A late addition for Andith-fest. I blame this on wine and a lot of steam punk novels as well as binge watching Humans on AMC...

England -1900

Sir Anthony Strallan found London to be quite dismal since the steam powered gadgetry took over. Carriages pulled by horses made of metal and cogs, balloons filling the sky, a haze of dirt that seemed to permanently fill the air. It was utterly exhausting and not the city he once knew. While Anthony was quite the proponent of technology and modernization, he was often forced to wonder at what cost they were achieving. How long would it be until his country retreat was rendered moot by the spreading pollution?

He would often ponder these notions as the train slowly journeyed from the hustle and bustle of the city into the green pastures and rolling hills of the country side. It was supposed to be a few months of peace and quiet, time to catch up on a bit of reading and see to a mountain of paperwork that had piled up during his time in the city.

Fate would of course keep him from his easy plans.

Curtis was waiting with the carriage when the train pulled into the station. It was a relief to see the horses, real flesh and blood animals, pulling the simple mode of transportation.

"And how has life been, Curtis?" Anthony asked as they moved along at a leisurely pace.

"Quiet, sir. A rather large package arrived for you morning before last."

"From?"

"Lord Grantham."

It was truly a large package. Upon arriving home, Anthony followed Curtis to one of the barns where the large crate had been left. The wood was polished and gleaming, resembling a coffin in it's length and shape. With a nod his man pulled the lid open to reveal what immediately resembled a young woman.

Anthony couldn't hold back the gasp at the sight of the young woman. It took a few more moments to realize that there was something unnatural about the body. Her arms were delicately crossed over her chest, the black dress violently contrasting with her pale features. The soft curls of ginger hair seemed almost too perfectly arranged around her soft features. It was impossible to believe that this creature was of the natural world.

"Sir," Curtis cough, holding out a heavy envelope.

Anthony removed the the content, a letter and a large brass windup key.

Anthony,

I hope you don't find this an imposition, however I heard you were due back and wondered if you would kindly consent to assist me. In the crate is my newest prototype of a steam powered servant, this model has been crafted in the likeness of my middle daughter Edith. Unfortunately she hasn't been as popular as the other two prototypes based on Sybil and Mary, so modifications have been made. If you wouldn't mind living with the old girl for a week or so, just to gauge any changes. Your attention to detail and keen eye would certainly be appreciated and were in fact the main reason I thought of you.

Regards,

Robert

"Bloody perfect," Anthony muttered. The modernizations he was trying to escape would be dwelling within Locksley for the next several days. He couldn't very well say 'no' at this point, not since he laid eyes on the creature. If this was what Robert's Edith looked like it was a great surprise that her model hadn't sold out already. With a sigh Anthony knelt beside the box and checked for an obvious place to insert the key and wind the device to life.

Located just behind her ear was a small octagonal shape. Fitting the key, he gave it a few sharp cranks and waited as the sound of churning gears filled the empty barn.

A moment passed before her eyes fluttered open.

"Hello, Sir Anthony," came a gentle tone he would never expect from an android.

"Hello," he responded purely out of good breeding.

"How may I serve you, Sir Anthony?"

There was something sweet yet mechanical about her tone. Unfortunately his knowledge of machinery only extended as far as farming equipment, so he couldn't quite puzzle out what gave her the ability to speak, to smile.

It was a terribly sweet smile, one that Anthony found could warm his usually unaffected heart. He was a widower, quite alone in the world, save for his sister and her family. But his contact with Emily was rather limited to holidays and the odd rare occasion. More often than not he found himself in solitude. Which generally did not bother him, but as the false brown eyes stared up at him the pang of loneliness struck him hard.

"Uh— I'm not quite sure at the moment."

"I am programed to offer a variety of services. Domestic and housekeeping, cooking, tidying, marital—"

"Marital?"

"Very well, sir," the device sat up and began to reach for the buttons at the front of her dress.

"No no! NO. Not, no," Anthony stammered.

"Yes, sir."

"Perhaps tea?" he finally managed to suggest. Tea would be safe.

"Yes, sir."

He watched in awe as the device managed to force herself from the coffin and began a journey out of the barn.

She could brew the perfect cup of tea.

She could make the perfect roast.

She could organize his library down to the letter.

There was nothing faux-Edith couldn't do.

Marital. The word still rang out through his mind when he looked at the lifelike creature.

Anthony found himself quite unable to resist the creature. She was so realistic, so warm, probably thanks to the steam that powered the gears and cogs beneath the very convincing flesh. The way she looked up at him and offered her inexplicably warm lips to his, it was too much to resist.

Apparently it was far too much for the prototype as well.

There was nothing particularly untoward.

A bit of gentle kissing.

But the cogs began to turn at a faster pace, so much so that Anthony could actually hear them. Steam began to shoot from the poor device's ears.

With a bang she was reduced to spare parts and melted features.

It seemed a long drive up the winding path that led to Downton Abbey. Anthony could feel tension knotted his the pit of his stomach. It was difficult to decide which worried him more; finally meeting the illusive creature that his companion for the past week was modeled after or telling Robert how the device had melted down in the middle of the library.

"Anthony!" a boisterous voice greeted him as soon as the carriage pulled to a halt.

"Robert, good to see you," he shook hands jovially with the man.

"Please, come in. How did you find the prototype?"

"Oh, well, it was quite satisfactory, to a point."

"Which point was that?" Robert asked leading the man to the library.

"I'm afraid she— it— well, I'm still not entirely certain what happened but the old girl burned up in the middle of the library not even a full day ago."

"WHAT?"

"Things had been going quite smoothly, but when it came to some of the more— ahem— well, the less than domestic tasks she went to pieces, quite literally."

"Papa! Who was that coming up the drive?" a familiar voice rang out, though it lacked the tinny mechanics of a device working to provide the tone.

"Ah, Edith. You remember Sir Anthony?"

"Of course, all though it has been some time since we last met," the young redhead smiled as she curtsied politely.

She was real.

Flesh and blood.

"Lady Edith, it has indeed. You're quite grown up now," Anthony managed to choke out as he took in the living, breathing version of his melted companion.

"Sir Anthony was just explaining what faults he found with the Edith-prototype."

There was a flash of hurt across her feature.

"No. Not faults. Just— well, there must have been something mechanical. I'm afraid she— it, well it—"

"Couldn't handle the marital duties," Robert supplied passively as he began to flip through pages of blueprints.

"Oh," Edith's cheeks flushed a lovely shade of red they were unable to duplicate in her doppleganger.

"Perhaps the mechanics of the—" Edith began, joining her father at his work table.

"Already ahead of you," Robert nodded, pointing to a series of complicated drawings. The two fell silent as they contemplated the sheets. Anthony wasn't quite sure what to do with himself. Assuming they were done with him he started back out of the house. "Edith, perhaps you could discuss the actions that caused such problems with Sir— where did he go?"

"Sir Anthony!" her voice followed him out of the house.

"Yes?"

"Have you ever been in a horseless carriage?" she questioned, her very real brown eyes glowing with excitement.

"I can't say that I have. At least not one that was capable of going anywhere."

"Come with me!"

She took his hand in hers, leading him to one of the nearby carriage houses.

"Father doesn't have a name for it yet, but he has let me take it out for a drive now and again. I've gotten permission if you would like to go?"

"Oh— yes, I— that would be— lovely," he stammered looking down at the lively redhead.

"Perhaps then you could tell me how life was with Edith-prototype."

"I'm far too much of a gentleman."

"Well now you must absolutely tell me! Perhaps with a bit more coaxing?"

The prototype couldn't hold a candle to the real Edith, Anthony mused as they peeled out of the dirt driveway, moving quite quickly given the lack of horse.

"Are you having fun, Sir Anthony? Even though I'm not a perfect replica?"

"More than I knew possible, Lady Edith. So much more."