How did Isobel feel about seeing her son with Lavinia vs Mary?

A glimpse into her point of view!

"Ma-ma!" Matthew called as he entered his home. The sixteen year old boy had a very important revelation to share. Isobel heard his second shout and peered out of the kitchen. She saw her son, cheeks flushed from the cold weather with a brimming smile. He waited for Lavinia to remove her jacket and hung it up next to his own by the door.

Matthew was home early from his studies at Cambridge. It had been a necessary evil to release him from her tutorage, and they were both still acclimating to this new circumstance. This first year he was commuting rather than living on campus. Sometimes she wondered if this wasn't a mistake, he should get the proper experience and live in a dormitory. And yet she knew the rational as to why he had declined this option.

Isobel knew that his first term at university was both thrilling him in terms of academia and crushing him in terms of social relationships. She worried about her sensitive son under the machinations of his peers; a mother is always helpless to control any circumstances. All she could do was pepper him with courage. Reggie used to say that life was all about learning to fly while being vigilant in remembering you can fall. He had been true to this philosophy, and it was a bittersweet reminder of his death.

Isobel looked at her son fondly; he was completely recovered from a rare bout of illness. Several weeks ago he had arrived home without warning suffering from what quickly became a terrible cold. Eventually, he had explained while participating in the lightweight rowing exercises, he had succumbed to a dare to swim in the icy winter water. Despite his intellect, he was still so innocent.

After that incident, all he ever spoke about regarding university was interaction with his teachers, and his awe inspiriting jubilation at the school's library. Isobel tried not to fret about her boy spending all of his time alone, but as his mother she couldn't help but worry. And yet she knew her son, he had never flinched from a challenge. He was his father's son and that made her especially proud.

Isobel walked towards the subdued sound of his voice and she saw Lavinia cowering behind him. She smiled warmly as it was pleasant to see her son's oldest friend. That must be the reason for the excitement as they were now frequently separated. However, her nimble eyes saw the contrast in the young teenager's body language. They were both jittery. Lavinia held his hand timidly, while Matthew had a euphoric grip. And there was a large gap between them as if they weren't even certain of how to conduct themselves.

"Hello darling," Isobel addressed her son closing the distance between them. As she had approached they stopped holding hands. Isobel kissed his cheek affectionately which he accepted without complaint.

"Hello Lavinia," she added politely to which the young woman smiled and nodded.

"Ma-Ma," Matthew said. "You won't believe what has happened!"

"I won't?" Isobel challenged him. "Oh dear," she said in mock fretting. "Perhaps, you two had better come into the kitchen where I have cherry crumble."

"Thank you Mrs. Crawley," Lavinia said politely.

This manor of address annoyed Isobel. The sweet girl simply could not learn to call her by her given first name, despite how many times she had suggested it. At least though she wasn't Nurse Crawley anymore.

"It smells wonderful," Matthew said with a smile as he sniffed the kitchen air. "Mama you should open a bakery!" He went directly to the fridge and removed a carton of vanilla ice cream. Isobel watched the way he next removed three bowls and the necessary cutlery.

"You are a very good cook," Lavinia said quietly. "But, none for me thank you."

"Liv?" Matthew said his happiness faltering. "We need to celebrate! Have some dessert."

She was silent as she smiled at him. "No, thank you," she repeated before reluctantly offering more of an explanation. "Papa is taking me out to dinner tonight and he doesn't like it when I eat between meals and ruin my appetite," she explained. "I'm sorry."

Isobel watched her son's reaction and it was crestfallen. Although she had known Lavinia for nearly ten years, this child still surprised her. She wanted nothing but the best for her and yet it was hard for her to think of Lavinia as a blossoming young woman, as she still seemed to not have aged much since her fragile childhood. Isobel wondered at times why she and Matthew still remained friends. They didn't share the same taste in books or movies or hobbies. Matthew had never taken Lavinia rowing either. But, she was terribly fond of the girl and would never begrudge her son such a loyal friend.

"I suppose I will have to eat Liv's share than Mum," Matthew said jovially.

They sat at the dining room table that looked out on the backyard. The crumble she had baked contained the last of the canned cherries. After sustaining damage during a recent thunderstorm, the cherry tree had been dug up, roots and all. It gave the backyard space a completely different ambiance. Reggie had proposed until the cherry blossom leaves, and Matthew had played on its branches. But, the good was mingled with the bad. Matthew had also fallen from the cherry tree breaking his arm, the same day that Reggie had died.

Isobel suddenly realized that her son had entered frantically with news and yet now remained quiet. She watched her boy devour the cherry crumble with a voracious appetite. Although he still possessed his baby fat giving his appearance a slightly heavy countenance, she knew he sometimes skipped meals in favor of studying. Isobel felt her heartache and she wished… No, she stopped herself, do not wish for the past, only reveal in its memories. She turned back towards the young adults.

"Liv," Matthew said quietly. He paused as though he was about to speak, but there was only silence.

Lavinia's shy smile betrayed her blushing. Whatever silent thoughts were between them she understood, or perhaps she was too embarrassed to let him continue.

"I know," she said with assurance. "And you mean the world to me too." She had such earnest devotion in her expression. Isobel was reminded of the little girl with a pink bandana in the cancer ward, so brave and so warm hearted.

Isobel pressed the conversation forward with cheer in her voice.

"So," she prodded. "What is it you have come to tell me?"

"Well," Matthew said as his spoon clinked on the dish and he pushed it slightly away as he finished. "I've asked Lavinia to be my girlfriend and she said yes!"

Isobel smiled at this knowledge since it made her son so proudly happy. Lavinia laughed at his affection as he gallantly took her hand and kissed it.

"I pause to record that I feel in extraordinary form. Delirium perhaps," Matthew quoted. "Samuel Beckett said that. I'm reading him in my English course work."

"You don't need to say such things," Lavinia blushed, her pale checks now as red as the cherry crumble.

"I want to," Matthew said quietly. "I want..."

"I wish you wouldn't," Lavinia said with discomfort. "It isn't necessary. I just like you."

Isobel cleared the plates as this awkward moment continued and her son was silent. Oh, they were so confused, it was rather sweet. And yet she also wondered about what had provoked them towards this step and how long it would last. She knew how much their friendship was cherished by both of them and yet there was something lingering between them that was unsettling. It made Isobel's heart yearn with sympathy. For as she stared at her beloved child, and the sweet but meek Lavinia, she saw anxiety in both of their eyes. Matthew had always stood out and remained socially awkward. And Lavinia was such a sheltered girl, trying to be brave against the trials in her path. Isobel offered them tea, but only her son accepted. After putting the kettle on Isobel, resumed her seat. She was about to break the silence when he finally spoke.

"I can't wait till your father lets me take you to university. I'd love to show you around," Matthew said proudly. "Things are going to change now."

Lavinia smiled but was quiet at his remark.

And for the first time Isobel had what she felt were true reservations about this elevation of their relationship. For it was one thing for Matthew to want to share his news with her, it was another for their happiness to rest in the hands of Reggie Swire. If his relationship with Lavinia was hinged by her dependence on her father granting independence, she feared for both of their hearts.

Ten Years Later...

"Mum!" Matthew called as he entered his childhood home. The twenty-six year old man had a very important revelation to share. Isobel heard him immediately, his shout was loud and clear. In the kitchen, Isobel removed her cherry crumble from the oven. Begrudgingly she had to admit the cherries from the market were just as good as the ones that had once grown in her backyard.

She heard laughter and snickering accompanying her dear boy's shouts. Her curiosity peaked as she could not place the female's voice. However, she heard a loud, boisterous laugh. Isobel came out of the kitchen and stopped in her tracks. As Matthew helped this mystery woman remove her winter coat, she surprised him with a sudden kiss. She pressed herself up against him as though they were about to tango.

"A thing of beauty is a joy forever," Matthew said as their lips parted.

"Indeed?" The woman challenged her fingers still lingering in his hair.

"Yes," Matthew affirmed. "John Keats said as much and you love his poetry." And then they kissed again, and it was certainly not chaste.

Although she was not prudish, Isobel still wondered about this etiquette. If this woman was trying on purpose to be noticed as possessing her son. Had she gone from distain to duplicity? Isobel cleared her throat and Matthew reluctantly broke apart from this woman and blushed. Isobel recognized her of course.

Mary Crawley. Lady Mary Crawley.

"Isobel," Mary said candidly. "It is lovely to see you again." She extended her manicured hand and Isobel found her gaze was distracted by the gigantic ring on Mary's hand, obviously she was supposed to notice that too.

"Mum," Matthew said. "I wanted to tell you the exciting news. Well…" He paused and looked at Mary and then they both giggled as though they were teenagers.

Isobel's eyebrows rose at the giddy behavior for it was rather surreal. They were two lovesick people evidently. And she was very confused. However, then she remembered the package, delivered the day of Lavinia's funeral when Lady Mary had hugged him. She remembered the way they had both been cagey at the dinner after their accidental symphony encounter. And then there were the undisclosed hours they had spent at the cinema together, Matthew had confessed she was his companion as only Lady Mary loved foreign films as much as he did.

The next words that were spoken were quiet and yet passionate. It was a combination of factors that got Isobel's attention, the way that her son spoke and the way that Lady Mary gave her attention; as though they were daring and spurring each other on.

"You're my Neptune, as Neptune was mathematically predicted before it was directly observed," he said making banter from science and maths. "It was an inverse problem to be worked out, proof of Newton's law of gravity."

"Out with it, what does that mean?" Mary challenged without delay. There was a dramatic pause, her lips suspended in pre-speech before she fulfilled this promise to continue.

"Darling," Mary added with finesse; that one word was soft while the rest were sharp.

"It means," Matthew said confidently, his voice excited and determined. "I love you and my loved existed long before it could be seen."

Isobel felt a knot in her stomach as she overheard this tendril of the conversation. Could it be that this woman had sought out her son? That she had made previous overachures? Although she knew the many virtues of her child and believed any woman would be blessed to have him as their husband, she couldn't believe that Mary's conduct was sincere. Perhaps this wasn't fair to the young lady, but she had always struck her as a vain and single minded woman, bent on getting her way. And her boy had gotten caught in her trap. However, she would try and restrain such judgment until she knew Mary better. Isobel had hope and yet her protective nature was also now fully engaged.

"Mum," Matthew said once he had ceased his chuckles. "I'd like to introduce to you my future wife."

Isobel stared at the happy couple, convinced she had misheard. This woman truly was bold. It was audacious and ludicrous. And yet it made her smile.

"Pardon?" She inquired. All the while, her mind, was spinning one thought surprised her more than any of her other ponderings. Mary was an untamed spirit and she couldn't help but admire her just a little bit for such a perceived quality.

"We're engaged," Matthew said as she made eye contact with his new fiancée. "I know it's rather sudden but I gave it a lot of thought and so I asked Mary to be my wife and…" Matthew's nervous rambling would have continued except that he was interrupted.

"Simply put," Mary said, "We've come to share our news with you. The wedding will be a year from this coming summer, more details shall follow after the official announcement has been made. My father wants a full page add in The Times."

"Yes," Matthew said. "What she said. First though we need to find somewhere to live!" And they both giggled again.

A part of Isobel felt immense relief to see Matthew so genuinely happy, it had been ages since her darling had experienced such mirth. And yet she wondered about this blunt display on his new fiancée's part felt as though it was merely a performance. There was plenty of time before the wedding for any manner of disasters to occur.

"Well," Isobel said as she saw Matthew's hungry gaze yearning for her blessing. "I'm ever so pleased for both you. You do look happy," she conceded.

Matthew released Mary's hand and stepped forward to kiss her on the cheek. Isobel was touched by the gesture and patted his arm. "I am happy," he said confidently. "Oh, am I ever happy."

"Come into the kitchen," she said warmly. "I must learn more about this new circumstance between you. We will eat cherry crumble and you will regale me with details!"

Sometime later after they had all eaten the desert Isobel had listened to what she sensed was a censored version of the truth behind this sudden engagement. She found that although Mary dodged her questions, she was not the prima donna she had feared. It was true her answers were haughty and defensive, but her guile was impressive. If Isobel ever needed a poker player or a formidable scrabble challenger, Lady Mary came to mind filling these roles.

"Would you like to stay for dinner?" she asked feeling generous to make such an overture.

Matthew smiled at his mother but slowly shook his head. He looked at Mary and they both stood up from the table.

"Some other time Mum," he said as he walked towards her to say goodbye. "Thank you," he said as he kissed her cheek. "But, we've already got plans."

And Isobel had real hope of her boy having found true love when she saw the way Mary tied the scarf around Matthew's neck. It was such a simple intimacy, but not something that he took for granted. He revealed in the affectionate gesture awestruck by his fiancée. And so whatever her reservations, Isobel was at least grateful that this new beginning was everything they both seemed to believe it was. Their happiness was there's alone, as a mother she couldn't ask for more than that.

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Next on TML: A chapter called Yesterday.

No matter what Mary knows what she is doing, and Matthew has no doubts.