May 1920.
Margaret finds Edith in the hall, "I take it your excited, Edith?"
"Oh, so much," Edith smiles, "Very soon I'll be Mrs. Strallan."
Margaret smiles faintly, not wanting to disappoint her sister, "We're all very pleased for you, Edith. As long as he makes you happy."
"He does. So much."
Edith turns around and sees Violet walking towards the sisters, "Oh. Hello, Edith, dear."
"Hello, Granny. Isn't it exciting?"
"At my age, one must ration one's excitement," Violet replies. Margaret and Edith follow their grandmother into the drawing room with Cora, "I told her everything would come right, but she wouldn't believe me."
Edith smiles, "I still can't. Something happening in this house is actually about me. The dress came this morning."
"I was rather sad you decided against Patou," Violet says, "I would've paid."
"Lucille was safer," Cora replies, "We don't want her to look like a chorus girl."
"How's Anthony?" Margaret asks, changing the subject, "I imagine he's excited?"
"Desperately," Edith smiles, "Just when he thought his life would never change, he's going back to the beginning."
Violet nods, "Oh, what an invigorating prospect."
Margaret sighs, watching the happy expression on her face despite the uneasiness growing in Margaret's stomach.
She excuses herself and goes to the library, seeing Tom there, "Hello, there."
"Oh, Margaret."
"I'm not disturbing you, am I?"
He shakes his head, "No, of course not."
She smiles and sits across from him, "You're a part of the family now. What are your thoughts on Sir Anthony?"
"What do you mean?"
"I mean..." she sighs, "do you think he's good enough for Edith? Or perhaps he's... too old?"
"I think that no matter what anyone says, she won't budge. I think she's too in love with him."
Margaret sighs, "You're right. How is Sybil and the pregnancy?"
"Oh, very well. And the twins?"
"They're fine. There's a lot of babbling of nonsense and they're sitting up in their bassinets. It's quite cute."
"I can't wait for when that happens."
Margaret smiles, "You and Sybil will make wonderful parents. Sure, it's terrifying at first, but... when you see your child for the first time. There's no love that can match it."
Robert, Cora, and Matthew walk into the library, talking and Robert sits at his desk, looking stressed. Cora looks to her husband, "How will they advertise it?"
He sighs, "I don't know exactly. 'Desirable nobleman's mansion with surrounding estate and properties.'"
"Where will you go?" Tom asks.
"We have some land further north, at Eryholme, on the border with Durham. It came with my great-grandmother. The house is pretty, and we might make something of it. We could always rename it 'Downton Place.'"
"Who lives there now?" Matthew asks.
"A tenant," Robert replies, "But we can come to an arrangement that keeps him happy."
"Let's take a picnic there tomorrow," Cora suggests, "Take a breaking from the wedding on Edith's last day of freedom."
Sybil, Mary, and Evelyn all walk in, "Molesley's in the hall. He wonders if he might have a word."
"I'll come through in a minute," Matthew replies.
"Not with you," Margaret looks at her, "With mama. Molesley," Molesley comes in with a smile.
"Your ladyship, may I have a word?"
"Of course."
He looks around the room, "My lady, might I be allowed to put forward a candidate as Miss O'Brien's replacement?"
"What?" Cora asks, confused. Everyone looks at him.
"When the time comes."
"Is O'Brien leaving?" Robert asks.
"I hope I've not spoken out of turn," Molesley says, "only I didn't want to let it go and miss the chance. I thought you knew."
"Of course I know," Cora smiles, "thank you, Molesley. I'll be happy to listen to recommendations when, as you say, the time comes."
"Thank you, my lady."
Everyone watches him leave the library. Margaret looks to Matthew who shrugs. Robert sighs, "Well, I must confess, I will watch her departure with mixed emotions."
"Mine are fairly unmixed," Mary says.
Sybil sighs and looks to her mother, "Did you have a clue?"
"Not a clue. How very disappointing."
"But in a way," Robert says, "it raises the big question, when do we tell the staff that the end is nigh?"
Margaret looks to Matthew. Mary shakes her head, "You make it sound so final."
"I'm afraid it is final."
"Well," Mary says, "don't spoil Edith's day. Let us get through the wedding first, and then tell them afterwards."
"Mary, you're so kind towards Edith," Margaret tells her, "Marriage has changed you."
"Oh, be quiet." Margaret smiles before looking to Matthew.
———
"Can't you see that it's destroying him?" Margaret tells Matthew as she puts in her earrings, "Why is it we can't tell him?"
"Until I get the death certificates from the lawyer, we can't do anything. I'm sorry, darling, I know how much this pains you."
"It just pains me to see Papa's life's work get thrown away. He's worked so hard for this estate and right now he thinks nothing will save it. When will the lawyer come?"
"Tomorrow."
She looks at him, "You never mentioned."
"I hadn't gotten around to it, yet. I promise, as soon as I can, I'll tell your father. We will save Downton, Margaret."
She nods and kisses his cheek, "Thank you. For helping my family."
"It's our family. Of course I will."
———
Margaret walks into the library, "We're leaving," she sees Matthew slip an envelope into his pocket but she doesn't comment, "I'm sorry, Mr. Charkham, to snatch him away."
"That's quite alright, Lady Margaret," he looks to Matthew, "There will be papers to sign."
"Yes, I expect there will," the lawyer walks away and Margaret clears her throat.
"Papa's asked Anthony to meet us there so we can all face the future together. He's bringing Isobel and granny."
"It's hard for your grandmother."
"Not just her. Everyone," she smiles, "No matter. We can talk about this later. Come on. We're going to be late."
Mary, Evelyn and Edith get in one car. Matthew and Margaret in one, Tom and Sybil in another and Cora and Robert in the third. The family arrive at the estate and Margaret's heart sinks seeing her father look sadly at the estate, much rather preferring Downton Abbey.
"Won't it be a bit cramped?" Mary asks.
Tom looks at her, "You do realize that, for most people, it looks like a fairy palace."
Margaret smiles and Sybil tries to change the subject, looking at her father, "You'll be able to run it with a much smaller staff."
"This is it," Robert says, "I doubt we'll need more than eight servants, tops. So it'll be very economical. It..." he trails off as Alfred places food on the table.
Violet looks at her son, "What about me? Where am I to go?"
"We still own most of the village," Robert replies.
"Oh. Perhaps I could open a shop."
Margaret and Edith chuckle, "Good idea, granny. What do you think Eryholme needs?"
"Well, if it's like everywhere else, good manners and some decent conversation."
"Well there you are then," Isobel says, "You should have a roaring trade in minutes," she looks to Edith, "How's everything going?"
"Very well, I think."
"I think it's unfair that Mary should have an archbishop to marry her and you've got poor old Mr. Travis."
"There's nothing wrong with Mr. Travis," Margaret objects, "He officiated mine and Matthew's wedding."
Edith nods, "I don't mind. It was such short notice and he was all booked up. And I prefer it, really, to have the man who christened us."
Margaret smiles, nodding in agreement.
———
Margaret sits beside her sisters with the family as Edith tells them all about their plans after the wedding, "He thinks I don't know, but, of course, I do. We'll spend two weeks in Rome, then Florence, then Venice, so I couldn't be happier."
Sybil and Margaret smile at their sister, "And what about Locksley? Is there masses to be done?"
"It's not too bad."
Mary rolls her eyes, "It's not too bad downstairs. The bedrooms are killers."
"Well," Isobel smiles, "don't do anything too fast, it takes time to know how a house works."
Margaret nods. Violet looks to her granddaughter, "I really think you should go to bed. No bride wants to look tired at her wedding. It either means she's anxious or been up to no good."
Margaret chuckles. Edith smiles, "I won't sleep a wink."
"Tonight or tomorrow?" Sybil asks, sipping her tea.
Violet looks at her, "Sybil, vulgarity is no substitute for wit."
"Well, you started it," she argues. Margaret and her sisters chuckle at Violet's reaction.
That night, Margaret is brushing out her hair and looking at Matthew on the bed, "How did the talks go with the lawyer?"
"He has confirmed it. I am officially Henry's heir. Which means everything belongs to me."
She sighs, putting down the brush, "I am sorry that you had to be put in this position. I just... I can't stand the look on Papa's face every time he thinks of the future because he knows we won't have Downton."
"After Edith's wedding, I'll talk to him. I promised you, Margaret, we're saving Downton."
She smiles and kisses him, "We better get to bed. There's a wedding tomorrow."
———
Margaret joins her mother and sisters in Edith's room the day of the wedding. She smiles, "Oh, my darling, you look beautiful."
"Thank you," she smiles, "All of us married. All of us happy. And the third baby on the way," she looks at Mary, "Why don't we get the photographer to take a picture of the four of us when we get to the church."
Margaret nods, "I think that can be arranged," the four of them stand outside the church for a picture and Robert nods.
"Well, fashionably late is one thing."
"Are we going in?" Mary asks, "Edith, I know we haven't always got along, and I doubt thing change much in the future, but today, I wish you all the luck in the world."
"Thank you."
Margaret kisses Edith's cheek, "Just as I told Mary on her wedding day. The day itself doesn't matter. But it's the life the two of you forge. Stay true to who you are, Edith. Because that person is wonderful. You're a very beautiful bride."
"Thank you, Margaret. And thank you for always supporting me."
"You're my sister," Margaret smiles, "I will always support you. Good luck," Margaret quickly slips into the church with her sisters, sitting beside their husbands. The organ starts playing and everyone stands as Robert and Edith walk down the aisle.
"Dearly beloved," Mr. Travis starts when the music ends, "we are gathered-"
"I can't do this," Anthony interrupts.
"What?" Robert asks.
"I can't do it," Margaret looks at Matthew, "You know it's wrong, you told me so yourself several times."
Edith looks at her father who looks taken aback, "My dear chap-"
"No, I never should have let it get this far. I should've stopped it long ago. I tried to stop it."
Edith shakes her head, "What are you saying? I don't understand what you're saying."
"Edith..." he looks behind him at the church, "Edith, I can't let you throw away your life like this."
"What do you mean?" Edith asks, "We're so happy, aren't we? We're going to be so terribly, terribly happy."
"But you are going to be happy," Anthony says, "I pray that you are, but only if you don't waste yourself on me."
"Anthony," Robert interjects, "it is too late for this."
"Might I suggest we all take a step back?" Mr. Travis says.
Violet walks forward, "No, let him go. Let him go. You know he's right. Don't stop him doing the only sensible thing he's come up with in months."
"Thank you, Lady Grantham."
"But, granny..."
"No, no. It's over, my dear, don't drag it out. Wish him well and let him go."
"I can't," Edith cries.
"Goodbye, my dearest darling, and may God bless you... always," Anthony walks back down the aisle and Margaret rushes forward, taking Edith in her arms.
"Oh, my darling. Come on."
Edith runs up the stairs the moment they arrive back at the Abbey and Margaret stops her sisters and mother. She knocks softly on the door, "Edith..."
"What could you possibly say to make me feel better, Margaret? You have a husband and two children."
"There's nothing I can say, my darling. You're heartbroken, rightfully so. The only thing I can think to say is that you will come out so much stronger after all of this. You will take all of the time that you need to heal from this. However long. And then you will put yourself back into the world and you will find a man so much better than Anthony Strallan. He's out there, Edith. He's out there waiting for you."
"How do you know?"
She sighs, bringing Edith into her arms, "Because I believe that everyone has a soulmate and that, for some, it takes longer than others. You are not a lost cause, Edith. You will not be the only one who isn't married. Perhaps you will end up with the best marriage of all of us. Don't let this bring you down. Because you are a remarkable woman, Edith. And you deserve so much better than anything he could have given you. Please believe that."
"It hurts, Maggie."
"I know," she rubs her back, "I know it does. And it will hurt for a long time. Until it won't. And when it doesn't, you will become the Edith we all know and love. And then you will find your Prince Charming out in the world. I promise you."
"You promise?"
"I promise."
———
Margaret sits beside her father during a very quiet dinner. Isobel looks around, "Has she had something to eat?"
Margaret shakes her head, "Anna took up some sandwiches, but she didn't touch a thing."
"That reminds me," Cora says, "Carson, I don't want Lady Edith to see any of the wedding food."
"Mrs. Hughes and Anna are taking what's left down to Mr. Travis tomorrow, my lady, for the poor."
"If the poor don't want it, you can bring it over to me," Violet tells him.
The twins look at their grandmother before Matthew clears his throat, "How can we help Edith?"
"Give her something to do," Margaret answers, "Right now, she's heartbroken, devastated, and frankly, she's embarrassed. Find her an activity, draw her mind away from everything."
Matthew nods. That night, the two of them are in the nursery with the twins before bed, "I spoke to your father."
Margaret looks up from rocking Emma, "Did you?"
"Yes. And he accepted the help. On the condition that we are joint masters of Downton. We both own it."
Margaret's eyes go wide, "I was not expecting that. That's wonderful. Thank you."
"You can stop thanking me. I did it for you and for them," he looks down at James, "After all, they are the future of Downton."
She smiles, "Yes. Yes, they are."
———
A/N: Not my favorite nor my best chapter, but here we are. All I have to say: poor Edith. That poor girl can't catch a break.
In other news, I have a new Downton Abbey story in the works. Question is: should I publish it now or wait? I am very excited about this one. :)
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Thanks for reading and the votes! Leave any feedback or ideas in the comments!