The life of Eve De La Cruz

Chapter Fourteen

Downton Abbey, 1919

It was in the morning, Eve and Edith stood at the front door and watch as an army hospital truck was being packed with the last of the equipment before leaving. Mrs. Hughes joins them and they watch the truck leave.

"That's the last of the equipment gone," Edith told Mrs. Hughes.

"The maids have put the drawing room back to normal," Mrs. Hughes informed her.

"It will seem strange now that everything is gone now," Eve said.

With not being able to work at the hospital, Eve spent her days walking the grounds, reading, and trying anything that would keep her from dying of boredom. Eve was sitting on her bed reading the story that she had typed on the pages before she lost her memory.

She was so engrossed in the story that she didn't hear the dressing gong, but she was pulled out when there was a knock on her door.

"May I come in, Milady?" Anna asked.

"Yes, you may," Eve replied as she hid the pages underneath her pillows before Anna came in.

"How are you doing, Milady?"

"I suppose how anyone would be doing if they cannot do a single thing they used to before they lost their memories," She answered.

Anna gave Eve a comforting look, "Don't worry, Milady. I know that your memories will return. As you always say, "You have to have faith'."

"Thank you, Anna. May I ask you a question?" Eve asked.

"Of course, Milady," Anna answered.

"Do you have any stories about me? I'm hoping that by hearing these stories I'll regain some memories. I just feel like I don't belong here and that I'm just a stranger in a strange land."

"Milady, I remember, not long after I first arrived at Downton, that when I was in the library cleaning you had surprised me when you walked in and I accidentally knocked over a vase. I panicked and apologized, even though you said it was a simple vase with thousands like it. Mrs. Hughes then walked in and asked what happen. And just as I was about to open my mouth, You told her that you had accidentally knocked it over while you were helping me. When she left, I asked, 'Why did you help me?' and you said that I shouldn't be blamed for your mistake and that I would have done the same if our places were switched."

Eve smiled at the story Anna had told her, "Thank you, Anna."

"Your welcome, Milady."

Later on, in the drawing room, everyone was discussing how things are different now with the war over.

"I nearly came down in a dinner jacket tonight," Robert told the room.

"Really? Well, why not a dressing gown? Or, better still, pajamas?" Violet questioned.

"That's why I didn't," He replied.

"I like the new fashions. Shorter skirts, looser cuts. The old clothes were all very well if one spent the day on a chaise longue, but if one wants to get anything done, the new clothes are much better," Isabelle spoke.

"I'll stick to the chaise longue," Violet said.

"Granny, you don't really want things to go back to the way they were, surely?" Sybil asked her grandmother.

"Of course I do. And as quickly as possible," She replied.

"What about you, Papa?" Sybil asked.

"Before the war, I believed my life had value. I suppose I should like to feel that again," Robert said, an awkward silence follows.