A/N: Don't know whether you have noticed but I decided to largely reword this as I feel writing in the third Person will be better than first. I had been writing in third in another of my stories and it felt weird writing this in first and I felt restricted.
Plus I realised I had put a character's name from one of my other stories instead of writing Emma before the change. All fixed now.😅
——
Things are beginning to settle though there are still tensions between Lady Grantham and Mrs Crawley.
Second Lieutenant Prior had left a couple of weeks earlier though Emma knows he and Sybil had been writing letters. Sadly he is being sent back to the front. This causes Emma to do something she hadn't done before, praying to God for his return.
Emma is moving towels around or walking through with a clipboard checking things.
"The men are putting on a concert." She hears Lady Edith say as she walks into the Great Hall with a clipboard in her hands.
"Can I help?" Mrs Crawley asks desperately. Emma cringes as she thinks about Major Clarkson's round that was done without her. She hovers waiting for her opportunity to approach.
"Edith has it under control." Lady Grantham replies from where she is faffing about at a table. The woman has been trying to wiggle out her counterpart.
"I do if Mary's willing." Lady Edith calls up to the woman who has begun walking up the stairs.
"Oh, all right." Lady Mary groans. "One song, and that's your lot." She continues walking up and her sister walks out of the room.
"What time is Dr Clarkson's round?" Mrs Crawley asks.
"It's already happened."
"Without me? Why? I'm not very late." Emma feels sorry for the woman.
"We didn't see the need to wait. Mrs Hughes," Mrs Hughes walks over to her, "I need to steal you for a minute. I have to check the linen books."
"But I went over them last week." Mrs Crawley butts in.
"Very good, milady. I'll get started." Mrs Hughes awkwardly replies as she leaves.
"Surely I can—"
The Countess interrupts her again. "Emma, here's the sheets you wanted." Emma nods gratefully, partly due to getting the sheets so she can cross that off her list and mostly to do with getting out of the room. "Anna, can you tell Mrs Patmore it'd be easier for me to go through the menus this afternoon."
"Of course, Your Ladyship." Emma hears Anna say from where she and Gemma are cleaning the Outer Hall.
——
Emma is walking through the Recreation room, handing something to an officer saying he had dropped it when she hears giggling. She turns to see Ethel leaning close to Major Bryant who is sitting in a chair by the fireplace with another officer.
Emma frowns. She has noticed this before but Ethel has ignored her warnings and if Emma wasn't so busy with the Convalescence home as well as the Hospital, she would have more time to interfere.
"Ethel, have you nothing to do?" Lady Edith calls from where she is handing out parcels. Ethel leaves just as Mrs Hughes enters.
"I was keeping her talking. You mustn't blame her." Major Bryant says.
"I don't."
Mrs Hughes looks disapprovingly at Major Bryant and walks away. Emma shakes her head and continues working.
——
Doing the rounds with Major Clarkson without her and doing the linen books despite her having done them last week, is only the beginning of Lady Grantham taking control over Mrs Crawley.
Gemma tells Emma about how Her Ladyship has changed the patients' lunchtime so that the staff one wasn't as early along with changing the nursing shifts, which Emma knew about but Gemma tells her that Mrs Crawley has now found out and had gone off to confront the Countess.
Emma visits Mr Branson while he works on the car. "Why did you promise Mr Carson not to stage anymore protests when you wouldn't promise me?" She feels quite annoyed.
He looks at her. "I had my reasons."
Emma sighs but moves on. "You won't be content to stay at Downton forever, will you? Tinkering away at an engine instead of fighting for freedom? I thought you'd join the rising in Dublin last Easter."
He stops working on the engine. "Might've... if it hadn't been put down in six short bloody weeks. Let's hope the real fight for Ireland will come after the war and I'll be ready for it." Mr Branson replies.
"Um... yes things move more along I think." Emma stumbles.
"I should hope so. The truth is, I'll stay in Downton until you want to leave with me."
She looks at him in surprise. "Don't talk like that."
"You're too scared to admit it, but you're in love with me. Lady Sybil says you do." He hands her a note. "Please take this. Read it please. It shows I'm about building a life for us."
Emma opens her mouth to respond, though she doesn't know how, when they get interrupted.
"Branson, could you take me into Ripon at three?" Lady Mary calls and she turns to Emma. "I'm getting some things for Mama, is there anything you want?"
"Nothing you can find in Ripon." Emma gives Mr Branson an irritated look as she marches off.
What Mr Branson has written was a practice piece for a newspaper column. Emma enjoys it and finds it rather good. She understands why he wants to show he's serious, to show her he is still that he hasn't gotten bored.
The conflict between Lady Grantham and Mrs Crawley has reached its head and now the latter has left for France so as to be more of a use there. Emma feels relieved that Downton will now run a bit more smoothly though she is sad to see Mrs Crawley go.
——
Emma wakes up a couple of days later to learn that Ethel was suddenly fired last night by Mrs Hughes. She and Anna stand in the latter's and Ethel's room. Ethel cries as she packs.
"But why? What could you have possibly done that's so terrible?" Anna asks.
"Have you taken everything of mine from there?" Ethels asks instead.
Anna goes to the wardrobe to get more of Ethel's things.
"Would you like me to speak to her?" Emma asks. She didn't particularly like Ethel that much but she can't help but feel sorry for her. "Because we can."
"No, she wouldn't listen."
Anna moves back to Ethel with some things. "She's not a bad person, Mrs Hughes. I know she can be strict, but she's not—"
"She wouldn't listen." Ethel stuffs things into her bag. They try to comfort Ethel as she breaks down. Emma wonders if this has something to do with Major Bryant. Had they taken it too far?
——
"I know Ethel can be difficult, but she was very sorry for her mistake, whatever it was." Anna says later when they are dressed and in Mrs Hughes' Sitting room.
"I'm sure. It's cost her her job." Mrs Hughes remarks from her desk.
"But surely—" Emma starts.
"Never mind why she's gone. She's gone. And there's an end to it." Mrs Hughes snaps before calming and turning around. "By the way, I hear Mr Bates is back in the county." Emma's eyes widen. She didn't think anyone else knew. Well, the secret is out now. "Mr Carson says you know all about it. I gather His Lordship has gone to see him." Well Emma herself didn't know that but Anna looks like she does.
"I know. He told me he was going." Anna confirms.
"Why in heaven's name didn't you mention any of it to me?"
"It wasn't my secret to tell," Anna explains.
"Did you know Emma?" Mrs Hughes asks, taking in her non-shocked face.
"Perhaps but again not my secret to tell," Emma replies.
——
Emma and Sybil are halfway through their round in at Downton when Sybil starts talking about something not to do with the patients, treatment etc.
"I'm worried." She suddenly says as they walk over to the Supply Cupboard.
"What about?" Emma asks confused.
"Mary has been asking me about a relationship or perhaps someone in my sights that I might be keeping secret and then granny, last night, starts talking to me about inappropriate friendships suddenly. I can't help but feel like they know something." Sybil explains.
"You think your sister found out and told your grandmother about Lieutenant Prior?" Emma asks concerned. They step inside the Cupboard and continue talking as they collect what they need.
"I think so. I can't risk Billy. H-he's important." Sybil blushes flustered.
"Have you asked Lady Mary about what she's told?" Emma asks giving Sybil the courtesy of ignoring her flushed face.
"No. I don't want to talk to her and call her Mary." Sybil replies.
"I'll have to ask her about that and maybe you should ask her. Have they even mentioned his name?" They could be worrying about nothing.
"Who else could they be talking about?" Sybil points out.
"Good point," Emma admits.
"Though I also learnt something else last night at dinner," Sybil says more cheerfully as they head back upstairs.
"What?"
"Bates is back in Yorkshire? A pub in Kirkbymoorside called—"
"The Red Lion." Emma finishes.
"Ye- how do you know?" Sybil asks in surprise.
"Anna," Emma says as if it explains everything, which it kind of does, "who is also the reason that I know the His Lordship is visiting him today."
Sybil huffs as if annoyed but Emma knows she isn't, not truly. "Why do I bother trying to tell you news when you know half of it."
"One of my many qualities." Emma flashes her a big smile though she feels guilty Sybil still doesn't know the real truth about her, about her being a time traveller.
——
Emma tinkles in behind Gemma into the Servants' Hall as she is on her break for about 20 minutes so she is taking the chance to soak in a different environment and join them in an afternoon cup of tea. Miss O'Brien, Thomas and Daisy are already inside. She scrunches her face at the sight of Thomas' cigarette.
She only just enters when Mrs Hughes walks in. "Daisy, you're not to worry about William. I spoke to His Lordship earlier. He says you're not to be concerned until we know more." Another maid, Anne, walks in.
"But he is missing. I mean, they don't know where he is, or Captain Crawley, do they?" Daisy insists. Emma frowns. William is missing?
"There could be a hundred explanations." Mrs Hughes reassures.
"Yes. And one of them is that they're dead." Miss O'Brien blurts out. She pauses and takes in Daisy's fearful face. "Don't mistake me. I hope very much they're not. But we ought to face the truth."
"What may be the truth. And what very well may not." The Hall boy George walks in as Mrs Hughes walks out and meets Anna by the entrance of the room. "Anna, do you think that Mr Bates will come back?"
"That's for him to say," Anna replies. Emma sees Miss O'Brien listening closely.
"I hope he does. He always seems a romantic figure to me." Daisy says as she walks past them.
"Does he?" Miss O'Brien mutters. "How do you define romantic?"
"It's no good him thinking he can turn up here without a moment's notice and be cock of the walk," Thomas replies. Emma catches his eye and shakes her head at him. Anna walks into the room after having taken off her apron.
"Why is that, Thomas? Because a place is already taken?" Mr Hughes remarks. Anna sits down across from Thomas and Miss O'Brien. The air is slightly tense.
——
Lady Mary enters the corridor to find Emma pulling out some candles.
"Can you please tell Sybil I never said anything to Granny, honestly." She says. "She hasn't been talking to me."
"Then why did she suddenly start talking about inappropriate friendships out of nowhere?" Emma counters. How else would Sybil's grandmother get the ideas from?
"She thinks Sybil must have a beau, and if we don't know about him, then she has to be keeping him secret." Lady Mary explains insistently. "It's just Granny being Granny. She should not make such a thing of it."
"She doesn't deserve to be told off. Not by her or by you. Nothing's happened." Emma says strongly. She closes the drawer and walks away.
Lady Mary follows. "Why? What might've happened? I have seen her talking with someone and then I see you passing notes. Please can you tell me? I only want to help."
Emma frowns. How could she have but only bring it up now? Prior left a month ago. Also what has her and Mr Branson sharing notes got to do with Sybil and Prior?
"I mean it." She continues despite her confusion. "From what I can tell they haven't kissed or anything. I don't think they've shaken hands. She's not even sure if she likes him like that."
"We are talking about Branson?" Lady Mary states rather than questions.
This causes Emma to stop suddenly causing Lady to stop as well and others dart around them. "Wait, what? Mr Branson?!"
"Isn't it?" Lady Mary asks now looking confused.
"No, I thought you were talking about..." Emma cuts herself off.
This piques the other woman's curiosity. "Who?"
Emma sighs knowing she might as well tell her some of the truth. "It's not Sybil Mr Branson has confessed any feelings to." She pauses though she doesn't know why, maybe it makes it feel more real. "It's me."
Lady Mary raises her eyebrows. "The chauffeur? Branson?"
"Oh, how disappointing of you," Emma remarks.
"I'm just trying to get it straight in my head. You and the chauffeur." Lady Mary defends.
"Oh don't be a snob. We are on more equal standing than you think." Emma counters.
"I just think you can do better." The eldest Crawley daughter replies. "But if it isn't Branson Sybil is involved with, who is it?" Emma hesitates. It was one thing to reveal what is going on with herself but for Sybil it is different. "Please."
Emma knows she can't lie now. "It's Second Lieutenant Billy Prior."
"The..."
"Temporary gentleman'? Yes."
Lady Mary scoffs. "Oh, darling, darling, she should not be such a baby. This isn't fairyland. What did she think? She'd marry the lower class officer and we'd all come to tea?" They walk up the stairs to the ground floor.
Emma is irritated by her response. "Don't be silly. I told you, she doesn't even think she likes him." They reach the top of the stairs.
"Has anything happened?" Lady Mary asks. They stop by the entrance to the Great Hall.
"I told you I haven't. I've only seen them talk. She hasn't encouraged him. She hasn't said anything, really." Emma doesn't want to mention the letters. Not lying doesn't mean she can't omit some of the truth.
"You haven't given him away, though?"
Emma looks at Lady Mary surprised and worried as she does not want to be the reason Sybil can't find happiness. "Will you?"
Lady Mary sighs. "Well, I won't betray him on one condition: you must promise you will make sure she does not do anything stupid." Emma looks down. "You must promise now, or I'll tell Papa tonight."
"I promise." Emma reluctantly says. "I'll explain things to her."
——
Emma and Anna step into the downstairs corridor from different directions. Mrs Hughes and Mr Bates stand near the door to the outside.
"Thought it was you," Anna says.
"Hello." Emma greets. It will be nice to see Anna be happier now that he is back.
"Hello both of you." Mr Bates greets as he and Mrs Hughes walk towards them.
"Come a way in, and give some substance to the gossip of your return." Mrs Hughes remarks. Anna rubs his arm as he passes and the two of them share a look.
"You'll find things a bit different from when you left, Mr Bates." Mr Carson says as he, Mrs Hughes, Mr Bates, Anna and Emma stand in the Servants' Hall. Miss O'Brien stands on the other side of the table with Daisy next to her and Anne behind her.
"Downton at war?"
"Precisely. There's some extra help in the Kitchen, all very nice people. And the nurses of course, but they live down at the Hospital." Mr Carson explains.
"Except for Lady Sybil and Emma," Anna adds.
"Nurse Crawley and Nurse Byrne, please," Thomas says as he walks inside the room. Emma rolls her eyes. She doesn't exactly mind when Downton staff and family call her by her first name.
"So... we've both returned, you and I. Couple of bad pennies." Mr Bates remarks civilly.
"I haven't," Thomas says as he places his cup of tea on the table in front of the seat between Miss O'Brien and Daisy.
"Thomas means he's not here as a servant. He manages the house. He's a sergeant now." Miss O'Brien explains haughtily.
Thomas sits down. "I take orders from Major Clarkson. He runs this place on behalf of the army medical corps."
"Yet another reason to pray for peace." Mrs Hughes smiles in amusement at Mr Bates' remark. "I heard about William from His Lordship. And Captain Crawley."
"I'm sure they're all right," Emma says.
They hear a door bang open and Mr Molesley runs down the corridor.
"Sorry I'm late. Has the dressing gong rung yet?" He says as he reaches them. Was he going to start helping? Oh, dear.
"You're not late, Mr Molesley, but er—" Mrs Hughes awkwardly starts.
"Mr Bates is back, and you reminded me I better ring it now." Mr Carson finishes and quickly leaves the room.
Mr Molesley, still panting, asks, "Are you staying for good?"
"I'd need a crystal ball to answer that, but I'll stay for now." Mr Bates replies. "Have you been standing in for me?"
"I was going to, starting tonight, yeah." Poor Mr Molesley.
"Then you'll be relieved to see me."
"Oh, tremendously." Mr Molesley says though he doesn't look like he means it.
"What's that?" Mr Bates asks him having noticed he holds something in his hands.
"It's a new kind of shoehorn. I bought it for His Lordship."
"That's very kind of you, Mr Molesley, thank you." Mr Molesley is forced to give Bates the shoehorn. Mr Carson rings the dressing gong in the distance and everyone begins moving. Emma moves to sit down.
"Daisy, fetch me some more tea," Thomas orders the girl that is leaving the room.
"Thomas, I've got dinner—"
"Hot this time, and it's Sergeant Barrow to you."
"Thomas don't make enemies," Emma tells him. He huffs.
Miss O'Brien passes Mr Bates as she walks out of the room. "Watch yourself, Mr Bates. Thomas is in charge now, and it won't do to get on the wrong side of him."
"Is there a right side?" Mr Bates remarks. Emma presses her lips together so she doesn't laugh but she thinks Thomas has caught on to her expression.
——
Later on, Emma goes to the Garage where she finds Mr Branson.
"So, Mr Bates is back. Lord Grantham must be pleased." She remarks from the door while Mr Branson leans on a table at the side of the room.
"And Mr Carson won't be sorry."
Emma pauses before walking inside. "Mr Branson, there's something you ought to know. I've told Lady Mary."
"I see." He replies with a smile that makes him appear content as if expecting this. "Well, that's me finished then. Without a reference. Mr Carson won't be pleased with our 'improper' way of doing this."
"No, she's not like that." Emma insists. "You don't know her. She wouldn't give us away."
"But you won't encourage us?"
"No." Emma sees he's smiling to himself. "Why are you smiling? I thought you'd be angry."
"Because that's the first time you've ever spoken about "us"." Emma blushes, surprised by what she said. "If you didn't care, you would've told them months ago."
"Oh, I see. Because I don't want you to lose your job, it must mean I'm madly in love with you." Emma snaps.
"Well, doesn't it?"
"It means I'm not heartless!" She counters before sighing. "You say I'm a free spirit, and I hope I am. But you're asking me to give up my whole world and you know I know nothing else besides Downton!"
"And that's too high a price to pay?" He asks as if it hadn't occurred to him.
"It is a high price," Emma argues. "These people here are the closest thing I have to family and you're telling me to move away from them."
"I'm not asking you to give them up forever." Mr Branson responds. "And we'll see them again and I will welcome them with open arms."
"And what about your people? Would they accept me? Don't you think I sound a bit English?" Emma argues. "And what about my work?"
"What work? Bringing hot drinks to a lot of randy officers?" He exclaims. Well, that's rude. "Look, it comes down to whether or not you love me. That's all. That's it. The rest is detail."
She knows now that it isn't that she doesn't have any feelings for him that is holding her back.
——
The next day Sybil and Emma have the morning shift before returning to the house that evening for the concert.
"So good news your sister didn't tell on you to your grandmother," Emma tells her as they walk through the Village towards the Hospital.
"And the bad news?" Sybil wisely asks cautiously.
"I... might have told her about you and Lieutenant Prior," Emma says hurriedly after a pause of hesitation.
"What?!" Sybil exclaims before pausing. "Wait she didn't know? What made you tell her?"
"She thought it was you and Mr Branson," Emma says, her mind flickers back to what he said last night. Should she really take the leap?
"Me and Branson?!" Sybil shouts in shock before she can stop herself which causes a few looks.
"Yeah," Emma continues after Sybil has recovered from the embarrassment, "I told her it was me he had been talking to but it was already too late as I kind of implied that you had been talking to someone. Though no letters!"
Sybil sighs. "It's not your fault Mary put you in that position."
"She won't tell as long as you – and I quote – don't do anything stupid," Emma adds.
Sybil frowns.
——
The concert arrives the next day in the Library. Many of the soldiers sit up front while the family sit at the back with many of the servants standing behind them. The nurses are littered about.
Lady Edith plays the piano as an accent to Major Bryant's magic act. Emma tends to some of the officers by tucking in his blanket. She moves to stand at the back with the servants and stands with Sybil and Mr Branson.
The audience applauds as Bryant finished his magic act. Lady Edith turns around and nods to Lady Mary, who walks to the front.
"Most of you won't know how rare it is to see my sister Edith and I pulling together in a double act." She says as she walks down the aisle and stands next to the piano at the front. "But in wartime, we – like all of you – have more important things to worry about. Ladies and gentlemen, I give you, the Crawley sisters." She then begins singing, "Sometimes when I feel bad and things look blue I wish a pal I had, say one like you. Someone within my heart to build a throne. Someone who'd never part to call my own."
Lady Mary puts her arms out in an encouraging gesture and everyone joins in. "If you were the only girl in the world and I were the only boy." Emma sees Mr Branson watching her as she sings. Then Captain Crawley and William enter and pass in front of her and she stops singing and sighs with relief.
"Nothing else would matter in the world today We could go on loving in the same old way." Lady Mary stops singing when she sees Captain Crawley.
"A garden..." The chorus fades out as they turn to see who she is looking at. Lord and Lady Grantham stand up in delight and His Lordship goes to shake Captain Crawley's hand.
"My dear boy. My very dear boy." The man looks as if he might cry.
"Come on, don't stop for me." Captain Crawley says. Oh god, he's going to sing. "I would say such wonderful things to you." He walks up the aisle to stand with Lady Mary.
They both start singing together. "There would be such wonderful things to do."
The rest of them, including Emma, join in. "If you were the only girl in the world and I were the only boy."
The audience applauds. William catches Daisy's eye. Smiles all around. Lady Mary is barely able to maintain her composure in her shock and joy. Despite her apparent engagement to Sir Richard, it is clear to see, for Emma anyway, that Lady Mary still loves Captain Crawley.