Hi everyone!! I just wanted to leave a small note before getting into the chapter. First I would like to thank everyone for commenting, reading, adding stories to their libraries as well as birthday wishes!! It makes my day more vibrant! I am doing a lot better and I had to re-update microsoft word cause the product key wasn't working for some reason. Also COVID-19 had appeared again in my state and I am in temporary stage 4 lockdown until the case number drops.
On a happier note, enjoy reading chapter 5 and let me know of what you think, vote, or what you want to happen in the story :)
August 1913. Three months had passed and Emma was relieved it was the end of summer. Things were going really well for the Crawley's. Although everyone believed that Mary and Matthew would end up together given the time, it was going smoothly. Emma, however, couldn't help think about James a lot. They had a couple of close calls at the Downton house and every time, Emma blushed. Edith and Sybil teased her every time whenever James came over for tea.
Whenever she saw James or when she was in his company, she felt euphoria, and wanted it more when he was gone, and her thoughts drifted to him, and once, Cora caught Emma daydreaming in the Drawing Room. She even stayed over at his place for dinner a few times a week.
She so badly wanted to kiss him, but she was frightened of losing his friendship and wondered what her family would've thought if she had kissed James.
James went over London again to receive a massive order of tweed fabric to design hunting clothing. Emma eventually became a model for women's wear and she was thrilled to put on new attire. It became the talk of the village and London when the photographs were published. Sybil continued being interested in politics and encouraged Emma to be a full-time model.
'The clothing shows you can empower women,' Sybil said to Emma, at one evening, 'and women can have a voice.'
Cora was pleased, and so was Robert, to everyone's surprise, Violet, on the other hand, thought it was beneath Emma, to be working.
On one day in late August, Emma, Sybil, Edith, Mary and Robert were having breakfast in the Breakfast room, Emma helped herself to some sliced bananas and Pancakes and she sat down next to Mary.
Robert was reading a letter and Emma glanced at him and asked, 'Who's that from, Papa? You seemed very engaged in the letter.'
'Your Aunt Roasmund,' Robert replied, still reading the letter.
'Anything interesting?' Edith asked.
'Nothing to trouble you with,' Robert replied back.
Sybil came to sit next to Edith and said, 'Poor Aunt Rosamund, all alone in that big house. I feel sorry for her.'
'I don't,' Mary replied with no emotion, 'All alone with plenty of money and a house in Eton Square? I can't imagine anything better.'
Robert glared and scolded at Mary, 'Really, Mary, I wish you wouldn't talk like that. There will come a day when someone thinks you mean what you say.'
Mary shrugged Robert's comment and said, 'It can't come soon enough for me.'
Robert got up, enough of his daughter's antics and spoke to Carson, 'Carson, I'll be in the library. Will you let me know when Her Ladyship is down?'
'Certainly, my lord.'
Robert passed a telegram to Sybil before he left the room, 'Sybil, darling, this one's for you.'
Sybil opened the envelope and she had smiled instantly and left the room with the letter.
'I wonder what was all that about?' Edith wondered.
'Maybe it's from a secret admirer?' Emma replied, grinning.
The girls giggled.
A few days later passed and James arranged a time he could see Emma. So they both arranged a time to meet before the Flower show in the village. Emma was looking forward to seeing him, although she wished her family wasn't going with her. Jane picked out a cream colour suit and a matching fascinator for Emma to wear. She wasn't fond of the flower shows because Violet kept on winning, so there was no fun in it when every year her granny would win.
Cousin Isobel and Matthew were already there, looking at some of the flowers in the stall.
'Hello, stranger,' said a familiar voice.
Emma turned and smiled at James.
'Hello, are participating in the show?' Emma asked with interest. She never took him to be a horticulturist.
'No, I'm not much of a gardener. I came with Matthew and Mrs. Crawley,' James said, smiling pleasantly, 'Later, I'm heading back to the shop.'
Emma nodded and her smile dropped.
'Oh...that is a shame. I thought you would like to take a day of and we can make an outing or something, like horse riding or-'
'Do look at Mr. Moseley's display,' Isobel said aloud, 'He's worked so hard.'
Everyone went over to admire Mr. Moseley's roses and Emma privately agreed that they were better than the ones in the garden.
'Rather marvellous, aren't they?' Matthew said genuinely.
'Lovely,' said Mary.
'Well done, Mr. Moseley, 'said Emma, 'They look beautiful.'
'Thank you, milady,' said Mr. Moseley.
'I think everyone is to be congratulated,' said Violet, 'Splendid.'
'But do look at these roses,' Isobel emphasised, 'Have you ever seen the like?'
James and Emma shared an amused glance.
Violet turned to Cora and explained, 'My dear Mrs. Crawley believes I'm profiting from an unfair advantage.'
'Oh?'
'Mm, she feels, in the past, I've been given the cup merely as a matter of routine rather than merit.'
Matthew intervened, 'That's rather ungallant, mother. I'm sure when we see Cousin Violet's roses, it'll be hard to think they could be bettered.'
'Hard, but not impossible,' Isobel stated persistently.
Violet turned to Isobel and said coolly, 'You are quite wonderful the way you see room for improvement wherever you look. I never knew such reforming as you.'
Isobel smiled and said, 'I take that as a compliment.'
Violet walked away and said, 'I must've said it wrong' and she chuckled.
Emma smiled and turned to James.
'Poor Granny, she's not used to being challenged.'
'I would rather let them sort it out between the two, although I know Mrs. Crawley is also one not used to being challenged.'
'Are you doing anything this weekend?' Emma asked.
'Nothing in particular, I wanted to ask you if you would like to come with me to Hyde Park?'
Emma's mouth dropped and she quickly answered, 'No, I don't think so. I was only going out riding with Mary and planning on visiting Granny for lunch next Saturday.'
'Goodness, you are very involved with your family,' James said, chuckling.
'Well,' Emma said, shrugging, 'I love them. Although I would like to go with you to Hyde Park.'
'Jolly good,' James said brightly, 'I'll arrange it for Sunday afternoon. Your mother invited me for dinner this evening, along with a man named Anthony Strallan, is there something going on?'
'I'm not sure, although Mama wants Mary to settle down as soon as possible.'
'Does that apply to you too?' James asked, his face turning colour.
'Mary, Emma,' Violet called out, 'We're going.'
Emma smiled and teased, 'Well, you may never know, Mama can mysterious when she wants to be.'
Emma had turned around and went to her family, she didn't see how pale James' complexion became.
Thankfully, Emma was seated next to James, wearing the dusty rose dress she bought ages ago and she couldn't stop glancing every few minutes at Mary, who looked miserable, sitting next to Anthony Strallan, a man who was about the same age as Papa, he was talking to Mary about farming.
'Poor Mary, she looks like she's about to fall asleep,' she said to James.
'Maybe she needs someone to rescue her from the old man,' James teased.
Emma smiled and shook her head, 'Mary can talk herself out of any situation ever since she could talk. She's only enduring him for Mama's sake.'
'Have you had given any thoughts of moving in the Crawley House since Cousin Isobel offered?' Emma asked, cutting up her last roast portion of chicken breast on her plate.
'I had, and I decided to move in, I don't like living alone... it would be splendid to live with Matthew, now he feels more like a brother.'
Emma smiled, 'That's wonderful.'
'Sir Anthony,' Edith spoke, 'It must be so hard to meet the challenge of the future and yet be fair to your employees.'
There was a bit of awkward silence and amazement. Emma watched the scene play and Mary sent Edith a glowering look.
'That's the point precisely,' said Strallan, 'We can't fight progress, but we must find ways to soften the blow.'
'I should love to see one of the new harvesters, if you would ever let me. We don't have one here.'
Strallan smiled and said, 'I should be delighted.'
Edith smiled brightly, stars twinkling in her eyes.
Emma's eyebrows quirked up.
'Anyway, I wanted to ask how your drawing was coming along.' James asked, catching Emma's attention, 'I know you had just started, but, well, I wanted inquire.'
'It's going well...' Emma replied and asked him, 'Do you enjoy staying in Downton?'
James swallowed his last portion of roast chicken and said, 'I do, I love it here. The people, the village, there is a sense of community, and making lifelong friends, and a place where I fell in love to call home.'
The raspberry meringue was served and Emma drank a sip of her white wine and chatted with James about hunting.
'One day, when my family go out hunting, you are coming too,' she teased lightly.
'Why? Are you going to embarrass me in front your family?' he teased back.
Emma was about to retort with a witty saying when she heard Strallan cried out 'Oh, Good God!'
Emma snapped her head over to Strallan and saw him coughing and he spat out his dessert. She bit her lip from laughing at his sour expression.
'I do apologize, Lady Grantham, but I had a mouthful of salt.'
'What?' said Cora, looking confused and she tasted the dessert and placed it quickly back on her plate.
'Everyone, put down your forks. Carson, remove this. Bring fruit. Bring cheese. Bring anything to take this taste away,' Cora instructed and she turned to Strallan, 'Sir Anthony, I am so sorry.'
'You must think of us very disorganized,' Edith said with sympathy.
'Oh, not at all,' Strallan said, recovering himself, 'These things happen.'
Emma and James both held in their laughter as they silently stared at each other, which wasn't missed by Cora.
After the disastrous dessert, the women went into the drawing room where tea was served.
'Poor Mrs. Patmore,' Sybil said, as they walked down to sit, 'Do you think you should go down and see her?'
'Tomorrow,' said Emma, 'I suppose she needs time to recover her nerves.'
'I knew there was something going on,' Cora drawled.
'It seems hard that poor Sir Anthony had to pay the price,' Edith said sullenly.
Mary, Emma and Edith sat down on the same lounge and Mary was about to burst out laughing.
'Good God!' Mary mocked.
Mary, Emma and Sybil laughed, whilst Cora and Edith sent them scowls.
'As for the three of you giggle like ridiculous schoolgirls' Edith said, 'it was absolutely pathetic!'
'I was not laughing!' Emma said, sending Edith a glare.
'At the dining table, I saw you and James laughing like naughty and sneaky children.'
'Oh, poor Edith,' said Mary, a glint in her eyes, 'I'm sorry Cousin Matthew's proved a disappointment to you.'
Emma sighed, knowing there was going to be strife.
Edith looked taken aback, 'Who says he has?'
'Matthew?' said Mary, her eyes darken at Edith, 'He told me. Oh sorry, wasn't I supposed to know?'
Edith blinked, looking awkward.
'You were very helpful, Edith,' Cora praised, 'looking after Sir Anthony. You saved the day.'
'I enjoyed it,' said Edith, recovering herself, 'We seem to have a lot to talk about.'
Edith got up and Mary cast a dark look and Emma jumped into action.
'Mary, please don't make it worse-'
Mary got up and went over to Edith.
Emma sighed and she went over to Sybil.
'How is everything going with James?' Sybil asked, a spark in her eyes.
'They're going very well,'
'I heard something before, about why Mama invited Strallan and James for dinner tonight.'
Emma bit her lip, 'I know. Mother wants Mary to settle and James is only a friend.'
Sybil narrowed her eyes and asked, 'Friend or a Friend Friend?'
'Sybil...' she said, 'I don't think he likes me like that..'
Sybil nearly scoffed and said, 'I can't believe you don't see that James fancies you...think about it. The London trips, he asked you to be his model so he could see you... he moved houses to be close. He always asked about you to everyone, and sometimes he talks about you like you're his whole world. Everyone knows he loves you. He treats you well, like a princess. He loves you, Emma.'
Emma was speechless.
'I-I-You make sound like he has a obsession with me.'
Sybil rolled her eyes.
The door opened the men came into the Drawing room and Mary turned to them and said 'Ah, I've been waiting for you, I found a book over here and I think it's just the thing to catch your interest.'
Matthew looked stunned and said, 'Oh, really?'
Although Emma watched Matthew's expression falter as Mary made her way to Strallan.
'I'm intrigued,' said Strallan, 'What is it to be?'
Mary led Strallan to a book and hovered closely to Strallan.
'Well, I was looking in the library-'
Edith went straight to Strallan and said loudly, 'I was very taken by what you were saying over dinner about-'
Although Strallan's attention was on the book and Edith's expression crumpled.
'You're right, Lady Mary. How clever you are. This is exactly what we have to be aware of.'
Emma had seen enough of the debacle and she turned to find James, he had a serious expression on his face as he was conversing with her father and one of his club friends.
Emma stood up and left the room, it had felt a little crowded. She walked up the stairs without being interrupted and stopped over at the balcony.
She closed her eyes and breathed. She pondered what Sybil had said and wondered if it were true. Did James fancy her? She considered him a very dear friend and she knew she was attracted to him, what Emma loved the most was his eyes, the shape and colour. She never seen eyes like that, they brightened when he smiled and twinkled when he was in a teasing mood. Emma liked seeing his concentrated expression as he fixed and mended clothing and drawing new ideas...
'Emma?'
Emma turned her head to see James next to her and she blinked in surprise.
'Goodness,' she laughed a little, 'when you ever stop that?'
James grinned and said, 'Only when you stop jumping in surprise.'
Then his expression changed, 'Are you all right?'
Emma nodded and said, 'I'm fine, I just had to leave, it was a little crowded.'
'Ah yes, I saw what happened...'
Emma glanced down and then asked, 'Did you enjoy yourself?'
James nodded and leaned closer to Emma, 'I did, especially the pudding.'
Emma laughed. She was never going to forget that.
'I had secretly hoped that the pudding would push Strallan away... it seems not.'
James nodded, 'It seems like Edith may take a fancy to him.'
Emma shuddered and said, 'She could do a lot better.'
'And what about you?' James said in a suave tone.
Emma turned and she almost took a step back from his closeness.
'Me?'
'Is there anyone who has caught your eye?'
Emma felt a nerve of butterflies in her stomach. She wanted to shy away and run to her room and bury herself underneath her covers.
'Um, maybe...yes.'
James' face morphed into a dejected expression, he sighed and nodded.
'What about you? Is a there a lady who has won your affections?' Emma asked, morphing her face into enthusiasm.
'There is,' he said, looking at her, 'She is one of the most brightest, kindest, stunning young woman I've ever met.'
Emma turned down, blinking the tears away as quickly as she could. Her heart plummeted at the thought of a woman in the arms of James.
'Oh...s-she is a lucky woman,' she stuttered, her mouth had gone cotton dry. 'I wish you all the best with her.'
She mustered a brave face and asked, 'What's her name?'
James breathed and he placed a hand on her cheek and caressed, 'I think you know.'
Emma's thought went to someone who was pretty.
'Sybil?'
'What?' James said, flabbergasted, 'Gosh no. Someone lovelier... my best friend.'
James leaned down and he pressed his lips to hers and Emma instantly felt her heart hammering in her chest. Her eyes closed and she leaned in close and she instantly thought she was in a dream, she hoped she didn't have to wake up.
James pulled away and Emma felt breathless, she didn't know long he kissed her, she felt her face burning like she had a fever.
'Me?' she said.
'Yes,' James said, his face went pink, 'When I first saw you in my shop, you took my breath away, I worked up my courage to talk to you, and my heart never stopped hammering around you. When I saw you wearing one of my design gowns, I thought you were an angel sent from Eros. You're the only woman I see, I wanted to be your friend and try to be content with that, however, deep down, I wanted to be more. You're the only woman who made me feel like this. I love you, Emma, and I will always love you.'
Emma didn't know that tears had been pouring down her fair face and she said meekly, 'I love you too, James. I am greatly and deeply in love with you. Since before I even knew.'
'Oh my love...'
'Just, one thing I want to ask, Mr. Montgomery.'
'Oh?' James inquired, raising an eyebrow.
'Kiss me again,' she said, biting her bottom lip.
'Happily,' he murmured and he leaned down to kiss her, although this was kiss was different, it was full of passion. James's hand was at the back of her neck and Emma pulled him in closer and she reached to tussle his hair and she heard him moan.
What they didn't know was that Mary had seen the couple kiss.
Emma couldn't believe it was Saturday. She felt the days blink before her eyes and now she was with her family and James, who tagged along with Matthew and Isobel at the Flower show.
'My word, Moseley, splendid roses, as usual,' said Robert, admiring the red roses, 'Well done.'
Mr. William Moseley nodded and said, 'Thank you, Your Lordship.'
'All stalls are set out very well this year,' Violet drawled.
'This is enchanting,' said Cora, 'Do we grow this?'
'I doubt if you got that one, Your Ladyship,' Mr. Moseley piped, 'I've only just found it myself.'
'Is it a secret?' Cora asked, 'or could you tell Mr. Brocket?'
'I'd be glad to, milady.'
'He should come and see the rose garden,' said Cora to Robert, as the group began to move around, looking at the different varieties of flowers, 'He could give us ideas.'
'Old Moseley's a champion,' said Robert, 'or he would be in a fairer world.'
'Don't you start,' Violet warned.
'I'm afraid I've been annoying Cousin Violet on that score,' said Isobel.
'If Moseley deserves first prize for his flowers, the judges will give it to him.'
'They wouldn't dare,' said Robert, avoiding Violet.
'Really Robert,' said Violet, 'you make me so annoyed. Isn't possible I should win the thing on merit?'
'I think the appropriate answer to that, Mama, is "Yes, dear."'
Isobel and Emma shared a smile and Emma purposely waited for the group to keep walking and she felt a warm breath behind her neck.
'Hello stranger,' said a familiar voice.
'Hello yourself,' said Emma warmly.
'I must say you look ten times more splendid than Moseley's roses,' James said, winking at her.
Emma blushed red.
About fifteen minutes later, Violet was at the podium where she was announcing the winners of the Flower show.
'Do you think it was a mistake? Keeping us a secret?' Emma whispered to James, who was standing next to her.
'No,' James whispered back, 'I think we could use the time to ourselves, maybe sometime later, we can tell them, and I still owe you a date to Hyde Park.'
'Golly, I-I never been on a date,' said Emma, blushing.
'Well, now you have raised the stakes higher for me,' James murmured teasingly.
Emma smiled and gently nudged his shoulder and she turned to pay attention to the announcement of the Grantham Cup.
'And now the Grantham Cup for the best bloom in the village,' said Violet, 'And the Grantham Cup is awarded to...'
There was a pause and Emma expected her to read out her name.
'Mr. William Moseley,' Violet announced, 'For his Comtesse Cabarrus rose.'
'Bravo!' Isobel said loudly, applauding, 'Well Done! Bravo!'
The crowd applauded and Violet handed the cup to Mr. Moseley.
'I had to admit, I did not expect that,' said James, still clapping.
'Neither did I, she may be older' Emma said back, 'although she still amazes many people.'