The next day was very busy for the Crawleys as they rushed to get to London so they could attend Darrel's ball the following day.
"Come on everyone!" Robert called, "The car's here to take us to the station."
"Are we going to pick up Granny?" Mary asked, coming down the stairs with Henry.
"Her driver's going to take her, Isobel and Dickie to the station."
"And are we going to have to deal with the American?"
"Don't be rude Mary, she's your grandmother after all," Cora said sternly, entering the hall. "And no, this was too last minute for her."
"Was she even invited?" Tom wondered.
Cora gave her son-in-law an annoyed look.
"I'll make sure all the luggage is ready to go," Tom offered and exited the house.
"I want to go check on the children one last time," Mary informed.
"They're going to be fine," Henry assured.
"Come on."
"Are you getting soft Mary?"
"Oh don't tease me," Mary sighed, and headed upstairs with her husband.
Cora and Robert were left in the hall staring at each other awkwardly.
"I'm glad you changed your mind," Cora nodded.
"I wasn't given much of a choice, was I?" Robert snapped.
"This is the right thing to do."
Robert scowled as Tiaa ran up to him, barking. He bent down and started petting her.
"We can't lose her Robert," Cora reminded.
"We've already lost her," he retorted.
"When we get to London you need to go visit her."
"Are you out of your mind?"
"I want you to go see our daughter, apologize, and then invite her and Sebastian to dine with us tonight."
"Now I know you've completely lost your mind."
"Don't talk to me like that Robert! We cannot lose her, and if you keep behaving the way you are, we certainly will. Now please, do what's best for everyone, and make up with her."
Cora gave him a stern look and swept out of the hall. Robert scowled again and lead his dog out to the car.

A few hours later, Darrel was in her room at Rosamund's house. She was sitting by the window, reading by the natural light. Although she was too preoccupied with everything happening in her life to pay attention to her book.
She was pulled out of her thoughts by the sound of a knocking on the door.
"Come in," she called.
Mead entered the room and sunk into a deep bow.
"I'm sorry to bother her highness, but there is someone in the library who wishes to speak to you," he informed.
"Who is it?" Darrel inquired.
"Lord Grantham."
"I see...thank you Mead."
"Ma'am."
The butler bowed again and walked out. Darrel set aside her book, stood up, took a deep breath, and headed downstairs.

When Darrel entered the library, she found Robert standing in the centre of the room.
"Lord Grantham," Darrel greeted coldly.
"Darrel," Robert said softly. 
"Look, if you've come to give me another lecture about how I'm throwing my life away if I marry Sebastian, you can spare me. I am happy with my decision, and if you can't see...'
"I came to apologize," Robert informed.
"Oh, I see. Please, sit then."
Robert nodded and sat down on the couch, while Darrel took the armchair across from him.
"I believe that I've reacted to this situation extremely poorly," Robert declared.
"I believe that is an understatement," Darrel snapped.
Robert squirmed in his seat.
"I apologize, that was rude," Darrel said regretfully.
"Darrel, you know that I love you...don't you? And that I care about you?" Robert asked.
"Of course I do."
"I keep thinking that I need to protect you from everything that is happening," he explained. "But, that keeps me from seeing how well you're settling into your new life."
"As you can see, I did run away from their majesties to come here," Darrel shrugged. "So I don't think I'm settling in too well."
"Did their majesties do something?"
"No, but I needed time to think, and it's hard to think there."
Robert did not reply. Darrel interlaced her fingers and placed them on her lap, not knowing what else to do.
"I'm going to stand by you Darrel," Robert declared, "no matter what."
"Really?" Darrel gasped.
"I cannot pretend that I support all your decisions. But, I know that you're a smart girl, and I trust you."
"Thank you Papa."
Darrel got up and went to embrace her father, tears streaming down her face. Robert let out a heavy sigh that he did not realize he was holding in.
"Please don't cry my darling," Robert said softly.
"It's not because I'm sad," Darrel assured. "I'm so happy, because I always want you to be in my corner, and it was killing me that you weren't."
"I'm so sorry that I caused you pain. I never wanted to do that."
"I know. You were only doing what you thought was right."
Robert nodded and planted a kiss on her head.
"When did you get so mature?" Robert asked.
"Well, I'm turning fifteen tomorrow," Darrel reminded.
Robert chuckled.
"Well...I would like to invite you and Sebastian to dine with your mama and I tonight," he offered.
"Will you be nice to him?" Darrel demanded.
"Of course. He is your fiancé, and my future son-in-law. I should get used to him."
"Thank you Papa. This means a lot to me."
"I'll send a car to pick you two up at seven."
"Until then."
They hugged each other one last time, then Robert left the room. Darrel wiped her tears away and went to call her fiancé. 

"It's a trap," Sebastian declared, flopping onto the chesterfield.
A little later, Sebastian and Darrel were in Rosamund's drawing room. Sebastian was skeptical about Robert's sudden change of heart, and thus refused to go to dinner.
"He seemed sincere," Darrel shrugged, handing him a glass of scotch, then taking a seat next to him.
"Well no offence Dear, but you can be naive when it comes to Lord Grantham."
"He's offered a peace offering, and it would be rude if we rejected it."
"But we don't know if it actually is an olive branch."
"I think it is."
Sebastian groaned, "Please Darrel, you know how much I love you. But do not make me dine with your parents. It's going to be a nightmare."
"Seb!" Darrel exclaimed, "We're going to be married soon enough. Are you planning to avoid them for the rest of our lives?"
"I see nothing wrong with that plan," he shrugged.
"Sebastian..."
"I'll compromise. We won't go to dinner, but once we're married, I will talk to your siblings, and occasionally to Lady Grantham."
"That's not a compromise. That's stupidity."
"I don't want to go!" Sebastian complained.
"And I don't want to go to my ball tomorrow, but I'm still going."
"You have no choice on that subject."
Darrel took Sebastian's hand in hers and gave him her best puppy-eyes. Sebastian glared at her.
"That's not fair!" Sebastian protested.
"Life's not fair," Darrel smirked, "and this is my country, where you have no power. So, I insist that we go to dinner with my parents."
"If you insist on playing that card, I'm going to be using the same one when we go to Spain."
"That sounds fair. So, are we going?"
Sebastian let out a heavy sigh.
"Look, if Papa says anything rude, we can leave, and I will never make you talk to him again," Darrel declared.
"Do you promise?" Sebastian asked, locking eyes with her.
"Promise."
Sebastian grinned, leant in, and planted a kiss on her lips.
"I love you Darrel," Sebastian said softly.
"I love you too," Darrel smiled, resting her head on his shoulder.
Sebastian wrapped his arm around her.
"Are you sure I have to go to my ball?" Darrel asked.
"I think you'll be charged with treason if you're not there," Sebastian replied.
"That's what I thought."

Later that night, Cora and Robert were at the restaurant, waiting for the others.
"Do you promise to be nice to him?" Cora asked for the hundredth time (or at least it felt like the hundredth time).
"I promise to be civil," Robert nodded.
"You're impossible Robert."
Robert did not reply. Darrel and Sebastian approached the table, followed by a handful of guards.
"Hello Mama," Darrel smiled, giving her a hug.
"Hello Darling," Cora nodded, then turned to Sebastian, "good evening Your Highness."
"Please, call me Sebastian," he insisted.
"Of course."
Darrel and Sebastian sat down across from Lord and Lady Grantham. Robert greeted the prince with a polite nod, which he returned. The guards sat at an empty table nearby.
"Are you excited for your ball?" Cora inquired.
"Absolutely not," Darrel replied, "thousands of people paying attention to me? It's not really my scene."
"Can you blame them for paying attention to you?" Sebastian smirked, "You will be by far the prettiest girl in the room."
Darrel grinned.
"Who else came with you to London?" Darrel asked.
"Mary, Henry, Tom, Isobel, Dickie and Granny," Cora informed.
"Is your mother coming?" Sebastian wondered.
"She wasn't invited," Darrel said softly in his ear.
"Oh...my apologies Lady Grantham."
"No worries," Cora assured.
Robert snorted as he took a sip from his drink.
"Well, at some point we should take a trip to New York," Sebastian suggested to his fiancée. "I would love to meet your relatives there."
"That sounds great," Darrel smiled, "we can visit Rose while we're there. It'll give me a chance to see her daughter."
"Good, that's settled then."
"So, Sebastian, will your parents be at the ball?" Robert inquired.
"Yes, they arrived in town today," Sebastian nodded. "I would very much like to introduce you to them tomorrow."
"It seems weird that we've known you for years, yet we've never met your parents," Cora commented.
"They stay at the palace for the most part. It took some convincing for them to come to the ball. But I told them it was important to me...well to us," he added, looking over at Darrel.
"I haven't seen your parents in four years," Darrel informed, "goodness...what will the think of me?"
"Don't worry. They'll love you."
"I hope so."
"You charm everyone you meet with your kindness, your smarts...and your beauty. Do not worry about a thing."
"You're sweet."
The rest of the dinner went well. The conversation was dull for the most part. Yet everyone at the table preferred the superficial talk over any arguments.

"I think that went very well," Cora announced when she and Robert returned to Grantham House.
"It did," Robert agreed.
"Thank you for being civil."
"Well, I realized that they are good together."
"They are, aren't they?"
"I think he'll take good care of our daughter," Robert decided.
"I do too," Cora smiled.

"I told you it wasn't a trap," Darrel smirked as Sebastian dropped her off at Rosamund's.
"Can you blame me for thinking it was?" Sebastian replied.
"I guess not. But thank you for coming."
"You gave me no choice."
Darrel smiled and kissed him.
"I'll see you tomorrow," Sebastian informed, "goodnight Darrel."
"Night Seb," Darrel nodded.
They kissed again, then parted ways for the evening.