sorry for the strange formatting! Hopefully my second attempt at posting is more successful!

Matthew

"Crawley! Post for you!"

Matthew nodded his head in thanks and went back to his quarters to read the letter from his mother. Yet again he couldn't help but notice the other lads faces as they got letters from their sweethearts. He sighed, and sat down on the rough wooden stool at his desk. The last weeks had been quiet and he had spent the day helping fix the machine gun nests in the early hours of the morning, when they were sheltered by darkness and fog. Sharpshooters were always a danger, even when they were not actively engaged. He grabbed his letter opener and tore open the envelope.

Dear Matthew,

I hope this letter finds you well. Everything is much the same since you were here last month, the hospital continues to struggle with the number of men it's expected to care for, we may soon need to find more ways to fundraise. I know this letter will seem rather brief, but I must tell you about a very interested afternoon I spent with Mary-

Matthew blinked and looked at the letter again in disbelief. His mother had never particularly liked Mary, especially after the way things had ended between them. He could hardly believe his eyes as he read that they had had tea together, that Mary had asked after him, had nearly begged for information and in exchange had shared information of her own with Isobel.

-you see dear, I feel she was finally able to shed some light on important matters, matters which I know are close to your heart. I feel it is not my place to disclose these secrets, and have enclosed a letter that Mary wrote for you. I hope it brings you peace, my darling boy,

All my love,

Mother.

Matthew pulled a second, smaller, folded note from the envelope. Oh so now Mary wanted to talk, to explain herself? After it was far, far too late? It was likely just guilt or pity, both which made Matthew clench his fists in anger. Unfortunately his letter opener was still in his left hand, and he gasped quietly as he felt it bite into his palm. He quickly dropped it, revealing a gash that started to well with blood. It was obvious, he thought, nothing good could come of opening this letter. He shoved them both in his dresser and went back through the trenches towards to medical bay.

If you weren't certain of the exact location of the medical area, the battling smells of blood and disinfectant and sounds of moaning or crying quickly alerted you to its place. It sounded fairly quiet today, and he ducked his head in. A young man was sitting behind a desk, reading a newspaper, his shirtsleeves rolled up and a cigarette between his fingers. He looked up at Matthews arrival. "Yes sir?"

Matthew smiled sheepishly "I'm afraid I've been rather clumsy, and sliced my hand with my letter opener. I can just bandage it or.."

The man smiled genially and leaned forward "let's 'ave a look at it then"

Matthew placed his hand for the man to inspect. He tsked "your letter openers got to be sharper than your bayonet sir!" He gestured for Matthew to sit and turned around, moving several things around in a set of drawers before turning back with a suture kit. "Best I sew it up, heals faster that way."

Matthew remarked good-naturedly he seemed young for a doctor and the man admitted he'd nearly finished his final examinations, when the urgent need for doctors caused him to halt his studies and volunteer his services. The two talked, as he cleaned and sewed up the cut, talked about news from home, things they missed. Matthew declared he would do anything for a half-decent cup of tea and the other man shared entertaining things he'd heard from men in his care. They both found it was good to laugh, to forget the death surrounding them, if only for a short while. After a particularly wicked joke that caused him to shake with laughter and pause in his suturing Alex thought, for an an Englishman-and an officer at that, this fellow didn't seem half bad. After he was done, the mans hand stitched and bandaged, he stuck out his own, "Alex MacMurray"

Matthew grinned and grasped it in his right, "Matthew Crawley"

Over the next 6 months the two became fast friends-when Alex invited him to come with him to London on their overlapping days of leave, he gladly accepted. This trip to London Matthew didn't spend brooding, but enjoying his newfound camaraderie. The second day they were there Alex asked if it was alright if a friend of his joined them for dinner, a female friend. Though it required dining somewhere other than the Winchester, Mathew didn't mind. He teased Alex, trying to get information about this secret woman. Alex had just as poor of a poker face and blushed rather wildly, her name was Lavinia, he revealed, he'd met her just before he'd shipped off and they'd been writing back and forth ever since. He'd escorted her back to her home, which was not such a far distance. After calling her father to guarantee her safe return she had slipped back out the front door and sat on the steps, the two of them talking and exchanging their interests for what seemed like forever (but was, in reality, somewhat closer to a half-hour)

That evening, she joined them at a restaurant in covent garden that Matthew had always liked. He rose, with Alex, when she was escorted to their table. Matthew had the strangest feeling of déjà-vu, almost as if they had met before-he smiled politely though, and waited to be introduced.

"May I introduce you to Miss Lavinia Swire" Alex said rather proudly. Matthew stiffened imperceptibly, Swire? No it couldn't be..

Matthew pressed a light kiss to the back of her gloved hand "Pleasure to meet you, Miss Swire."

Alex continued with the introductions, "Lavinia, this is my good friend Matthew Crawley." Lavinia smiled genially, while unknowingly sharing Matthews sense of déjà vu. Matthew took his seat as Alex pulled out Lavinia's chair. He couldn't help but determine if his suspicion was right. "Miss Swire? I hope you don't find this strange, but is your father by any chance Reginald Swire?"

Lavinia's eyes widened in surprise "Yes, yes he is-do you know him?"

Matthew smiled, pieces falling into place, "I do actually, we met at the Winchester some months ago, spent quite a long night talking about work; I'm a solicitor also you see."

Lavinia smiled, for her father did so love to discuss the law "Oh, what a small world."

"If I remember correctly, he also spoke at length about you." Matthew teased. Lavinia blushed "And so he would! " Alex interjected, "what father wouldn't boast about a daughter such as his. Just look at her!" Lavinia pretended to be affronted "Why Mr. MacMurray you forget yourself!"

"No that's the problem" Matthew said, laughing, "he's always like this!"

The evening passed with many smiles and laughs and while Matthew occasionally felt the third wheel, it was the most fun he'd had at dinner for quite some time. He desperately tried to cling to the sense of normality, of levity, of life; as the steaming train shuttled them back towards the front.

Just wanted to pop in a quick note, Thank you to all my new readers-those of you who left such kind reviews and words of encouragement and those who're following the story-I will endeavour to keep the chapters coming ;)

~Rose