Author Note: This is a first draft and it yet to go through the editing process- Please comment, vote and share, thanks!

"Murder, abduction, suicide, betrayal and death"

Doctor Charlton words were still ringing in George's ears they felt like a precipice he was standing on the edge of something that he could never understand.

What was his daughter? What was Lavinia? He rolled over in bed and looked at his wife she was still sleeping her chest rising and falling hypnotically. Anna had always been so over protective of Lavinia like if she could protect her from the world she could protect her from herself, but it wasn't to be. George looked again at his wife and his head just collapsed in his hands.

"Oh God," he said desperately. George rubbed his face trying to bring himself back to life and away from what was going inside his head they were such terrible things he was thinking.

"Murder, abduction, suicide, betrayal and death"

Doctor Charlton's words rang through him again.

"Stop it," said George to no one, maybe to the Doctor Charlton who mocked him in his mind.

When his hands left his eyes Anna was sitting up in bed looking at him.

She placed her small hand on his shoulder.

"What is it my love?" She said.

George sighed.

"Lavinia" he whispered attempting to sit up and face Anna.

"Yes, always Lavinia" she replied.

The house phone was ringing.

"I'll get it" Lavinia called from downstairs.

George and Anna gave each other a knowing look.

"George, pick up the receiver George," said Anna slapping him on the arm slightly too hard.

"I'll do no such thing," said George who was about to wriggle out of bed when Anna reached across him and for the phone.

"I said no," said George

Anna smirked.

"And when have ever listened to you darling, now hand me the phone George".

Anna placed her hand in front of George, he handed her the phone as manly as he could.

Lavinia was laughing, it was Andy and Sam.

"It's Sam and Andy whispered Anna relieved.

George rolled his eyes at his wife his pride still slightly wounded.

"Soo?" Said Andy

"So the very reason for this call, when you coming to visit?" Said Sam.

"I thought we agreed on two weeks?" Said Lavinia.

"We'll hold you to that twisted, sister." Said Sam with a laugh.

"Yeah, yeah, yeah, I know, so you going to fill me in or what?"

Andy puffed down the phone.

"You know me Lav, I have no taste in boys."

Lavinia clicked her tongue.

"As long as you're okay." She said with a furrowed brow.

"She's fine, now bugger off, go do your therapy bullshit or whatever" laughed Sam.

Lavinia let out a small laugh.

"Whatever," she shouted making Sam's earring.

"See you soon then"

"See you soon Lav."

Lavinia put the phone, so did Anna.

Anna tutted internally at the therapy bullshit remark but made no remark to George who was still clearly sulking.

"Pancakes darling?"

His eyebrows rose and all was forgiven.

Lavinia walked upstairs and to her bedroom, it was Sunday and still early, her parents weren't even up yet and she never saw Charlie on Sundays but lately her Dolly life had been pouring out of her more and more fluidly like an uncontrollable force and with that in mind Lavinia sat and her desk and began to write.

Dear Charlie,

I was wrong.

The last time I had seen Will I was so certain there wasn't going to be a war I was wrong of course, not long after my wedding war was declared on Germany; and after that things started to snowball.

My brother and his wife were coming to the Manor to talk about something with Papa, we didn't know what and my father was convinced he had joined up or was going too.

My mother my sisters and I were a bit more resistant to the idea " of course he hasn't Papa" said Sarah it was on occasions like this, times when family unity and discussions were needed when all our family were together gathered in the dining hall to talk of whatever the family topic of the day.

Not that our family discussions, debates were ever particularly democratic just look at me I'm a prime example of the Marxby Family democracy (there was none, what Papa said went). But needless to say since the announcement of the war and with more and more men volunteering the country was closer than ever and so was the family we were all back at the Manor under father's orders, only this time we had our spouses in toe.

My sister Sarah and her boring and rather large husband Neville (who Fay lovingly referred to as Fat Neville) were the last to move in, and Jimmy and his wife were arriving this morning. On one hand it was good to be under one roof with my siblings on the other hand the Manor was tense, I hate using words like energy but it's true I could feel it, my father's anxiousness and the bickering between our husbands, politics, politics, politics everyone had an opinion- which was there right. Neither Niall nor Neville had volunteered which was a subject of some contention my father thought it was their duty to fight.

"You should want to fight for you country, for you King!" Papa's hand would slam down on the dining room table and I just knew it stung. Dinners always ended the same my father smacking his hand down on the table and leaving the room Mama rushing after him sometimes...often we would hear raised voices coming from their rooms or whispers coming from the drawing room. Papa was well connected, we knew he knew more than he was letting on not that he would tell us girls, he wouldn't even tell our husbands but he would talk to his son and Jimmy was coming to Marxby Manor he was coming home.

~

"Lord Jimmy!" Cried one of our kitchens maids who should not have been upstairs when Jimmy arrived but Gracie, that was her name she always was sweet on him so we let it slide now and again and even let her answer the door.

"Oh M'Lord don't you look fine in your uniform" Gracie beamed.

"Right down stairs Gracie," said Mr Jakers our Butler.

Gracie beamed back at Lord Jimmy and scuttled off down stairs.

I could hear my brother's voice and ran through the manor to him my three sister running behind me.

"Jimmy!" I cried my arms stretching out to reach him.

"Oh my God look at you, this is why you're here at the Manor talking to Papa" he was in uniform.

I was in my brothers arms, his big arms were engulfing my small body and in that moment I released just how much I had missed him. His face, his laugh, my best friend the only person in the world who I could talk to about anything and he wouldn't judge me. "I've missed you" I whispered into is uniform covered chest, Jimmy let out a breath or a sigh I don't know which I just felt his army green chest fall "Me too Doll, me too".

Fay, Sarah and Percy scrambled for Jimmy's attention to and I moved out the way so they could each get their own turn for an embrace which eventually ended in Jimmy picking Fay up and twirling her in his arms. After our elation faded we realised Jimmy's wife Poppy was standing just behind him, she was blonde, not blonde like Sarah who was sunny and bright, Poppy's hair was almost white, like she'd had some kind of terrible shock. Every time I saw her, and that wasn't often her bright white mane seemed more shocking.

"Oh goody" snarled Poppy.

"The sisters" she almost said it just to herself.

Jimmy put down Fay the happiness leaving his eyes.

"Do you know when we're not visiting this ghastly place I can pretend you rabble don't exist."

My mother glided towards Poppy and took her hands they both smiled at each other those fake smiles that come from somewhere inward, reserved from a place of loathing and negotiation with one's soul. The ultimate argument with your own conscience, to snap and wipe the floor with the person you loath or to smile and play nice my mother was having this very argument with her own soul. She hated Poppy, she wasn't, in her eyes good enough for Jimmy and she was snide to her daughters but she was Jimmy's wife and Poppy's father was financially involved with Papa although I don't remember how, money was always deemed a vulgar discussion.

Needless to say Mama took Poppy's hands and beamed at her "run along now girls I think Lady Poppy needs a rest" Sarah took particular offense to this remark she was older than Poppy and didn't intend to run along anywhere .

"Run along," said Sarah

"I'll give her run along,"

Sarah was scowling as they walked upstairs to get changed for dinner.

Fay laughed at her eldest sister.

Percy turned on the stairs and they all stopped.

"Shut up Sarah, we don't have time for you whining, have you seen Jimmy, he's joined up,"

"Neville says it will be over by Christmas," said Sarah.

Fay laughed and ran to the top of the stairs.

Percy, Sarah and I followed.

"How is Fat Neville?" laughed Fay.

"Aren't you a riot," said Sarah.

"What do you think Doll?" Said Sarah.

"I think..." I stood at the top of the stairs still able to catch the sight of my brother in his uniform.

"I think, that for the first time in my life I hope Neville's right, it will all be over by Christmas."

The sisters and I went to our rooms where we met with our husbands all except little Fay of course and the unmarried Percy and after a brief period, they began to get ready for dinner. Lord Neville, Lady Sarah's husband famously hated coming to the Manor, he wasn't much for socialising but he did rather like the food so Sarah could always persuade him to make infrequent visits.

With the beginning of the war, Lord Marxby had insisted that they all stick together and live at Marxby Manor, Lady Poppy also liked to stay away but that was because she disliked the sisters, Jimmy had a particularly close relationship with   Fay and I and she avoided us wherever possible. Poppy feared this war was going to push them together even if it was only ever so slightly. 

Jimmy announced to his father that in two days' time he was leaving for France.

Lord Marxby hugged his son and patted him on the back announcing to the room how proud he was.

"Well done my son" he repeated over and over.

"Well done".

It was then announced that night that Neville, fat lazy Neville was going for his army medical and everyone at the table cheered.

"Just one to go" smiled Lord Marxby looking directly at Lord Niall.

Niall said nothing and just smiled.

I knew he had no intention of volunteering, she also knew he could feel the pressure for those around him to join up.

The meal wound down and everyone seemed happy, Jimmy was happy to be with is sisters, Fay was chatting to him telling him something as many words as she possibly could about school she even whispered him a funny joke about fat Neville which he told her not to repeat. Even Mama and Poppy were being somewhat civil, but I felt a wave of something, a wave of... I didn't know what wash over me. As the family progressed into the drawing room and then slowly to bed Jimmy caught her on the arm.

"I need to tell you something."

I just looked at him.

"Will, he's joined up as well... Doll, he's a doctor, the army it needs doctors, look I'm rambling, he asked me to tell you. When I leave, when I get the train in two days Will will be on it too, different regiments mind but same destinations it's all just France in the end"

"Doll?" Jimmy said again.

But I didn't hear him I was running away from my brother up the stairs and at first to my room but then I realised I couldn't go there, Niall would be there. So I ran to Fay's room, I laid on my sister's bed face first and cried into her pillow.

Little Fay said nothing and just stroked my hair until I fell asleep.

 Thanks for all the support by continuing to read The Girl Who Fell Out of The Ocean, please comment vote and share it's always much appreciated!  Thankyou,

 Chloe xx