Chapter 31
No doubt if someone had asked, Mr Carson would have told them there was no need for Matthew Crawley to come to Downton, thought Elsie Hughes. There was no need of him there. Needless to say, the invitation he had received, had been a matter of great debate in the family and in the servant's hall. As far herself, she was not sure why there was such debate. She was not sure it was such a good idea, what with feelings of young Lady Sybil, yet it was happened and there it was. But some of the others seemed to feel he was here to usurp the crown. She knew it would not happen but wasn't sure she could muster the energy too much to care either way.
But that was not an opinion she would reveal to Mr Carson.
As for Miss O'Brien, all she wanted to know was why it seemed to her as if the countess had not wanted to fight to try and make the abbey safe for her child. It was not like her, as it was a fact that if there was one thing in the world that the countess was it was a mother. In the time she had been at the abbey, O'Brien had worked out that much. So, if her lady was not willing to defend her daughter there was a reason for that. She wanted to know what it was.
Thomas was not sure he had an opinion one way or another. He was sure this Matthew Crawley was no better than he ought to be. But until he knew what way the cards were stacked; he would not show his hand.
As for John Bates he was trying not to have an opinion. He had found that opinions were dangerous things to have at Downton Abbey. They could literally take away livelihoods.
It was truly therefore best not to have them, he thought to himself.
Anna got up and was ready to escape the atmosphere in the servant's hall. As far as she was concerned, Mister Matthew was going to be here from now on, so they may as well get used to it and that went for family members and staff alike.
She knew due to the high emotion in the house that there would be those who had an issue with her practical approach. But practical was her nature.
She walked down to the boot room before she went up to Lady Mary, for she had a pair of shows to collect.
She had not meant to be in there long, but by the time she had retrieved the shoes, Mr Bates was too had arrived.
"You could cut the tension in there with a knife at the moment," he commented, and she had to agree.
"The sooner Mister Matthew arrives and life settles again, the better," she concurred.
"It does seem to have unsettled the staff," He did not remember that tension being present the last time he had worked here. At least not about Mister Matthew.
"I agree, and not just the staff," and for the first time since she had become a lady's maid, Anna knew she had been ready to tell someone the confidence of her mistress which was something she knew she must never do. Not if she wanted to remain in her position and she desperately did. Nor did she ever wish to give Mary reason to doubt she could trust her, though after all they had been through that year, she had a feeling she would really have to make a grave mistake to do that.
She silenced herself and felt herself go red.
There was another side to all of this, and she did not want Mr Bates to think she was a gossip. That she was loose lipped. Considering it was not so long since they had met, his good opinion meant a lot to her and she did not want to lose it for anything.
"I said too must which is something I swear I am not in the habit of," She explained.
She did not know why she had come so close to her boundary, for which he himself was entirely blameless. There was just a voice in her which said she could trust him – and she was comfortable with him.
Which was something she did not think she had ever had with Mr Molsley. At least, not like this.
"I know you are not," responded Bates. Their eyes met.
Out of all of them, he had not seen her unsettled – she hadn't had a feather ruffled until the moment. She picked up the shoes she had been collecting and hurried away, leaving him in her wake.
He was not sure what he had done wrong right then, but he wished he had not done it all the same.
X x x
It felt to Sybil as if it had been an age since her father had announced they would bring Matthew to the country. The wait had been nothing short of agonizing. But at last, the day had come.
Knowing that Matthew and his mother were in the village was too much for Sybil.
She had thought she was going to wait to see him when he came up to the house for dinner that night, but the thought they were at last so close was intoxicating for the teen.
She headed down to Crawley House where he and his mother were not going to reside. Another advantage of them being so close was the fact she was now going to get much more of a chance to know Isobel than she had done at Christmas. They had had a few nice chats, but she was sure they should be doing more than that now they were going to be family.
How odd it was still to think that she knew who was going to be her mother-in-law one day.
"Knock, knock," she called as she went into the house, walking through the open door tentatively. She hoped they were not going to mind.
As soon as he heard her voice, Matthew came out from the living room where he had been with his mother to see his bride to be.
Her excitement had caused the colour to rise in her cheeks and she looked quite wonderful in her riding habit.
"I won't disturb you for long, but I thought I would come ahead as the welcome party. It is silly really as I know you are dining with us to night –" she was cut off by a very brief kiss on her lips.
They could not dare more and certainly could not kiss as they had done when he had proposed with his mother so close by.
But it was enough.
"I am so very glad you did." Matthew beamed. "Hello, dear one."
"Hello."
Having felt she had given the two young ones quite enough time to be improper, Isobel followed her son out into the corridor.
"Oh, Sybil how good it is to see you!"
"And you!" said Sybil as she rushed forward to give her a kiss on the cheek.
She had no doubt that the move must have been a source of trepidation for Isobel. Whereas Matthew was coming because he felt he had a future here with here, she had moved on the will of her son, not quite knowing if the future was going to turn out as Matthew and Sybil hoped.
It was a brave move and Sybil could only hope they were going to make it worth her while.
"How was the move?"
"Well, it was a bit rainy when we set off from Manchester, but everything seems to have arrived fine – and the sun is shining now."
"Yes, it is –" said Matthew as he looked at Sybil.
"Let us ring for tea!"
"Oh no, I am not going to disturb you for any longer but will see you tonight for dinner. I do hope you are both going to be happy here."
Crawley house was a lovely, bright, airy home for the two of them she thought. She certainly preferred it to the Dower House where her grandmother dwelled.
She could see Matthew as master here, which he was going to be.
She suddenly realised if he was to make his life here then the chances were that this was going to be the house which she was mistress of one day and that was a bizarre was not sure if she liked it that much or if it was just the thought of being mistress if a house which had never really been her style. Of course, if that was not what she wanted to do, it did seem to her as if she did not have many other options but…
She knew Mary and Edith could carry off that role well, but she did not like to speak for herself.
Then again, as she looked at Matthew, she did not have to wonder that the two of them were going to be able to make a happy life for themselves almost anywhere.
"Oh, I think we are going to be very happy here," Isobel nodded.
Sybil's main hope was that the rest of the family were going to allow them to be.
Her mother and her father were going to give them a warm welcome, but she did not know if she was going to be able to say the same for her grandmother and James.
But there was no need at all to muddy the water by talking about that.
"So – a new year and a new home," sighed Sybil. "Will you miss Manchester?"
"In some ways –"Isobel admitted. The house which they had just left had been where she and Reggie had brought Matthew up, so she did not think there was anything unusual in that she had had some pains at leaving it.
But when she did leave the house, she knew well enough that she was not going to be leaving her memories there. They were going to go with her and would stay with her wherever she went.
They were her own to keep and treasure.
"But not in others," Matthew chipped in as he looked at her.
In some ways, this was the easiest move which he had ever made in his life and the one which he was happiest about.
Any other decision he thought he had made with his head - but this one had been made with his heart.
x x x
In spite of the fact that Matthew was frequently at his new office, in the week that followed the move, more than once, Sybil found herself at Crawley House with her perspective mother-in-law.
It had not taken long at all for the older woman to gain her admiration. She was a woman most unlike her own mama - she had done something with her life beyond family life.
One day they had been waiting on tea for quite a while.
"I will just go and check Beth is managing," the elder of the two Crawley women said as she referred to her maid. It was a new house, and they were all having to get used to it.
Sybil gave a nod as Isobel left the room. She would be glad of it. To have five minutes on her own to examine the room and see what she could pick up about the branch of the family which she wanted to marry into.
The kick knacks and ornaments did not say much though by the look of her vases, Isobel wasn't a fan of fussy decoration.
That was when her eyes feel on the bookcase.
She crossed to read the spines. Upon seeing back copies of the Lancet, no longer did she care to find out too much more about Isobel, but she did so wish she could find out more about the articles within the journal pages.
She wanted to innately know all they would teach her.
She could not be the only one who had ever felt like this - as if she had a calling.
And she wanted to answer it. So caught up in the spines she was, that she did not realise Isobel was back in the room.
The elder of the two Crawley women could not help herself but observe the younger for a minute. She was glad to see she had so much interest in something. She had not thought she was one to sit and do nothing. It was now confirmed.
She was a woman who wanted more.
"They are really rather interesting," said Isobel as she brought the tea in. Once she had found Beth in the kitchen, the tea had been nearly made so it had seemed to her as if there had been no point in asking her to carry it back.
Even in her state of nerves, Sybil thought to herself, she did not think her mother would ever do that – carry her own tea tray.
"Oh, I am so sorry," she said to her as she did not want her to think she was snooping, even if she guessed that was near the truth.
"There is no need to apologize. You're interested in medicine, aren't you, Sybil?" she asked.
It felt nice that there was someone she could be so honest with.
"Yes. I rather am. Of course, mama and granny wouldn't approve."
"Just because they wouldn't approve, doesn't mean it is wrong."
Sybil beamed.
"I have a feeling if they could hear you speak like that, they were going to wish you hadn't moved so close."
"Do you wish that?"
"Golly, no – I couldn't be more thrilled. Could I sometimes come here and read one or two? Matthew mentioned you were interested in our hospital. You know medicine…"
"I know some."
"You could teach me?" Sybil said thrilled and Isobel wasn't sure if it was meant as a statement or a question.
"In theory I could, couldn't I?"
"Oh please, Cousin Isobel."
Isobel smiled. Oh yes – in that moment, Sybil was exactly the sort of girl she could see Matthew with forever.
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