This was achingly sad, I could feel their longing almost palpably.

Just wanted to say the irish coloquialisms are are a pleasant surprise in this. Well done :)

I love, love, LOVE this. So much. The dialogue here is pitch-perfect: '"Lady Sybil is dancing the seventh with me.'" That's so ballsy and cock-sure, and so BRANSON. Then this part, too: '"He's been lookin' you up and down all evening." Branson scoffs, "The longer his hands are tied up the better if you ask me."' I can picture it so perfectly in my head, I feel like I'm reading a deleted scene from the scripts of the show.
And then the part in the kitchen? Just... so perfect. Branson asking her to forget he ever said all that in York - I can see him taking this tactic at this point in their relationship, just desperately wanting things to not be awkward between them, wanting to maintain some kind of friendship with her.
Then the kissing? OHMYGOD. So beautiful! I can't even say how much I love it. This is one of my very favorite favorite Sybil/Branson fics I've read. I so hope you'll write more along this same vein, and soon. Great, great work! Bravo!

this is great hope u update spoon

This is a really amazing start and the kissing scene was so well-written! Excited for it to continue!

Love this story, how you go from a jealous tom : 'They'll love her dowry, her name and her body, but they won't love her'
to then a wonderful dance with such joy to then a painful moment downstairs. How you almost capture the exact moment Sybil realises she loves Tom and then to experience her first taste of passion to then a angsty end about how it could never be. I particularly loved :
"It can never happen, Tom..."
"But it's happening now..."
Ended wonderfully with how it could never be, very poignant as we know it does happen. I almost wish they'd had a moment like this where they thought they could never be, but let's see what series 3 brings...

First off I LOVE this story. Second you just killed my soul.

This is a wonderful story. I loved the dance, I loved Robert and Granny, loved the kissing scene, and hated when they stopped.