Chapter 8 - Happiness and Pain

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As the newly engaged couple enter the church, they notice almost everyone is already waiting and in their seats, it's just her family, that hasn't arrived, but only a few minutes later the whole family come in.Edith had a big smile while Robert walked her down the aisle. Mary and Sybil take their places and the guests stand at the organ begins to play. Edith and Robert begin to walk down the aisle and Strallan steps up to the altar with a grim look on his face. Cora smiles as Edith passes her. Edith steps up beside him all smiles

"Good afternoon." She says, as Strallan smiles.

"Good afternoon, my sweet one." He says, before looking to the preacher to start the ceremony.

"Dearly beloved, we are gathered..." Mr. Travis, said before Anthony quickly interrupted him.

"I can't do this." He suddenly said turning to Robert and Edith, who had shocked looks on their faces. "You know it's wrong, you told me several time, Robert."

Charlotte and Peter quickly let goes of each others hands, not wanting to draw extra attention to themselves.

"I shouldn't of let it go this far. I should of have stopped it long ago. I tried to stop it." He said, in panic as Edith's face turned ghost white.

"What are you saying?" Edith asked.

"Edith, I can't let you throw away your life like this." He said, as Edith grabbed his hand.

"What do you mean? We're so happy aren't we?" She asked, getting no response, "we're going to be so terribly happy." She said, holding back a sob.

"But you are going to be happy. I pray that you are. But only if you don't waste yourself on me." Anthony said, as Robert, Matthew and Tom all stood up.

"Anthony stop, it's too late." Robert said as Violet held him back.

"No, let him go. You know it's right," She said as Edith looked up, lip trembling, "Don't stop him doing the only sensible thing he's come up with in months. Don't drag it out, wish him well and let it go." Violet said, as Strallan, as quick as he could, walked down the aisle, never to return to Downton again. As the guests watch him leave. Mrs Hughes and Carson give him dark looks as he passes them. Cora and Violet lead Edith to the side door. The rest of the family reels from the shock, Sybil close to tears.

Charlotte and Peter quietly sit there watching everything happen, both feeling terrible for being happy, while Edith is heartbroken.

"I better go back to be with Edith." Charlotte said, standing up as Peter nodded and also stood up following her back to the house. As Edith re-enters the house, crying in her wedding gown, she rips her veil off and throws it down the stairs where Alfred is standing there confused. The rest of the family follow shortly, and see Alfred standing there holding a try of drinks.

"When everyone gets back, can you clear all this away? I want it gone before Lady Edith comes downstairs, flowers, glasses, everything. And ask the outside staff to help put back the carpet and the furniture." He asked as Alfred nodded taking away the drinks and a bouquet of flowers.

Cora and Sybil both go upstairs to comfort Edith, while Charlotte and the rest of the men stay downstairs. 

"What should we do now?" Matthew asked, looking at all the wedding decorations.

"There's nothing we can do, beyond removing all signs of the wedding and holding her hand while she recovers." He said, as Peter stepped into the room.

"Where is she?" He asked Charlotte.

"She's in her room, so is mamma and Sybil." She said, as he nodded and gave a polite nod to Robert. "Could you help take these decorations away?"

"Of course." He said, picking up a couple vases of flowers and heading downstairs. "I've never been downstairs before."

"Well, I can give you a little tour after this if you want?" Charlotte asked, as he nodded.

"Milady what can we do for you?" Mrs Hughes asks, as you both walked into the kitchen where everyone had gathered.

"We just wanted to help clear some of the wedding decorations away. Could we get some of the maids come upstairs and help clear as well?" Charlotte asked, as Mrs. Hughes nodded and took the bouquet of flowers from her grasp.

"Right this way Mr. Parker." She said, leading Peter to the servants hall where all the other flowers where. After they dropped off the rest of the flowers, Charlotte showed him around the servants hall a little bit.

"I'm going to miss this place." Charlotte said, looking around the servants halls where Charlotte would come to play hide and seek. "But I think I'm going to enjoy living with you even more." She said, as he smiled and leaned down quickly kissing her. 

"When are we going to tell your family?" He asked, as she shrugged.

"I don't know, maybe we should wait a week. For Edith," She said, "I just feel bad for being happy when this terrible thing happened to Edith." She said, leaning her head on his shoulder.

"I understand. I can wait." He said, as she chuckled. All the sudden one of the boys doors open up, revealing James. They quickly jumped apart from each other and cleared there throat's

"I'm sorry milady, I didn't know you where there." He said, as she politely nodded.

"It's alright," She said, "James, I would appreciate this if you keep this to yourself." She firmly said, as he clenched his jaw in frustration. Charlotte didn't trust most of the staff with secrets or her personal life, she knew that they like to talk around and it would eventually come back to bite her. "If I hear about this incident upstairs, I will make sure you don't get another job for the rest of your life."

"Of course milady." He firmly said, before walking down the hall to the go to the dinning room.

(Words 1015)

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