Words:1551
Warnings: fluff, mentions of death, mentions of SA , but cute Peter!!
"Why is Tony Gillingham here again Mama? I don't find him that interesting at all," Charlotte asked her mother watching her eldest sister interact with the man.
"He's here for Mary of course. I think he's going to ask her any day now," Cora said surprising Charlotte. She hadn't realized how close the two had gotten over a couple of weeks he's been 'in the picture'.
"Do you think Mary's going to marry him?" Charlotte asked.
"I think so, he's quite handsome and can provide for both Mary and George," Cora said, but there was one thing that she didn't mention.
"But does she love him?" Charlotte asked only to get silence from her mother, telling her the real answer. She quietly bid her mother goodbye and went to the garage where Tom and Peter were looking at a car together.
"What are you two doing out here?" Charlotte asked leaning up the garage door frame, watching her husband look up at her with a sweaty head of hair.
"Just looking at the car. It was making a noise on the way up here, so I asked Tom to look at it with me," Peter said as Tom popped out from under the car. "You shouldn't be in here. I'll be out in a minute!" Peter said, throwing a rag on the ground and pushing his hair back from his face.
Charlotte wasn't showing a bump yet, but she was certainly feeling pregnant. A minute later Peter came jogging out of the garage with a big smile on his face and pressed a kiss to her cheek.
"Hello gorgeous wife, what can I do for you today?" Peter asked watching Charlotte.
"I was wondering if you knew anything about Tony and Mary? Mama thinks that he's proposing soon," Charlotte asked as Peter smiled, signaling that he did know something. "You do know! Tell me!"
"He's proposing right now," Peter whispered so Tom couldn't hear him.
"No!" Charlotte exclaimed as Peter chuckled and nodded.
"Right this very moment."
"But do you think she's going to say yes?" Charlotte asked.
"I hope so. Tony's a nice guy. I think he would be good for Mary," Peter said as Charlotte pushed a curl back from his forehead.
"Okay well, that's all I wanted to talk about, go back and have fun with Tom," Charlotte said pushing her husband back into the garage as he chuckled and bid her farewell. Heading back into the house she almost ran into Anna.
"Oh Anna, I'm so sorry," Charlotte pleaded as Anna curtsied, "are you alright?"
"Of course milady," Anna said, unconvincingly.
"Alright well, have you moved back into the house? I thought you'd stay in the cottage?" Charlotte asked.
"No, I can't stay there with Mr. Bates. If you'll excuse me milady, I have some errands to do."
"Anna!" Charlotte exclaimed as Anna ran past her and up the stairs. Charlotte didn't know how to get to Anna. Maybe backing off would be the best thing for her.
"Are you going up to see Michael Gregson again?" Charlotte heard Mary ask Edith as she walked back into the library.
"Yes, I want to give him my article as well, make sure everything is adequate," Edith said as Mary rolled her eyes. "What about you Charlotte any plans tomorrow?"
"Going to doctor Clarkson for a checkup. Maybe go for a walk in the village, nothing special," Charlotte shrugged. "Anyway, will Tony Gillingham be back again tomorrow?"
"No, he will not be. I think he's going back to London to see Mabel," Mary said as Charlotte's eyes widened.
"You said no?" Charlotte asked as Mary nodded, "oh Mary..."
"I don't want to talk about it anymore. Let's talk about Papa's birthday?" Mary said.
"Let's throw a little party, just us. We can have his favourite dinner and maybe a little surprise." Rose said as Cora nodded.
"I'll leave you to plan the surprise," Cora said as Rose nodded. Rose was young and creative, Charlotte knew she would plan a great surprise.
"I was talking with Mr. Drew the other day and he was asking to farm You Tree farm. I think we should let him farm," Robert said, as Tom and Mary sighed.
"We already delt out the contracts and had everything done," Mary stated.
"I know, but The Drews have been on that land for years, they've been working hard and deserve their spot," Robert said.
"But last time I heard things You Tree farm was behind on rent?" Charlotte asked.
"Yes, but Old Mr. Drew couldn't keep it up, now that he's gone Mr. Drew thinks he can change that," Robert said as Mary shrugged.
"We'll see."
"Mary rejected Tony Gillingham. I thought she loved him," Charlotte said, sitting on Peter's lap.
"I think Mary loved the idea of Tony. She loved the feeling of being wanted again. I'm just glad she realized it before Tony proposed," Peter said as Charlotte nodded. Mary was always the one to want attention and Tony had given her just enough to boost her ego again.
"She's too proud to admit it though, maybe if we stay at home for the next few days," Charlotte asked as Peter chuckled.
"Are you tired of your family that much?" Peter giggled as Charlotte smacked his shoulder.
"Yes, I've lived with this for nineteen years. I get to take a break once in a while."
"Okay, we can stay home tomorrow, but you have to tell your parents."
"Deal!" Charlotte said, sprinting up and making her way toward the telephone.
"I think you'll do a great job in London Alfred, this is delicious!" Charlotte said as Alfred bowed. "I really do hope that they choose you, for your sake."
"Thank you milady," Alfred said bowing as Peter put a hand on her back and whispered.
"You're not feeling sick?"
"No, the soup is quite delicious, it's actually calmed my stomach. So thank you," They both chuckled. Out of the corner of her eye she saw her mother smile at them, she could tell she loved watching her and Peter interact.
"You both remind me a lot of your father and I when we were younger," she said, "so in love with each other we barely even looked the opposite direction of each other.
"You still are mama, you don't have to worry." Edith joked, as everyone chuckled.
"Anna said she moved back into the cottage?" Charlotte asked, as Mary nodded. "That sounds like good news."
After dinner Charlotte snuck out of the sitting room to go see Anna. As soon as she stepped into the dinning hall everyone stood up.
"Milady?" Carson asked, "how can we help you?"
"I was wondering if I could steal Anna, I want to discuss a problem with my dress," Charlotte lied as Anna stood up and followed her out to the hall.
"What's wrong with the dress milady?" Anna said inspecting her as Charlotte waved it off.
"Oh nothing, I just wanted to say I'm so glad that you and Bates worked it out, and I hope that if you need anything you can ask," Charlotte said as Anna nodded. "I talked with Mary after dinner and she offered to give you tomorrow, Amelia will come and dress her while you can take the day off."
"I could accept milady, that's to generous," Anna gushed.
"Oh quiet, you deserve a break," Charlotte promised as Anna nodded and gave Charlotte a hug. "I better go up, but I'll see you soon."
Anna nodded and thanked her before returning to the table. Charlotte made her way up and waved down James.
"Could you tell Peter that I'm going to lay down for a while? I'm feeling a little nauseous." James nodded.
"Can I escort you upstairs?" Charlotte shook her head and held her stomach.
"No that's alright, just deliver the message, thank you." Charlotte said as James nodded.
"Sir, Lady Charlotte has gone upstairs to rest for a while. She's feeling a little nauseous," James said as Peter immediately stood up.
"Thank you. If you'll excuse me," He said bowing, before darting out of the room to go see his wife. He knew which room she was going to rest at and quickly made his way to the nursery.
"Darling?" He asked as Charlotte looked up from where Sybbie and George where in there cribs. "Are you alright?"
"Yeah, just taking a breath," she said, "I was thinking about Anna and Bates everything going on and the agony they go through and then I think about us, and how our only concern is about our nursery not being the right color. Then I think about what happened with Sybil, will it happen to me? Does it run in the family?"
"Hey, you don't need to worry about that, we'll get you the best help and whatever you need," Peter said kneeling and taking her hands in his and pressing a kiss to them.
"That's the thing. Papa got 'the best help', and he ended up killing Sybil," Charlotte whispered to make sure Tom couldn't hear if her was approaching, Peter sighed.
"Yes, but it wasn't the doctors fault," Charlotte sighed and shook her head.
"I don't want to talk about it anymore." Peter nodded and leaned back up against the wall. A few minutes later Charlotte finally stood up. "Let's go down."