the princess and the pauper ♕ tommy shelby

chapter three: london

After some days Mary and Ophelia went to London, Mary wanted to insist going with her when she was meeting Ada and her aunt but Ophelia assured, she'd be fine and home in time for dinner. "Do be on time, Papa would never forgive me if something happened to you" Mary said. "I will, and you be careful as well" Ophelia said before getting out of the car and walking to the meeting spot.

She had been in London before, but never on her own. She met Ada and her aunt Polly, and a young boy she hadn't met, in a small café where they were seated at a table. "Ophelia!" Ada said and ran towards her friend. Given most people were afraid of her family, them being gangsters and often the threat of the town, she didn't have many friends. "Ada!" Ophelia said, smiling. Polly looked at the young girl, meeting her in Manchester, along with her father, she knew the girl came from more money than she let on. "Hello, Ophelia" Polly said smiling. "Hello, I hope I haven't kept you waiting too long" Ophelia said. "No, we just got here ourselves" Polly said.

"This is my brother, Finn" Ada said introducing her younger brother who could be no more than 4 years old. "Hello, Finn" Ophelia said, as she sat down. "Do you have any siblings?" Polly asked. "I have three older sisters" Ophelia said. "Mary, Edith, and Sybil" she said. "I have four brothers, three are older" Ada said. "I couldn't imagine" Ophelia said as she was given a cup of tea. "May I ask for your hand?" Polly said suddenly. "My hand?" she asked confused.

"Aunt Pol, please" Ada said. "We come from Romani blood, I have a good eye for palm reading, dear" Polly said. "Oh, I never had anyone read my palm before" Ophelia said and gave her right hand. Polly held it gently and saw she indeed came from money, and she would stay on it for a while, yet there was something like she would lose it before finding it again. "You will live a good life, good fortunes" Polly said, which seemed to disappoint Ophelia slightly. "You will find pleasure in your career; you'll be passionate about it" Polly said. Polly fell quiet when she saw her love line.

She had seen it before, an identical one, which she always said only happened with soulmates. She had seen it in her own nephew, Tommy, and she knew that even though he had someone now, she was not meant for him. Especially now she had seen Ophelia's hand. "Your love line is unique. It will be a love you didn't expect but one that will last you beyond a lifetime" Polly said. Ada gave her aunt a look but said nothing, she would probably hear about it later.

The woman took the two teens and her nephew into the city as they went around. Ada saw a dress she wanted but didn't have the money for it. "I will pay, it's no problem" Ophelia said when she saw how fond Ada was about the dress. "I couldn't ask you that" Ada said. "You aren't" Ophelia said, she started to think if perhaps she should come clean about her background and her family. "Everything alright?" Ada asked. "Yes, it's just. I haven't been honest with you" Ophelia said as they walked outside again. "What is it?" Ada asked. "My family, the Crawley's, we come from a line of Earls in Yorkshire" Ophelia said. "Earls?" Ada said surprised. "My father, Lord Grantham, is the seventh one" Ophelia said. "I would have never guessed when we met" Ada said. "It feels nice to not be that person, it's tiring and boring" Ophelia said.

"You find being a lady boring?" Ada laughed. "It is, trust me" Ophelia laughed when they ran into Mary. "There you are dinner is going to be on soon" Mary said and looked at Ada. "Ada, this is my sister, Mary" Ophelia said. "Pleasure to meet you" Ada said, not knowing how to address her. "Pleasure, glad my sister found a friend in you" Mary said. Even though Mary would have preferred her friend to be of the same status, she knew there weren't many young girls their status of her age. The closest was their cousin Rose who was still 5 years younger.

"I will leave here then, I hope we can meet again soon, Ada" Ophelia said. "Of course, write whenever" Ada said before they departed.

Once they returned to Downton, Lord Grantham told them their cousin Matthew, the new heir would meet them for dinner. "What is he like?" Sybil asked, as the girls got dressed. "He's very normal" Ophelia remembered. "Normal?" Mary asked. "Yes, there were no servants, and he did most things himself" Ophelia said. "Interesting" Sybil said before they went downstairs. Everyone stood in line as Matthew and his mother Isobel Crawley. "What a welcome committee" Matthew said, and Ophelia tried not to laugh when she saw Carson's face.

At dinner they spoke how his father had been a doctor. "Did you find it odd, to have a doctor in the family?" the Dowager said. "No, my father and brother were also doctors, and I was a nurse" Isobel said. "Were you really? What was that like?" Ophelia asked. "I find it satisfying work" Isobel said. "There is a hospital in the village, a small one" Lady Grantham said. "Oh, really? How big is it?" Isobel asked. "Not big, only the basics. Doctor Clarkson is doing his best" Lady Grantham said. "Where does the money come from?" Isobel asked. "My late husband donated money; in a way the hospital is like his legacy" the Dowager said. "What a lovely thing" Isobel said.

"Perhaps I could show Cousin Isobel around the hospital" Ophelia said. "Oh, how nice of you, dear" her mother said. "Thank you, that's the most kind" Isobel said.

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