Chapter 11 – Boy and Girl
Matthew had a twinkle in his eye as he looked at Lady Mary. "As long as he makes you happy. If he doesn't, he'll have me to answer to." He smiled though there was a small pang to do so.
Mary smiled back in that nearly bland way of hers, then let he eyes get involved making the smile less grim. "Oh, he will. He does." The words came from her mouth but she hated to say them.
"I'm glad you found someone then. Like I have." He ducked his eyes. "Wartime makes it all the sweeter, doesn't it? Sir Richard Carlisle. Newspapers."
"Yes," she said. "Newspapers… that sort of thing."
"A man of business."
Mary smiled. "Yes."
Their conversation was cut short as his Lordship came over and put his arm about Matthew. "Mary? Let's not keep Matthew too late. He did say that he was running up to London tomorrow to see Lavinia. Taking the early train?"
Matthew smiled at the man who would have been his father-in-law. "Noon, I think." He took a quick glance at Cousin Mary. "I should be getting on to the village."
"I'll have Branson run you down." Robert smiled hugely at Matthew. "I can't tell you how delighted I am - we all are - that you came for a visit! Shame you can't stay longer. Shame your mother isn't here."
Matthew looked at Mary in her almost casual clothing. "I agree, your Lordship." The shiny silk blouse made her all the more radiant in his eyes. Lavinia tended to wear elaborate dresses, and they did suit her. But seeing Mary dressed in the simple blouse and skirt, no jewelry, her hair pinned up, made her seem more approachable, and she seemed far more relaxed then his last visit. He looked from Mary to her father and back again. "I should be home soon."
"Oh?" came from Mary. That wasn't what she wanted to say. When she and Edith had been muddling through the song, and the library door opened, she felt her heart would stop. It did skip a beat or two, she was sure of that did happen when she saw through the standing officers at the back a familiar man with William by his side in their Army uniforms.
And when Matthew walked down the aisle, stood by her and finished the song, as a proper duet… the words rang through her head.
If you were the only girl in the world
and I were the only boy
There would be such wonderful things to do
If you were the only girl in the world
and I were the only boy.
She choked back what she wanted to say, as Matthew spoke again to her father.
"The Germans are suffering, far more than we. And there are rumors that the Americans will send over more men." Matthew stopped. "I hear they've made a huge difference already. Sorry, didn't mean to bring up the war."
"Yes," said Mary her eyes brimmed with tears. "It has to end soon, then."
Matthew made the smallest of shrugs. "I hope so."
Robert laughed. "Well…" he yawned, "excuse me. It is late. Cora's already gone up. I'll leave you young people to say goodbye then." He dropped his arm and took Matthew's right hand in a firm grip. "Glad that you could drop in, and do be careful, my boy. Son."
Matthew clung to Robert's hand in what he hoped was fond firmness, and not the clutching of a drowning man. This house, this place, felt like home now and it would be his home someday; his and Lavinia's. Their children would run down these halls and across the lawns.
But when he looked at Marty, thinking of Lavinia did not feel right - not here, not in this house. It should be otherwise… and his dreams, always there, not the ones of the war, but of Mary flashed in his head. It had all gone so wrong.
His Lordship clapped him on the back. "We pray that this awful thing is soon over and done and that you return safely." Robert strode away, a man seemingly at ease with his place and station.
Mary had such an expectant look to her face and that made him cautious again. Be careful, Matthew came the idea. "I haven't sung for so long… hope I didn't ruin it."
"No, we needed a man… that is, a male voice. And there you were!" Her eyes smiled, but her heart broke inside. She didn't want Carlisle, but she'd take him, if nothing better was available. He was hard, rich, handsome, a business man, but his proposal such as it was, was more of a business contract. But Matthew, she sighed inside; Matthew… was most assuredly not available. Not anymore and that was her fault. She knew that now and it ate like cancer on her spirit.
He grinned. "You have no idea how much I miss this over there. It has to be over soon. I'll say goodnight."
"Yes," she smiled one last time. "Goodnight Matthew." Mary chastely hugged her cousin farewell and brushed his cheek with her lips. "Be safe."
"I'll do my best," Matthew said, and with a regretful expression looked about the hall, then turned and walked away.
Mary watched his receding back, until he was handed his coat by one of the maids, he pulled it on, and walked to the front door. She wanted to scream out one word - STOP! But that battle ground was already lost to her and she knew it.
The door opened, he went through, she heard the motor approach on the drive, the door closed behind him, and he was gone.
Sometimes when I feel low
and things look blue
I wish a boy I had... say one like you.
Someone within my heart to build a throne
Someone who'd never part, to call my own
If you were the only girl in the world
and I were the only boy
Nothing else would matter in the world today
We could go on loving in the same old way
A garden of Eden just made for two
With nothing to mar our joy
I would say such wonderful things to you
There would be such wonderful things to do
If you were the only girl in the world
and I were the only boy.
Author's notes:
The song – Music was written by Clifford Grey and words by Nat D. Ayer in 1916. It premiered in a musical - The Bing Boys Are Here . Sequels came soon: The Bing Boys Are There (1917) and The Bing Boys On Broadway (1918). Vintage audio clips of this song can be found on the Internet.
American AEF – Allied Expeditionary Force did not enter combat until October 1917, having arrived in Europe in June of that year commanded by General John 'Black Jack' Pershing.
