This conversation has been playing in my head for a while now so I decided to finally get it out. Hope you enjoy!
The morning light was just beginning to glow under the curtains. Mary, who hardly slept at all these days, tried to hold on to unconsciousness for as long as possible, lingering in a dreamlike state even after sleep deserted her. It was in those dawning moments, not fully awake but not really asleep either, that she almost imagined she could feel Matthew's warmth beside her.
"Good morning, darling." Matthew might smooth back her hair and kiss her forehead. Dear God how she missed the sound of his voice.
"Is it any good, then?" Mary raised an eyebrow in reply.
"Of course it is." He always had that twinkle in his eye. "The sun is about to rise over Downton, the mist will roll away, and the pigs will squeal like banshees."
"Please darling," Mary groaned, "anything but the pigs."
He chuckled and nuzzled her neck. "But how could I resist the glorious vision of my beautiful wife covered in mud? That Blake is a lucky chap."
Mary sat up to face him. "What do you mean by that?"
Matthew was still smiling. "He seems like a good enough fellow. And I admit it is wonderful to see that defiant spark in your eyes again. Ah, I remember it well." He playfully sighed. "And you cooked for him."
"Well it was a good thing you taught me to scramble eggs, but I'm not entirely sure of the significance. Mr. Blake is a friend, that is all." Mary lay down again.
"He doesn't have to be."
"What?"
"He doesn't have to be just a friend."
"Oh, I don't know." There was a catch in Mary's voice.
"My darling Mary," Matthew turned her face toward him. "You can love again. You will love again."
Mary looked away, blinking. She was quiet for a long minute. Finally, she whispered.
"I promised to love you until my dying breath."
"Not quite."
Mary was surprised at the certainty in Matthew's voice. "But I did, I said—"
"I remember the conversation perfectly. I said that I would love you until my dying breath, and you replied—"
"'Me too, darling, me too,'" Mary finished for him. The tears were close now. "So you see I could never—"
"Darling, if you would pay attention to our promises as stated." Matthew the lawyer was clearly enjoying the discussion. "I said that I would love you until my dying breath—which I did—and you agreed that you would love me until my dying breath. Which you certainly did. So it seems quite clear that the terms of our agreement have been fulfilled. You are free to love another."
Mary was laughing now, even as the tears rolled down her cheeks. "That's not what I meant!"
"But it is what you said, and quite fortunately too, as things turned out." For the first time there was sadness in Matthew's voice.
Mary snuggled up to him and held him tight.
"I'm still not sure about that Blake character," she murmured, and held him and held him until there was no denying that morning was finally here, and she was once again alone.