Sorry I took forever to update, I've been really busy with school. I will try to update again soon but...we'll see. Anyways, please review and I will try to update sooner. I have the next few chapters planned already. Hope you like it :)
Chapter 2
Mary shuddered as another round of thunder echoed overhead. She wished she could just sleep and ignore the thoughts spinning her mind. She wished that she was really the emotionless statue Edith always accused her of being. It would be better really, if she was, for then she wouldn't ever have come to be in this miserable storm. She acutely felt the irony of it all, instead of being emotionless as they all thought her to be, she had succumbed to every emotion at once. Worst of all she had fled, she was trapped in the agony of desolation storming within her. So she stayed hidden and freezing in the soaking rain, if only to wallow in her own misery. It was selfish, she supposed, to leave her family to fret. Yet, she couldn't muster the composure she felt was necessary to be around anyone else. She was better off here in the shrub.
Mary wrapped her arms around her knees, trying not to give in to her senses. Her body was screaming for her to trade the bitter wet and cold for the glowing warmth of a flaming fire. She imagined if she were home right now, she would be perfectly cozy in her soft bed, enveloped within the fluffy soft layers as the last embers of the luminescent fire cast dancing shadows upon the delicate wallpaper of the room. But what was the point, really, in comfort? Matthew had cast her off, forcing her to abandon her stoic charade and retreat into her simplest shell. She almost could have smiled, struck with the irony that she had literally "run away with her emotions." But honestly, she felt only an overbearing sadness emanating from the depths of her soul. Edith would have laughed at that, Mary mused to herself…'Lady Mary Crawley willingly admitting to having a soul.'
The rain poured down in curtains, seeming to drift slowly, falling both lightly and heavily as the sparkling drops caught glimmers of starlight, and moonlight reflected in the dew pooling on the individual leaves of grass. It was breathtakingly beautiful yet Mary could only see sadness and despair reflected in the glittering sky. She felt the damp earth under her soak into her very being as her eyes drifted close. The branches of the shrub protected her while the wall of leaves formed a veil from the burdens of the world. She was in the cold leafy embrace of nature, and it was currently preferable to the emptiness of her own home, where no protective arms would ever hold her close. She rested soundlessly, shivering and haunted by dark dreams, yet at least she was safe from the scorn of her family.
She had almost fallen asleep, well not asleep per se, but into a sort of daze as she thought about Matthew. In fact it was almost as if she could hear Matthew's voice now. She imagined that he was calling her name, and just as her eyes were drifting shut they snapped back open in shock as she realized that he was calling her, which meant that he was somewhere nearby. And apparently, so were the dogs, she realized as she heard barking in the held her breath as she heard footsteps coming closer. What was he doing looking for her? He obviously didn't care for her anymore. He had made that clear hadn't he? Still, maybe…? Oh, what was she thinking? Of course he didn't care for her in that way, at least not anymore, but probably considered it his familial duty to help find her, or something to that effect. Typical noble Matthew, she thought bitterly as she tried to remain perfectly quiet and still, praying they wouldn't find her, as she heard the sniffling dogs coming ever closer.
Matthew wouldn't give up the search, not after he had been looking for hours, not even after he and William parted ways, with William going back to help search the village, and certainly not now. He had joined up with Lord Grantham and the dogs to try to find Mary before the rain destroyed any traces of her scent. They had looked almost everywhere, but the dogs hadn't found a scent. They would have to end the search for the night if they didn't find her soon. After all, she wasn't necessarily even on the estate. Suddenly, there was a bark from one of the dogs.
"By Jove, I think they've finally found the trail!" exclaimed Lord Grantham in an apprehensive tone. Matthew's stomach seemed to drop in a combination of dread and anticipation. As he looked at Lord Grantham he saw his own anxiety reflected in Lord Grantham's expression. They were both clearly worried about what state Mary would be in when they finally found her. They broke into a near jog as they followed the three soaking dogs, which were running with their noses to the ground towards a rather large and perfectly manicured shrub in the distance. They stopped directly in front on the shrub and began to bark softly, pawing at the ground. At that, Matthew broke into a flat out run as he drew nearer to the shrub and dropped to his knees in front of it, taking no regard for the mud and wet grass. There she was, soaking wet and shivering with a streak of mud across her forehead, Mary Crawley. He gasped in disbelief. He'd never seem her so vulnerable before.
"Oh, Mary!" he exclaimed as he gently reached to lay his hand on her shoulder and felt a massive shudder run through her. Goodness she must be freezing. He couldn't imagine how she came to be there, but obviously now wasn't really the best time to ask. She needed a hot fire and a cup of tea straight away. She was obviously semi-conscious, and while it seemed she was aware that they were there, she didn't speak of make any effort to communicate with them. Her eyes fluttered close as Matthew swept her into his arms and began walking in the direction of the village. "She will stay with us until she recovers" Matthew declared, for no apparent reason. Even he didn't know why he had said it; it just seemed like the right thing to say.
"Well I suppose that would be a good idea so your mother can make sure she is healthy, and to avoid upsetting Cora…but it could seem rather improper considering your history," replied Lord Grantham after a few moments consideration.
"With all due respect, I am her cousin after all" said Matthew, noting that Mary sighed softly, apparently she was asleep.
"In that case I will be going home, I will trust that you and Isobel will watch over her properly" and with that Mary's father began to walk back to his large home in the distance.
"Goodnight Robert," Matthew called after him.
"Goodnight to you too, Matthew, I expect to hear from you tomorrow." Lord Grantham replied his voice carrying loudly across the rain, already he was 10 meters away in the distance.