Bring Me To Your Stars

The Proposal

At last, their moment had come. 

James stood beside Millicent in His Lordship's private drawing room, where Sir James had asked them to meet him after dinner. 

And when Mr. Carson closed the door behind Mr. Moody and Miss Crawley for utmost privacy, so that none of the staff or guests snooping by could hear their conversation, Sir James sat down his brandy and left his seat behind at the blazing fireplace. 

His face as cold and unreadable as a stone as he watched Millicent take James's arm and entwine her fingers with his.

"Millie?" Sir James questioned her. "What is the meaning of this?"

"Papa, I'm afraid there's been a misunderstanding between Mr. Moody and I," Millicent said to him. "And now that we've sorted it all out, I hope you'll allow me to explain what really happened-"

"Well, somebody had better!" Sir James declared suddenly, his face reddening bright with fury. "This is far beyond all imaginable! A misunderstanding? I'd say it's all very clear what's happened here!"

Both Millicent and James stared dumbfounded back at him, at a loss for why he appeared so angry when neither of them had even said a word yet. 

"Mr. Carson!" Sir James called out to the butler. "I speak for myself and Robert in asking that you please remove Millicent from the same room as this savage ruffian, and confine her to her room until I've the mind to deal with her." 

"Certainly, sir."

"I beg your pardon?" Millicent puzzledly questioned her father. "What's the meaning of this, papa?"

"Don't speak," Sir James firmly cut her off. "God forbid that you should ruin yourself more by speaking. Carson. Remove her at once." 

"What's going on?" James asked worriedly, as Millicent's hand tore away from his, as she was coerced into being escorted out of the room by the staff. 

Just as Lord Grantham, Patrick Crawley, and Edward Getty entered next. 

"What is this?" James asked again, his eyes darting around to the Crawley men who surrounded him. 

"After all the hospitality we've shown you and your father here," Sir James snapped at him. "How dare you show your face to me after what you'd done to her?"

"I've not the slightest idea what you could mean, sir," James answered. "What have I done?"

"Is it true?" Lord Grantham questioned him. "Did you force yourself onto Millicent in the library yesterday?"

"What?" James answered, sorely taken aback. "Force myself onto her? I did not, sir."

"You rabble scum. How dare you," Patrick damned him next. "First, you violate my sister, and then you lie about it to His Lordship in his own house? Is this the all courageous and respectable Royal Navy you regard so highly, Uncle Robert? You allowed this seadog to stay here as one of us, and he ruined my sister the first chance he had." 

"I would never do such a thing to her," James insisted. "I could never hurt her in that way, or any woman, for that matter. I'm telling you, the truth, it is!"

"I saw it all with my own eyes," Getty nodded surely to each of the Downton lords. "The rogue had the poor lamb pressed up against a bookcase as he had his lecherous way with her. I can attest before God that you lewdly molested her!"

"That's not at all what happened," James insisted. 

"Then please, explain what did happen, Mr. Moody," Lord Grantham said to him, his eyes pleading with James to cooperate. "I know you and your father very well, dear boy. I want to believe that you are still an honorable young man, and that I would not expect such misconduct from you. I am willing to hear the full story, if it will convince me that you are still the man I believe you are."