Hello! This is my first fanfic for the fandom. I've watched all the show in a week and couldn't help but ship Isobel and Richard - actually since season 1. Besides, I love Violet and I'm convinced Richobel is her OTP too lol. I'd appreciate some feedback:)

Better than Larry Grey

Despite the fact it didn't count more than thirty people among owners and servants, Downton Abbey was a constantly-opened microcosm, which granted always fresh news. That evening, for example, the main topic was the marriage between mrs Crawley and Lord Merton, that not even the disastrous dinner with the man's sons managed to cancel. However, while the family was congratulating with cousin Isobel for the reconfirmation of her decision, there was someone being unusually quiet, not sparing disapproving looks though.

"Oh, grandmama, haven't you accepted yet to see her becoming a lady?"

The question was pronounced in a whisper, but it was enough anyway to awake lady Violet from her thoughts. In a matter of instants, an almost impertinent smirk appeared on her lips, as she decided to involve her granddaughter in those conjectures.

"I don's see why I should, since there won't be any wedding…"

Mary raised both her eyebrows and hinted an amused smile. "I am sorry to say, but you can't do anything that Larry Grey hasn't already tried."

"Me?" The older woman turned almost completely at that accusation and tried to put on the most innocent face she could manage. "I have no intention to do anything. I just believe that Isobel will be clever enough to understand to be in love with someone else, before it is too late…"

Mary's skepticism quickly turned into interest. "Someone else? What do you mean?"

But there was no chance for her to get more, because their exclusion from the general conversation had unavoidably drawn attention.

"What are you two talking about so intensely?"

Lupus in fabula, it was exactly her mother in law to intervene from the other side of the table and now she was looking at both of them with a joyful smile. The two women exhanged a look, but if the younger's one was alarmed, the countess's one didn't express anything but an amused complicity.

"Actually-"

"-Mary and I were just talking about how wonderful it would have been to invite your dear Richard tonight!"

Isobel slightly widened her eyes, but then almost immediately glared at her friend. "He isn't my Richard!" she precised, with an unexpected vehemence. "And then, I don't understand why doctor Clarkson should have been invited…"

All the room fell into an embarassing silence, except for the sound of the cutlery falling on Mr Molesley's tray. In fact, Lord Grantham's speech had ended just in time to allow all the presents – waiters included – to be the witnesses of Mrs Crawley's unwilling gaffe. Even if she didn't seem to be fully aware of that.

"I think that grandamama was referring to Lord Richard Merton…" Mary explained then, after recovering from the first shock.

For the second time Isobel found herself widening her eyes, while a sense of shame was hitting her completely; then she looked down on her plate and didn't look up until several minutes later, when Tom had managed to involve the others in another matter. She didn't say anything, not even as attempt to justify herself, because she knew it would have been useless: hearing her future husband's name made her immediately think of another man and it wasn't possible to minimize the implication of that.

After that revelation, she was embarassed, confused, but most of all very unsure once again about the wedding. All of this was clear to a careful eye and Lady Violet, who did not lack at all of perceptiveness, couldn't help but be delighted. Oh and she was sure doctor Clarkson would have been too. With a victorious smile, she raised her glass allowing a small toast to herself; however, before bringing the wine to the lips, she took the time to wink at her granddaughther.

"I guess I did better than Larry Grey, didn't I?"