Author's Note: Sorry for the long wait, thanks for bearing with me!

Thank you all for the tips and encouraging reviews, they really keep me going:)

Note: The name of this chapter is taken from Jane Austen. When she first sent in 'Pride and Predjudice' to the publishers, she called it 'First Impressions'.

Special thanks to namelesspanda for correcting grammar, spelling and offering excellent suggestions and advice!

Chapter 2: First Impressions

Mary knocked on the door to the apartment building. A young girl, who was obviously the maid, opened it up.

'Hello miss! May I help you?' the young girl greeted.

'Yes please, I'm looking for Isobel Crawley.' Mary said.

'Of course! Mrs Crawley and Mr Matthew are in the room at the end of the hall,' the maid replied swiftly.

'Thank you,' Mary replied, smiling, before making her way over to the door.

A male voice came through the closed doorway. '...Once he heard I was single, he started singing praises about his lovely daughters. I can promise you that he is going to push one of them on me as soon as he gets the chance.'

'Now don't you think that's a bit harsh,' a female voice protested. Before the man could say anything more, however, Mary knocked on the door and opened it without waiting for a response.

'I do hope I'm not interrupting?' Mary said coolly, upon entering the room. 'Mary Crawley,' she continued, by way of introduction. 'The maid let me in and told me that you were here,' she explained holding out a hand to the middle-aged woman who promptly had immediately stood up when Mary had first come in.

'Isobel Crawley,' She replied.'It's a pleasure to meet you.'

The young man quickly regained his composure before introducing himself. 'Hello, I'm Matthew.'

'It's a pleasure to meet you too,' Mary said, looking straight at Isobel. 'Papa regrets that he will not be able to have dinner on Friday after all, and was wondering whether you could come on Saturday, perhaps? It would be at Grantham House, my grandmother's house, it's across from Papa's offices.'

'We'd be delighted!' Isobel said smoothly with a smile on her face.

'Good! Come at 8,' Mary said, and was turning to leave when Isobel's voice held her back.
'Won't you stay and have some tea?
'Oh no!' Mary said airily, ' You're far too busy, and I wouldn't want to push in.' And with that, she walked out of the room.


'So who exactly are you inviting Saturday night to invade the privacy of my home?' Violet Crawley looked inquisitively at her son, Robert.

'Oh really Mama, must you make such drama?'And before she had a chance to protest he continued. 'It is Matthew Crawley, the man who is going to own Downton, when I retire. He is bringing his mother as well. His father died when he was a little boy.'

'Oh, how sad! Does he weep in his pillow every night?' Violet asked sarcastically.

'You know Mama, sometimes you can be curiously unfeeling!'
And he left, slamming the door behind him.


'So, I heard that the famous Matthew Crawley is going to inherit Downton. How convenient! I assume that you will attempt to get in good with him with such a big fortune,' Richard sneered at Mary, who was sitting calm and composed opposite him.

She rolled her eyes. 'He's not going to inherit Downton actually, he is going to take over. That's not the same thing. And as if I would pay any attention to him,' she said, recalling what she had overheard him say. 'He's from Manchester, for heaven's sake! There's your precious column, do you need anything else?'

'No,' Richard said.

'Then goodbye.' She turned away without another word and left, running down the stairs. At the bottom of the stairs, she met Anna, her roommate and best friend.

'Shall we go home now?' Mary asked.

'Sure, let me get my coat.' Anna replied and soon joined her. They walked out and got into Mary's red Mini Cooper.

'How was Boss today?' Anna asked.

'Same, an ass' Mary said with a wry grin. 'He keeps on insulting Downton and the way Papa runs it.'

'Oh dear. I'm sorry, he seemed fine this morning.' Anna said sympathetically.

'Nobody can be mean to you.' Mary said warmly.


Matthew could kill himself. To say those things precisely at the moment Mary, of all people came in. With a resigned sigh he headed towards the car where his mother was waiting.

'You look nice,' Isobel greeted her son as he sat in the car. He looked very sharp in black jeans and a navy and white striped collared shirt.

'Thanks.' He replied, 'So do you.'

'Thank you. Who is going to be there tonight again?' She asked as he started the car.

'Robert, his wife Cora, their three daughters, and his mother Violet.'

'Lovely!' Isobel exclaimed. 'I can't wait!'


'Welcome to Grantham House, Matthew,' Robert greeted his guests enthusiastically. 'Oh you must be Matthew's mother, Isobel. I's a pleasure to meet you!'

Introductions were made all around. Then they went to the drawing room to chat and wait for Mary, who was late because of work.

'I'm sorry I'm late.' said Mary breezily as she came into the room.'It's a pleasure to see you again, Isobel...and Matthew too of course.'

She finished rather sharply. Mary looked beautiful in dark skinny jeans, a black blouse, and blue suede flats. She wore little makeup, but it was very tastefully done.

'Well, shall we go through?' Robert asked smiling.

They acquiesced and went into the dining room. Matthew looked around him in wonder. The dining room was huge; his apartment could probably fit inside it! The table was beautifully decorated. There was a light squash soup for starters, followed by roast chicken, potatoes, string beans, a beautiful salad and fresh bread.

'So Mary,' asked Isobel politely. 'What do you do?'

Mary finished swallowing her bite before responding.

'I have a job at 'The Telegraph' during the day, and at night I go to The London School of Journalism.' She said. 'How about you?'

'I am a nurse at the London Hospital.' Isobel replied.'When do you graduate?'

'This year.' Mary clarified.

Isobel then asked all about everybody else.
Matthew meanwhile had been switching between discussing the Law Firm with Robert and arguing with Violet when Mary interrupted.

'I've been studying the story of Andromeda, do you know it?'

Matthew looked surprised and responded suspiciously, 'Why?'

'Her father was King Cepheus, whose country was being ravaged by a storm. In the end, he decided the only way to appease the gods was to sacrifice his eldest daughter to a hideous sea monster. So they chained her, naked, to a rock, but then she is rescued, by Perseus. Son of a god.'

'Oh really?' Matthew countered. 'I heard a different ending. Andromeda falls in love with the sea monster but is too proud to admit it. In the end, the sea monster is happily married to somebody else and Andromeda dies, still tied to the rock.' Matthew improvised swiftly.

'Oh!' Mary said, 'and where did you hear that one?'

'Oh, at school,' he said vaguely.

'Well,' she said with a smirk, 'How very middle class!'

TBC

Thanks for reading! I know that the Andromeda story didn't really fit in, but I really wanted to put it in:)Please review!