A/N: The more I keep watching DA, the more I realize how much I miss them two and their scenes in the bedroom together. This story is set somewhere before the end of season three.
Enjoy this little bit of fluff!
"For God's sake!" Lord Grantham complained, "Tom's the agent and he's already come back and Matthew is still outside in the pouring rain! It's ridiculous!"
"Robert! I'm sure Tom had a good reason to be back without him".
"I hope he has a good explanation… Where is he?"
"He's upstairs with Sybbie, and please, don't spoil dinner questioning him, it's becoming a habit".
"Very well. I'll questioning him after dinner then. It's unacceptable! He's gone straight upstairs without saying a word!"
"Actually he told me something when I've met him in the hall". Mary said, staring at the fire.
"What exactly?"
"Just something about some diggings".
"Diggings? Nobody ever told me about diggings!" Lord Grantham stood up and started walking nervously around the library.
"I'm sure they did, darling". Lady Grantham raised an eyebrow and Lord Grantham signed. "Don't worry Mary, I'm certain he will be here soon", she added to her daughter.
"If something happens to Matthew, I'll consider Tom the only one to blame".
"Robert!" Lady Grantham scolded his husband, "Nothing will happen to him. I just hope he won't get a cold, poor Matthew".
"A cold…" Mary repeated whispering, rolling her eyes and shaking her head.
"Have you said something, darling?" Lady Grantham asked her.
"Nothing maman, just you're right, he might get a cold".
"I beg your pardon, milord", Mr Carson said, entering the library, "Shall I ring the gong or shall I wait for Mr Crawley to come back?"
"I suppose we'll delay dinner tonight, Carson, if it doesn't bother Mrs Patmore too much".
"Not at all, your Lordship".
"I'm certain he will be here soon".
A few minutes later the front door opened and Mr Carson, back in the library, announced Mr Crawley was back.
"Thank you Carson". Mary said.
"I think you may ring for dinner now. I suppose we can go upstairs, finally".
"Very well your Lordship", the butler answered.
Mary ran to the stairs and found Matthew who was stepping up, "Here you are finally!" She greeted him.
"Not even a kiss to your soaking wet husband?" He smiled and stopped, stretching his arms towards her and looking down at his drenched clothes with a grin.
"I don't think you deserve it, darling". Mary crossed her arms and raised her eyebrows like her mother had done before with her father.
"Am I so late? I'm very sorry".
"Tom came back more than an hour ago".
"That's my fault. We had to check the progress with the diggings for the new wells. The men were working under the rain and I decided to stay as well to make sure they did all we had planned. I've told Tom to come back earlier and spend some time with Sybbie before dinner, because I knew we were too late for tea. He didn't want to, but I've insisted. I'm sorry, really".
They had continued to step up the stairs quickly and now they were on the landing.
"Carson has just rung. You have time enough to have a warm bath and make yourself presentable".
"And will you join me in the bath?" he chuckled.
Mary rolled her eyes, "Not this time…" , and while she walked in her bedroom, Matthew stepped in his dressing room.
When dinner was over the ladies left and the three men remained alone in the dining room, in silent.
Lord Grantham, with a severe expression on his face, was looking at Tom, ready to start questioning him about the fact of the afternoon. The young man stared at the table and didn't dare to raise his eyes.
Robert didn't even start, when Matthew said "I beg your pardon, but I feel very tired".
"Of course", Robert answered, "I imagine Tom's the only one to blame for this", he added muttering.
"I'll explain him everything tomorrow, don't worry", Matthew whispered in Tom's ear, touching him gently on his shoulder while he stood up. Tom grinned, but still didn't raise his eyes.
"Goodnight Matthew. You need to rest for sure", Lord Grantham greeted him.
He went out and Robert didn't lose any more time. "Now, Tom… Would you explain me why -", But Lady Grantham had walked in before he could finished his sentence, "Please, join us in the drawing room. It's rather boring playing cards just in two of us. Where's Matthew?" She added, noticing the young man wasn't in the room anymore.
"He went to bed. He was very tired", Tom explained.
Lord Grantham looked displeased by her wife's interruption, but his son in law stood up quickly and smiled grateful to Cora, that obviously knew her husband's intentions.
"You saved me", Tom whispered to her while they left the dining room. She smiled back at him and took his arm for the short way to the drawing room, with Robert's increasing disappointment.
When Matthew opened his eyes the following morning, Mary had already rung for Anna and was gazing at him with an usual cold expression.
"Good morning, darling. Have you slept well?" she asked her husband with a sharp tone.
Matthew was wrapped in a blanket and greeted her with a loud sneeze.
"Bless you!"
"Not at all…" he murmured, turning himself into the blanket.
"I do believe. Neither did I. You've coughed all night long".
"I'm sorry, I'll sleep in my dressing room", he muttered.
"Good morning milady, sir", Anna said entering the bedroom with Mary's breakfast tray. She put it on the little table beside the bed and opened the heavy curtains as she used to do every morning.
"Good morning, Anna".
"Good morning", Matthew echoed her wife, finally sitting up.
"Anna, Mr Crawley will stay in bed today, because he doesn't feel very well".
"What?!" Matthew exclaimed.
"Oh, I'm sorry sir", the maid answered with a polite smile putting Mary's tray in front of her.
"Thank you Anna, but I've got just a stupid cold. I promise I'll take care of myself".
"No you won't, I'm sure. So you'll stay here until you're better. Anna, could you tell Mr Mosley about Mr Crawley's wish?"
"What?", Matthew asked again looking at Mary on his right, "Actually I said nothing about it…"
"Of course milady. I'll bring you another tray, sir", Anna added and left.
"Will you remain here as well?", Matthew asked Mary chuckling, hoping that this was what his wife had in mind.
"Don't be ridiculous, darling. I have to go to York with maman today".
"I've been thinking your plan was to stay in bed with me all day…", he said sweetly, but she drank a sip of her tea and didn't take notice of his words.
"We're going to be back in the afternoon and you won't move from here in the meanwhile. I'll tell Carson to check it. And don't worry about Tom, I'll speak to him. And then I'll speak to papa".
"You cannot confine me to bed, you know…", he started, teasing her.
"Of course I can. I can if I want to. And I want to. There's no need to explain you how… I suppose…", she said caressing his face gently and he understood what she had meant to say.
"All right …", he began, trying to take a deep breath, but just coughing, "… But you have to tell me what's the matter. I'm sorry for yesterday … Really".
Mary continued to have her breakfast and stayed silent.
"And I'm sorry for tonight if I disturbed you… Mary please… ", he begged, trying to use the sweetest voice he could.
"It's not that", she answered coldly.
"So, what is it?"
"You got a cold".
"And you're angry because I won't be able to kiss you for a few days, aren't you?", he chuckled again and then he had to clean his nose.
Mary rolled her eyes. "You got it because you wanted to get it. You were looking for an excuse, weren't you? So, what's better than this one? You don't want to come to granny's for luncheon tomorrow".
"Oh God, Mary…", he started, but Anna was entering, carrying his tray.
"Here you are, sir", she said putting it in front of Matthew.
"Thank you, Anna".
"I'll be back when you finish, milady", the maid told Mary and went out again.
Matthew smiled at his wife and she raised her eyebrows "What?"
"I could get a cold more often if this means we can have breakfast in bed together".
"Drink your tea before it gets too cold", Mary answered, and when she finished hers, she rang for Anna.
A few minutes later the blonde maid was in the bedroom again. She helped Mary with her clothes and hair, while Matthew ate his breakfast in silent. Then, ready to leave, Mary said, "Anna, would you please look after Mr Crawley while I'm away?"
"Of course, milady".
"Thank you, you're an angel indeed. He must stay in bed and please be sure he will".
"As you wish, milady".
"And you…", he added to her husband who was sneezing again, "Be a good boy and do everything Anna says".
"Yes mother", he answered wiping his nose off.
Mary tried to refrain a smile, but she couldn't completely, "He mustn't move from bed. I mean it. ", she repeated to Anna.
"I'll ask Mr Bates to tie him to it, milady, if it's necessary". Anna said seriously, nodding.
"Very well. I'll be back for tea, anyway. I love you, darling. Goodbye Anna".
"Goodbye milady".
"Anna," Matthew asked with concern after Mary had left the room, "are you really going to do that?"
Anna smiled, trying to refrain a laugh, and answered as serious as she could: "I'm Lady Mary's maid, sir. I do everything she asks me".
"Yes… Right… I don't even know why I've asked you…" He muttered, resigned to spend the whole day in the bedroom. "Thank you, Anna. I think I've finished." He said loud and Anna, who was folding Mary's nightgown, came beside him.
"Now…", she said, moving away Matthew's breakfast tray, "Lady Mary told me you must stay in bed, sir, and that's what you'll do". The maid lifted the blankets, smiling, and Matthew had to lay down again. She tucked the covers under the mattress and added "Try to rest, sir. I'm sure you'll be better soon and Lady Mary will stop bulling you".
"I do hope so Anna…" He muttered back and sneezed again.
"I don't understand why you haven't bought it". Mary was saying to her mother when they entered the hall that afternoon, back from their trip to York.
"I'm afraid I'm too old for those sorts of things, Mary".
"Nonsense. Papa would have liked it…"
"Oh, Mary…!" Cora said with a grin, blushing.
The two women were close to the stairs, when Anna arrived from upstairs in a hurry, looking worried.
"Thanks God, you're here, milady. Mr Crawley isn't well. His Lordship rang for Dr. Clarkson. He's upstairs examining him right now…"
"Oh my God!" Lady Grantham exclaimed.
"What happened?" Mary asked to Anna.
"When I checked on him after luncheon, I noticed he didn't touch the soup I had carried. He didn't look well at all, so I took his temperature and it was very high. His Lordship decided to call the doctor and not to wait for you to come back".
Mary nodded and gave the maid her hat and gloves while they're stepping up the stairs, trying not to pay attention to her stomach that was twisting.
Mr. Carson was in the corridor outside her bedroom, carrying the doctor's hat and coat and Lord Grantham was waiting in the doorway. "Dr. Clarkson is inside". He said.
"Thank you papa". Mary answered him and gave her coat to Anna hastily.
"Shall we send for Isobel, darling?" Cora asked her husband.
"Let's wait for Dr. Clarkson to come out".
Mary opened the door and entered her bedroom. Matthew lay in bed with the top of his pajamas unbuttoned and she could see that the doctor was putting something back into his bag.
"Ah… Lady Mary…" He said, raising his head.
"Doctor Clarkson… How is he?" She asked, getting closer to the bed, making the effort to sound calm and self-controlled as her education had always imposed on her in such difficult circumstances.
"Mary…" Matthew muttered opening his eyes when he heard her voice.
She just wanted to run besides him, but Dr. Clarkson was still examining him. "Another deep breath, Mr Crawley". And watching that scene, she couldn't help but go back in time for a moment.
Everything seemed to be a painful déjà vu to her: Matthew suffering laying on a bed, the doctor who was examining him, she beside him, waiting. That memory, not so far in time, brought a lump to her throat. "If he's conscious he's not so bad…" She tried to convince herself. "It can't be so serious…"
"The temperature was quite high," the words of the doctor took her back to the present, but ,again, she couldn't help but stare at her husband, immobilized, just waiting for the diagnosis.
"I've given him an injection to lower the fever".
Now she raised her eyes from the bed and looked at the doctor. "An injection… He can't be so bad, not again, not now… " She thought again, but her look had remained unchanged. Anyone who didn't know her well enough, could just think the man on the bed was a stranger to her, not her beloved husband. But the doctor, imagining the thoughts in her mind and the anguish, went on, trying to reassuring her "There aren't any signs of bronchitis and I'm certain it's not flu, I haven't got any cases at the village… It's probably just the body's reaction to a prolonged time of cold… I think he will be fine in a couple of days. Keep him warm and hydrated. Here there's a cough syrup…" The doctor said, taking a little bottle from his bag. "… A spoon three times a day. If the temperature increase again give him some aspirin. I'll come back tomorrow in the afternoon. If you need me you can call me, but I'm pretty sure there will be no need". He explained and smiled politely.
Mary nodded and raised a shy smile. "Thank you Dr. Clarkson". She could just say as she tried to swallow the lump.
"Mr. Crawley, I'm sure I leave you in very good hands". And he took his bag. "Goodbye Lady Mary". He added, opening the door.
"Goodbye". Mary said and when finally the man closed the door behind him, she run towards Matthew and sat on the edge of the bed beside him.
"Oh my darling!" She moved his hair from his forehead and kissed him tenderly, then she began to button the top of his pajamas. "How are you?"
"Better now you're here". He whispered, trying to smile at her, and a couple of tears fell from Mary's eyes.
"What's the matter, my darling?"
"Oh Matthew… When I saw you like this," She began, "it was like a déjà vu, an horrible déjà vu…"
"I'm sorry Mary". He murmured.
"You are sorry?" She asked smiling and shaking her head "I'm the only one who has to apologize… I was so terribly, terribly unfair to you this morning". She explained and started sobbing. "Could you forgive me?"
"Forgive you? My darling, if I had gone out today it wouldn't have been just a cold…"
But Mary kept crying.
"Shhh… Mary… It's not so bad, you've heard the doctor…"
"If something happens to you, I… I don't know how I could…" She murmured, without being able to finish her sentence.
"Nothing happened, my love, and nothing will ever happen". He said, closing his eyes.
Mary nodded. "You're right…", and finally she could swallow the lump in her throat. "Now rest". She caressed his face gently and a smile appeared on his face.
"Mary, would you do something for me?"
"Of course. Everything for you".
"Could you ask Carson which is the proper spoon for the syrup?"
A few days after, on a sunny morning, Mary and Matthew were embraced together in bed. Her head rested on his chest and his cheek leaning against her head.
"Maybe I should get up today". He said, caressing her arm.
"Are you sure you're feeling well?"
"I'm afraid so. And I'm quite hungry". He grinned.
"You know… Maybe I don't fell well".
"Really?" He asked her, moving his cheek on her forehead.
"No… I do feel perfectly fine…" she signed, "But maybe we can ask Anna to cover us… Just for today… And have breakfast in bed together".
Matthew nodded and they both smiled, amused.
"We could try… And I learnt a couple of tricks in the army, if someone doesn't believe her…"
Mary lifted her head and looked at him. "Are you serious, darling?"
"I've never been so serious in all my life…" He giggled.
Mary raised her eyebrows, "You would never do that, I'm pretty sure". And replaced her head on his chest.
"Probably not…" He confirmed, "And besides I'm worried about Tom. When I left him in the dining room that night he was frightened to death".
"Maman has rescued him and I've spoken to papa". She explained.
"I know, anyway, I wish I wouldn't have left him alone for all this time…"
"Good morning milady, sir". Anna greeted them walking in, carrying a breakfast tray for Mary.
"Good morning Anna". She answered and added with a malicious smile "Anna, could you bring one more breakfast tray for Mr. Crawley? He doesn't feel very well yet".
Matthew raised his brows and couldn't refrain a surprised smile.
"Of course, milady". The maid said and went out.
"You could look more ill, darling…" She whispered as soon as Anna had left and kissed him.
When Anna returned with Matthew's tray, they were still kissing and didn't noticed her at all.
The kind maid cleared her throat, "Here's your tray, sir". She announced and put it on a table.
Mary and Matthew stopped kissing and looked embarrassed to Anna, who grinned. "You're clearly not well, sir". She confirmed. "I'll ask Mr. Carson to tell His Lordship".
"Thank you Anna". Mary said, smiling.
"Yes… Thank you Anna". Matthew repeated looking down, still red-faced.
"And I suppose you'll stay here to take care of Mr. Crawley, milady". The maid added.
"Quite right, Anna! I have to take care of my wonderful husband…" She looked at him sweetly. "I'll ring if we need something".
"Very well, milady. Good day, sir".
Anna left and Mary moved to take a tray, but Matthew stopped her, putting his hand on her arm as she started taking off the covers. "Weren't you hungry, my darling?" She asked.
"Of course I am…" He reached her and kissed her again.
"I'll tell granny to get ready for luncheon, then!" Mary exclaimed when he stopped for a moment.
"No, you won't… I'm hungry in another way…"
She couldn't help but smile at his explanation and, putting her hand among his blonde hair, she kissed him again and again and again…
Thank you for reading! If you have time and want to share your thoughts with me, here I am, you can leave a review.