Risk It All - Tom Branson/Downton Abbey

The Unsinkable Titanic

"Good morning My Lady" greeted Anna as she opened the bedroom curtains and allowed the sunlight to flood the room.

Unlike most people Florence loved mornings. She discovered that she was more productive in the mornings compared to the rest of the day. Most of her family couldn't relate at all, her father Robert though completely agreed with his daughter. Robert was the closest to Florence, she was the one person who could calm him down and he could find no fault in the girl.

"Good morning Anna. How many times have I told you though Anna, just call me Florence or Flo. Only use My Lady for formal purposes" said Florence. Anna could never understand how Florence loved mornings, to be honest I don't think anyone could.

"I know My L... Flo, it just doesn't feel right"

Florence sighed and sat up "well it'll have to feel right. You're my friend and all my friends call me Flo. Anyway, forget all that how are you?" Anna always found it strange how Florence saw the staff as her equals.

"Shocked to be honest. The Titanic sank last night on her maiden voyage. Most of the passengers died" replied Anna as she was getting Florence's outfit for the day ready

"What?, I bet we knew passengers on it" said Florence shocked. She couldn't believe it, of course she knew no ship was truly unsinkable, but the thought of all the dead passengers made her shiver. "That's so sad. I'll see how Papa is at breakfast" Florence got out of bed and started to let Anna get her dressed.

"Let's get you ready to face to the day then My La... Flo" Florence giggled at Anna forgetting to just call her 'Flo'

As Anna left Florence took time to admire herself in her mirror. She was wearing a long green dress, with short sleeves and her long blond hair pinned up. She looked just like her twin sister Sybil (Florence was older by five minutes, a fact she loved to share whenever she could), with the only difference between them being their hair colours. Florence took after their father Robert, where as Sybil took after their mother Cora. The twins were inseparable, they were each other's rocks. They had to be with their two older sisters, Mary and Edith, at each other's throats constantly.

She was in a daze until she heard a knock at the door.

"It's only me" shouted Sybil "are you coming for breakfast?" This shocked Florence as it was usually her knocking her sisters door.

"I'll be down in a minute" replied Florence still in a daze

"Okay, don't be too long though"

"I won't, love you" Florence didn't even know if her sister was still behind the door

"Love you too" she heard a distant Sybil shout back

With one last glance Florence made her way down stairs for breakfast.

*****
As Florence was walking to the dining room she passed her father, he looked stressed and Florence knew better than to ask why.

"Good morning Papa" Florence greeted her father

"Good morning Flossie" replied Robert as he passed his daughter.
Only Robert called her Flossie and everyone knew it was because she was his favourite. Florence didn't pester her father and made her way to the dining room.

"Good morning Thomas" greeted Florence as she passed the footman

"Good morning Flo" replied Thomas

As Florence entered the dining room she saw her two older sisters and her twin sister eating breakfast.

"Good morning" greeted Florence. She couldn't be bothered to say it individually, plus she had already talked to Sybil.

"Good morning Florie" Mary, Edith and Sybil greeted. Florence loved that she had a few nicknames from her Family, however only her mother and sisters called her Florie.