Chapter One
The morning after the servants ball, Lady Mary Josephine Crawley awoke feeling light as a feather. She lay in her bed for a moment, half wishing she were still in her dream. How wonderful it would be if that could really happen.
If Matthew proposed to her while she was conscious then she had no doubt that the end would be the same. She would undoubtedly say yes. But it was with a sinking feeling that she called for Anna and dressed as she knew that they were both bound to be unhappy by the memory of one Miss Lavinia Catherine were both bound to be kept apart by the guilt they both felt at causing the girl too believe that her betrothed was in love with another, expectantly given Matthew and Mary's past. Then Sir Richard Carlisle popped into her head and she groaned. Soon she would have to leave for America, where she would spend many of her days hiding in shame from the newspapers.
Mary floated down the stairs in such a glum mood that, when she saw her mother and father, laughing, she walked over. They were facing her and, facing them, was Matthew.
"May I hear the joke? I'm afraid I may need a little laughter this morning," She said, and he turned too look at her with a smile on his face.
"My darling," Her mother exclaimed, taking Mary into her arms tightly.
"G-good morning, mama" Mary said, surprised by her mothers enthusiasm. Her father laid a hand on her back and, when she looked at him, she saw that there were tears in his eyes. Her own eyes sought Matthew, who was smiling that little smile still.
"I've just told them of our engagement" He said, and her breath caught in her throat as her heart jumped. It hadn't been a dream after all, she was engaged too the wonderful, pure, amazing, handsome Matthew Crawley. She didn't have to worry about Sir Richard because Matthew didn't care, and if Matthew didn't care then neither did Mary, because he was the most important thing too her.
"Yes," Mary said to her parents, "Matthew proposed last night and, well, I could hardly say no" She smiled and Matthew laughed slightly at her joke.
"I do hope you'll be married quickly," Cora said, releasing her daughter and looking, smilingly, between Mary and Matthew.
"Well, there's no hurry," Mary said, "I'm not likely to change my mind and I made sure Matthew wasn't before he asked me"
Matthew was still smiling and as Robert looked between the young couple, he felt the load on his heart lighten. Mary was happy, to be married to the man who would inherit her father's estate. She would be happy and taken care of. Edith...well, Edith was Edith. And Sybil was now pregnant with the chauffeurs child. Perhaps it wasn't all that bad. He and Cora would have to work to find Edith a husband because, regardless of what he had heard people say, he and his wife didn't want their middle daughter condemned to looking after them in their elderly days.
"I have a few letters to write so I'll be on my way," He said, smiling at his girls and shaking hands with Matthew.
"Mary," Cora said, "I have to go into town with your sister to have a dress made but we're expecting your Aunt at lunch, will you be here to greet her?"
"Aunt Rosamund?" Mary asked, turning as her parents made their way to the door.
"No, Aunt Margaret" Cora answered with a smile, and they left the room.
"Aunt Margaret?" Matthew asked, hid eyebrows furrowing.
"Yes, Aunt Maggie," Mary turned to him, "She's my mother's younger sister, her much younger sister," Mary rang the bell, calling for Carson, "It was quite the scandal when my grandmother got pregnant twenty years after her first daughter, though I suppose it was the same circumstances as when my mother was pregnant"
"Ah, yes," Matthew nodded thoughtfully, "The fateful possible heir," He gave her a raised-eyebrow look and she had the sense to look sheepish.
"You know how sorry I still am about that," Mary pointed out, "But, well, if those things hadn't happened, I might not love you as much as I do now"
"They do say absence makes the heart grow stronger, and I suppose fiancé's do, too"
At that moment, Carson entered the room.
"You rang m'lady?" He asked.
"Yes, Carson" She smiled and turned too Matthew. "Will your mother come for tea?"
"Well, I dare say I could persuade her," He nodded.
"Very well, Carson, please tell Mrs Patmore that we will have three guests tonight," Mary said with a smile.
"Very good, m'lady, will there be anything else?"
"No, I don't think so, Carson, thank you" She excused him and then turned to Matthew.
There was a moment and then she was in his arms. From being on opposite sides of the room to suddenly be wrapped in Matthews strong embrace was one of the best feelings in the world to Mary. He smelt so good and she closed her eyes, her hands on his shoulders and her cheek pressed against his jacket. This was where she belonged and where she would stay until her dying day.
"So, when would you like to be married?" Matthew asked and Mary thought about it for a moment.
"Summer, I think," She answered, "I'm not sure why, it just seems fitting, September is between seasons, not too warm and not too cold"
"Very well, we shall be married in September" He stated and she smiled.
"September,"
She wondered, briefly, what the following months would bring and could only pray that, after the tumultuous few years that had moulded and changed the Crawley, they could get a little peace and normality.