Lovely moments between mother and daughter. Those words are the most memorable of all 6 series - four words which signify so much. You used them perfectly.

What a nice snapshot :)

This was a stunner of a one shot. Loved it very much. Cora's line in that episode was always very touching and I love that you have explored it here.

This is so beautifully written! Really lovely- it's full of emotion and poignancy. I loved the reminiscence from both Cora and Sybil about their past life and the deep love they have for each other. This story is just amazing.

This is such a wonderful moment between Cora and Sybil. It's bittersweet reading this knowing what happens after. Well done

yay new story!

first, the title... that line was perfect, summed up all that Cora lost (and the rest of us, tbh). i like to think it is a pet phrase she used for her daughter as you suggest at the end, that it was a clue that they had a special kind of relationship. and it puts what is going to happen (are we beyond spoilers at this point?) in our minds so that we have a certain mindset as we read the rest... IOW, it gets the sniffs going.

- like how you set the tone outside this scene, particularly robert's anger at tom (as he should have been... seriously, tom! what the..?)
- great characterization of Cora and how pragmatic she can be.
- Sybil's reason for going to the attic is a keen observation and if anyone in that family was going to make it, it was Sybil. She seemed to know how to embrace change and still cherish what had been. And who else could she share this moment with except Cora? Her sisters, her father and even her grandmother would have had some clever sounding response. it was certainly a moment that needed to be appreciated and Cora does.
- their bond: how similar they are (according to this story and yet it seems so very likely, the characters are capture so well here). All those political figures that Cora danced with... ok, dancing doesn't make one political. but both Sybil and Cora understood the "inclinations" of these people which indicates that they followed issues... we see where Sybil gets her political mind from. Also, both women admit that being appreciated for their mind as well as their beauty was important to them, that it was something that drew them to their husbands in the beginning (which is fun because Tom and Robert are NOT alike at all).

i'm sure i'm missing something... the imagination games they played (and how narrow they were in Sybil's memory now that she was grown and wanting so much more than convention)... the lack of edith (haha)... but i thoroughly enjoyed this story and am excited that you're posting now.

kudos. another stellar story with spot on characterization and dialogue.

I can totally see this scene happening. You've written both of them so in character. Amazing job!

Lovely story. You've written Cora and Sybil very much in character. I especially like how they talked about Cora's past and some of its not-so-important-anymore rituals and values, but appreciating their importance back then

It's always welcome to have a new story from you, Edward. This one is full of poignancy and dramatic irony, knowing as we do, that the women's optimism and happy expectations are going to be dashed so soon.
You've shown us a warm, loving mother-daughter relationship, with characteristic elements of each' character. Cora's self knowledge and Sybil's egalitarianism are obvious. Also a sunniness both display. And you have had fun with some of your 19th century English political figures from Cora's dance card.
Sybil's awareness that she is on the cusp ofa big rite of passage, as she puts it, from being a child, and carefree , to having one and taking responsibility is doubly ironic. We know. But it will be a different one for her as well - from life to death.

This is so beautiful - and so poignant in that she's dead in a month. You are a very fine writer!

Just lovely. You did a wonderful job it writing both characters. I'll admit the line towards the end about motherhood "and I hope it will be as wondrous for you" brought tears to my eyes.
There's few, if any, stories of Cora and any of her daughters. There is a lovely one with Tom that talks about Sybil.

this was really beautiful!

This was so, so lovely! You captured both Cora and Sybil so well that i could perfectly see this scene happening. You should write more of them! It's a relationship not explored very much in fanfiction

Lovely story. You've written both Cora and Sybil very much in character. I especially liked how they both looked at Cora's past through a more modern lens, both finding some things démodé, but appreciating them all the same.

Beautiful story! Congratulations, I really appreciate it