True Hearts | Downton Abbey

four

september, 1912
four

          THE building stood tall before her, the sun shining through between the towers and the trees. Beatrix couldn't help keep the smile from her face as she stared. It was everything she'd ever imagined and more.

          She was in Oxford looking at the university and it was beautiful. More than beautiful, it was perfect. She had been going on visits for a couple of weeks - not telling her aunt and uncle of course. They believed that she was visiting her London friends. Sybil and Jane were the only ones who knew where Beatrix was truly going.

          When she saw that it was coming close to three o'clock, she caught the train back where Taylor was waiting for her by the motor. The car journey was long, but she didn't mind. She was lost in her own thoughts, unable to help but imagine herself walking down the corridors, books in her arms - belonging to the university. As soon as the car stopped outside Downton, Beatrix rushed back into the house through the back and quickly made her way to Sybil's room.

          Just before she was going to open the door, Gwen appeared in the doorway. "Miss," she said politely, bowing her head, before leaving. Beatrix entered her cousins room. When Sybil saw Beatrix in her mirror, she jumped up from her dressing table and took her hands excitedly. "So," she began, "how was Oxford?"

          Beatrix grinned at her cousin. "I swear it gets more perfect every time I visit." Her eyes widened. "Oh! I got a photograph of the university for you." She dug into her cardigan pocket and pulled out the black and white image.

          Sybil gasped as she stared. "You weren't exaggerating," she murmured in awe. She then looked up, her voice soft, "You really want to go, don't you, Beatrix?"

          "I do," nodded Beatrix honestly. "Or apply at least."

          "When will you tell Mama and Papa?" She asked.

          Beatrix sighed and slouched on the bed. "Oh, I don't know," she muttered. "At some point, but not yet. I'm not ready to tell them and I don't think they're ready to hear." She heard the chiming of the clock on the corridor. "Oh! I forgot!" She sat up straight. "I promised I'd go to the Art Gallery with a friend at five."

          Sybil giggled. "You're always rushing around," she joked. "Do they know where you're going this time?" 'They' meaning Robert and Cora.

          "Yes," she nodded. "This time they do."

*

          Oscar Crawley sighed happily as he stepped out of the car that he, his elder brother, Matthew, and their mother, Isobel, had been in for what seemed to be the longest journey. "Isn't this better than stuffy old Manchester," he said, a large grin on his face, enjoying the feeling of the sun.

          Matthew rolled his eyes. He and his brother were polar opposites, not only in looks but also attitudes. Whilst Oscar had long dark hair that fell to his shoulders with sharp cheekbones and dark eyes, finding excitement in almost all things; Matthew had neatly brushed blonde hair and blue eyes and was more of a sceptic; their mother a realist, through and through.

          "I still don't see why I couldn't refuse it," muttered Matthew to Isobel.

          She turned to her son. "There's no mechanism for you to do so," she replied. "You will be an earl, you will inherit the estate. Of course, you can throw it away when you have it, but that's up to you."

          As Oscar bathed in the country sun, he spotted an elder-middle-aged man walking up to them from the house. "Hello," he said, stretching out his arm, "how do you do?"