Chapter 18
Sybil’s POV
Tom and I were lying on the grass outside his cottage staring up at the blue sky above our heads. It was late September and the weather was becoming colder, the days shorter. We had been man and wife for almost 2 months, but the lying was beginning to eat away at me. I felt ashamed every time I sat down for diner with my family, guilty every time I had to change the finger upon which my wedding ring sat and jealous every time I saw my family approve of Mary and Matthew.
I had spoken to Tom about telling my parents but he didn’t want to, scared of being sent back to Ireland and leaving me here alone. My main worry was what would happen if I fell pregnant, how could we keep everything a secret then?
On my way back to the house I bumped into Edith who was also walking back to the house after enjoying the last of the summer weather.
“Mama and papa are visiting the Heathcliffs tonight so it’s just you, Mary and I for dinner tonight.”
“Is grandmamma not visiting?”
“I doubt it, although the thought is rather scary is it not? Just the three of us left alone with her, cue the marriage talk.”
I laughed and brushed my hair out of my eyes. Suddenly Edith stopped.
“Where did you get that ring?” I looked down at the ring on my left hand and mentally told myself off for forgetting to swap it to my right hand.
“It was one of mama’s, she gave it to me to wear.”
“Why are you wearing on your wedding finger?”
“It’s the only finger it fits on.”
“Sybil Crawley are you engaged? Who is it? Please tell me it’s Edmund Renwick, you did say yes didn’t you?”
“No, it’s not from Edmund and it’s not an engagement ring either.” Edith suddenly pulled me out of view from the house behind a large tree that we use to play tag around as children.
“Sybil you know you can tell me anything, I am your sister after all.”
“Promise you won’t tell anyone?”
“Of course.”
“I’m married.” Edith’s mouth fell open in shock, almost as though I had told her the biggest news ever.
“Please tell me it wasn’t the chauffeur.” I looked at the ground ashamed.
Part of me had hoped that my family would be happy to see me in love and married to a man who loved me back, but apparently not. I had been so eager to tell I had just blurted it out to Edith, my life, family and marriage was surely over.
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