The Journey of Living at Downton

Chapter 30: May 1922

Passing through the Main Hall, Emma sees Mary walk out of the Library and up the stairs with what looked like tears in her eyes. Emma frowns as she watches Mary go up. She knows that Tom and Mary had held a conference with Robert on who they will be taking of the Drewe's farm now that the father of the family had passed away, but wonders how that conversation turned into Mary being teary eyed. She peeks into the Library and sees that Tom is alone with Robert.

"I hope I'm not interrupting anything?" Emma asks as she walks in.

"No." Robert says with a smile. "Only Mabel Lane Fox and Tony Gillingham getting engaged."

"Oh." Emma says, suddenly knowing what had put Mary out of sorts. Not knowing what else to say, she moves on. "I suppose you'll be going to the funeral?"

"Yes, I feel like it's important," Robert replies casually though Emma can see he's not pleased with the situation, he'll have to if Downton is to survive.

——

Emma walks down the stairs and into the Hall to see Mr Carson sorting the post on a table near the front door as Cora and Edith come in at the door, which is being held open for them by Jimmy.

"Your ladyship. M'lady." The footman greets.

"Ah, pleasant walk?" Emma calls to them as she steps into the Outer Hall before Cora can turn into the door to the Library sitting in the Hall.

"Quite." Cora replies with a smile.

"Is that the afternoon post? Is there anything for me?" Edith asks Mr Carson, noticing what the butler is doing.

"There's just a couple for his lordship and Mrs Branson, m'lady." The butler replies as he offers the dish he had put the letters on to Emma, who takes her letter from it. She frowns at it questioningly as it doesn't seem to be the handwriting of any of her in-laws but of Dr Clarkson. Interesting.

"Were you expecting something?" Cora asks her daughter.

"Not particularly. I haven't heard from Michael in a bit, that's all." Edith replies calmly though clearly disappointed as the three of them walk to the Library door.

"I expect he's busy." Emma tells her with a smile though then murmurs to herself, "I hope."

They walk into the Library to find Mary at the writing desk. The eldest Crawley daughter seems to startle out of a daze when Emma walks in first and continues writing as if she hadn't been distracted. Emma frowns in concern at that but seems to be the only one that had noticed.

"What have you been up to?" Cora asks her other daughter.

"I was writing to Tony Gillingham." Mary tells her in a tone that's aiming for blasé, but Emma notices the cracks. She lingers as Cora and Edith walk past her to sit on the settees. Perhaps she should say something.

"Give him my regards." Cora says.

Emma sees Mary dab her eyes as she begins to follow them, probably thinking she's out of sight. She looks actually close to tears or has just been crying, but the other two don't notice. Emma feels confused as she hadn't thought Mary and Gillingham had been all that serious except for some flirting, it seems she was wrong.

"Say we look forward to knowing Miss Lane Fox."

Emma sits next to Cora with her letter on her lap to open later, opposite Edith and opens her mouth to speak after Cora's words but Edith cuts her off with this remark over her shoulder, "I am surprised. I thought he was rather keen on you."

Emma closes her mouth and deems it not the right time to ask Mary about her feelings with Edith around.

"Not for the first time, you've got the wrong end of the stick." Mary snips back.