Premise: Missing scene from s6 Christmas special. I was confused (but not at all complaining) to see Mr Mason at Edith's wedding. I know he was at Mary's but given that it was nearly an elopement I thought invitations were more like "hey if you're in the neighborhood come and fill the pews". But since Edith's wedding was planned out and a Big Deal I thought I'd write a little fic to explain it. Super big thanks to superfluousbananas on Tumblr for beta-ing it.
In the last week of October, 1925, Nanny MacIntosh had taken ill. Some flu-or-other that she would surely recover from had glanced over the children and Nanny Startling, but hit her with a bit more force. While she recuperated, Tom, Mary, and Edith had been spending more time with their little ones, in an effort to help Nanny Startling. Sometimes Robert and Cora would join the group, or Isobel would take a break from caring for Lord Merton and walk up to the big house. All were eager to lend aid, and with so many willing, there was hardly ever a time where a maid had to be taken from their duties to play nanny. But on the fifth day of Nanny MacIntosh's illness, Edith found herself making the journey to the nursery on her own, being the only one with no other occupation that afternoon. Well, that wasn't entirely true. She should be finalizing the guest list for her wedding, but found the task tedious without the presence of her fiance (Bertie had business in London for several days), and thought that an afternoon spent with three youngsters was just the thing to revive her spirits.
Her head swam with thoughts of invitations and flowers and menus as she approached the nursery. Those thoughts quickly fled as she opened the door to a scene of minor chaos.
"Master George, why are you licking the wall?" Nanny Startling asked with exasperation.
"To see what it tastes like," George replied, matter-of-factly.
"Well please stop," Nanny said from her place on her knees, picking up what appeared to Edith to be tiny cubes of cheese.
"Aunt Edith!" Sybbie had spotted her aunt in the doorway, and ran over to give her a hug, Marigold following close behind. George moved from licking the wall to standing on a chair, but gave Edith a smile and a wave.
"Hello my darlings! Nanny," Edith quirked her head at the woman, who was quickly rising from her knees, "what is that you're doing?"
Sybbie answered first. "Did you know that when you throw cheese cubes they bounce?"
"I did not know that." Edith repressed a laugh. "But I don't believe that that's what we should be doing with our food, is it?"
"I'm ever so sorry Milady," Nanny Startling said. "But with the rain of the last week and then the mud, they've been cooped up in the house a bit too long. I was going to take them out now that it's dried up a bit, but now I have to find all the cheese, lest it stay hidden and spoil."
"Oh don't worry about it," Edith replied, "I've the afternoon to spare. I'll gladly take them out while you work in here."
And so it was that Edith found herself with her daughter, niece, and nephew on the front grounds of Downton. She thought they would have a nice, leisurely walk. Instead she found herself pacing across a small area, her primary goal simply to keep the children in her sight. They certainly had a lot of energy stored up, Edith thought as they sprinted back and forth across the lawn. She was so focused on her task that as she rounded a tree near the drive she almost walked right into someone.
"Mr Mason!" Edith exclaimed, backing up so she wouldn't crash into the farmer.
"Milady," Mr Mason quickly removed his hat, and Edith took note that his right hand was filled with some very lovely flowers. "I'm sorry, I didn't see you there."
"Oh no," Edith quickly waved off his apology. "It was my fault, I wasn't watching where I was going."
Mr Mason gave a slight smile in response, and made to keep walking towards the house, when George took that moment to run up to the pair.
"Who are you?" the boy asked bluntly.
"George," Edith scolded as Mr Mason gave a quiet chuckle. "That's not kind. We ask 'May I be introduced?' This is Mr Mason."
"Nice to meet you Mr Mason," George said, trying to remember his best manners. "Are you an agent like Mamma and Uncle Tom?"
"Ah, no Master George," Mr Mason crouched to met the boy's eyes, "I'm a farmer."
"A farmer!" George was excited, "what animals do you have?"
As Mr Mason satisfied George's questions, the girls noticed that their friend had been detained, and ran over to join the conversation.
"I remember you!" Sybbie exclaimed, "you were at the Carsons's wedding!"
"Yes I was," Mr Mason said, turning to her, "And you had just got back from America right?"
"Right!"
"Pretty flowers," came Marigold's quiet voice. Edith was surprised by the girl speaking, given that she was quite shy, but clearly she had been captivated by the bouquet of colors in the farmer's hand.
"Thank you," Mr Mason replied, effortlessly changing his attention between the excited three. "I grew them myself."
"Who are they for?" Sybbie asked.
"They're for Daisy and Mrs P-" Mr Mason stopped short, sparing a quick glance at Edith before turning away, the tips of his ears turning pink. But Edith had caught what he was going to say, suddenly suspect of the farmer and his intentions with the flowers. She smiled. She had noticed that he had spent the whole of the Carsons's wedding breakfast with the cooks, but she had assumed that was because of Daisy. And maybe he and Mrs Patmore were purely platonic, but friends don't often bring one another flowers. They especially don't blush about it. Oh how she hoped that perhaps Mr Mason had gained more than a nearby daughter-in-law by his move to Yew Tree. She could be wrong, but if only she could glean more information.
"Who's Daisy?" Fortunately the children had not noticed Mr Mason's slip, and instead George posed a new question.
"You know Daisy," Edith said to her nephew. "She's that lovely young lady who helps Mrs Patmore make our food."
"I like her," Sybbie said. "She's really smart! She knows about all sorts of stuff. Why are you bringing her flowers?"
Mr Mason brightened up at the girl's comments. "She is very smart. And kind. See back before any of you were born, she was very kind and married my son. He died soon after that, but because they were married, she's now my daughter-in-law. So I'm bringing her flowers because I love her."
Edith could not help but smile at this, but George's next question had her troubled.
"How did he die?"
Mr Mason paused for a moment, looking up at Edith. She gave a slight nod, indicating for him to answer the question.
"Well he was a soldier," Mr Mason turned back to the children, "and he was fighting in the Great War a few years ago. He was brave, fighting to protect this country, and children such as yourselves. But he got hurt, and his injuries were too much, so he died."
"He was very brave," Edith added, remembering the gentle footman taken from them too soon. She was taken back to the days she spent by his bedside. He looked so young, hardly more than a boy. Oh but the joy he had when Daisy agreed to marry him. Edith knew Daisy didn't feel the same, but was relieved that the girl had put it aside to aide her friend in his last hours. And how it turned out, Daisy gaining a father figure, someone who loved her. Edith knew what it was like to feel unloved, and for that she was glad of William's actions.
"My father was a soldier too!" George smiled. "Mama said he was brave. But he died too."
Mr Mason smiled, patted the boy on his head. Edith remembered her brother-in-law, and William's sacrifice to save Matthew. One day, when George was old enough to really understand, he would hear the whole story of his father and the footman.
"My mamma died too," Sybbie added, "but she wasn't a soldier. She was a nurse. She helped fix people up, make them feel better."
"Good for her." Mr Mason smiled at the girl.
"I never got to meet her," Sybbie continued, "but my da tells me all about her. And Aunt Mary tells George all about his papa. But Marigold doesn't have anyone to tell her about her parents."
"Oh no," the farmer said, "I am sorry about that."
Edith had to look away for a moment. She was happy with her lot, truly. She was on the verge of being happier than she ever imagined. To have Marigold, to be on the cusp of being married to Bertie, feeling loved by her parents and Tom, and somewhat getting along with Mary, there was hardly more she could ask for. But it was moments like this that the pain of losing Michael came back. That he would never know his beautiful daughter, and that Marigold would never know him. But one day, oh one day she would be able to. She would tell the girl everything, how her father would have loved and cherished her, how she was very much wanted by her mother. Edith only hoped the secret would hold out until the day she was ready.
"It's alright," Sybbie said, "Nanny says maybe one day she'll meet someone who did know her parents. Or maybe the farmers she lived with before she came to Downton will come back and tell her."
"You lived with farmers?" Mr Mason directed his question at the youngest child, who was content to let her friends speak for up until now. But at being addressed directly, she gave a small nod.
"She actually lived at Yew Tree Farm," Edith stepped back into the conversation.
"Did you?" he asked Marigold. "That's where I live now."
"She liked it there," Sybbie continued, "she likes it here with us too, but she misses the animals at the farm."
"Well if it's alright with your aunt," Mr Mason stood and looked at Edith, who smiled and nodded, "Then you can come and visit if you'd like. Anytime! I've pigs, chickens, cows, and a couple barn cats. How does that sound?"
The children began excitedly chatting between themselves, clearly thrilled at the prospect.
"Thank you," Edith said, "I know Marigold really does miss the animals. I'm sorry she's hardly spoken, but she's shy in front of strangers."
"Oh you're welcome, Milady," Mr Mason replied, watching the children start imitating various farmyard animals. "And don't worry, my William was the same way at her age. But he grew out of it. Soon became quite as talkative as Miss Sybbie and Master George."
"I'm glad to hear it," Edith took note of Sybbie directing her cousins, organizing some sort of farmyard animals game. "Though I think it will help when she moves with me to Brancaster. She'll no longer have her friends to speak for her. She'll have to learn to speak up for herself."
"Where are my manners," he grumbled to himself before addressing Edith directly. "I have not had the chance to wish you congratulations on your impending marriage."
"Oh thank you," Edith replied, "I forget that Daisy must keep you informed of the goings-on at the house."
"That she does, Milady." Mr Mason smiled at the thought of his daughter-in-law "And she was quite excited at your news. To have a marchioness in the family she serves! She considers it quite an honor to be allowed to attend the wedding."
"Well she's served us faithfully for a long time," Edith said, cogs turning in her head. "It is one small way we can thank her."
"Like I said Milady, she appreciates very much," Mr Mason related, "Now, I've taken up too much of your time. I'll just be off." With a small bow of his head to Edith, he turned to leave. Cogs began to turn in Edith's head, so she quickly interjected.
"Wait just a moment Mr Mason." He turned back.
"Yes milady?"
"Would you like to attend the wedding?" Edith asked. This was clearly not what the farmer was expecting, and he began sputtering, words like "couldn't possibly" and "imposition" coming out.
"Mr Mason," she interrupted. "Your son served this family well for many years. He died to save the heir of this estate, my cousin. Your daughter-in-law is a highly valued member of our staff. I'm sure it would please her to have you there. And it can be my way of thanking you for letting the children visit Yew Tree."
"Well," Mr Mason said after a moment, "if you're sure."
"I am," Edith replied "If it weren't you then we'd be inviting some Knight or Baron that neither I nor Lord Hexham have ever met. And like I said, you being there would make Daisy happy. And dare I say, it would make Mrs Patmore happy too."
Mr Mason's ears turned red again, as well as his cheeks as he looked down, a small grin appearing. Now Edith had confirmation to her earlier speculation. Oh how she hoped that would turn into something pleasing for the cook.
"I've held you up long enough," Edith continued, "Have a nice visit, and I'll have Daisy deliver a formal invitation soon."
"Thank you Milady," Mr Mason looked into Edith's eyes, his smile a bit brighter, "Thank you very much."
With that the farmer turned and continued his walk towards the house, a slight spring in his step. Edith watched him a bit longer, before turning back towards the children.
"Sybbie! George! Why are you covering Marigold in mud?!"
"Because she's playing the pig!"
I hope you enjoyed it! Both the 'licking-the-wall' and 'making-cheese-cubes-bounce' come from my real life experience as a nanny. Kids are interesting. I'd love to hear any feedback. I'm hoping to make a little "Mr Mason and Mrs Patmore" series, so this was a bit of a test run.