Chapter Seven

"I can't believe it's only two days until winter break," Matthew sighed, leaning his head back against the frame of Mary's bed.

They were seated on the floor, books and notes encircling them as they attempted to study for exams. It had been nearly three hours like this and Matthew felt as though his head were about to explode from all the facts and figures he'd memorized in the course of the evening.

"Oh, God, don't remind me," Mary replied, shuffling a stack of papers as she searched frantically for her class notes over Shakespeare's A Midsummer Night's Dream. Upon finding the notes, she began muttering to herself as she attempted to quiz her knowledge of the major themes of the play.

"The difficulty of love, um, magic which embodies the power of love and creates an-"

"Can't we take a break?" Matthew complained, reaching over to extract the notes from Mary's hands. She pulled it out of his reach, her eyes running over another sentence before she looked up at him.

"Darling, please. I can't fail my first term," she said, half-glancing back at her notes. She moved her lips wordlessly as she read another bullet point.

"We've been studying for ages," Matthew said, rolling onto his back and laying his head in her lap. "Just a twenty minute break and then I swear we can run through economics. I'll even quiz you on your Shakespeare course if it will only get me twenty minutes of peace."

Mary looked down at him, a gentle smile appearing on her face that she specially reserved for him. For Matthew, looking at that smile was like looking at a sunset on a clear evening or walking into a bookstore with an entire paycheck in his pocket.

"Fine," she agreed, setting the notes on the floor. "What would you rather do instead?" she asked, her eyes playful as she spoke.

"Oh, I dunno," Matthew said with a contented sigh as she ruffled her fingers through his hair. "Maybe just a bit of light snogging."

Mary rolled her eyes, pushing Matthew's shoulder so his head fell against the rug and off her lap.

"Hey!" he protested, a mouthful of carpet. Pushing himself into a sitting position, Matthew stuck out his bottom lip at her, pouting.

"Oh, please," Mary said with a laugh, pushing his face gently away with her palm. Matthew smiled, grabbing her hand and pressing his lips against it.

"How am I going to survive six weeks without you?" he asked, his smile fading as he gazed into her eyes.

"I guess I'll just have to pack you into one of my suitcases," she replied, brushing her thumb against the tip of his nose.

"That sounds rather uncomfortable," Matthew said, shifting closer to her. Mary smiled, snuggling against his side. He wrapped his arms around her, pressing his lips against the top of her head.

"Well, maybe you could come on the train instead," she offered, leaning back to look at him.

"Are you inviting me to Downton?" he questioned, mildly surprised.

"Six weeks is much too long," was Mary's reply. She stretched her legs across his lap, brushing her lips against his jaw. "How about it?"

"It sounds terribly tempting," Matthew said, distractedly rubbing her back. "Would your family mind?"

"There's plenty of space and we rarely do anything exciting over the holidays. Oh, please, it'll be so much more bearable if you're there. Perhaps Edith will be more agreeable with an audience," she said.

Matthew chuckled. He always found it amusing to hear Mary talk about Edith. He guessed they were more similar in disposition than Mary wanted to admit. Even the way Sybil described her sisters made Matthew think so.

"Maybe I'll bring Tom. That would help divert some of the attention off of me," he joked, causing Mary to frown.

"Don't talk to me about him," she said, slipping from Matthew's arms. "I can't believe he's been secretly texting my sister and you didn't tell me."

"Darling, let's not quarrel about that again," he said with exasperation. "Tom asked me not to say anything, but I thought that Sybil would tell you. You two are so close."

Mary narrowed her eyes at him. If looks could kill, Matthew thought to himself.

"She knows I dislike the idea of them together."

"You mean you dislike Tom," he replied, intending to be playful.

Mary was still looking daggers at him. "She's too young to date him. And he's a pain in the arse," she said, as though that settled everything. "And I know he doesn't like me either."

"That's not true," Matthew said instantly. Mary rolled her eyes. "Tom just loves to play the court jester. He likes giving you a hard time. He's said many nice things about you to me."

"Like what?" she asked, raising her eyebrow skeptically.

"Um, that you're incredibly clever and witty," he began. Mary continued to stare at him, eyebrow raised, clearly not believing a word he said. "Also, you have lovely brown eyes that make his knees go weak and you kiss amazingly."

"Tom said that?" she asked.

"I may have added my own spin on things," he said, grinning. Mary laughed, leaning over to kiss him lightly on the lips.

"Oh, you can do better than that," Matthew teased.

"Because I kiss 'amazingly'?" she asked with another laugh.

"You know, I don't really remember," he quipped, wrinkling his nose.

Mary rolled her eyes before sliding into Matthew's lap. He widened his eyes with surprise, sighing as she ran her fingers through his hair again. Mary smiled knowingly at him before leaning down and pressing her lips fervently against his. Matthew wrapped his arms around her, resting his hand against her back. Her lips parted, her tongue softly moving across his lips before she pulled away.

"There. Will that convince you?" she asked, brushing her fingers against his neck.

Matthew blinked stupidly for a few moments, his heart racing from her kiss.

"Convince me again," he said in a thick voice.

Mary smirked momentarily before kissing him again. He kissed her in response, his fingers brushing lightly against the skin on her lower back. Mary cupped his face with her hands, her lips moving enthusiastically.

Much too soon she pulled away, leaving Matthew breathless and yearning for more.

"You're torturing me," he murmured. She chuckled, leaning her forehead against his.

"We should be studying," she reminded him, kissing the tip of his nose.

"Kissing is better," Matthew retorted. Mary laughed before shifting herself onto the floor, picking up the notes she'd abandoned earlier.

"Come to Downton and there may be more kissing," she replied, her eyes sparkling with laughter.

"You're awful sometimes, do you know that?" he asked affectionately.

"Is that a yes?" she questioned.

Matthew sighed. "Yes," he agreed. Mary smirked happily before returning her eyes to the notes.

God, I love her, he thought to himself.


It was two days before New Year's Eve. Mary stared out the window of the library at Downton Abbey, a book in her lap as her thoughts anxiously went to Matthew. He was set to arrive at the train station in a little over an hour and Mary could hardly keep herself still.

"Mary, darling? Is everything alright?" Cora asked as she noticed her eldest daughter's distracted gaze. She and Sybil were seated on one of the sofas, flipping through a Burberry catalog. Edith was seated on the sofa across from them, reading one of her books for A-levels.

"Fine, Mama," Mary said, pulling her eyes away from the window.

"She's just daydreaming about Matthew," Sybil teased, causing Mary to blush.

"I am not," she lied, taking a deep breath to calm her rapid heartbeat. She had been thinking about the sensation of Matthew's lips against hers.

"You're blushing," Edith observed with a laugh. Mary glared at her middle sister. Leave it to Edith to notice something embarrassing about Mary. "What is this Matthew like anyway? If he's willing to go out with you, there must be something wrong with him."

"You're one to talk," Mary spat back. "Have you ever had a boyfriend?"

"Girls, please," Cora said coarsely as Edith opened her mouth to respond. "No wonder your father's retreated to the village. You've been at each other's throats since Mary's been on holiday."

"She started it," Edith replied in defense, glancing down at her book again. Mary rolled her eyes, but Cora shot her a look that said 'rise above it'.

"Are you excited to show Matthew off at the New Year's party?" Sybil asked, smiling. No doubt she wished Tom could come.

"Oh, damn, I forgot to tell him about it," Mary admitted, biting her lip.

"If he doesn't bring any dress clothes, I'm sure we can get him something," Cora said.

Mary felt useless. She knew Matthew didn't have much money to spare on extra clothes or even the train ticket to Yorkshire. Mary had sent the first class ticket to him as a Christmas present, hoping he wouldn't be offended by her gesture. He had given her quite an earful over the phone when he called her on Christmas Eve, but she didn't mind. She couldn't stand being away from him any longer.

"I think I'll walk to the station," Mary said, getting to her feet. She needed to do something other than sit still and argue with Edith.

"Why don't you drive?" Cora suggested. "It's awfully chilly out."

"I'll be fine," Mary replied.

"She's too excited to sit still," Sybil observed. Her mobile vibrated on the side table, causing her to lunge for it before anyone could see the message. Mary guessed it was from Tom. Neither of their parents knew that their 'baby girl' was texting a college boy. Mary didn't fancy being in the room when Robert found out.

Mary simply smiled knowingly at Sybil before leaving the room.

After finding her jacket and scarf, Mary donned a winter hat before escaping from the house. Once outside, she felt freer somehow, as though the inactivity of the house had been oppressing her.

The walk to the station was familiar and calming, giving Mary time to think about Matthew. She was so ready to see him again, she could hardly stand it. The past two weeks had been nearly torture, as their contact was limited to texting and nightly phone calls that usually lasted into the early hours of the morning. While the sound of Matthew's voice was heavenly, it only increased her longing for his physical presence.

At the station, Mary took a seat on the platform, hugging her arms around her as she waited the ten grueling minutes for the train to arrive. It really was colder than she had thought, especially once she was no longer moving. She hoped the train would be early, but she doubted she would be so lucky.

Finally, after what felt like hours, she heard the gentle rumble of a train as it moved down the track towards the station. Her heart leapt in her chest, her stomach in knots as she watched the train roll in. The sound of the breaks were music to her ears as the first cars passed and it finally came to a stop. The doors opened and she waited for a few moments, her eyes searching for the face she most wanted to see. Then she saw him.

Matthew looked as though he had fallen asleep on the train, his hair matted in the back and his eyes blinking sleepily as though the overcast sky was too bright. He met her eyes, a smile on his face as he looked at her. As they walked to meet one another, Mary reveled in the last moment of anticipation and excitement before she threw her arms around Matthew's neck, her lips finding his instantly.

"That's quite a hello," Matthew said, pulling away after a few moments.

"I wasn't finished," she complained, frowning slightly.

"I'm sorry, darling," he replied, leaning forward to kiss her again. Mary sighed, brushing her fingers through his hair.

"I've missed you," she said, breaking the kiss. She'd become aware that there were others watching the scene who probably recognized her.

Matthew grinned, taking her hand in one of his while the other held on to his case. "I suppose I should scold you again for mailing me that ticket," he said as they walked off the platform. "But I missed you too much to care."

Mary smiled in response, her eyes taking in every aspect of his features. "Two weeks is really much too long," she said, leading him to the main road.

"I agree," he replied, pressing his lips quickly against her cheek. "Did you walk here?" he asked as she began to lead him down the street.

"It's not far," she insisted.

"Well, since I can't see a bleeding great house at the moment, I venture to say that you're wrong," he teased, gently squeezing her hand.

"We just have to walk through the village and then it's just past those trees," she said, pointing to a spot on the horizon.

"It looks far to me," he replied.

"Don't you worry, we'll be there soon enough," Mary said, remembering Edith and the insipidness of the house. She hoped having Matthew there would make everything seem better. "Papa's in the village now, but he'll be home in the evening. Actually, we could stop by if you wanted," she teased. Matthew's ears turned pink.

"No, no, let's start with you mother and sisters. At least I already know Sybil, so there's one friendly face," he said quickly.

"And me," Mary added, stopping to kiss him again. Matthew laughed, wrapping his arm around her waist as she moved closer to him.

"And you, of course," he agreed, gazing into her eyes, causing Mary's heart to skip a beat.

Someone cleared their throat nearby, as though waiting for them to break apart. Mary turned her head, her eyes falling on her father who looked rather stern.

"Mary," Robert said, his arms folded across his chest.

"Papa, I thought you were at Murray's office," Mary said, taking a step back from Matthew.

"I was headed to post some mail," Robert replied, his eyes narrowing as he glanced at Matthew.

"Oh, Papa, this is Matthew," Mary said quickly, wishing Robert hadn't just witnessed that intimate moment. "My father, the Earl of Grantham."

"It's nice to meet you, sir," Matthew said, dropping his arm from around Mary's waist to offer Robert his hand.

"Pleasure," Robert said, taking Matthew's hand. Mary noticed that his face didn't alter during the exchange. Apparently Robert wasn't pleased that Matthew failed to call him by his formal title. Or perhaps it was the snogging.

"We were just heading to the house, Papa," Mary said, taking Matthew's hand again. She felt unsteady from her father's apparent disapproval.

"Tell your mother I'll be home after five," Robert replied without acknowledging Mary's words.

Robert turned and walked away. Mary forced herself not to roll her eyes at his retreating back.

"Papa can be so imperious when he wants to be," Mary said apologetically.

Matthew stifled a laugh. "Now I know where you get it from," he joked, leaning over to kiss her cheek. Mary wrinkled her nose at him as they began walking once more.

"He's usually so congenial, it's disturbing. Like Sybil," she retorted.

"Perhaps if he hadn't caught us snogging, then he wouldn't have been so cross," Matthew replied.

"Oh, he'll have to get used to that," she replied, pulling him into another kiss as they walked through the wooded area that hid Downton from view. Matthew laughed at her friendliness, but Mary couldn't get enough of him.

"Bloody hell!" Matthew explained, pulling away from her as they reached the clearing. He gaped at the house, which Mary noticed was still large even from a distance. She was so used to Downton's size that she was quite unaffected by its grandeur. "You grew up here?" he asked in shock.

"Well, yes," she said, rather self-conscious. She was usually unaffected by surprise from first-time visitors to the house, but showing it to Matthew it made her feel rather exposed and even embarrassed by her family's wealth and status. "I'm sorry, it's quite a lot, isn't it?"

"How many rooms does it have?" he asked in awe as they made their way up the lane. Matthew apparently didn't notice Mary's discomfort.

"I, um, I don't know," Mary admitted quietly. "Over a hundred, I'm sure."

"How much of this land does your family own?"

"I think it's over a thousand acres," she replied, clenching her teeth as Matthew looked around in amazement.

"Good God," he said.

Mary pulled her hand out of his grip, stalking away from him.

"Mary?" he called out, hurrying after her. She heard the wheels of his suitcase bumping over rocks as he struggled to catch up. "Darling, what's the matter?" he asked, catching her arm and forcing her to stop. She turned to glare at him.

"Stop going on about the bloody house!" she practically shouted at him. "I know it's large and absurd, but shut up about it. None of us can control who our parents are!"

Mary watched as Matthew pressed his lips together in an effort not to laugh.

"Darling, please don't misunderstand me," he said, his eyes gentle. "I was just surprised, that's all. I'll try to control myself from now on." He took her hand and gave it a small squeeze, causing her to smile automatically.

"I'm afraid it might be worse when we get inside," she replied solemnly.

"I'll keep my comments to myself," he promised, leaning forward to kiss the tip of her nose. "I'm sure it's a lovely...house." He paused and Mary saw that he forced himself not to laugh at the word 'house'.

"You're an arse," she said.

Matthew stepped closer to her, a grin spreading on his face. Mary attempted to maintain a straight face, despite the increase in her heart rate. She'd been away from Matthew for too long to be used to this closeness already. He wrapped his arm around her waist, pressing his body against hers, causing Mary to inhale sharply. His eyes sparkled with laughter, but the intensity in his gaze nearly took her breath away.

"You play dirty," Mary murmured as she moved her face closer to his.

Matthew chuckled before kissing her again, his lips moving more quickly than before. It was as though the apparent seclusion of the grounds allowed them both the privacy the train station had not. Mary wished they could stand outside forever, just kissing, but it was cold and she knew someone was bound to see them.

She pulled away, resting her forehead against his for a moment.

"I'm so glad you're here," she said with a contented sigh.

"So am I," Matthew whispered, brushing his thumb lightly against her cheek.

"We should go in," she said, stepping away and grabbing for his hand. She needed some physical anchor to this man.

As they completed the rest of the walk to the abbey, Mary kept glancing at Matthew, as though to ensure that he was really there. Her heart fluttered, not with anticipation at meeting her sisters and mother, but from the simple sight of Matthew by her side.


I'm sorry this chapter took so long to post! This past week was crazy starting back at school, but hopefully I'll be able to update with the next chapter sooner. Downton quotes are italicized. Please review!