Fic : DA : Lending Library
Lending Library
Inspired by the exchange ..
Matthew Crawley: The question is, what do I say to Cousin Violet?
Robert Crawley, Earl of Grantham: Oh, don't worry about that. I can handle her.
Violet, Dowager Countess of Grantham: [Violet enters the room] Really? Well if you can, you must have learned to *very* recently.
Summary : At his wife's behest, a young Lord Grantham attempts to exert his relatively new found authority.
Chapter 1
“It's not in the spot it should be and it hasn't been signed out. Pakison searched the whole library to see if it might have been put back in the wrong spot, but it hasn't turned up. He has no idea where it might be.”
“I was really looking forward to reading that book.” Cora pouted.
“We can order another copy.” Robert suggested.
“That's hardly the point, Robert.”
“I know.” He agreed.
“That book didn't grow legs and walk away on its own.”
“I know.” Robert repeated.
“Well what are you going to do about it?” Cora prompted him.
With a sigh, Robert stood and headed to the bell pull.
When their butler arrived, Robert reluctantly spoke up. “It seems we may have a problem with one of the staff.”
Impossibly, Carson stood straighter. “Oh?”
“Mr. Doyle's latest has gone missing from the library. I'd like you to have a talk with the staff tonight before their evening meal. If the book is returned by morning, no further inquires will be made.”
“Robert! That's not good enough.” Cora insisted. “It starts with a book. Then its a piece of silver here or there. Where does it end? The family jewels? Us murdered in our beds?”
“Cora, don't be melodramatic.”
“It's not being melodramatic.”
Cora's hand went to the beads hanging around her neck. “To imagine a thief in the house!”
Defeated, Robert sighed. “I'd like you to arrange a search of the servant's rooms.”
“That is a very serious accusation, milord.”
“Yes, I know it is.” Robert agreed.
“Begging your pardon, milord, but have you asked the Countess if she has it? She is very fond of mysteries.”
“Well of course, I don't have it.” Cora piped up.
Carson tilted his head in deference. “Begging your pardon, milady. Might the Dower Countess have taken it?”
“She hasn't signed it out.” Cora pointed out.
Carson's and Robert's eyes met.
“Mama never filled out the ledger when Papa was alive.”
“Why doesn't she fill out the ledger? I fill out the ledger when I take out a book.”
“Yes, well you're not my mother, Cora.”
At her glare, he sighed. “You fill out the ledger out of habit because that's what my father told you to do when you first came here. He never made my mother and so out of habit, she doesn't.”
“Why didn't he make your mother do it?” Cora asked.
“Cora, when have you ever seen anyone make my mother do anything?”
“I'd like you to.”
“What?”
“Make her sign out books.”
“Don't be ridiculous, Cora.”
“It's not ridiculous. Everyone else does it. Even you do it. Why shouldn't she?”
“Because ... because ...”
As Robert struggled to put it to words, Carson - as always - came to his rescue. “Lady Grantham is coming to dinner tonight.”
“Yes, she is.” Robert agreed. “I'll ask her if she has it.”
“And if she does?” Cora prompted him.
“Then that solves that mystery.” Robert quipped.
“Robert.” Cora said his name quite seriously.
“I'll ask her to return it.”
“Robert.” Cora repeated.
Sighing, Robert again relented. “I'll ask her to in the future sign out the books she takes.”
Triumphant, Cora sat back.
tbc
Inspired by the exchange ..
Matthew Crawley: The question is, what do I say to Cousin Violet?
Robert Crawley, Earl of Grantham: Oh, don't worry about that. I can handle her.
Violet, Dowager Countess of Grantham: [Violet enters the room] Really? Well if you can, you must have learned to *very* recently.
Summary : At his wife's behest, a young Lord Grantham attempts to exert his relatively new found authority.
Chapter 1
“It's not in the spot it should be and it hasn't been signed out. Pakison searched the whole library to see if it might have been put back in the wrong spot, but it hasn't turned up. He has no idea where it might be.”
“I was really looking forward to reading that book.” Cora pouted.
“We can order another copy.” Robert suggested.
“That's hardly the point, Robert.”
“I know.” He agreed.
“That book didn't grow legs and walk away on its own.”
“I know.” Robert repeated.
“Well what are you going to do about it?” Cora prompted him.
With a sigh, Robert stood and headed to the bell pull.
When their butler arrived, Robert reluctantly spoke up. “It seems we may have a problem with one of the staff.”
Impossibly, Carson stood straighter. “Oh?”
“Mr. Doyle's latest has gone missing from the library. I'd like you to have a talk with the staff tonight before their evening meal. If the book is returned by morning, no further inquires will be made.”
“Robert! That's not good enough.” Cora insisted. “It starts with a book. Then its a piece of silver here or there. Where does it end? The family jewels? Us murdered in our beds?”
“Cora, don't be melodramatic.”
“It's not being melodramatic.”
Cora's hand went to the beads hanging around her neck. “To imagine a thief in the house!”
Defeated, Robert sighed. “I'd like you to arrange a search of the servant's rooms.”
“That is a very serious accusation, milord.”
“Yes, I know it is.” Robert agreed.
“Begging your pardon, milord, but have you asked the Countess if she has it? She is very fond of mysteries.”
“Well of course, I don't have it.” Cora piped up.
Carson tilted his head in deference. “Begging your pardon, milady. Might the Dower Countess have taken it?”
“She hasn't signed it out.” Cora pointed out.
Carson's and Robert's eyes met.
“Mama never filled out the ledger when Papa was alive.”
“Why doesn't she fill out the ledger? I fill out the ledger when I take out a book.”
“Yes, well you're not my mother, Cora.”
At her glare, he sighed. “You fill out the ledger out of habit because that's what my father told you to do when you first came here. He never made my mother and so out of habit, she doesn't.”
“Why didn't he make your mother do it?” Cora asked.
“Cora, when have you ever seen anyone make my mother do anything?”
“I'd like you to.”
“What?”
“Make her sign out books.”
“Don't be ridiculous, Cora.”
“It's not ridiculous. Everyone else does it. Even you do it. Why shouldn't she?”
“Because ... because ...”
As Robert struggled to put it to words, Carson - as always - came to his rescue. “Lady Grantham is coming to dinner tonight.”
“Yes, she is.” Robert agreed. “I'll ask her if she has it.”
“And if she does?” Cora prompted him.
“Then that solves that mystery.” Robert quipped.
“Robert.” Cora said his name quite seriously.
“I'll ask her to return it.”
“Robert.” Cora repeated.
Sighing, Robert again relented. “I'll ask her to in the future sign out the books she takes.”
Triumphant, Cora sat back.
tbc