Downton Abbey: The Next Generation

Chapter 9: Sybbie

Marigold said a silent thanks and left the library, head held high. After she left, I continued my search for the book. Nora came into the library and I turned to catch her.

"Nora," I said. "Could you help me?"

"I was actually supposed to get you for luncheon. Caroline has some special lunch plans for the new Earl of Grantham, but what do you need help with?"

"I was wondering if you could help me find a book about Ireland," I told her.

"What is with this sudden fascination with Ireland?" Nora asked me. 

"Well, I had a strange conversation with Dad yesterday," I said. "He got really angry about me asking about his life in Ireland."

"What? Why did he get mad?"

"I don't actually know, but I know that if I asked anyone else, they would give the same answers."

"I suppose that's true," she said. "I'll help you later, we have a luncheon to get to." The two of us left the library and walked to the dining room.

"How is our surprise coming?" I asked her on the way there.

"Quite well," she whispered back. "I got the Glen Miller record and you found his father's gramophone."

"Perfect," I told her. "It has his favorite song, right?"

"His favorite song is In the Mood by Glen Miller Orchestra, right?" Nora asked double checking. I nodded and we entered the dining room. Most of the family was waiting inside.

"There you two are," Caroline said. "We are waiting for George and Grandpa Robert to come back and then we have a lunch fit for a king."

"I think you mean that literally," Nora said, sitting down. Caroline rolled her eyes playfully.

"I do, Norie," she responded. Nora gave Caroline a nasty look for using her childhood nickname. The door finally opened and George and Grandpa Robert came inside. 

"Behold," Grandpa Robert announced. "George Crawley, Eighth Earl of Grantham." The whole table erupted into cheers and applause.

"Please, please," George said. "I'm still the same old George Crawley." They sat down and we all started our lunch. 

"Del," I said and turned to my step mother. "I was wondering if you could tell me about your life in Ireland." Dad dropped his fork and turned to Del. He whispered something to her and she turned back to me.

"I married Nora's father in 1914 and had Nora four years after. Her father passed away a few days after and I raised her on my own. Six years after that, I came here, reconnected with Tom, and have lived here ever since."

"But surely there's more than tha..."

"Sybbie, that's enough," he said, as angry as he had been yesterday. "Stop badgering me and your step mom about Ireland."

"But I was only..." I started again, but Dad Gave me a look that told me to stop. I put my fork down quietly. "If you'll excuse me, I'm going."

"Oh but Sybbie," Caroline protested. "Please don't spoil George's luncheon."

"It's fine, Caroline," George said. "If you have to go, go." I mouthed "thank you" and left in a hurry.

"I'm going to check on her," I heard Nora say. She opened the door and followed me up to our room. Even in a large house with many rooms, Nora and I shared. We both hated to be alone and decided that we would share. "What's wrong Sybbie?" I sat on my bed, crying into my hands. 

"I want to learn and our parents won't tell me a thing. The only way to learn about Ireland is to go to Ireland and there is no way Dad and Del would let me go," I told her. Nora sat next to me and thought. After a few minutes, she broke the silence.

"Then let's do that," she said, quietly. I looked at her, confused.

"What?" I asked and wiped my nose with the back of my hand. "Did you say that we should go to Ireland?"

"I did," she responded. "Think about it, you want to learn and the only way is to go to Ireland. Then let's do just that."

"How?" I asked. "Dad and Del would never let us go."

"Then let's not tell them," she said. "I'm twenty-one and you're nineteen. We are old enough to make our own decisions."

"When would we leave?" I asked, getting more and more on board with Nora's plan.

"We could leave tomorrow night," she said. "After George's birthday so we won't steal his thunder. We will leave at night. The last train leaves at eleven, so we can catch that one to the docks. From there we can get on a boat to Ireland."

"I can't believe this!" I said. "Nora Branson, rebel." She laughed and stood up. 

"We have to pack tonight. You do that now, so no one will be suspicious. I'll tell them that you just need a moment to calm yourself," she explained and turned to leave.

"Nora," I called after her. She turned back to face me. "Thank you." Nora smiled and winked before walking out the door. I grabbed my suitcase that I had tucked away and opened it up. I grabbed some clothes, folded them up, and threw them into the suitcase. 

"Where am I going to hide this?" I thought, racing around my room for a hiding place. I rummaged through my closet and stumbled upon a little space behind my clothes. It was just wide enough for my suitcase to fit, so I tucked it in there and covered it with my clothes. Proud of our plan, I left the room and went back downstairs. The family was still in luncheon, so I sat back down in my seat.

"Where have you been?" Aunt Mary asked me.

"Oh just taking a breather and thinking," I told them.

"What were you thinking about?" Dad asked me. 

"Just life," I answered. Dad and Del looked at me suspiciously.

"What were thinking about life exactly?" Del asked me. I smiled and looked at Nora.

"Just the future," I told her, smiling and went on finishing my lunch.