Cousin Evelyn ~ Downton Abbey

Prologue (pt.1) ~ Burn

"You are always welcome, Oswald!" Arthur boomed.

Louis helped Oswald into his hat and coat and opened the door for him. "I have had the valet bring your car around, Sir," Louis spoke kindly.

"Ah! Thank you, chap." He turned the family. "It was lovely getting to see the Levinson family. We will have many more gatherings! Evelyn, give your pops a hard time, aye?" Evelyn smiled at the man and nodded.

The front door closed and Arthur grabbed his daughter and threw her over his shoulder, causing a scream and laugh from her. "You know you're not supposed to sneak around when we have guests, Evie!" He pinched her sides as she squealed joyfully.

"I was curious!"

"Curiosity killed the cat!"

"I am not a cat."

"No..." Arthur stopped his spinning and tickling as he pondered sarcastically for a moment. "You're a bird!" He tossed her into the air, earning another jovial squeal.

Marie watched her husband and daughter lovingly. A sneeze behind her caused her to turned to look at the footmen that still held the boxes behind her. "Oh my! I apologize I got distracted! Take the three green ones to my room and the blue and pink ones to Evelyn's room, please."

Evelyn's eyes lit up while she wrapped her arms around her father's neck while he held her. "What's in them?"

"I found a beautiful yellow dress for you! Just like the one you had when you were three! Shall we try it on?" Marie beamed as she cupped her daughter's pink cheeks. Evelyn eagerly nodded. "Well, let's go!" Evelyn squirmed out of her father's arms and began to take off up the stairs. "Evelyn..." Marie calmly warned and raised an eyebrow at her.

Evelyn looked guiltily over her shoulder while still holding a small smile. "Sorry, mother." She slowly made her way up the stairs.

Marie sighed and shook her head with a laugh. "Why must she always run?"

"She does not go as fast as up the stairs as she used to that looks like progress to me," Arthur smirked. His smirk fell when he saw his wife's unamused expression. He kissed her cheek. "Sorry, dear. No more jokes. Ever!" He dramatically stomped into the foyer/study leaving Marie to grin and make her way upstairs.

------------------------

The small candle flickered madly by Evelyn's white canopy bed. She sat propped against the headboard while squeezing a teddy bear in her silk-clad arms. Evelyn leaned her head on her mother's shoulder as she listened sleepily to the tale of Little Red Riding Hood.

"Little Red Riding Hood took off her cloak, but when she climbed up on the bed she was astonished to see how her grandmother looked in her nightgown!" Marie spoke dramatically before she gently turned the page.

Before continuing to read, she glanced down at her daughter to admire the now sleeping girl. Her little nose whistled lightly as she drifted. The freckles over her pink nose and cheeks began to dance as her lips fought the urge to fall open in slumber. Her messy, auburn curls sprawled over her mother's white gown, creating a distinct contrast in color. Her thick eyelashes encapsulated her emerald green eyes. The gold chain hanging around her neck seemed way too long for her - and it was. Marie smiled at the necklace. It had been hers until Evelyn took such a fascination with it, Marie gifted it to her when she was four and she refused to take it off since. The necklace was gold with a gold, twisted-hoop surrounding a purple/blue gemstone. Evelyn loved it dearly and always said she wanted to look just like her mother - even though she did not have to try too hard to do so.

Evelyn was indeed a spitting image of her mother and everyone took notice, mentioning how she would be sought after when she reached her teens. If there was one thing Marie worried about above all else it was her daughter finding someone who would love her and never hurt her.