Mary stopped short when she saw Matthew standing by the gramophone, listening to a song he had just put on. Mary felt her heart rate increase as she gracefully descended down the stairs.
'Where is everyone?' she asked and Matthew turned around and looked at Mary, taking in her beauty as she walked towards him in her silk midnight blue dress. Her dark brown hair contrasted to her pale skin and to Matthew, she was the only star in the dark night. Matthew coughed and smiled at her.
'I'm not sure, Cousin Violet's gone home,' he said and Mary stepped closer to him.
'What about you?' she asked and Matthew smiled.
'I'm waiting for Lavinia and Mother,' he answered.
'Well Dr Clarkson wants Lavinia to stay here, he'll see her tomorrow,' Mary said and she began to realise that the conversation was quite awkward between herself and Matthew. Listening to the music, she decided to strike up conversation, 'I don't know this one,' she chuckled and Matthew smiled, tearing his gaze away from her and back at the gramophone.
'Actually, I rather like it. I think it was I a show that flopped, 'Zip Goes A Million,' or something like that,' he laughed. Mary let out an amused sigh and looked at Matthew longingly, hoping that he didn't sense her longing for him to love her once more. Matthew, never removing his gaze from her flawless features, held his hand out, gesturing for her to dance with him. Mary, quite surprised at his actions, gladly stepped forward into his arms and they began to sway slowly to the music.
'Can you manage without your stick?' she asked.
'You are my stick' Matthew breathed, mentally striking himself for saying that to the woman he loved so much. He didn't want to give her any false hope, especially when both were engaged to be married to other women. However, what he couldn't predict was what Mary was to say next.
'Hm. We were a show that flopped.' She said sadly and Matthew immediately picked up on the tone in her voice and he sighed and pulled her slightly closer to him.
'Oh, God, Mary, I am so, so sorry. Do you know how sorry I am?' he asked, a feeling of anguish building inside him and it was then he knew that what Violet had told him about Mary still loving him was entirely true. He also knew that he still loved her with a burning passion. Mary sighed to herself and held his hands tighter.
'Don't be. It wasn't anyone's fault. If it was, it was mine.' She said smiling softly. Matthew took a deep breath and looked at Mary, twirling her around once more, before deciding to steer the conversation towards their relationship. He was going to tell her of his feelings for her, he had too.
'You know, Cousin Violet came to me… and told me to marry you.' He said and he felt Mary tense in his arms. She pulled back slightly and looked at him with shock.
'When was this?'
'A while ago. When we knew I would walk again'
Mary chuckled and looked at the floor, 'Classic Granny. What did you say?' she said, suddenly interested in what Matthew's response could have been.' Matthew felt his nerves start to kick in and he looked down at her and sighed.
'That I couldn't accept Lavinia's sacrifice of her life, her children, her future, and then give her the brush off when I was well again. Well, I couldn't, could I?'
'Of course not,' Mary sighed also. Matthew felt butterflies form in his stomach and before he knew what he was doing, he let out what he had been keeping to himself all this time.
'However much I might want to,' Mary looked at Matthew in shock as she realised that he wanted to be with her but not break his vows to Lavinia. His loyalty to her was too fierce to the point that which he would not leave her for love.
'Absolutely not.'
Mary looked into Matthew's eyes and he returned the gaze. The butterflies in his stomach increased and he flicked his eyes up and down to take in her face, her beautiful brown eyes looking into his blue ones made his heart soar and before he knew it, he had stopped them dancing and leant in for a kiss. When his lips touched hers, he felt a passion that he had not felt for a long time; it was clear that Mary was the woman for him. He placed her hands around his neck and pulled her closer. Suddenly their moment was broken when Lavinia's voice cut through.
'Hello?'
Mary pushed herself away from Matthew and stood beside him as Lavinia came down the stares. Matthew mentally shook himself and smiled, 'What are you doing up?' Lavinia looked with suspicion at her fiancé and averted her gaze to Mary before returning to Matthew.
'Shouldn't we be getting back?' she asked and Mary cut in before Matthew could respond.
'It's decided. You're staying here. Dr Clarkson's coming in the morning so he can treat all of you together. You can borrow some things until Matthew brings you what you need. I'll go and organize a room.' She nodded and left Matthew and Lavinia alone. Matthew walked towards Lavinia and took her hands in his.
'How do you feel?'
'Like a nuisance.' Lavinia said, not impressed by her fiancé's sudden act of caring. She had seen her husband to be kissing Mary and she felt, she knew they were meant to be together. By God, they were made for each other. Matthew smiled and looked at her lovingly.
'You could never be that.'
'I mean it, Matthew. Don't ever let me be a nuisance. Don't ever let me get in the way, please.' She said before removing her hands from Matthews and following Mary. Matthew watched after his fiancée in shock and looked at the gramophone as it scratched to signal the end of the song.
Over the next few days, Lavinia's condition worsened and Matthew never left her side. Mary entered the room with some tea and a book. Lavinia looked up at her friend and smiled.
'Mary you are so good to me,' she croaked and Mary smiled.
'We just need to get you better in time for your wedding to Matthew,' Mary smiled.
'Oh… yes,' Lavinia faltered and both Mary and Matthew looked at her.
'Lavinia, are you quite alright?'
'Yes, I'm fine Matthew, I feel much better, I just feel though… that why you are both here…' Lavinia started but suddenly she was interrupted by Mrs Hughs.
'Er Lady Mary, Sir Richard is here to see you,' she said before leaving and Mary nodded at Matthew and Lavinia before leaving the room. Taking a deep breath she walked down towards the grand entrance and walked towards Richard. He took her hands in his and kissed her cheek.
'Good afternoon Mary,' he smiled crookedly and Mary swallowed the feeling of repulsion and smiled.
'It's good of you to come, but I don't really see what you can do here, things are pretty much running their course at the moment,' she said looking back at the stairway.
I just thought I better do my bit, I can imagine your father's not having an easy time of it. How's Lady Grantham?' he asked her and she looked at him, genuinely surprised at his interest in her family.
'Not well. Clarkson's with her now,' she said.
'And Miss Swire?'
'Oh, she's...,' Mary trailed off as something occurred to her and she turned to face Richard, 'Is that why you've come? Because I said Lavinia had been taken ill?' she asked, looking at him stunned. Richard shrugged and smiled at her in an almost manic way.
'I was coming up anyway in a day or two for the wedding.'
'Well, she won't be getting married on Saturday, which I suppose is what you'd like best.'
'But she's not seriously ill?' he asked, probing for more information. Suddenly Mary realised what he was getting at and her eyes narrowed.
'I see what was worrying you. If Lavinia had been carried off, you wanted to be here to stop Matthew from falling into my arms on a tidal wave of grief!' she cried and Richard scoffed at her.
'I've heard that it's a tricky disease.' Richard said, brushing Mary off.
'Well Lavinia is one of the strongest women I know, she'll pull through, just you watch Richard, just you watch,' Mary said angrily, 'Now if you'll excuse me, I have to return to my friend's side,' Mary made a move to turn but Richard grabbed her arm suddenly.
'If Miss Swire is unfortunate enough to succumb to this disease, do NOT assume that I will release you from this engagement so you can go and gallivanting off into the sunset with your precious Matthew,' Richard threatened and Mary scoffed and wrenched her arm away from him before returning upstairs. On the way back to Lavinia's room, she bumped into Matthew, who had secretly been watching from afar but was now trying to act as if he had gone to stretch his legs
'Mary, I was just stretching my legs…'
'I know you heard Matthew, so do not try to fool me with this whole stretching your leg story.' Mary sighed before moving to walk past him but Matthew caught her hand as she passed by.
'Come with me,' he said softly, pulling her into one of the many guest rooms.
'Matthew…' Mary started but Matthew shook his head, cutting her off.
'Mary, I know you love me and I want you to know I return those feelings,' Matthew stated and Marys jaw dropped, she couldn't quite believe what she was hearing.
'What…'
'I want to be with you Mary, I love you, but you know we are both trapped in our engagements so we can't be together,' he said, stroking her cheek with the back of his hand. Just as he was about to pull away, Mary grabbed his hand and kept it there, closing her eyes and memorising his touch.
'I know…' she whispered, looking up at him with a sad gaze. Matthew couldn't resist any further and swooped in for a passionate kiss. Mary had never felt so on fire before and she returned the kiss just as passionately to the point that when they ran out of oxygen both were heaving.
'Maybe… and don't feel you have to say yes Mary, but maybe we could just be with each other in secret. We marry our fiancés but we meet in secret, we love each other… in secret.' Matthew whispered, pulling Mary close once more.
'But Lavinia…'
'I know, but Clarkson has just deemed her out of danger. I know there are dark times at the moment but I want to be with you because I love you!' Matthew was now pleading and Mary grinned.
'Ok.' She whispered and Matthew smiled and together they began to sway to the same track from 'Zip Goes A Million' that had just began to play on the wireless.
Thoughts? Review please and I will love you forever xx