"Do you regret marrying me?"
Matthew looked up from his place at the window, alarmed at his wife's question.
"Good heavens, no, why should I?" he asked. Sybil shrugged.
"I think about it sometimes, how much you loved Mary, and if she'd said yes, if you'd be happy, and then too, if she had, where I'd be."
"You make me happy," he said, meeting her halfway across the room to draw her into his arms.
"As do you." He hummed in response, smiling as he bent to kiss her. Gently he began to sway back and forth, keeping her in the circle of his arms. "We don't have any music to dance to," she murmured.
"I'll sort that," he released her for a moment, heading to the bedside table and retrieving something from its drawer. "Here, open it."
"What is it?"
"For the nursery," he answered. Tugging at the twine, she lifted the lid of the box.
"Oh! A music box!" she laughed, delighted.
"It doesn't play anything modern, just a waltz or something, but I thought it would be nice,"
"It's lovely," she said and kissed him in thanks. Setting it on the nightstand, she lifted the lid; a pretty little waltz filled the room. "It's perfect,"
"Now we've music," he said and brought her close again. Arm about her waist, he linked his good hand with hers, his expression soft and pleased. "You know you were what made me smile most, after war broke out? It was the very last party before I was to go to the front, there was an orchestra," he moved them around the room, swaying with the music. "But no one was dancing, everyone seemed so lost and upset, no one really knew what they were doing at a party, seemed wrong, to have a ball with a war on, even if it was for charity. Everyone was so gloomy, until your mama had the orchestra strike up and you came over to me, do you remember?"
"Yes," she laughed a little, flushing. Matthew was grinning.
"You came up to me and said 'For God's sake Matthew, ask me to dance so everyone can have a little cheer'," he chuckled then.
"You didn't leave my side that night," Sybil recalled.
"I remember you seemed like a pillar to all the other women, who were on the verge of tears."
"I wanted desperately to cry, but my tears wouldn't help anyone. I wanted to cry all night, but you were there, and I suppose I wanted to make you jolly before you had to go away. I didn't want to think you'd never come back, but I thought if it was your last time at home, it ought to be happy."
"Hmm." He shut his eyes, resting his head against her's as they danced.
"You really don't have any regrets?" she asked worriedly. "I don't mean to sound suspicious, I just worry, us being married now, the war isn't over yet, and now I'm pregnant, I know you loved Mary, whatever you say."
"I did love Mary, and still do, but in a different way. The love I have for you is first and foremost, and you're correct, I do have one regret, one that often plagues me." There was a twinkle of mischief in his eyes as his mouth turned up into a small smile. "I wish I'd kissed you that night, after the ball." He bent and kissed her gently. "And I wish I'd kissed you when you saw me off at the station," another kiss, warmer this time. "I wish I'd kissed you, a good deal more than I did our first year married."
"Funny," she smiled up at him, flushed. "That's my one regret too."
"What can we do about it, Mrs. Crawley?"
"Make up for lost time I expect."
"Exactly what I had in mind."