, he was at first a little reluctant to tell her but he finally said,

"It was Mrs Levinson, your grandmother she helped me."

Edith already knew the answers to the questions but she had to make sure, the only thing was, way on earth had her grandmother help the man who had crushed her granddaughters hopes and dreams, she asked him and he said,

"I don't know, we will have to ask her when we get back to the house," if we ever get back?" he chuckled and edith just giggled and said,

"alright, alright."

So they made there way back and he placed a kiss on her forehead and she turned slightly pink.

When they finally returned to the house he opened the door for her and then he removed his coat, then hung it up along with his top hat and umbrella and they both walked into the drawing room together hand in hand. Martha on hearing the front door was waiting for them to come in and was shocked to see, a sopping wet Edith, her response was,

"Oh my god! dear, what on earth has happened to you,"

But she noticed that Edith had a large smile across her wet face, she also saw that the poor girl was shivering and ordered her to go and have a bath and get warm, but edith was about to protest and say,

"What about dinner,"

But martha had cut her off and said,

"That it doesn't matter and that i will have a little word with cook about pushing the time back for dinner."

About forty five minutes later edith returned all warm and dry, as she entered the drawing room Sir Anthony and her grandmother were talking and laughing, he noticed she had returned and stood up from his chair, she gave him a smile and walked up to him and kissed him on the cheek, he turned red as he knew Mrs Levinson was looking at them and smiling as well. She said

"No need to be embarrassed, my dear boy."

And they all laughed, then she continue,

"Shall we all go through for dinner."

As they were in the middle of there dinner, Edith started to ask her grandmother, "grandmama, why did you help Anthony and when did you talk to him, as you and i were in New York all that time?"

The elderly lady replied,

"Well, i had better start from the beginning. After that awful day, i was returning back to New York and you were going to follow after a few days, then your mother asked, who was going to return the engagement ring to Sir Anthony, so i volunteered to hand it back, as it was on the way, but i had a very good reason, i wanted to speak to him, and ask why he did that to you and if he loved you, plus i wanted to look him in the eyes when he gave me his answer. He gave me that pathetic excuse and when i actually saw the look on his face when he answer me, i knew he loved you, so i decided that i would help this poor sweet confused man and came up with a plan, he wanted to write to you but i managed to persuade him not to as the wound was still fresh and you needed time to except what had happened and a little fun, did you not find it funny that i always managed to keep all those fortune and title hunters away and plus i know that you weren't interested in any of them. So i told him to wait and i would send word to let him know when the time was right to send your favorite flowers and you almost spoiled the whole plan when you came home early yesterday."

Then Sir Anthony started to speak by saying,

"I have a question, i now know why you wanted to make Edith happy but what i can't understand is why you thought i was the best choice."

Martha replied to the question asked,

"Well my dear boy, i like you, i liked you the first moment Edith introduced me to you and you two are meant to be, i could see it when you two are in each others company together."

Anthony pipes up and asked,

"Don't you mind about the age difference and that i am a cripple, Edith could end up being a nurse rather than a wife." Martha replied with a smile on her face, "If Edith doesn't mind, who cares what anyone else thinks, age is only a number and who's to say you won't out live us all, with the love of a good woman at your side." They all started to laugh. Anthony said "That's true, i never thought of it that way.

The evening came to an end, Edith decided to walk Anthony to the front door and help him with his coat and to hopefully get a goodnight kiss which she did and it was even more passionate than the one before, Edith's head was still spinning from the kiss when Anthony said

"Goodnight sweetheart"

And then took her hand in his and kissed it, all the colour had rushed to Edith's cheeks. Anthony was going down the front steps, he stopped and turned to take a last look at the most beautiful girl in the world and tipped his top hat, when she waved and blew him a kiss, his heart skipped a beat. When he was walking back to his sisters house in Belgravea square, he felt like a man of thirty rather than a man in his late forty's and he couldn't wait to let Lotte (his sister short for Charlotte) and Andrew (brother-in law) know how it went, as his sister was not best pleased, when he jilted Edith at the alter, as she had always thought Edith was a lovely woman and did not deserve to be treated in such a manor even though it was her brother that did it. He decided to hail down a taxi rather than walk, as it was getting a wee bit chillier.

"Taxi."


	4. Chapter 4

**CHAPTER 4**

The next couple of weeks past in a heady daze of lunches, tea's, dinners, picnics and concerts in each others company. Anthony had asked Edith if she wanted to go and see Madam Butterfly as it is on at the Royal Albert Hall and he knew it was her favorite opera, he suggested that she should invite her grandmother, but Edith said that her grandmama unfortunately did not like that particular opera, but she did suggest her friend Lady Samantha Kemp and her fiance the Earl of Aberdeen (Alastair), Anthony was so please she suggest them as he always got on well with them and he said that his sister Charlotte and brother-in law Andrew would also be going with them, Edith was thrilled as she was very fond of Anthony's sister.

They all meet at the theater and went in, Anthony had organized a theater box for them all and they all got settled and started to enjoy the magnificent opera. Edith was sitting next and a little in front of Anthony, her head was slightly tilted to one side and was lose in the music, she then looked at him and took his hand in her's and put her fingers through his and just gave his hand a gentle squeeze, then she turned her head back to the opera, she looked so lovely and that's when he decided to pop the question, at the intermission but how do i get her all to myself to ask, that's when he had an idea to pretend to lose his cufflink, as the retched thing was always falling off and ask her to help him, but he had to make sure that everyone was leaving for there intermission drink, so he whispered to the men "are you going to the bar in the intermission" and both men nodded and his brother-in law whispered back,

"i'm gasping,"

So the intermission came and everyone rose from there seats and as everyone was leaving, luckily Edith noticed he was looking around the box and asked,

"Have lost something darling,"

He said,

"Yes that retched cufflink it seams to have fallen off again, she shook her head and said with a faint giggle,

"You had better get that thing fixed or you might loss it forever,"

Edith told Lady Samantha that she would help Anthony find the cufflink and wouldn't be long Samantha offered to help but edith said,

"It doesn't take three people to look for it"

And samantha said

"I'll see you down there and left them to continue looking. Anthony was on his knees and then said with his back to her "i've found it,"

Then said "no this isn't it, it's a ring"

And he turned, but was on one knee now and said

"My dearest, loveliest Edith will you do me the great honor and be my wife and make me the happiest man in the world,"

As he was saying those wonderful worlds, he saw that Edith had to sit down on one of the chairs as she suddenly felt a little light headed, but could see Edith's eyes filling up with tears and his heart drop as he thought she was going to refuse him but then all of a sudden she had a smile across her face and said,

"Yes it would make me the most happiest woman in the world to be your wife,"

And then he kissed her on her soft and warm lips and she rapped her hands around his neck to pull him closer and she noticed his hand had settled on her thigh, he was gently caresses it and the way he was doing it she ended braking from the kiss to whisper in his ear

"You had better stop that or i won't be able to resist anymore," and she gave him a naughty look, then he just gave throaty laugh. Then she apologized and suggested that they should rejoin the others, as they will be waiting and after that kiss i could be doing with a drink to steady my nerves, she also asked if they were going to keep it a secret or should they tell their friends and family, he said,

"It's up to you my darling, you can tell as many people as you like or as little just as long as you are happy, i'm happy,"

So they left the box and joined the others, but the lady's weren't there, edith ask where they were and one of the gentlemen said,

"That they had went to powder there noses,"

So edith picked up her drink and took a sip and said i had better go and do the same and went to find them. She found them in the Ladies and said "I have something to tell you both,"

Samantha looked excited but Lotte looked like she already knew what was coming and Edith said to her,

"You already know don't you" and she replied

"Yes of course i know my dear, who do you think he spoke to about it and he had to ask me about the ring."

Edith looked confused, but not as confused as poor Samantha, Samantha asked with impatience in her voice,

"Know what! will at least one of you tell me, what's happened."

Edith simply showed Samantha her left hand and it took a while for the penny to drop, before samantha realized she was looking at an engagement ring on her friends hand, then she said

"OH MY GOD!, it's beautiful and it's bigger than mine,"

She said it with a giggle in her voice.

'Is it the same one he gave you, you know the last time?"

Edith shook her head,

"He went and bought a new one,"

but then Lotte said,

"No my dear it's our mothers engagement ring, he wanted you to know he meant business this time and that's way i knew, as he had to ask for the ring, as it was bequeathed to me when our mother died, it should be with you my dear as it is to go to Lady Strallan."

Edith looked confused and said,

"Why didn't Maud get the ring?"

"Well the reason Maud didn't get the ring is that when mama died Maud had died about five years before and it didn't look like Anthony would ever get remarried, so by tradition the ring had to come to me, i was so pleased when he asked me for it as i think it is the most beautiful ring i have ever seen and i know our mother would have approved of you my dear."

And as she finished, the lights started to flicker off and on to indicate the intermission had come to an end. She said,

"Oh no, iv'e still to use the facilities, don't wait for me i will be about five minutes and could one of you please let Anthony know where i am and tell him not to wait for me," i'll be there in a moment."

Lotte said

"I'll tell him"

And the two lady's left her. She rejoined the group in the box and sat next to her fiance, "Oh i like the sound of that,"

She thought to herself, she put her little hand in his again and how it felt so right.


	5. Chapter 5

**Chapter 5**

It was Edith's birthday and she was so happy as because she was going to spend the whole day with her fiance and he hinted to have a surprise, but that was the only clue he gave her, she was talking to her grandmother (Martha) about what to wear as Anthony had seen her in all her other clothes and her grandmama said

"That he would not care if she wore a burlap sack, as in his eyes she was beautiful and always beautiful , well then i had better give you your birthday present,"

And Edith opened the box that the elderly lady had produced and inside was the dress she wanted to buy in New York, but her grandmama managed to persuade her not to buy it yet to wait and think about it, but when she went back to buy it, it had already been sold and it was the last one left, she thought just my luck it was a beautiful cream chiffon dress in the new style and Edith realised that her grandmama had bought that last dress and she went and hugged and kissed her grandmother and said

"Thank you grandmama it's perfect."

Then she looked at the clock,

"Oh! is that the time, i had better get ready as Anthony will be here soon and you know he is alway's on time and he hate's to be late."

Her grandmother asked "what are you two up to today"

Edith replied

"He's organized a surprise"

Then she asked what are you up yourself today,"

The elderly lady replied,

"Nothing much, maybe some shopping i haven't decided yet, well i had better let you get ready, now enjoy your birthday my dear you deserve it and i will see you later."

Then her grandmother left her. About thirty minutes later she heard the front door bell, she grabbed her hat and clutch from her dressing table and leaves her room and skips down the stairs and waiting in the hall is her fiance, she kisses him on the lips and looked at him and something was different but she couldn't quite put her finger on it, not until he said

"What do you think"

And she took a long good look and it dawned on her that he wasn't wearing his sling, she said

"I can't see anything different,"

He looked so defeated until he realized she was giggling and he started to giggle to and then she said

"Of course i noticed that you are not wearing you sling, why is that."

He said,

"Well you are always saying i don't need to wear it all the time so i took your advise."

then she says

"You look very handsome and dapper, i like your suit is it new"

He nodded, it was a light grey suit and it worked well with his blond hair and his beautiful sky blue eyes, then he said

"You look beautiful, that's a new dress isn't it?"

She replies,

"Yes it's a birthday present from my grandmama."

She do's a little twirl for him and he beams at her and says,

"Speaking of birthdays, happy birthday sweetheart."

Then the clock in the hall starts to chime and he says,

"We had better be going or we will be late, for you birthday surprise, i have a taxi waiting."

Then he offers his hand and she puts her hand in his and they exit the hall and enter the taxi, he ushers her into the taxi first and they sit, she sits on his left side so he puts his arm around her waist and she puts her head on his shoulder, her hand on his inner thigh and starts to caress, then he says in a clear voice

"Driver to the next destination, please my good man and the driver simply nods and starts to drive. Then Edith says to him

"I can't believe that tomorrow grandmama and myself have to go back to downton, i have had such a blissful time with you in london, i wish it would never end and so much has happened in such a short space of time, then Anthony looks down at her and simply says,

"Truly my darling."

Then she asks,

"Were are we going darling"

And he didn't reply and then she raised her head a little from his shoulder and asked again, then he said

"it's a surprise."

When they finally reached their destination and she looked out of the taxi window, she looked puzzled, they where outside a church. They both exit the taxi and Anthony payed the cabbie and the taxi drives off. She says to him,

"I don't understand is it a christening we're going to and he shook his head and says,

"No it's a wedding he replies with a mischievous smile and she says to him,

"a wedding we are going to, **a wedding!" **

Then she looks at what she is wearing and says,

"I can't go to someones wedding in cream, the bride will think i am trying to taking focus from her."

Anthony just laugh and said i don't think the bride will mind if you wear a cream dress, she looked at him with a look across her face like it's not funny, then he kissed her and he whispered in her ear

"It our wedding sweetheart."

And then her expression changed, but Anthony couldn't read her face and said to her

"Sweetheart, darling are you alright,"

Then he noticed she had not moved, he repeated with worry in his voice,

"**sweetheart, darling** **are you alright**,"

she was frozen to the spot and he had to gently shake her out of her current state and she slowly came round and looked in his eyes, he could see she was smiling and said,

"You really want to marry me, right now on my birthday, truly."

He replies with a nod and then she says to him,

"Just so we are clear and on the same page you want to marry me on my birthday,"

And he says,

"**Yes my darling, a thousand times yes**, i want to wake up to your sweet face in my bed, oh sorry, i mean our bed, so what do you say. Do you want to marry me or not?"

She was still smiling and put her arms around his neck and kissed him, then he pulled her closer to him and he lifted her slightly and swung her around on the spot. Then they entered the church, the organ started to pipe out music and they walked down the aisle together, Edith noticed on her side of the church Mary, Matthew, Tom, little Sybil, Matthew's mother Isobel, her grandmother Martha, Lady Samantha and her fiance the Earl of Aberdeen, on Anthony's side of the church was his sister Charlotte, his brother-in law Andrew and friends. When they got to the alter she had a funny feeling in the pit of her stomach as though history was about to repeat it self, but the whole ceremony went off with out a hitch and they exchanged vows and rings and the reverend pronounced them husband and wife, then they made their way to the church doors when Anthony stopped and said,

"Lady Mary could you help me"

And Mary Stepped forward from the crowd of friends and family, she had a slightly wicked smile on her face, Edith looked worried and Mary rolled her eyes,

"Don't worry Edith, it's just your wedding present from your husband, he just wants me to help you so you don't fall and hurt yourself as he has asked me to blindfold you so you don't peek."

And just before she was blindfolded by her older sister, her sister gave her a kiss on the cheek and whispered,

"I am so happy you have finally found your happiness,"

And Edith smiled and said to,

"Mary i would like to have a word with you later if that is alright with you,"

And mary said

"Alright if you like,"

So the blindfold was put on her and Mary took her sister's hands. All edith could hear was the doors open and everyone walking out and then she felt Mary tug at her hands then Mary whispers,

"Edith there are some steps, so when i say step, step down alright,"

So Edith nodded and she started to walk slowly, they both got to the end of the steps, but there was a brief moment when she almost fell, her and Mary just laugh. When they finally came to a stop, she heard the the familiar voice of Anthony and then said thank you Lady Mary, she smiled and he took her hand in his and said this is for you, sweetheart and he pulled at the knot, the blindfold fell from her eyes and she had to wait for her eyes to adjust to see what everyone was looking at and then she saw what it was and gasped and put her other hand to her mouth, she couldn't believe what was in front of her, it was a bright red sports car (a Lagonda). she rapped her arms around his neck and kissed him in front of everyone. They had their wedding photographs taken outside the church and had one of them, taken in front of the car. She then turns to him and asks him "what's next, please no more surprise's dear as i don't think my heart couldn't take it" and he laughs and says,

"No, no more surprises sweetheart, i promise, we are away to the Savoy for our wedding breakfast and to spend the night there in our very own suit,"

Edith looked at him with a slightly embarrassed look on her face he says with a chuckle in his voice,

"Well we can't spent the night at my sisters or Grantham Lodge as everyone will be there tonight, so he said "we had better be going and we'll meet you all at the Savoy."

They climb into the car and Edith sped off, to the wedding breakfast. As edith drove trough the streets, Edith said to him

"Dearest, i have some questions, when did you organize all of this,

"How did you know i would say yes,

"If we are traveling back to yorkshire by train how are we going to get the car back to Locksley?"

He smiled at her and said,

"Well sweetheart, i started to organize the wedding just after i proposed and you excepted, with a little bit more help from Mrs Levinson, i didn't know if you would say yes but if you had said no i would have waited for until the end of time and i have spoken to Tom and he has agreed to drive to car back for us, the only thing is we have to look after little sybil on the train."

She said i can't wait to look after the baby and i also can't wait for tonight, why do you think i am speeding and she gave him a coy smile and he just looked shocked, they continued to speed along the streets and finally arrived at the Savoy.

They had there wedding breakfast and everyone enjoyed them selfs and Edith got to hold the baby she started to cry as she looked at the sleeping baby's face and saw her younger sister in the baby. They opened their wedding presents, they got a silver tea service from Mary and Matthew, Martha gave Edith a beautiful string of pearls and matching earrings and gave Anthony a pair of solid gold cufflinks with the date of the wedding on them, Tom and baby Sybil gave them a silver frame for their wedding photograph, Isobel gave them waterford crystal champagne flutes, Lotte and Andrew gave them royal doulton porcelain tea set and Samantha and Alister (Earl of Aberdeen) gave them a book but samantha said,

"They had better leave it until they were alone,"

Edith had to have a look inside the box and she gasp at the title and Anthony heard the gasp and said,

"What is it my darling, what's the title,"

She whispered and he turned slightly red in the face.

Edith had wanted to talk to Mary outside the church but with all the fuse and surprises, she finally managed to catch up with her and take her to one side, she started to cry and say,

"I am so sorry about writing that awful letter to the turkish ambassador, i should have never done it and i am so ashamed of how i behaved all those years ago and you have been so kind to me today. Mary shook her head and smiled then said to her only surviving sister,

"We are sisters and we must stick together if not for our sake then for sybil's memory and the baby's sake, let's face it we were both horrible back then, we've matured and since then we have found our own happiness and love, i will probably not understand what you see in Anthony but you probably don't understand what i see in Matthew and that's a good thing, we have both been hurt by each other, why don't we just forget what we did to each other back then and start a fresh,"

Mary said to Edith then her older sister gave Edith a hug and a kiss on the cheek and Edith returned the hug and kiss, the sisters parted and as Edith was just about to walk back to Anthony's side Mary grabbed her arm and said to Edith

"Do you want your birthday present from me?"

Edith said,

"You have a birthday present for me?"

And Mary just laugh and said,

"Of course i do, do you want it or not?"

Edith smiled the biggest smile Mary had ever seen on her younger sisters face and Mary gave her a gift bag and Edith opened it and pulled out what was in it, it was a ivory lace and satin negligee, i ordered it from paris for you when you were going to get married the first time, i was about to return it when i got the letter from grandmama saying you had gotten engaged to Anthony and was going to get married to him, Edith then said,

"What about papa, mama and granny do they know that i have gotten married to Sir Anthony,"

Mary replied they should have received and read the letter this morning as grandmama has written and explained everything, we all said that we were going down to london as grandmama had invited us to celebrate your birthday, i'm afraid granny and papa won't be best pleased, but mama will be thrilled to bits and she'll work on papa and remember papa and granny weren't all that thrilled with Tom and now Tom is estate manager and he also won the cricket match, so don't worry and enjoy your big day and night and the sisters laughed and returned to there husbands.


	6. Chapter 6

**The Rating for this chapter and the next is rated M, So be warned.**

**Chapter 6**

The rest of the day past quickly, Edith got more and more excited about the pending nights activates, but also had butterflies in her stomach, she covered her trepidation well. The wedding breakfast had come to an end and they left to go up to their suite, Edith and Anthony were in the lift, Anthony saw that Edith looked slightly worried and said,

"Did you enjoy your birthday,"

She said very faintly

"Yes i will never for get it, it's been the best day of my whole life so far,"

he noticed she still looked worried and put his arm around her shoulder and she rested her head on his shoulder and said to her

"What's wrong, why are you so worried,"

She says to him

"oh! it's nothing"

And he gets a little bit annoyed but gently says,

"Edith if you can't tell me, your husband then who can you tell."

Edith lifted her head from his shoulder so she can look in his eyes his crystal clear blue eyes and says

"It's just, i'm worried, i'm going to disappoint you tonight and i would hate for that to happen."

He whispers in her ear, so that the lift operator wouldn't hear him

"How on earth could you ever disappoint me, lest of all tonight, just look at you, your gorgeous and it's taken me all my strength not to kiss you right here and now, it's probably me who will disappoint you."

Then just before they get to their floor he cresses her bottom and gives it a very gentle squeeze, he sees she went red and smiles at her and she smiles back.

They get to the door of the suit and go inside, as soon as they go in he takes off his jacket and lays it on the nearest chair and Edith takes of her hat and puts it next to Anthony's jacket along with her clutch bag, then he turns to face Edith and she is not there, then he notices the door to the bedroom was open and went in, she was standing with her back to him, in front of the roaring the fire in the room. Then he slowly walks up behind her, he could hear her heavy breathing and started to place hot kisses on the nape of her neck, her shoulders and her collarbones and he heard her give a sigh of pleasure, then she softly murmurs,

"Undo my dress,"

He do's, even he was surprised at how quickly he could undo it, then she took his useless hand and started to rub her cheek against it, she planted kisses all over it. Then she turns and they start to kiss gently and as they continued more passionately, she slightly opens her mouth for air and he lightly slips his tongue in her mouth, then she put her hands through his hair and thats when he drew her in closer and put his hand back on to her bottom and started to caress it. Then they brake for air they where both fighting for breath and Edith went and licked her lips and Anthony had a look of lust in his eyes as she did it, he was about to start to kiss her again but she pushed him on to the couch in the room, he looked puzzled and she noticed the look on his face and said

"Don't you want to see your wife naked"

And before he could answer, she stepped back and started to undress before him, he had been to some of the most magnificent and wonderful places in the world, but he had never seen a more beautiful site, than his new bride undressing before him, then she unpinned her hair and let it cascade down past her pale bare shoulders and rested just above her breasts, she stood before him now completely naked, bare and beautiful, then she beckoned to him and he gave a lustful groan, he went to her, then they started to kiss again and she untied his tie and unbutton his shirt, she pressed her body against his, he could feel her nipples through the soft linen of his shirt, she liberated him from his braces and shirt, then she looked at his chest and thought that his chest was perfect in every way and then she saw his battle wound, she then past her fingertips gently over it and placed hot kisses on it, now she took his useless hand and put it on her breast and he could feel how gentle and soft it was, then she started to walk backwards to the bed and sat on the edge of the bed, she pulled him close to the bed by the waistband of his trousers and unbuttoned them and they fell to the floor. (Edith had seen naked men before as her and sybil had snuck down to the old swimming hole at downton to see cousin Patrick and his friends skinny dip.) As she saw Anthony naked in front of her she thought to herself that her husband looked bigger than cousin Patrick, then she started to lay hot kisses on his stomach and making her way up his chest, his neck and then reached his mouth, he started to groan even more and she started to explore his mouth with her tongue, he then gently lifted her back on to the bed and then he follows, he started to descend down her body and with every kiss she started to quiver with deep sighs, he then stopped on her stomach and she put her hand on the top of his head and started to encourage him to continue down, when he reached her vagina he licked, sucked and nestled it, when he did that she arched her back in pleasure, she gives a moan of desire, then he gently enters her and she gave a sharp in take of breath, he could see she had a look of pain on her face and stops but she said in hushed tones,

"Darling don't stop, don't ever stop, i need you, i want you, all of you. Oh! my god"

He nestled his head in between her breast's and licked and sucked her erect nipple's, he said in a murmured voice "how sweet your skin tastes," Then she put's her hands on his back and then slide them down his back and they rested on the top part of his bottom, with that encouragement he quickened his pace and with every pasting thrust they became more vocal, she grabbed and held onto the brass headboard, Edith kept repeating,

"i love you!, I LOVE YOU!, **I LOVE YOU"**

And with that she gave a throaty scream,

"**ANTHONY**,"

He looks into her wonderful brown eyes and saw they had rolled into the back of her head and closed them, then she composed herself and steadied her breathing as she realised that Anthony had not finished, he continued and then he buried his head in her neck, when he did that she put her hands through his hair, then just a few moments later he climaxed and screamed out her name. After he climaxed, they just lay in each others arms drenched in sweat, he kisses her forehead and said in a breathless tone and looking into her chocolate brown eyes,

"Darling that was magnificent, i haven't felt like this in a long time. I hope i didn't disappoint, she looked into his blue eyes and smiled,

"Oh! my god darling you could never disappoint me ever, iv'e never experienced anything that wonderful in my life and i hope to have more experiences like that.


	7. Chapter 7

**Rated M.**

**Chapter 7**

A couple of hours had past, when she slowly opened her eyes, she was still in Anthony's embrace her head resting on his chest, she lifted her head off his chest to look at him, he was fast asleep, she smiled at the expression over his sleeping face he was smiling (like the cat that got the cream). She decided to get up out of bed as her body felt a little stiff (but in a good way) and to have a nose around the room, she picked up his discarded shirt and put it on. The fire had died down a bit and she noticed a little table next to the bed, she had not noticed it before, but why should she, she had more important thing to do (such as enjoying her self with Anthony and what fun it was) on the table was an ice bucket with a bottle of don perigonon champagne 1914, two glasses, a vase of roses (cream with a pink hue), a bowl of raspberries and a card, she smiled and looked at her sleeping husband as she thought the things where from him, she opened the card,

"_congratulations my darling daughter and son in-law, we hope you enjoyed your birthday and wedding, best wishes, lots of love from your mama, papa & granny. xxx P.S. The roses are from your mama, the champagne is from your papa and the fruit is from your granny, I can't wait to see you Darling and welcome my new son in-law to the family."_

She closed the card and thought what it meant, popped a couple of raspberries in her mouth, but she didn't want to think about that right now as she was still on her honeymoon and enjoying every minute of it. Out the corner of her eye she noticed that Anthony was starting to stir in bed, he turned, opens his eyes and smiles at her, she returns his smile. He saw that she was wearing his shirt and notices the silhouette made by the fire of her body through the shirt, he repositions his pillows so that he has his back resting on the headboard and said to her

"Oh my darling, their are no words to do your beauty justice,"

He held his hand out and winks at her to encourage her to sit on the bed next to him and she dos'e, she rests a hand on his chest and leans over and kisses him, he drapes his left arm over her thighs and puts his hand on her hip and starts to rub it with his thumb.

"Did you enjoy your nap, Darling." She asks

He laughs and says "A nap! You make it sound like i'm a two year old, sweetheart."

She replies with a giggle and says "I could never think that darling, especially after what we've just done."

"You are such a little tease."

He starts to tickle her and she chuckles, then she suddenly stops and begins to frown slightly,

"What is it." he asks, she looks down and says

"I'm just worried about Granny and Papa's reaction to our news."

"Sweetheart, what's brought all this on, i thought we're suppose to be enjoying our selfs, it's our honeymoon after all."

She lifted the card and hands it to him, then she start to look at the floor, he reads it, then hands her it back, he looks at her and feels her worries, then he puts his index finger under her chin and gently lifts her head so their eyes meet, then says to her,

"Darling, i have thought about that and i will talk to your Father and Grandmother my self, but maybe i should ask everyone for their advise on how to talk to them, when we're on the train home tomorrow."

She says

"We will do it all together."

She puts the card back on the table,

"Are they raspberries?" he asks

He then starts to laugh out loud and Edith just looks at him with a quizzical expression, his laughter dies down to a chuckle and he asks her

"Don't you find it funny that we've been given that particular fruit, as it was raspberries that was on that terrible salty pudding the night we meet."

Her eye widened and she started to laugh as well, through the laughter,

He asks

"What kind of champagne is it."

She lifts it out of the ice bucket and he looks at it,

He raises his eyebrows.

"Well we had better open it, we don't want to waste such a good year; Sweetheart, you will have to open it as i can't."

She just looks at him slightly awkward and smiles

"I've never opened a bottle of champagne before, we could do it together ?, i will hold the bottle and you can open it."

He nods and says

"I knew there was a reason way i married you."

She playfully hits him and he catches her wrist and gently pulls her in for a long and passionate kiss, then she brakes the kiss and holds the bottle firmly in her hands and he twists and pops the cork, some of the liquid spills on to his chest and she quickly puts the bottle back into the bucket and then she starts to lick it off his chest, (she thought that the taste of his skin and the champagne was exquisite), then he groans and says,

"That feels gorgeous sweetheart, i have married a wicked woman who knows how to change the subject."

She smiles against his chest and travels down still licking and now kissing his chest, putting her hand on his stomach traveling further and further down, she puts her hand under the sheet that's covering his stomach and legs and puts her hand around his manhood she hears him give another groan of pleasure and starts to stroke him slowly, she could fell him getting harder and harder with every stroke, then she moves the sheet off of him and her mouth followed to where her hand was and she kisses, lick, hummed and sucked his manhood, then she encased him in her mouth, when she tasted him, (his manhood tasted even more exquisite than his chest and the champagne,) she enjoyed the sensation building inside her and she twirled her tongue around the tip of his penis, she could fell him quiver, before he knew what was happening, she straddled him and puts his magnificat and extremely hard penis inside her, she started with slow and gentle movements, through a moans she says

"Anthony; you feel soo wonderfully big and hard inside me, i still can't believe we are doing this and that it's our wedding night, i have dreamt about this and doing this for so long.

He groaned "Edith; you are so beautifully wet and exquisitely tight, your skin is so soft like silk and you taste like nectar and i can't believe you said yes to me and now we are in the middle of all this, i have fantasied about this for far too long.

She opens his shirt that she is still wearing and removes it, he moves in and kisses her neck, jaw, chin and mouth, they gasp for air and as they do she puts her tongue in his mouth and he could feel the friction of her hard nipples against his chest, then she pulled back slightly and looked in to his eyes and his, hers. He travels down kissing, licking and sucking, then reaches her breasts, he puts one of her erect nipples twirls it in his mouth and then the other, he sucked and licked, put his good hand on the other breast gently massages it, then he slided his hand down her body and put his thumb on her clitoris and started to stroke it, he could hear her take a sharp shock gasp and exhale a breath of pleasure, through the exhale she says,

"You say i'm a wicked woman, well you are a wicked man and you now know my secret."

"What secret might that be ?" He asks through a stifled smiling groan

She replies simply,

"That i love you more now than ever, with every beating of my heart and the way you make me feel more like a woman with every passing second and especially what you are doing with your thumb, naughty boy." and she smiled against his lips, their kisses stared to run deeper.

She tightens her pelvic muscles around his manhood, her movements become quicker, deeper and more erratic, he could also feel her slight form shiver, she could hear him give a deep and throaty groan, then she put her hands through his hair, his thumb quicken's it's pace and that's when they got really carried away, they got so carried away they didn't realise that she had dug her nails into his shoulders and he sucked her hard on her neck, neither of them noticed as they were in the middle of their mutual climax; she stayed on top of him, with him still inside her, their foreheads pressed together, they both steadied their breathing as they gathered their senses, then she collapsing next to him in the bed and rested her head on his wounded shoulder and kissed it, he put his good hand on her hip and looked into her chocolate eyes and gave her a contented smile, as she relaxed more into his hold, she started to think to her self and then started to laugh, well chuckle, he asked her,

"Sweetheart, what are you laughing at, it's not me i hope?"

"NO!, darling i could never laugh at you, laugh with you but never at you, i was just thinking, i'm glad i listened to my parents."

"Darling, what do you mean, i don't understand, your parents?"

"Well, if it wasn't for them, i would have given up on my horse riding lessons,"

"Horse riding lessons, sweetheart?"

"If it wasn't for the horse riding lessons, i wouldn't have been able to stay on top of you, just now." she started to laugh again but this time he started to laugh as well and he replied through a belly laught,

"So i'm a horse, am i?" they both laughed,

"Your not a horse, darling, well... a certain part of your anatomy does resemble's a horse."

slipped her hand under the sheet that's covering them both and brushes her hand against his now flaccid penis still slick with their combined juices, but as she did his manhood started to spring back to life, then she lifted the sheet to look at him in wonderment, all she did was to look him in the eyes, his wonderful blue clear eyes, smile and says to him "another riding lesson, darling?" then she laughs and leans in and kisses him, they break apart and then he says,

"Your such a naughty girl and i might just have to put you over my knee." She laughs again and then turns to him and asks

"Is there any thing about me you would compare me to?" he put his strong hand on her breast and started to tweak her nipple and said " There is nothing in this whole wide world that would do your body justice, but if you are twisting my arm up my back there is one thing, when i was in Austria, Vienna actually before the war i tried these sweet delicacies they were roman chestnuts in brandied sugar called Capezzoil di venere which an italian told me it mean's nipples of venus although i don't know if that is interlay true, you know how italian are, ever melodramatic at times, the only reason is because your nipples taste so sweet and look so delectable." he bent his head down kissed both erect nipples and started to nuzzle them as he did she said through a moan of pleasure,

"I could get use to this." he replies, hmmm...


	8. Chapter 8

**Back to a normal rating.**

**Chapter 8**

The clock chimed Nine-forty five at king's cross station that morning as the Strallan's stood outside hand in hand and waiting for the rest of there traveling party, Anthony looked at Edith and put his good arm around Edith's waist he whispered into her ear you look ravishing sweetheart and kissed her temple and all Edith could do was give a contented sigh, he then noticed some cars arrive, Edith saw her Grandmama and Isobel in one of them and waved, she had a huge smile on her face, Anthony stepped forward to open the door and help the ladies out of the car. Mary had Sybie in her arms and Matthew was carrying baby Sybie's moses basket in his hands as they came out of the other car, Martha gave Anthony a hug and kissed him on his cheek and then stepped forward and winking at Edith, with Isobel close behind. Martha reached Edith and gave her granddaughter a huge hug and kissed her on her cheek, she also got pecks on the cheek from the rest of the traveling party.

They were all exchanging pleasantries, but Edith noticed that Sybie started to squirm in Mary's arms and was reaching out for Edith, so Edith asked "may i ?" and Mary shook her head in agreement, so Edith took Sybie from Mary's arms and Edith said to the little baby smiling at her was "Hello; do you remember me, i'm your auntie Edith and this very handsome gentleman is your uncle Anthony and if your good and very lucky like me he might even hold you for a bit." she then turned and looked at Anthony and he looked terrified, she rolled her eyes at him and says "don't look so worried, she will be sitting on the your lap and i'll be there to make sure you won't drop her, but you won't; alright ?" he looked at Edith and relised how silly he was being and let lose a sigh of relief with a hint of laughter throw it.

All of a sudden he says "Sweetheart, I have just remember i have something to do, i will be about five minutes, all of you don't wait for me, go and get settled on the train and i will be back before you know it; Oh!, Matthew i might need your help if you don't mind ?"

Matthew looked at Mary a bit puzzled but simply nodded at his new brother in law, Anthony leaned in and kisses Edith on the lips, the gentlemen walked quickly and disappeared around the corner of the station, Mary looked at Edith and said "what was all that about." all Edith did was look at her elder sister, shrugged and said "i don't know."

As all the ladies and Sybie got settled in the train compartment, Mary suddenly pipes up to get Edith's attention as she was distracted by Sybie on her lap and playing with Edith's pearl necklace (her wedding present from her grandmama) and says " i suppose, i should do my sisterly duty, since poor sybil is no longer with us, (there was a long saddened pause) she would be probably asking these question anyway (flushing slightly) how was it ?" Edith's cheeks turn slightly pink and looks at the three woman staring back at her, there was a long pause, Martha looked quit eager to find out how thing went and said "Oh for god sake Edith!, stop keeping us in suspense and just tell us how it went, after all we are all married woman and you won't shock us, we've all heard it and seen it before."

So with that encouragement from her grandmama, Edith started to talk about the night before, all she could manage was " it was fantastic, marvelous, wonderful and utterly, utterly exquisite, we enjoyed our selfs four times last night and once this morning." the more she continued the more confidant she got " he's like a wild beast and insatiable," the reactions she got from the ladies, surprised her as Isobel and Martha were smiling and enjoying what they were hearing, but what Edith couldn't get over was the expression on Mary's face, she looked shocked to hear how things were between the newly weds and with that she got a little bolder with describing her husband "he's got a bottom like jelly on springs." after she said that she put her tongue to the corner of her top lip and then bit the corner of her bottom lip to stop her from laughing, it didn't work as all the ladies in the train compartment fell about laughing, sniggering and giggling.

As the ladies laughter started to die and just ended up as little titters, Mary then had a questioning look across her face, looking at Edith's neck, but it was Martha that asked the next question, "Mary, what is it? why are you looking at your sister that why," Mary replied, " i was just wondering why Edith is wearing a neckerchief?," Edith suddenly felt her cheeks burn red and decided to take it off to show the red mark, that Anthony had left the night before, there were some gasps, but it was what Isobel said next that shocked everyone, "Matthew's father did that to me on our wedding night." All the ladies started to laugh again, Edith put her neckerchief back on and said "he left his mark on my neck but i left my marks on his shoulders, i dug my nails into his skin and drew blood." but they were all distracted by the train whistle sounding and the train started to move, just as they thought the gentlemen where being left behind, they came walking through the door of the compartment and as soon as they did the woman started to laugh again, Matthew and Anthony just looked at each other as to say (i wonder what they are all laughing at), the men just shrugged and went and sat by their wife's and pecked them on the lips. Anthony started to make faces at Sybie, to make the baby laugh and she did and everyone chuckled at her, so edith lifted her so she could kiss the little one's cheek and then put the baby on her husbands lap and she said "go to you uncle." he looked a bit stunned to begin with, but then got used to it and the baby was quite contented play with his pocket watch chain and giving him a gummy smiling.

Anthony turns to look at Edith and they nod in agreement, "Everyone, could we ask your option, on how to deal with Robert, i mean Lord Grantham and the Dowager Countess. Everyone gave there own options; but everyone was in agreement that they were all behind them one hundred percent, Martha said that "Cora would be probably working on Robert all ready and you know that Cora's always wanted you to be happy with Anthony and i don't think Robert wants to lose another daughter; the bigger problem is your Granny and how we're going to deal with her,"

"I think the best thing to do is not argue with granny and see what she has to say," Mary said,

"And remember with the best Bloom cup, she succumbed to pressure from Isobel and everyone, and she happily handed over the cup the old Mr. Moseley." Edith gave her a funny look and said

"Your comparing my marriage to flower contest?"

"No, i 'm just trying to make a point that, Granny has been known to change her mind from time to time."

A while later, Mary, Matthew, Isobel and Martha had decided to move to another compartment as the one they where in was a little cramped and agreed to meet Edith and Anthony at the restaurant carriage at one o'clock.

He chuckled at the baby and Edith saw his eyes starts to fill with tears, She kissed the tears away and whispers in his ear and asked

"what's wrong, are you thinking about Maud, darling?" he nods and blinks away the rest of the tears and smiles at her and says

"yes i was, as i was reminded of how Maud died of the same Bloody thing as your sister and it infuriates me how pigheaded and ignorant your father was about the situation, but i really was thinking more about your sister and poor Tom and how much he must be hurting and how it was all my fault,"

"I don't understand, how can my sisters death be your fault?"

"Because if i had married you, that day, that Bloody day, you wouldn't have been in New York and you could have said goodbye to her and i could have made your father listen to me and explained, telling him what happened to Maud all those years ago." He starts to look at the baby again and Edith leans over and kisses his neck and says

"It's not your fault, darling, according to Mama's letter, i might not have been able to say goodbye as she died in the middle of the night and you know what my fathers like, he wouldn't of listened to you, he wouldn't of listed to anyone, he didn't even listen to Dr Clarkson, he listed to some quack called Sir Philip Tapsell because he was fashionable and help deliver some Duke's baby, so i don't see how you could have prevented it, my darling and i've told you before, that i have forgiven you for that day and i know why you did it, you did it for me and plus that day was all my fault, as i rushed you into it, because i was so eager to keep up with my sisters, that i should have talked to you more about it, so we're on equal ground now, alright?" all Anthony could do was nod in agreement and smile at her and she decided to change the subject,

"You were saying about Tom?"

"Well as you know, i spoke to Tom at the funeral and told him he could come and talk to me any time," and Edith asked " did he?" Anthony nodded again and said " he came over twice, i think that things were getting a little tense at Downton, what with him being caught in between your Father and Matthew over the estate."

"How are things now, between them?"

"A lot better, especially now since Tom's been made estate manager,"

"Yes, Mary mentioned something about that yesterday, so what happened to Tufton,"

"Apparently Tufton to exception to Matthew's new idea's and resigned,"

"So how did Tom become estate manager?"

"Well, it was the Dowager Countess's idea."

"Granny's idea!," she looked shocked and then started to laugh,

"What's so funny?"

"Well maybe, Mary was right and we don't have to worry about what Granny and Papa think about us,"

Anthony looked at her puzzled, not quit understanding her meaning,

"Sorry Sweetheart, i'm failing to hear the penny drop,"

"Well it mean's that if they can make Tom estate manager and excepted him, then there maybe hope for us and Mary said as you know that herself, Matthew, Isobel, Mama, Tom and Grandmama are all on our side, we just have to fight like Sybil, over her and Tom and not back down, but they can't do anything anyway as we're married and a divorce, would be more of a scandal, than little old me running off and getting married to the most beautiful man i have ever met and the man of my dreams."

He gave her a crooked smile as she talked, as she was talking he was staring at her beautiful rose pink lips. Then he leaned in and kissed her and said as they broke apart

"Would you like to have children;"

"Yes, someday," and she noticed that he looked pensive and said

"What is it, are you worried incase we can't have children?" and he nodded in agreement and just stared at sybie, she put her hand up to his face and gently turned his head to look at her and said

"Well if we can't have children, we can't have children, i don't love you any less. I know! i will do a deal with you, alright? if we haven't gotten pregnant in two and a half years time we will go to a specialist about it and then we will know once and for all, BUT! we are not going to worry about it until then ALRIGHT!;"

"alright" Anthony said in a small voice.

Sybie started to rub her face, eyes and yawned as through she was tired, so Edith took Sybie from Anthony's lap and put her in her moses basket and the baby got comfortable and fell asleep. Edith turned and saw the look in Anthony's eye and she knew that look was of love, she smiles at him and leaned in and kissed him and as they sat there in the carriage kissing each other passionately, she pulls back and says,

"i hope you know that i love you and just doing this,"

"what?"

"just sitting hear in your arms and kissing you, you know i could do this all day long and i hope you know that i would do anything to make you happy, darling," and he nodded and kissed her forehead.

They just sat in each others arms, with her head on his shoulder and his head resting on the temple of her head and they both drifted off.


	9. Chapter 9

It was about four thirty in the afternoon when they all exited the train onto Downton Station and walked to the cars waiting for them, Anthony had rushed ahead of everyone and all the ladies looked at Edith as to say ("what's happening,") and all Edith could do was to look back at them just as puzzled as everyone, everyone excepted for Matthew, who had a smirk on his face, the only one to notice was Edith but she didn't say anything as she was wanting to know what her husband was up to, as they walked out of the station to the cars, Anthony was standing next to his open top Rolls Royce with lots of different bouquet's of flowers in his arms, she gasped and ran up to him and whispered in his ear,

"You romantic fool, My romantic fool, this is another reason why i love you so very much, you make me feel so cherished; are they all for me?"

He looks in her wonderful chocolate brown eyes and says " Don't you mean OLD romanic fool?," she looks at him rather sternly and says "How many time's do i have to you, you are not old, well not to me and you certainly weren't old last night or this morning," and she gave him a wicked smile, he had to clear his throat as his mouth suddenly went dry, "these are for you, sweetheart" and hands her the biggest bunch of deep pink roses (just like the ones he had sent her that day when she had returned from The Ritz with her Grandmama, the only differents the colour) and kisses him, the kiss was chased, she put her arms around neck as the kiss ran deeper and she lifted her foot off the ground, he then reply's to her question,

"I got all the ladies their favorite flowers." he steps forward and starts to hand out the flowers, Mary got White Calla Lilies, Isobel, purple Hydrangea's, Martha, white Magnolias and Sybie got Sybil's favorite pink Sweet Pea's, then it suddenly dawned on her why Anthony and Matthew had disappeared at King's Cross and she just smiled inwardly at the thought of him being so thoughtful, caring and she thought her heart mite explode with love for this dear, sweet man; she then notices he had another two bunches of flowers and a bottle of whiskey, iris's and deep pink Peonies, "I presume those are for Mama, Granny and the bottle of whiskey is for Papa?"

"Yes, the iris's are for your Grandmother; i mean the Dowager Countess and the Peonies are for you Mother, do you think they will like them?"

"Well, Mama will, but Granny and Papa's another story;" And you wonder why i married you when you do sweet wonderful things like this

~§~

As they went into the cars, it was decided that Mary, Matthew, Martha and Sybie went into the Downton Car and that Isobel should go with Edith and Anthony in his Rolls, he did offer to sit in the front seat but Isobel had said she preferred to sit in the front, she asked "where they would be going on their honeymoon;" Anthony leaned forward slightly and said

"We are thinking about going to America but we still have to talk to Mrs Levinson, to see if it is alright with her." as they got closer to Downton they got more anxious.

~§~

As everyone got out of the cars, Edith and Anthony stayed back a little, as Anthony asked his Chauffeur Evans, to take the car and their luggage back to locksley, they gave each other a ("here we go then") look and held hands (as usual Edith was holding Anthony's wounded hand, he had the two flower bouquet's and a rare bottle of whiskey in his working hand) As they joined everyone outside Downton. Cora had a big smile on her face and hugged Edith and said "Welcome home darling, i've missed you; you know that this will always be you home, even if you do have anew one with your husband, well my new son in-law; welcome to the family, Anthony." and she gave him a hug and a kiss on the cheek, Anthony handed over the bunch of Peonies and Cora said "there beautiful how did you know there my favorite's."

"I have my spy's everywhere, Lady Grantham." and the three of them laughed.

"Oh, please call me Cora, we're family."

Then they turned to face Robert, Edith briefly let go of Anthony's hand and went up to her father and gave him a tiny hug and simply said "Papa." Robert gave her a long hug, kissed her on her forehead, smiled at her and said "i've missed you, my darling girl." Edith was shocked at the welcome she got from her Father, but when she looked at her parents she could see a change in them; they both looked tired and stressed; it was probably to with how the estate was being run, with fresh idea's; but especially and more importantly the sudden death of their youngest daughter pray on their minds.

Robert held his left hand out to shake Anthony's hand and Anthony handed him the bottle of whiskey and then shook Robert's hand, Robert looked at the bottle and said Laphtoaig 20 years old single islay malt whiskey, but where did you get this from i have been looking for a bottle of this for quite some time." Anthony just shrugged and replied " well i notice the last time i was hear that you were running low so i decided to bring you a bottle and as your wife said, we're family, aren't we?"

Robert just stared at the gentleman standing in front of him, holding the hand of his middle daughter and then looked at Edith and in that moment he suddenly realized that they were in love and perfect for each other; he smiled at them both and said "yes; yes, you are family, welcome to the family Anthony, all Anthony did was to say "thank you Robert."

Cora chimed in and said "Shall we go in and have some tea?"

Just as they where all about to go into the house; they where all startled by the sound of a car horn beeping, it was Tom coming up the drive in Edith bright red Lagonda, (the wedding present from Anthony)Tom had a big bright smile on his face, it was the first bright smile anyone had seen on his face since Sybil's death.

Robert looked shocked to see it was Tom in the sports car and said " Good god!, is that Tom's car, i think i might be paying him to much, if he can afford that kind of car."

Edith piped up "Papa it's my car, Anthony gave it to me as a wedding gift."

Anthony stepped forward and shook Tom's hand and asked "How did you get on?, i forgot to ask Matthew, what time did you leave this morning?"

Tom smiled and said "The car went like a dream, i left this morning about eight o'clock, the reason why i'm late was i stopped for lunch and later on i had to stretch my legs, all in all it went brilliantly, i might have to ask for a loan of the car from time to time, if that is alright with you?"

Anthony had returned to Edith's side and said "you'll have to ask the Boss, it's her car after all."

Edith poked him in his ribs and laughed.

Then Matthew shouted "get in line." with a cheeky grin on his face and Mary playfully rolled her eye's at Edith as to say (Boy's and their toys) and she nodded in agreement with her older sister and giggled.

Then Robert chimed in and said "yes i see what you mean, i might have to ask for a shot myself; if that's alright with my charming, lovely and wonderful daughter."

Edith just rolled her eye and said "if i had known that a car was going to be the linch pin to my father changing his mind about my husband then i would have asked Anthony to buy the car long ago." Edith, Anthony and Robert laught

"I think we will have to have a ledger in the garage, so that they can take the car when ever they like." Anthony said through his laughter and then everyone started to laugh.


	10. Chapter 10

**Chapter 10**

Everyone entered the drawing room and they all notice that Violet the Dowager was sitting in her usual seat, close to the fire, with the usual look on her face like she had just sucked a bit of bitter lemon. On entering the room, Edith says trying to sound nonchalantly and hoping that she did, to her grandmother "Hello, Granny how are you, are you well."

The elderly lady raised from her seat and crossed towards to the newly wed's, with a look of thunder on her face, Edith and Anthony took a collective breath and both looked at each other, both swallowed really hard and thought the same thing together (are we going to sink or swim) but their apprehensions were misgiven as the Dowager's face turned from thunder to silk and she smiled at them both and said "Congratulations, all is well, my dears, all is well."

Violet and Robert stood in front of everyone as everyone got seated; Robert started to get everyone's attention by clearing his throat and everyone turned to face him and listen

"Now, if everyone could settle down, Mama and i would like to apologize to everyone, but first we would very much like to apologize to Anthony for the way we have treated you and spoke to you on and leading up to that day and that we did not give you our full blessing, which you have, from myself, mama and the rest of the family;"

"We would like to apologize to Edith for the way we have treated you, on that day and through the years we have all taken you for granted and me especially, as i did not want to let go of my last little girl and you are and always will be my little girl, well all my girls are and after losing Sybil i realized, i didn't what to loose another of my daughters, as i did not want to except that i was getting old and that you and Anthony are in love, which we can all see and that you are perfect for each other;"

"I would like to apologize to Matthew, for putting up resistance to your changes to the running of Downton, as if it was not for Matthew and the money, Downton would have been lost to my blunder and arrogance, i now see that it was for the best and it is for the best and for the future of Downton;"

"Tom it is you turn for an apology because if it was not for my pigheadedness then sybil would still be with us and if i had not been so damed foolish about you and Sybil at the start of your marriage, then all of us would have not lost those months together as a family, i also hear that Anthony has been helping Tom adjust to his new role as estate manager and advising him on crop rotation and how best to mechanize the estate and you have also helped him with the lost of Sybil and given him sanctuary when Matthew and i have come to blows over the estate and i also hear the two of you are becoming quite good friends, which i am delighted with and i hope with a little time that all of us men will become very good close friends, and i am also delighted that i am not the only man in the family now." everyone nodded and smiled,

the only person who was not smiling was Isobel the only person to notice was Matthew and asked

"Mother, what's wrong."

Isobel replied "Well, i do think that Dr Clarkson is owed an apology, for not being heard that awful night poor Sybil died."

"MOTHER! how can you say that just now, when Robert has just made amens to everyone, are you wanting to start an argument?"

"No, no, no, Matthew, your mother's is quite right, i do owe Dr Clarkson an apology and i will do that in person as soon as i can."

Cora wanted to change the subject and by that time Violet had returned to her seat, Cora turned to Edith and Anthony "lets see the engagement ring and wedding ring."

Edith lifted her left hand and Cora held it and examined them and as she did this, all of the other lady's joined them (the engagement ring was a platinum setting with three stones, two white diamonds on either side of a slightly larger blue diamond; the wedding ring was a platinum eternity ring with all white diamonds) Cora said

"Your engagement ring is so beautiful darling, is the middle stone a sapphire?"

"No, it's a rare blue diamond, Anthony's father brought it back from India, when he was out there on business, i believe, is that true?" Violet asked "Well, that's what i heard and i was always so jealous of your mother's ring."

"But Granny, your ring's beautiful" both Mary and Edith said it at the same time and they both started to laugh after the sisters finished laughing, Anthony said "yes your right Lady Grantham about the blue diamond."

Cora said" and the wedding ring you picked it out, Anthony?, the ring is so beautiful and matches it so well."

"I would have thought a plain simple band would have suffice." violet said in her rather formidable tone, then she suddenly realized what she had just said and gave the newly weds a rather weak smile as to say; (sorry, it just slips out at times)

"There's nothing plain or simple about my wife, so i thought her wedding ring should match her." as Anthony said it, he lifted Edith's left hand and kissed it, when he did that Edith cheeks just turn pink with embarrassment and love for her wonderful husband.

Cora smiled at the adorable couple in front of her and asked "So where are you two going on your honeymoon and when?"

"Well we were discussing it on the train coming home and if it's alright with you Grandmama, we would like to spend our honeymoon in New York, Rhode Island and at Uncle Harold's new house in the East Hampton's, as Anthony has never been to America before and i think he would find it fascinating, we were thinking about maybe june or july next year."

Martha smiled in agreement and said "Oh, that would be wonderful, just let me know, when the two of you want to come over and i'll let Harold know as well, so we can have the red carpet rolled out, Harold will be thrilled you to are coming over, as he wants to meet Anthony"

"He wants to meet me, why?"

"Well, he wants to finally put a face to the name, Edith and i would talk to him about you a lot, not together, you see; i would tell him what i was up to with regards to my plan, where Edith would ask for his option on you and it was Harold, who changed Edith's mind and said that, it sounded like the reason why you did what you did, was that you did love Edith, that you loved her very much."

Anthony simply replied with a smile


End file.

Downton Abbey, Family, Romance