Margaret Crawley is the daughter of the heir of Downton, James Crawley. She loves her brother Patrick and her cousins Sybil, Edith and Mary. But everything changes when the news arrives that the Titanic has sinked which Patrick and James were on...
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August, 1913
Helena and William enters her room and she closes the door and she turns to her older brother. "You wanted to talk?" William sighes. "Okay, this is not easy for me to say." Helena looks at him. "Then say it." William looks at her and she can see tears are forming. "Um, Father isn't there to tell you you're welcome home." Helena looks at him worried. "Then what is he gonna tell me?" William sighes and takes her hands in his own. "I just want to know that i tried, i really did i..." She cuts him off. "William. I know you tried so i need you to tell me now." William takes a deep breath, knowing that when he tells her, her world is gonna crash down and he has never wanted to be causing her pain but he also knows that she deserves the truth.
"Father isn't here to tell you that you're welcome back home." Helena looks at him with tears in her eyes, feeling her worst fear is coming true. "Okay, then why is he here." William looks at her and now he has also tears in his eyes. "He is there to tell you that you need to get married to be able to come home." Helena has now tears streaming down her face. "And what happens if i tell him no?" William takes a deep breath. "He says that if you don't agree to marry, he will not let you come home and he will disown you." Helena starts to chuckle with tears streaming down her face. "You know since i found out they were coming that has been my fear and now it's actually coming true."
William sighes and takes a hold of her hands. "I am so sorry, i really tried. I really did to make him see but you know how he is, he.." She cuts him off. "William, i know. I know how father is, i know how important the family's reputation is and how much he values it. But i guess i never thought he would put it over his own child." She looks at William. "So if i follow my heart and tell him no, will i never see my family again?" William holds her hands tightly. "You will always have me, i'm not going anywhere. Father can try to stop me but i'm never letting you go, you are my sister." Helena takes a deep breath. "What about Joseph, Lucy and Judith?" William sighes and they sit down. "Well Lucy and Judith are still under age and they are living under the same roof as our parents and they need to follow what father says but i know they love you and i think when they have become adults and they make their own decisions, they will want to see you." She looks at him. "And Joseph?" William sighes. " You know Joseph he has always wanted to look good in father's eyes. I think it's unlikely that he would go against him."
Helena sighes and puts her head in her hands. "I don't know what to do. If i tell father no, i'll lose my family but if i agree to his terms i know i'm gonna be miserable because i will never love my husband." William kneels down to her. "Helena look at me." Helena takes a deep breath and looks up at him. "You will always have me, i'm not going anywhere and you will always have Margaret, she's your best friend and i know with her you will always have a place here. It's your decision on what you're gonna do but i would rather have you not come home and be happy than come home and live an unhappy life." Helena nods. "Thank you and when father asks me to choose, i will have made an decision but right now i wanna be alone, i'll see you at dinner." She sniffles. William stands up and kisses her on the forehead. "I love you." She smiles at him. "I love you too." When William has walked out and the door is closed. Helena walks over to her bed and lays down. She lets the tears streaming down her face.
Helena is now waiting in the gardens for her mother Charlotte who she has asked to meet her, she hopes her mother can persuade her father to change his mind. "Helena." She turn around instantly and there her mother stands infront of her. "Mother. Would you like to walk a with me?" Her mother nods. "Of course." They start walking together. "How have you been Helena." Helena smiles to herself. "I have been good." Her mother nods. "Good." They walk for a bit in silence until Helena stops in her tracks, her mother looks at her confused. "Helena?" She sighes. "I know that you are not here to tell me to come home. I know father is planning to give me an ultimatum." Her mother sighes. "William told me." Helena looks at her. "Does it matter? I deserved to know." Her mother nods. "I know." Helena looks at her with tears forming in her eyes. "Mother i know i made a mistake, i know. But i need you to know that i have always been discreet, i know i wasn't that day but... please mother i need you to talk to him, try to persuade him to change his mind because i don't know what to do." Her mother looks at her and takes her hand in hers. "I tried." Helena looks at her confused. "What?"
Her mother sighes. "I never wanted your father to send away and i tried to persuade him for over a year to bring you home and just forget about it but he wouldn't listen. But when he said we were coming here i thought he had finally changed his mind and we were gonna take you home. He didn't tell me about his plans." Helena looks at her. "When did you find out?"
Her mother takes a deep breath. "When we were on the train to Yorkshire, he told me that he was gonna give you an ultimatum, that either you will marry or you will never come home. I have tried but your father have made up his mind and there is nothing i can do."
Helena looks at her mother with tears. "What am i supposed to do?" Her mother walks up to her and caresses helena's face. "I can't tell you what to do but Helena as your mother all want is for you to be happy. I love you and i still remember the day when you were born. Everyone thought it would be another boy as we already had your two brothers but i prayed for a little girl. And there you were, our little light, our Helena. Don't make a choice just because people expect you to. Make a choice you can live with, that you won't regret. Because i think you and i both know if you agree with your father, you will regret it. And as your mother all i want is for you to be happy, that's all i want for my children and whatever choice you will make, i'll stand by your side."
Hearing those words from her mother Helena leaps into her mother's arms and her mother holds her tightly, not letting her go. "I love you Helena." Helena sniffles. "I love you too." Helena knew in this moment whatever choice she would make, she would be okay.
Ruth Gemmell as Charlotte Astor Née Dubois
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AUTHOR'S NOTE
Helena knows now the reason why her parents are at Downton and what choice will she make? I hope you guys like this chapter and pls tell me your thoughts.
