Back by popular demand. Now if only I was Lord Fellowes….
Mary blinked and opened her eyes. She was back at the villa in her bedroom and Anna was looking after her. She wondered if the whole thing had been a dream. She had been walking in the village remembering her time with Matthew on their honeymoon, when a man who so closely resembled Matthew had crossed the street to her and spoke to her and looked into her eyes. That was the last thing she remembered.
"Ah Milady, I see you are awake, how are you feeling?"
Mary blinked.
"I don't know what happened Anna. I was in the village and now I'm here. Do you know how I got back here? Was I dreaming the whole thing?"
Anna looked at her worriedly.
"I'm not sure milady. I think Mr. and Mrs. Branson might be able to help with that. But please tell me how you are feeling?"
Mary sighed.
"I think I might have a bump or a bruise, but mostly I'm wondering if I was dreaming or if what I thought happened actually did."
Anna sighed in relief; her mistress was well.
"Do you want to tell me what you dreamed?"
Mary smiled.
"It was wonderful. I was in the village remembering when I had last been there with Matthew on our honeymoon when a man who looked like Matthew's twin crossed the street to me. He had a hat and glasses on, but even so he resembled Matthew, or at least what I imagined Matthew to look like if he were alive today. And then he spoke to me telling me that I looked familiar to him, I couldn't find my words when he removed his glasses and he looked at me with Matthew's piercing blue eyes. That is the last thing I remember."
Anna smiled. She had really liked Mr. Crawley; it was a lovely dream to have. Yet how could her mistress be dreaming while walking the village.
"Mr. Branson told the family that he and Mrs. Branson found you in the village surrounded by strangers who were trying to assist you. He did not mention anything about a Mr. Crawley look alike. Perhaps that part was your imagination. Milady, I was thinking, perhaps you are with child and that is why you fainted, like you once did with Caroline?"
Mary smiled at Anna; she was surprised that Anna could even think that. She and Henry had not shared a marital bed in over six months and even then, she would take precautions. She could not risk bringing another child into her mess of a marriage.
"No Anna, I'm quite certain that would be impossible. I must have fainted from seeing Matthew's double. You don't believe me, do you?"
Anna looked at Mary with a small smile on her lips.
"Its not that I don't believe you. It's just I don't know how that could be possible. I'm sure being here has evoked many memories for you. It has for me and it was not even my honeymoon. But it brings back a time when John was in jail, wrongly accused, but had insisted that I continue to live my life."
Mary pulled at her covers.
"I suppose your right. I best get up. I want to call the children before dinner. It was a mistake not taking them here with us. I think they could have really enjoyed it and I would not be so lonely. Anna, I think you know that my marriage to Mr. Talbot is not on the level that my marriage to Mr. Crawley was. We seem to have drifted apart and now I find myself in a loveless marriage to a common man. Not what I had anticipated."
Anna winced. It had been quite some time since Lady Mary had been this honest with her. Of course, with Mr. Talbot being away so much, she suspected that things were not as they should be. But here was her mistress telling her how unhappy she was.
"I'm so sorry milady."
Mary tried to smile.
"Don't be, it is what it is. I still have my memories of the most wonderful man in the world and apparently those memories are so vivid, I am now imagining that I am actually seeing him in the south of France in 1928."
Anna patted Mary's hand and helped her up from the bed.
A-A-A-A-A-A
He had panicked. The lovely, elegant regal woman that seemed to resemble the woman that haunted his dreams, had fainted when he looked at her. She must have known him in his former life. She was the key to unravelling this mystery. But what was so shocking that she had fainted. Maybe she really did want to be rid of him and that was why she never looked for him and was so shocked that she fainted when she saw him.
Well he had panicked and quickly crossed the street hoping someone else would notice her state and tend to her. He had watched from a far to make sure that she was ok. He thought if he stayed, he could have further harmed her. So, he watched as villagers gathered and soon a man and a woman with dark hair dressed in aristocratic white clothing came upon her and seemed to know her. The man had flagged a taxi and he and the woman took her somewhere. He wondered if it was the hospital. He was afraid to follow but he was even more frightened not to. This woman seemed to know him, she was the key to his past, he had to find out. So, he had taken the next taxi and had him follow the car until it arrived at a magnificent villa. He asked the taxi driver if he knew whose house this was? The driver had responded that he was new to the area and did not know, but he had heard people in the village gossiping that an Earl from England and his family were staying at the villa. Rumor was a member of the family had inherited it.
Matthew paid and thanked the driver. So, his regal woman was indeed a member of the British aristocracy. That explained her dress and her stance and those of the people who had helped her. But what was their connection. As he walked around the gates of the villa he pondered if he should merely ring the bell. He had to know their connection and what it would unlock about his past.
A-A-A-A-A-A
Mary smiled as she spoke to George and then Caroline. The children were doing well with nanny and their cousins. She was sure that Barrow was entertaining them as well and Isobel would be looking in on them. Isobel, she would know what to do. Would she believe Mary in what she saw? Just then there was a loud knock at the front door. In this villa the servants never seemed to be about. Mary started walking toward the door when she saw that Tom was heading toward. Tom never really lost his attitude of service, or perhaps he just enjoyed the "simple" life.
Mary stood back as Tom opened the door and there stood the man she had seen before. This time she did not swoon nor faint, but merely observed the interaction. She heard Tom asking him if he could be of help, but she could not see his features and if he recognized Matthew, or Matthew's twin.
Matthew's twin spoke.
"I apologize for calling, uninvited. I don't know how to explain my presence here other that I think a woman who is staying here might be able to unlock my past."
Tom was shaking. Mary knew that he saw what she had seen. But how could it be? How could this man look exactly like her beloved Matthew? Matthew was in the ground more than eight years now. Mary stepped out of the shadows. She stared at their guest. What did he mean that a woman staying here could help him unlock his past? The man caught sight of her and walked past Tom and directly over to her.
"I hope you will excuse my rash behavior. I feel terrible that my presence shocked you so that you fainted earlier today. I became convinced that you must have known me. Its hard for me to explain but I don't have memories of my life before eight years ago. Could we please sit down and talk for a few minutes?"
By now Tom had come up next to Mary. He was clearly shaking, and Mary was afraid he might faint as well. From a place she did not know she had; Mary summoned her inner strength. She put her hand on Tom's shoulder indicating to him that all would be well.
"Alright, Mr. …"
The man looked at her and realized she was expecting an introduction.
"Dwight Enys. And I know its strange, given I have just shown up uninvited, but your name?"
Mary considered her answer.
"Mary Talbot."
Matthew's eyes looked disappointed. He thought he would recognize her name, that somehow, he would know her.
"and this is my brother in law, Tom Branson. He was married to my sister Sybil Crawley. She passed away nine years ago. Tom just recently re-married."
Matthew looked confused.
"So, you are married? Was your name Crawley as well?"
Mary smiled, retaining her cool and testing the stranger to see if he was a fraud.
"Yes, of course. My husband is not here with us right now. Neither are my children. We are here on a family trip of sorts. It's a long story. But you seem as if you might have a long story of your own."
The man looked directly into her eyes again and Mary almost swooned. He had Matthew's piercing blue eyes.
"Yes, it's very long, but also very short."
"Tom, come with us, lets go sit in the Library."
Tom looked frightened. No, he looked terrified.
"Mary, perhaps I should get others to join us. It might be helpful."
Mary looked at Tom.
"No, Tom I think you should come with us to the Library and I will let you know if you should go and get others, once we have spoken to Mr. Enys."
A-A_
Tea was brought in by a local maid who worked at the villa. Mary watched to see if "Dwight" would prefer his tea the way Matthew did with a bit of milk and no sugar. And he did. She kept staring at him. His mannerisms were the same as Matthew's; he looked like Matthew; he sounded like Matthew. She had to find out his story.
"So, Mr. Enys, you stated when you came here that you felt I could be helpful to you in unlocking your past. Please tell me what you mean."
The man looked down for a moment and then looked in Mary's eyes again. It unnerved her the way Matthew would unnerve her from time to time. It was as if he could look into her soul with those eyes.
"This is very kind of you. It must all seem rather unorthodox. But I am a man without a past. I don't know how old I am, but the doctors have estimated that I am now between 40 and 45. I don't know where I was born, and I don't know what my given name was. I don't know where I lived or whom I lived with. I don't know if I had many siblings or if I was an only child."
Mary breathed in trying to keep her façade on. He seemed genuine. She just wanted to pull him into her arms and scream, you are my Matthew. I don't know how, but you are him. Still she stayed cool while Tom hovered in the background at her request. Mary prompted him.
"Why do you think that I, or we could be of help in helping you to unlock that past."
Matthew gave a small smile.
"I have no memories, except a few that are dark and hard to discern. I have a vision of my mother stroking my brow, but I can't see her face. I also have a vision of a woman with long dark hair, though I can't see her face. As I walked the village today, I knew I had been there before and that I had not been alone, but I do not know how or when or why. Then I spotted you across the street and you seemed so familiar and I imagined that perhaps you were the woman with the dark hair. Its silly I know, especially since you now have a beautiful bob."
Mary smiled and winked at him.
"Thank you. Styles change you know."
She had to catch herself, she was starting to flirt with this man. She had to find out more.
"Well Mr. Enys. Can you tell me why you have that name its not like taking on the name John Smith, if you did not know your past?"
Matthew nodded knowingly.
"You are right of course. I woke up in a hospital in Cornwall where people took care of me. They were descendants of a great Dr. Dwight Enys and they insisted that I resembled him so, that they would take care of me, lest I might be a descendant of his. Of course, we could not prove it, but given I had no identity I decided to take his name as a tribute."
Tom was watching this whole exchange. Mary had insisted that he alone be there. He knew that only the two of them could understand the great loss. Could this man be Matthew? Matthew was dead and buried for eight years the way his Sybil had been dead and buried for nine years. But the resemblance was uncanny and the year he "woke up" matched with when Matthew had died. He was amazed at how cool Mary continued to be; listening to his story; asking pointed questions. She was clearly operating on adrenaline. He had to be careful, because he was sure Mary would fall apart very soon.
"And are you a doctor as well?"
"No, being a doctor seemed familiar, but I felt myself more suited for a solicitor. I had no proof of self or any education, but I was able to pass the certification tests. It seems to me that I must have been a solicitor in my former life."
Mary had to control her gasp.
"So, I must ask you. Do I look familiar to you? You seemed to have been impacted by my appearance when we met in the village. I have always felt that whoever knew me did not want me found as there was no missing persons report filed on me or someone who looked like me. If I did you wrong in a previous life, I'm sorry. I mean no harm; I just want to find out about my past and it seems you might know me."
Mary could no longer keep her cool demeanor. Here was her Matthew, she was sure of it. She did not know how or why, or if they would ever figure it out, but it was definitely Matthew. She pulled out a hidden necklace that she always wore. No one knew, not even Anna and certainly not Henry. On the necklace hung her wedding ring and diamond engagement ring that Matthew had given her like two charms. She took both rings off the necklace and held them in her hand outstretched to Matthew.
"Do you recognize these rings?"
The man took the rings in his hand and stared at them. A flash of memory filled his head that never had he seen. There was a beautiful woman in a wedding dress, and he was placing the ring on her finger. Another flash; out in the snow on one knee looking into beautiful brown eyes. The same brown eye's which he currently looked at now. He was not sure if he should say. But she seemed earnest. He did not understand how he could have married her, and she did not look for him.
"I do remember. Not before but as you placed them in my hand, I just had a flash of memory of when I gave these rings.
He rose from the chair.
"But who am I? Why did you not search for me? Was I such a horrible human being?"
Tom came forward to speak but Mary shooed him away.
"Tom, I think its time for you to leave us alone. Please don't alert anyone else until I ask you to."
Tom moved to protest, but Mary's expression indicated that she would not listen to him. He supposed she needed to do this herself. Whatever "this" was. He left and closed the door behind him.
"Do you remember Tom?"
"No, I don't remember anyone. But it seems the two of you remember me. Please tell me who am I."
Mary took a deep breath.
"My husband's name, my first husband that is, was Matthew Crawley, a distant cousin. I loved him very much. He died in a car crash on the day our son was born. We buried him eight years ago. You look exactly like Matthew. You speak like him; you act like him; though I don't understand how, I believe you are him. I never abandoned you. We buried you. I have mourned you and missed you. I have never forgotten you or our love."
Matthew's eyes went wide, and it felt like his heart stopped beating. In his head he thought – could I really be Matthew Crawley? How am I alive if, he died? How am I him? As these thoughts raced through his mind, he looked at this lovely woman, who had taken a chance and told him what she believed was the truth. And he remembered the rings, he remembered marrying her, he remembered proposing to her. He took Mary's hand in his own.
"I believe you. I think I am Matthew Crawley. I don't know how or where or when. Nor do I know if we will ever be able to figure it out. But when I looked at and felt your rings, these rings I remembered our wedding. I remembered proposing to you in the snow."
Mary let out a sob, a sob of joy and a sob of sadness. She squeezed his hand; the hand that had taken her own. Matthew looked into her eyes and she started crying. And then he could hold himself back no more and pulled this woman, seemingly his wife, into his arms. He knew then that he loved her. He felt his heart was entwined with hers. He had no idea what would happen next. But for this moment it was just the two of them suspended in time.
A/N – I hope part two met your expectations. Do you feel their quiet joy? Or are you more worried about how the family will take it? How will they prove it to be true? What really happened to Matthew all those years ago on the day of George's birth? And what about Henry?
Shall I leave it here?
Thank you for your reviews – really encouraged me to write this chapter!
