This is just a little something. Thanks to Gemenied for the editing!
The third Richard
"Isobel Crawley! There you are!" The called woman stopped in her tracks and turned around in surprise. She had been married for a little longer than three months and it still was odd that people called her "Lady Merton", yet being called by her former name seemed just as odd.
The next odd thing was the man who was slowly approaching her. At first she didn't believe her eyes, but with every step he came closer her disbelief melted and turned into utter amazement.
The man's as handsome as always, she thought. He had aged well and all those silvery strands in his dark hair and the fine lines around his friendly eyes had only added to his looks.
"Richard Carver," she smiled brightly at him, once he had reached her. "Golly! I certainly didn't expect to see you around here!"
He laughed loudly, "And I never expected to look for you in a hospital that's as far away from the civilized world as this place!"
"What are you doing here?"
"As I said, I'm looking for you!"
"You came all the way from Manchester to find me?" she couldn't believe it, though she knew he was the kind of man who would just do such a thing.
"Let's say, I took my chances," he said and looked admiringly at her. "How are you? You look marvellous as always."
"I'm fine," she said. "Just fine."
"How long has it been?" he mused. "Twelve years?"
"Almost fourteen," she answered after a short moment. "It's actually longer than I thought. Time flies!"
Suddenly his facial expression turned sad. "I was sorry to hear about Matthew," he said. "He was too young."
Isobel swallowed and said quietly, "He was indeed."
"I wanted to write, but I didn't know how to find the right words," Carver said. "But I never stopped thinking about you."
Isobel felt how she blushed and lowered her eye lashes. "It's all right."
"Isobel, there you are!"
Her head jerked around and she saw Dickie and Doctor Clarkson strolling along the hallway. The two of them were the last thing she needed right now, but she put on a brave face and smiled.
"We were looking for you," Doctor Clarkson informed her a bit curtly. "Did you forget about us?"
"It was my fault," Carver explained. "I'm an old friend of Mrs Crawley's."
For a moment Isobel didn't know what to explain first – who her visitor was or that she wasn't Mrs Crawley, but when she felt Dickie's questioning gaze upon her, she stepped next to him and took his arm.
"Doctor Richard Carver, may I introduce you to my husband, Lord Merton, and to Doctor Clarkson? He's the head physician."
If Carver was surprised, he hid it well. He nodded at Dickie and Clarkson. "I had no idea you got remarried," he said when he turned towards Isobel again. "What a surprise!"
"It's only been four months," she informed him and avoided Carver's piercing eyes.
"What brings you here?" Clarkson asked curiously.
"I was on my way to York and thought I could call on her. Many moons ago I've worked alongside the late Doctor Crawley in Manchester."
"How interesting!" Dickie said joyfully. "Why don't you join us for dinner tonight? I'm sure the two of you have a lot to catch up on!"
Isobel's jaw dropped. "But Dickie, we don't know if..." But Carver was quicker. "I'd love to," he said. "Thank you."
"We live in Crawley House. It's right down the street, across the church!" Dickie informed him. "How about eight o'clock?"
"I'll be there!" Carver nodded. "And now excuse me, please, but I have to run some errands."
"Of course."
Carver bid the small group goodbye and left. Isobel followed him with her eyes, wondering if she really wanted him to have dinner at her house….
Just as Carver had reached the entrance, Violet Crawley, every inch the Dowager Countess entered the hospital. She noticed the alien figure with curious interest, but, of course, passed him without a word.
"Do we know him?" she asked Isobel once she had reached the small assembly.
"That was Doctor Richard Carver from Manchester," Doctor Clarkson explained with a hint of subtle sourness in his voice. "Apparently he's an old friend of Lady Merton's."
Violet looked from Isobel to Merton and from Merton to Clarkson and back to Isobel. "Another Richard? Haven't you lost count yet?"
While getting dressed Isobel watched the clock on the mantelpiece of her bedroom from the corner of her eye. It was seven now. One hour left before Richard Carver would arrive and she was already getting very nervous. She had no idea why Dickie had invited him in the first place. She had this subtle, yet lingering feeling he had spotted from the moment he had seen her and Doctor Carver together that they had once been more than friends. Did it disturb him? She honestly couldn't tell.
She had never pictured Dickie as someone who was overly jealous. In fact, he was always friendly to everyone – even to Doctor Clarkson, who had at times been openly hostile towards Dickie in the past.
Right now she didn't quite know what to make of the whole situation, and, as always when she felt out of her element, she was flustered. Her hands were shaking and didn't allow her fingers to open the lock of her thin silver necklace. She sighed and drew a deep breath. Perhaps she should just pick another piece of jewellery instead of trying to calm down.
The bedroom opened and Dickie came in, looking dashingly handsome as always in a dinner jacket.
"Are you ready?" he asked her reflection.
"Almost," she answered. "I think the lock of my necklace is broken..."
"Let me try," he offered. He stepped behind her to close the necklace and she prayed he wouldn't notice her trembling hands.
"There you are," he said once he was done. He squeezed her tense shoulders and kissed her temple. "You look beautiful tonight. Is that a new dress?"
Isobel looked down herself and shook her head. It was a dark blue dress, made of velvet. "No, I just don't wear it often, because it's a bit heavy. Do you like it?"
"It suits you very well, but I'm biased. In my eyes you're always the most beautiful woman in the room."
Isobel felt how the blood rose in her cheeks. "Flatterer!"
"I mean it," he said and she turned around to come face to face with him.
"Then kiss me," she ordered gently.
With a tender smile he closed his arms around her. "Your wish is my command," he said and did as he was told.
Dinner was a smooth and easier affair than in spite of Isobel's worries. Dickie was the perfect host who enjoyed the stories Carver had to tell about his former work in Manchester and the plans for his future position in the Royal Yorkshire Hospital as deputy of the current head physician.
"I've heard there was some real upheaval about the merger with the Hospital here in Downton," Carver said. "It caused a lot of bewilderment and amusement."
Isobel and Dickie exchanged a knowing look. "Let's say, the opinions about its value differed," Dickie said vaguely.
"That's a more diplomatic version than the one that has reached my ears," Carver laughed. "I guess the outcome is what matters."
"Indeed," Isobel agreed. "The merger was a real success!"
The maid announced herself with a knock at the door and came in. "Excuse me, Mylord," she said to Dickie. "But there's a telephone call for you. It's Mr Grey."
Dickie groaned and apologized. "Excuse me, please. That's my son. I'll be right back."
"Let's move into the drawing room," Isobel said to Carver and nodded at her maid. "We'll have our coffee in there."
"Yes, Mylady."
Isobel led Carver into the drawing room where they were welcomed by the pleasant warmth of a fire.
"Mylady…" Carver showed his amusement about her new title, once the door was closed. "I think I'll have to get used to that!"
"Let's say it was a worthy sacrifice," she said.
Carver smiled, "You really love him, don't you? I've never seen you this happy in the last 25 years... not since Reginald died."
"Yes, I do love him."
"No regrets?"
She only hesitated for a second, before she answered his question, "It took me too long to admit to it, but, no, I don't have any regrets."
He sighed. "I wished I had known that before. I don't know why I assumed you would sit around in this backwater town and wait for someone to rescue you. I guess it can be called hubris on my part."
"I see... so your visit is more than a social call? Who would have thought!?" She had known it from the moment she had met him in the hospital hallway. Richard Carver did nothing without a further motive.
He laughed, "You really haven't changed. As a matter of fact, it is both," he admitted. "I came here to offer you a position at the Royal Yorkshire Hospital. I plan to reorganize the training of the nurses and I want someone to supervise it. Someone I can trust, someone who knows how I like things to be done."
"And you want to ask me?" Isobel was stunned. "We haven't worked together in more than 15 years."
"Yes, I know, but I really need someone in this position I can trust... and I thought..." He broke off. "It doesn't really matter anymore. I came too late... Four months late."
He fell silent as the maid came in to serve the coffee. It gave Isobel time to think about how to deal with this confession.
"I'm flattered you thought of me," she said, when they were alone again.
"And you are married," he said, as she handed him a cup.
"That too," she concurred.
Carver sighed, "Even if it was a possibility... I doubt I could handle seeing you every day knowing you go home to someone else at night. You see... sometimes it doesn't really matter how much time has passed. I can't seem to get over certain things."
"I'm sorry."
Carver shook his head, "There's nothing to be sorry for," he said. "It's called life and it goes on."
Isobel opened her mouth, but the words stuck in her throat. Again she was saved by the opening door. Dickie came in and apologized, "This took longer than I thought."
"Never mind," Carver said. "We were just talking about old times."
"And so you should!" Dickie said with a smile that didn't quite reach his eyes. Isobel noticed when she gave him his coffee and suddenly she didn't have to ask herself, whether Dickie was jealous. She knew he was.
~~tbc~~
*Reviews are always appreciated*