1920s: John gets out of the house and Emily takes control

 

Back in the US, John has aged up to a young adult, and as soon as he possibly could enrolled in university and left home for Britechester. Living in the same dorm as his father once did, he arrives to find it quite different than the stories his father told. Gone are most the fireplaces and time is starting to show, with some cracks in the wall and carpets stained and worn from years of students walking in and out of the rooms. The common areas has been updated, with more durable wooden floors, and a complete refurbishment of the bathroom, but the rooms are worn and more than a bit dated. None of that matters to John, however, who is just happy to be somewhere that is not at home and who immediately throws himself into his studies.

Emily misses her eldest boy terribly, but try to focus on the four children still at home. But something is different. Alone without constantly adapting after Frank's whims, and after her victory over Caroline, she feels stronger, more confident. As her eldest moves out, and all her children are at school all day, she takes her previous charity work to the next level, and joins a charity organisation full time in a paid position. No longer having a mother waiting at home for them, the kids learn to take care of themselves after school, playing with friends or each other while waiting for their mother to come home. She does miss them, but make up for it by helping them with homework and tucking them in at night. For the first time in a very long time, she feels pride in herself, her children and her home. The kids have more friends over, dinners are more relaxing and the air easier to breathe.

But then the day comes, when Frank is set to return home. The trial is done, the hefty fine paid and the time in jail over. Emily is nervous. She cannot go back to how things were. Sitting down, she makes sure she looks her absolute best, and gets the children ready to greet their father. Beatrice runs to hug him, while the boys are more hesitant in their greeting, letting their father kiss their cheek and then looking to their mother for permission to go play. Nodding, Emily calmly greets her husband, bringing him into the house for a very serious conversation. 

It is not easy, and it's not smooth. Frank is not used to being contradicted, but Emily will not be silenced this time. There will be no more affairs, no more alcohol, and no more criminal activity out of her house. Frank tries to argue, but also know when he is out of cards. If he wants to have any chance to get his job back, to get his standing in society back, he needs his very popular wife, and more importantly, her very influential father on his side. There is little to do but agree.

All this drama in his family has made Joseph gray haired. He's worried about his son, about his grand children, and about his daughter-in-law. He gathers his family for his birthday and they celebrate him. Dolly, who is also getting on in years, has made a grand meal and baked a cake, and as always Joseph enjoy having them around. But secretly, Abigail worries about him, wishing their children could cause him less concern. Perhaps now that Frank is back home, and John out of the house, he can begin to worry less. Now if only Anna would return from her foolish explorations and settle down and start a family, then maybe there could be some peace in the family for once.