A/N: This is something that I think is very different from my other stories. Hope you like it. Originally I was just going to do one chapter Sybil and one chapter Sybbie but this chapter was becoming longer than I had anticipated so there will be two chapters Sybil.

He had spent hours tossing and turning in bed until Cora had finally asked him to leave. Now sitting in the library he hoped his nerves would be calmed by the whiskey he was sipping.

He couldn't believe it. How could she want to marry the chauffeur? How could she want to move to Ireland with him? He knew he should have fired him way back when he took Sybil to that election rally where she was hurt.

How did this romance, he winced as he thought of that, begin? Why hadn't he seen it before now?

His eyes suddenly fell upon a photograph sitting on his desk. Picking up the gold framed photograph he found himself staring at a ten year old Sybil. This had always been one of his favorite photographs of her. Unlike most of the photographs that graced the library, indeed most of the house, this one was a candid shot where she had turned at the last moment and looked into the camera. Her beautiful smile lit up her face as she was quietly laughing at something not caught in the camera's eye.

He stared at the photograph and remembered the first time he had seen her.

He thought it would be over by now but as soon as he entered the grand hall Carson let him know that the child wasn't here yet. Robert felt a moment of panic. Why was it taking so long? When her labor started in earnest, Robert had taken his leave. He had spent several hours riding around the estate thinking that when he returned he would see his newest child.

"I'll be in the library" Robert nodded to Carson.

Surprising to Robert, Violet was in the library. "Mama what are you doing here?"

"I wanted to be here when the child is born" she replied tartly. "I hate to get news second hand."

"Or are you too worried as to whether it will be a boy this time?" Robert replied.

"Well, you do need a son Robert. Hopefully this one will finally be a boy."

"Mama." Robert snapped. "I just want it to be healthy and for Cora to be fine."

Robert sat at his desk and looked at the photograph of Cora with Mary and Edith. He smiled thinking of his girls. Or course he had wanted a son with each of their births but as soon as he looked at them all such thoughts evaporated. It had surprised both Robert and Cora how quickly she became pregnant again after giving birth to Mary so both thought a son would soon come. But Edith was now five years old.

Robert was so engrossed in his thoughts that he didn't hear the nurse enter the room.

"Sir, the child is born. Both mother and child are fine."

Robert stood up quickly but the nurse halted him. "They'll be ready to see you in about fifteen minutes." With that she turned and headed back up the stairs.

When Robert entered Cora's room he stopped at the sight of his beautiful Cora lying in her bed holding the small bundle wrapped in a blanket. It was at times like this when he was once again blown away by Cora's beauty and he wondered how he could have ever doubted his love for her.

Sensing he was there, Cora looked up at Robert with her wide blue eyes and heavenly smile. "Come meet your new daughter"

"Daughter?" Robert hestitantly replied. "Daughter?"

Cora's smile vanished. "I'm sorry Robert. It's not the son you wanted."

Robert rushed to her side. "Oh my dear. I'm just glad you and the baby are fine."

He sat on the edge of her bed. "May I see her?"

"Of course" Cora replied.

Robert looked down at the tiny bundle in Cora's arms. She had her mother's dark hair but her eyes were closed. "She's … she's beautiful."

"Here … hold her." Cora lifted the baby to Robert.

He smiled down at her "Oh my little one" he cooed and the child opened her eyes revealing bright blue eyes. Grasping her tiny hand Robert knew this one had immediately stolen his heart.

Maybe it was because he was older or because he already was a father, but Robert was much more relaxed and involved with his third child. While he might have thought it unseemly to be seen holding Mary or Edith when they were babies, he had no such qualms with Sybil. He did love his older daughters but Sybil had captured his heart in a way neither Mary nor Edith did.

Sybil was so different from her sisters, not only in looks but in personality. While both Mary and Edith had been pale and skinny, Sybil was chubby and pink cheeked. It was often hard to read Mary's and Edith's eyes, but Sybil's eyes were like a window into her mind. You knew when she was happy or sad just by the brightness of her eyes.

In so many ways, Sybil was like the son Robert never had. She was the one that followed him around the estate. Lady-like activities never held her interest for very long. Unlike her sisters, Sybil had never been contented playing with dolls or tea parties. Sybil was much more interested in playing outside. It seemed that as soon as she could walk, Sybil was more interested in running.

Again, as he looked at her photograph, Robert smiled as he remembered a time when Sybil had been two or three years old.

He was sitting at his desk in the library when he heard what sounded like yelling coming from the great hall. He wasn't able to make out what was being said, but just hearing the yelling was so unusual for this house where voices were never raised.

Curiosity getting the better of him Robert walked into the great hall. There he saw a sight he could never have imagined. Sybil, dressed only in her undergarments, was running as fast as her chubby little legs would take her down the stairs with her nanny running after her. Obviously, Sybil had gotten quite a head start because the nanny was at the top of the stairs while Sybil had reached the bottom step.

Spying her father Sybil broke out in a big grin. "Papa, Papa" she cried out.

"Sybil. Stop right now." Robert had barked at her maybe a little too loudly.

But Sybil wasn't deterred. She just laughed and ran across the hall away from her father.

As luck would have it, the front doors were open since Cora had just arrived and was getting out of the motor car. Carson was waiting at the open doors for her as he always did when someone arrived at the house.

Sybil only paused briefly as she looked around the great hall and noticed the open doors. With pure delight on her face, she made for the open doors.

With his focus on Cora, Carson's back was turned to the house so he didn't see Sybil coming nor was he prepared for Sybil to go running past him followed closely by Robert's retriever, Apollo, who had decided to join in the fun.

By this time the Nanny had finally made it down the stairs and, with Robert following closely behind her, both were in pursuit of the wayward child.

Outside the house, Carson was now taking hold of several packages of things Cora had bought in Ripon. With his hands full, he couldn't stop Sybil as she darted past him.

Cora, standing by the motor car, wasn't prepared for the sight of her youngest daughter, barely dressed in her undergarments, running out of the house. She stood shock still taking in the sight.

Undeterred by the calls from both the nanny and her father to stop, Sybil realized she now had a huge field in front of her to run in.

It had actually taken Sybil tripping over Apollo, who in his enthusiasm thought he was playing a game with the happy child, and falling down that finally enabled Nanny and Robert to catch her.

Although he was angry at Sybil for such a display of unbecoming behavior, Robert had to secretly smile when he looked at her and saw the unbridled joy on her face and heard her laughter.

Yes, thought Robert now, even these many years later, he could vividly recall that Sybil's face had held such a look of happiness.

Happiness. That's what every father wants for his children. How could Sybil think she'd find happiness in Ireland with the chauffeur. What kind of life awaited her there in that country on the brink of war. How could he allow his daughter to leave for such a place or such a life.

Placing the photograph back on his desk, Robert sighed as he realized he really couldn't stop her.

If he was honest with himself, he would have to admit Sybil had been breaking the rules of this life for a long time. It didn't start with her becoming a nurse. It didn't even start with that ridiculous pants outfit she seemed to love so much and he was convinced she wore just to rile him and his mother.

"Papa" seven year old Sybil addressed him in all seriousness. "I need a pair of trousers."

Of all the things that could have come out of her mouth, that would never have entered his mind.

"You need a pair of trousers?" he had responded incredulously.

"Yes Papa. It's too hard to climb trees in my dresses. I think I could do it better if I had on trousers."

"Well you shouldn't be climbing trees so I don't see the need for trousers."

"But Papa, climbing trees is so much fun." Sybil was never one to give up on something once she put her mind to it. Among the many words one could use to describe her stubborn would have to be listed.

A few days later, he was walking back from the village when something light brushed the top of his head. He didn't think too much of it until something again brushed the top of his head. Stopping, he looked around him as his hand reached up to touch the top of his head.

Then hearing giggles, he looked up and there sat Sybil high up in the tree. His first thought was however did she get there.

"Sybil get out of that tree" he barked, clearly not amused.

"But Papa" she began.

"I said right now Sybil."

Knowing he wasn't joking, Sybil reluctantly started down the tree. But as so many know, it is often so much easier climbing up the tree than climbing down. She had finally made it to the next to the lowest branch when her dress got caught causing her to fall the remaining eight feet.

Landing flat on her back with her left arm at an odd angle, Sybil lay still causing Robert to panic.

"Sybil" he cried as he knelt down by her still body. "Oh no! Sybil my dear!" he cried as he scooped her up in his arms taking care not to touch the oddly dangling left arm.

He knew he had to get her medical help. They were much closer to the village than the house, so Robert, carrying his precious bundle, ran to the village hospital, crying her name all the way there.

Robert could still remember the panic he had felt when he had looked at Sybil's body lying so still on the ground. He had been so scared that she was seriously hurt or even … he shuttered at the thought all these years later.

Stubborn. Oh yes she was stubborn. He knew once she set her mind on something she would do it. And she had set her mind on marrying the chauffeur.

Although she had a slight concussion and a broken arm, Sybil was unrepentant.

Cora was holding her hand when Sybil finally woke up.

"Oh my baby. You'll be fine." Cora, her eyes filled with tears, softly spoke to Sybil.

"It's Papa's fault" Sybil had replied.

Cora looked puzzled. "Papa's fault?"

"My fault" Robert had sputtered at the same time.

"Well Papa, if I had trousers on I wouldn't have fallen" she remarked to him with all sincerity in her voice.