On a rewatch of some episodes recently, I couldn't help noticing that Edith is always the first daughter to go up and say hello to Violet when they family gather together. It made me wonder if they had always been close even when Edith was a little girl, and so this little fic came about. Enjoy some nice grandmother and granddaughter fluff!

1895

"Say hello to your Granny, darling."

"Ewwo Gwanny!"

Violet smiled down a the little blonde girl. She had an engaging little face. Not so strikingly pretty as her older grandaughter, it had to be admitted, but there was something softer about Edith.

Are you getting soft in your old age Violet?

"Hello Edith. And what have you being doing with Nanny today?"

"We went for a walk... and I picked some flowers. And Nanny showed me a wobin."

"Lovely dear."

And it was lovely too. While Mary sat over in the corner with her nose buried in a story book, two year old Edith was quite happy to climb up onto the sofa next to Violet and tell her all about the walk she had enjoyed.

Cora was expecting again. There would be a third little Crawley in the family within a few weeks at most. Violet was coming to dinner every night until the newest addition to the family arrived, as she hated to receive news late or second hand.

When Mary and Edith were due, Violet had found the entire thing a bit of a nuisance, longing for the comfort of her own parlour, the quiet solitude of her own home. But this time, she found herself looking forward to her daily visits. Edith was growing up to be an engaging little character, so hungry for affection and love. Mary was obviously Robert's pride and joy, and Cora was obviously distracted and largely absent while she rested, so Violet did find herself in Edith's company more and more.

"Mumma, why is Edith so boring?"

Edith's sunny little face dried up under the stony gaze of her older sister.

"Mary! You mustn't say things like that, don't be so rude in front of your grandmother."

"And anyway..." Violet interjected. "Edith was not being boring at all." She reached over to take the little girl's hand. "Robins are my favourite birds."

Cora and Mary stared at Violet. It was certainly unusual for her to show such blatant affection beyond polite solicitation to her grandchildren.

Violet smiled down at Edith indulgently.

"Perhaps you'd like to come and see the robins in my garden one day next week? I'm sure your Mumma will lend you to me for the afternoon."

Cora's face lit up. She had had her doubts about how on earth she was going to melt the icy heart of her mother-in-law, but it seemed in one afternoon, her youngest child had found a way through.

…

1896

"Hello Granny..."

"Hello my dear..."

Mary was growing up into quite a beauty, but there was something haughty in her which reminded Violet of her own mother-in-law. After a perfunctory kiss upon her cheek, she turned away headed straight for the children's corner of her library.

"Oh good..."

Violet turned to feel a small hand slip into hers, and found Edith's little face staring up at her.

"She's busy," Edith whispered. "Now I can have you all to myself!"

Violet chuckled slightly under her breath. How lovely to have someone feel possessive over her after all this time. She had been concerned that she and her grandchildren might become a burden to each other. At least with this one, things seemed to be going smoothly.

"Granny?"

"Yes dear?"

"Can I show you my pictures?"

"Of course dear..."

Spending ten minutes looking enthusiastically over the enthusiastic and colourful scribbles that had employed Edith's morning was a small price to pay in return for the shining eyes and gap toothed smile turned up towards her.

It was nice to be loved again.

…

1899

"Can we stay up tonight?"

"Oh Darling, it's very late, you really should be going to bed...

"Oh Mumma pleeease!"

"Yes, please, please can we stay up?"

For once Mary and Edith were united in their efforts. Four year old Sybil had already nodded off and been rescued by Nanny, but at the grand old ages of nine and seven, Mary and Edith were staking their claim to see in this important new year.

"Just this once..."

"Please..."

"Please...?"

"What do you think Robert?"

"Well, darlings it really is very late..."

"Oh Robert!"

All heads swiveled to Violet.

"Really, dear it's already after 11 o'clock. I don't see what difference another hour will make. And I remember you asking for the same permission after staying up to dinner on New Year's Eve when you were eight years old..."

Edith's face froze. Was Granny going to say Mary could stay up and not her?

"I think that they are both quite grown up enough to say happy new year and then go to bed in a respectful manner."

Violet smiled, knowing that there would be no argument.

At two minutes to midnight, Edith was gathered up on the sofa next to her.

"Happy New Year, Granny," she whispered excitedly.

"And to you my dear... ah! Thank you Robert!"

Violet accepted the champagne glass.

"Don't I get one Pappa?"

"Maybe when you're older dear..."

"Don't worry..." Violet leaned down in a conspiratorial whisper. "You can have a sip of mine when he's not looking..."

1900 started with Violet sharing her first ever secret with her middle granddaughter, as she sneaked the glass to Edith for her to wet her lips with champagne. Their pact was sealed in a grin and a kiss on the cheek as Edith went off to bed with a bright smile.

…

1904

"I don't see why I can't go..."

"Mumma, don't even think about letting her..."

"But she's my friend too!"

The shouts from the library were echoing through the hall as Carson came to let Violet into the house.

"Good evening Milady."

"Good evening Carson... have I arrived into the middle of something?"

"...it's not fair!" A door slammed, making both Violet and Carson jump. Across the back of the hall, Edith ran out of the library and hurried up the stairs, sobbing audibly.

"Oh dear..."

"Quite Milady."

Carson motioned towards the library, preparing to announce the Dowager Countess, when Violet paused and shook her head slightly.

"No, no... just leave it for the moment Carson. Perhaps I should go and see Lady Edith..."

Carson swallowed his surprise in one silent gulp.

"As you wish, Milady."

Violet set off towards the stairs, following the sound of her granddaughter's sobs.

Violet knocked at the door, opening it cautiously.

"Go Away!"

"Shall I?"

Edith, sprawled across her bed in self indulgent misery, hurridly sat up and turned to face her Grandmother with horror.

"Granny...!"

"It's alright dear. May I come in?"

"Of course..." Edith scrabbled in her pockets for a handkerchief.

"Here... you can use mine."

"Thank you Granny..."

"Now..." Violet gingerly lowered herself into the little armchair at Edith's bedside. "Why don't you tell me what this is all about?"

Misery welled up in Edith's face all over again.

"Oh come come dear. Do try not to cry. Your eyes will be all red, and you have such pretty eyes."

"Not as pretty as Mary's..."

"Don't make comparisons between yourself and others dear, it's terribly middle class. What's all the drama about?"

"Lady Sarah Hatsfield has invited Mary to go and stay."

"Oh? And is that so bad?"

"I thought she was my friend."

"And can't you share your friends?"

"Not when she invites Mary to her parties and not me."

Ah. So that was the route of the issues. Jealousy. Really, Mary ought to have known better than to accept such a contentious invitation. How ill bred of her not to have at least tried to extend the invitation to Edith as well. Although, the two sisters did not get on, and perhaps Mary was longing for respite...

"Oh my dear. I do see why you are upset. But the great secret of our life is not to let people know when they have upset us."

"Why?"

"Because it gives them power. And you can't give these little people power darling, or it goes straight to their heads and the world will be in a terrible muddle."

Edith sat twisting her handkerchief for a while and thought about what Violet said.

"Mary always knows when she has upset me."

"Because you show her. And Mary is a hunter, my dear. She lives for the kill."

"So... I should just pretend that I don't care?"

"If you put it like that, yes. It will be good practice for you my dear. In this life, you will meet lots of people and not all of them will feel the need to be nice to other people. It's good training to practice hiding your feelings now. I mean... just imagine what the ladies who visit Downton would think if your mother stormed out of parties because someone had upset her? Or if I did that?"

Edith giggled despite herself to think of her stately Grandmother doing anything so ludicrous.

"You see? You can't imagine it. And you should not imagine yourself doing such things either. Now, when does she go?"

"On Friday. For three whole days."

"Well, my dear, I wonder if you and I shouldn't do something, just us, a little treat for us."

"Like what?"

"Perhaps we could take a little trip to see Aunt Rosamund? She's staying at her house in London at the moment. We could go on the train, and perhaps we could persuade Uncle Marmaduke to give us lunch somewhere terribly grand. And we could go to the National Gallery to see some of the pictures your governess was talking about..."

Edith's face was shining.

"You really mean it? A trip to London, just for me and you...?"

"I shall have to discuss it with your mother first, but I don't suppose she will raise any objections."

"Oh Granny!"

Edith planted a large, enthusiastic kiss upon Violet's cheek and squeezed her gloved hand very tight.

"Now come come dear... wash that pretty face of yours and dry your eyes, and let us go down before the others wonder what has kept us from Mrs Patmore's delicious dinner..."

Hand in hand, the two allies of differing generations went down to dinner together.