"14 years ago...I had an affair with Lord Grantham. You are not Lady Grantham's child."
"We just want you to know that the whole of England will be yours someday."
Lady Darrel Crawley is the youngest daughter of Lord and Lady Grantham...or so she's...
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Darrel entered her classroom to find Ms Bunting sitting at her desk, grading a batch of essays (and no doubt giving her a failing mark).
"How can I help you, m'lady?" Ms Bunting asked with a mock polite tone.
Darrel ignored her teacher's tone, not having the patience for it at the moment. "I have to return home."
"Why? Do you need to redo your hair? Or select your evening dress?"
"If I cared about my hair or evening dresses, I would have stayed home with a governess, rather than coming to school every day to subject myself to your constant stream of insults and mediocre teaching skills."
Ms Bunting opened her mouth to retort but decided against it. She knew there was only so much that she could get away with saying before Darrel complained to her father. If Lord Grantham found out about the trouble Ms Bunting caused, she knew he would come down to the schoolhouse to scream at her and insist that Mr Dawes sack her.
"Well, why do you need to leave school early?" Ms Bunting inquired, forcing herself to have an even tone.
"I received a telegram from Her Majesty, the Queen. She requested that I go to Buckingham Palace at once," Darrel informed.
"Her Majesty wants you to go to Buckingham Palace? Do you honestly expect me to believe that? How thick do you think I am?"
"Incredibly. But I have proof."
With a scowl, Darrel took the telegram out of her pocket and handed it to her teacher. Ms Bunting glanced at it, rolling her eyes.
"Very well, you may go," she sighed. "Although be sure to catch up with what you missed."
"Thank you for your kindness," Darrel replied with heavy sarcasm.
Darrel gathered her belongings and then left the schoolhouse as she muttered: "odious woman" under her breath.
When Darrel returned to Downton, she saw that the car had already been brought around. Robert waited by it with a scowl on his face.
"Thank you," Darrel nodded to Thomas, who bowed in response.
"I do not like the idea of my fourteen-year-old daughter rushing off to London," Robert declared. "It seems to be a foolish idea."
"Papa, I received a summon from the Queen of England. I do not think it would be wise to ignore it, do you?"
"But I do not understand why she summoned you."
"I am afraid I cannot provide any answers for you until I go to Buckingham Palace and listen to what Her Majesty has to say."
Robert scowled but nodded, knowing that Darrel had made some good points, and he could not argue with her.
