The Life of Viscount Downton [Book 1]

VI

Cora Crawley was already expecting the worse case scenario as they head to the grand hall, where her grandchildren claimed to have heard something scary...

...until, before she could even process what she saw, a group then suddenly shouted:

"HAPPY BIRTHDAY, MAMA!!!"

The Countess was rather startled, causing her to close her eyes and cover her face with her hands. Her grandchildren then laughed at her reaction, and gave her a hug.

She then looks up again, and the first thing she saw her children. All three of them, complete on her special day. She didn't even noticed tears running down her cheeks as she saw all of them.

Robert sets Caroline down for her to give a hug as well and then went to his wife, chuckling softly and gently her rubbing her back.

"Are you alright, Darling?" He asked, looking at her.

"I am. I just had some...tears of joy." Cora then laughs softly, and wipes her tears. They then looked at their children again, who are laughing as well as they watch her process the surprise they made.

"Awww...Mama!" Edith then went to them, followed by her siblings, who then all gave her a big hug.

"Thank you so much for this surprise." Cora then said, and looks at her children "But the greatest surprise us that three of my beautiful children are here together."

"Well, we all had a lot of free time in our hands." Alex joked, making the rest of them laugh.

"But we really made this day free just for you, Mama" Mary smiles.

"We all did." Robert then smiles, watching them nearby as Tom and Bertie headed to the dining room with the children "We all wanted to spend time with you."

"You planned all of this, didn't you?" Cora then looks at her husband.

Robert chuckles softly "As much as I wanted to have all the credit, it was our children who planned all of this."

"Since last month, actually." the Viscount proudly added.

"It was mostly Alex's idea, but we all contributed in our own way" Edith said.

"Did you really, Alex?" Cora looks at her son.

"Yes, I did." he replied, smiling "We haven't really done a surprise for birthday in a long while, so we came up all of this."

"I am very, very touched by this!" Cora laughs softly "But let us first eat breakfast before continuing, shall we?"

***

They all had a wonderful breakfast, with the little children sitting alongside with them for the first time, and clearly enjoying the cake that they helped design.

"How is the cake, Mama?" Alex asked from across the table "Is it good?"

"It is, yes! And it's chocolate cake too, which is my favorite!" the Countess smiles "You all made this, too?"

"We did." Mary replied, "And the kids helped in designing, all while eating the remaining icing."

Robert chuckles "I suppose your plan is a success then?"

"It is, but it's not yet finished!" Alex smiles, "There's still a picnic later at the grounds."

"At the grounds? Really?" Cora was surprised, and excited at the same time.

"We also got invite Isobel and Dickie, and Granny as well" Edith added.

Their father looks up at his children, surprised as well "How did you even get to invite your Granny for a picnic?"