AN: Again, I apologize for the long delay between chapters. What I have decided to do is keep each going forward between 4,000 and 5,000 words so that I can publish them more quickly and your eyes won't be blurred by the time you get to the end. I do get carried away by my characters.
I hope you are enjoying Newport.
Chapter XVIII is right around the corner.
XX
"I think she is fine, Matthew. She told me that the ladies were not very smart to stay out in the sun without clothes, and especially without a hat or umbrella, as their skin would become painful and itchy. Apparently, that is what happened to one of her friends at school who played out in the sun too long."
He smiled. "That's our girl. Pragmatic, just like her mother. You did remind her that being fully clothed in public is not optional?"
Mary laughed. "Of course, I also explained to her that in some uncivilized parts of the world, people behave differently than we do. No worries, darling. She understood me completely and has put the matter out of her head. Now all we have to contend with is reprimanding grandmama and telling Anna what took place."
"Come here and kiss me," Matthew pleaded, reaching his hand out to her.
Confusion etched on her face, she rose from the bed and complied with his wish.
Then, still in his arms, she asked, "What was that about?"
Looking as though he had just been sentenced to life in prison, Matthew replied, "I'm going to have to contend with your grandmother and Anna in the morning.'
Mary frowned, and after brushing back a stray lock of hair from his forehead, she leaned in and kissed him again
Passage
Chapter XVII
Matthew saw red both literally and figuratively as he watched Martha Levinson apply rouge to her sallow cheeks, all the while making light of what he considered to be grossly irresponsible behavior on her part.
"I think you are making a mountain out of a molehill," she exclaimed, spreading the red greasy substance onto her skin with complete disregard for the solid case he had made to show her the error of her ways.
It infuriated him that she still did not grasp that it was wrong of her to promote her progressive views with regard to nudity to two minors, especially when one was not biologically related to her. Still, he had promised Mary that he would not lose his temper.
Returning the rouge to the vanity table, she lifted a large powder puff, dipped it into a container of powder and then proceeded to pat her face, neck and cleavage with the substance.
"This is the 20th Century, after all, Matthew," she proclaimed, making sure she covered every inch of her skin evenly with the makeup. "Many things that were taboo before are not now… and I, for one, am glad that nudity is not censored in art."
Matthew saw speckles of translucent powder floating in the air around Martha's head as a breeze swept through the open window.
She began to cough and fanned the sparkling dust out of her way before examining her reflection in the mirror.
"Your opinion on whether or not nudity should be censored is not relevant in this case, Martha, and you very well know it," Matthew replied in a tone that brooked no argument.
His response infuriated her and she threw the powder puff down on the vanity, creating further dust in the air as she spun around to face him with daggers in her eyes.
"How dare you say my opinion doesn't matter. Why doesn't it? Is it because I am a woman?"
He had wondered how long it would take her to use her sex to her advantage and shook his head back and forth with righteous indignation at her suggestion.
"You know me better than that, Martha, and I know you well enough to see you are attempting to change the topic at hand because you know that you have lost this argument. Victoria and JR should not have been exposed to the painting to begin with, let alone be told that they should celebrate nudity. They were both taken back by the portrait and you made matters worse by counseling them the way you did. The proper course of action would have been for you to direct them to speak with one or both of their parents about what they saw."
Martha turned back to the mirror and frowned, remaining silent for a long moment while she searched through a row of lipsticks. Once she found the shade she was looking for, she pulled the top off and carefully glided it over her narrow lips, making sure to keep the color from feathering beyond them.
As Matthew watched Mary's grandmother surveying her work in the mirror, he was reminded that this was not the first time he had found himself discussing a matter of importance with a female relative in what most would consider an inappropriate setting.
The first had been when he had discovered he could walk again and Violet had come to speak with him in his bedroom in an attempt to get him to reunite with Mary, even though she was aware that he was engaged to Lavinia Swire.
He could see the Dowager Countess now in his mind's eye sitting across from him with her hands resting on the handle of her cane, looking him straight in the eyes and coming straight to the point - "Mary is still in love with you."
Her declaration had hit him like a gale-force wind and it took him a few moments to regain his composure. Part of him had been thrilled to hear it but he knew he could not leave Lavinia after she had been willing to sacrifice so much for him and had told Violet as much. They each made a strong case and then she left him alone with his thoughts. He still could remember that as the door to his room closed behind her, he was not sure which of them had won that battle.
However, he was quite certain who had this time.
Apparently satisfied with her appearance, Martha rose from her seat and said, "Fine…you win. I may have stepped a tiny bit over the line in dealing with the children. For that, I apologize to you and will do so to Mary and Anna, as well…. Now, if there is nothing else, I suggest we go down to breakfast before we set tongues wagging about why you came to see me."
Matthew sighed. "Actually, I did want to speak with you about another matter, Martha, and I deeply regret that I do as I'm sure it isn't something you wish to discuss with me."
Martha's eyes narrowed and she pursed her newly painted lips before she exclaimed, "Mary told you, didn't she? You know that I am ill?"
He slowly nodded his head, doing is best to keep his face blank so that she would not see how distressed he was as he watched her fight to control her emotions.
He heard her swallow hard before taking a cigarette out of an elegant jade cigarette case that lay on her vanity and lighting it. Then she took a deep drag on it and held her breath for a moment before blowing out a swirl of white smoke toward the ornate ceiling.
"I'm not sure how much my granddaughter has told you, so I'll just cut to the chase. I have cancer, Matthew, and it is in advanced stage. My doctor tells me that I'll likely be dead before Christmas."
XX
He found Mary pacing back and forth in front of their bed, wringing her handkerchief in her hands as she often did when anxious. Her head snapped in his direction as soon as she heard the door close and she stared at him with one eyebrow quirked.
"I promised you I would not lose my temper and I didn't, darling. I'm glad of it, too, after learning that she is terminally ill. Oh, Mary, I'm so sorry,"
She quickly crossed the room and threw her arms around his neck, laying her head on his shoulder.
"It has been agonizing for me to keep her condition hidden from you, Matthew, but she insisted upon it...and under the circumstances... Well, I felt I had to honor her request. I hope you can forgive me for being so secretive."
Hearing a catch in her voice, Matthew tightened his arms around her and kissed the top of her head.
"You've done nothing that requires my forgiveness, Mary. I understand why you kept your grandmother's condition under wraps and am not upset that you did. You were put in an extremely difficult position. I doubt I would have handled the situation any differently had I been in your shoes," he replied.
Mary exhaled a sigh of relief and remained silent for a long moment. Then she looked up at him and said, "Unfortunately, I don't think my mother will be so understanding. I'm not sure she will ever forgive me for keeping her in the dark about her mother's illness…and even though I don't regret my decision, I do hate how it will affect our relationship. I doubt Mama will ever trust me again."
He saw her eyes well up with tears and the sight pierced his heart.
"Perhaps there is a way that you could avoid the repercussions from the decision you made, darling. I dare say that in this case, honesty may not be the best policy. In fact, it may make what is already a painful situation worse. "
Mary blinked, clearly surprised by his suggestion and with fire in her eyes, spat, "So…you think it best that I lie straight to my mother's face to avoid her wrath?"
Matthew grimaced. The last thing he wanted to do was argue with Mary and he knew her well enough to see a storm was brewing.
She turned back toward the bed and began pacing again while mumbling under her breath. All her words were not clear, but he managed to hear her mutter "coward's way out" on one of her turns.
Then she stopped dead in her tracks and faced him.
"No, I won't pretend I knew nothing of grandmama's cancer, even though doing so would spare me a good deal of grief. It would be wrong for me to deceive Mama that way."
Matthew nodded his head. He would be supportive of whatever decision Mary made and at that moment it appeared she had made it
A few seconds later, though, her expression changed to one of doubt, her head tilted to one side in a pondering stance and her brow furrowed with creases.
"Yet if I reveal the state of grandmama's health to Mama when we return to Downton, I will be breaking my promise to my grandmother. My mother will book passage on the next ship headed to New York, precisely what my grandmother does not want Oh, Matthew, what am I to do?"
His shoulders raised and he shook his head back and forth as he searched for words that might comfort her, but they eluded him.
How could he tell her what she should do? If he did, he would wind up in the same no-win situation she was in.
Mary's eyes went to the clock on the mantle then and taking note of the time, she threw her hands in the air and said she would have to sort it all out later as they were late.
"I know if we don't make an appearance soon, my grandmother will send Victoria or George on a reconnaissance mission. to discover our whereabouts, " Mary said.
Matthew let out a sigh of relief, glad that his wife had shelved her dilemma for the moment,
and then moved to open the bedroom door.
"Come, darling, clear your head and fill your stomach. That has always made me feel better," he said and flashed her a silly grin.
At that her lips curled upward and she came to him, planting a soft kiss on his cheek before leaving the room.
XX
There were exotic flowers and plants placed strategically throughout the house that kept with the theme of the party. The first that caught Matthew's eye were the Venus flytraps lined neatly in in a row and ready, willing and able to devour any unsuspecting insects that might come within reach.
He and Mary found many others on display on their way to the dining room and decided to make a game of identifying the botanical marvels they came upon, keeping track of the number each was able to correctly name in order to establish a winner. An extra point was awarded if you knew where the plant originated.
"Bird of Paradise. I am sure of it." Mary exclaimed, reaching out and touching one of the pointed orange and blue petals that contributed to the plant resembling a crane.
Matthew concurred and awarded Mary one point. Then he asked if she knew the origin of the flora.
"Hmm….If memory serves, I'd say South Africa," Mary replied in a confident tone.
"Well done, Mary. That is two points for you, which brings your total to eight, and zero for me," he said, appearing frustrated by his botanical ineptitude
"Oh, I'm sure you will get the next one, Matthew," Mary said. "The odds are in your favor, considering your track record so far."
Mathew's eyes narrowed. 'Thank you for your vote of confidence?" he said with mock indignation as they approached a large vase filled with a mix of pastel-colored bell-shaped flowers that resembled starfish.
"Hyacinths," he called out and bent over the bouquet and sniffed it like a bloodhound. "I love the way they smell…lilac mixed with the scent of chocolate…a bit of vanilla, too…with a faint trace of honey and allspice."
Mary rolled her eyes and then informed him that he did not get an extra point for identifying the aromas the flower produced.
"You do get one point, however, for correctly identifying the flower correctly. Now, do you know where it originated?"
Matthew was enjoying the banter between him and his wife and wished it could continue, but his rumbling stomach reminded him that it was time for this good thing to come to an end.
"I actually, do, darling but it isn't just one place. I believe it is native to the entire Mediterranean region. Therefore, I think I should be awarded more than one point since I knew the flower originated in multiple countries. What do you say?"
Mary grinned at him and replied, "I say I won."
He let out a guffaw and leaned forward to kiss her but was interrupted by the sound of Miss Maxwell's voice.
"There you are," she huffed. 'Martha was about to send a search party out to find you two."
"It appears she did," Matthew replied, pointing out the obvious. "I'm sorry if our being tardy cut your breakfast short."
The party planner waved his apology off, declaring it unnecessary and then motioned that they follow her.
They did so, moving at a fast clip until they came upon a plant about two feet high with broad, glossy leaves, featuring dark green oblong blotches on top and a pinkish-red color on its underside.
"Isn't the calathea peacock plant lovely?" she said and gently ran one finger over one of its wide oval leaves. It is one of my favorites from Brazil.
Matthew nodded his head and smiled at the hostess. "Oh, yes…quite lovely..and an excellent addition to your display, " he said.
The hostess smiled broadly at him, basking in the compliment before patting the leaf as if it were a dog's head and then resuming walking.
Matthew turned to Mary and said, "I could have named that one easily. Miss Maxwell just beat me to the punch."
Mary's brows rose and her lips pressed together, containing the amusement that was evident in her eyes. "Is that so?" she said in a serious tone.
"Oh, yes. I recognized it instantly," Matthew said, keeping up the pretense.
At that Mary chortled and nudged him along.
Catching up with Miss Maxwell, they arrived in the dining room in less than a minute and were happily surprised to find Anna seated between Harold and Mr. Cooper at the table. Whether she did so voluntarily or at Martha's request, she seemed to be enjoying her conversation with the movie producer while Harold made quick work of the bacon on his plate.
Matthew's stomach growled and he frowned.
I guess I shouldn't have lingered so long at the hyacinths.
XX
"Anna, you look much better," Mary exclaimed. "I hope you have recovered from your cold sufficiently to attend the party later."
The erstwhile maid nodded her head and smiled broadly before stating that she was feeling right as rain and looking forward to the festivities. However, her costume required some slight alterations, which she hoped could be done in time.
At that, the sound of Martha's commanding voice drew all eyes to her as she proclaimed that Anna's costume would be ready with time to spare as the seamstress was working on the modifications now.
"The aviator jacket and jodhpurs were a bit snug for her taste," she added while spreading a large glob of marmalade on a slice of toast. "Personally, I think she looked like a knockout in the outfit without alterations as it was snug in all the right places," she said and winked at Anna…"But c'est la vie."
Harold swallowed whatever was in his mouth and offered his opinion, making it clear that he had seen Anna in costume and Martha was spot on.
His comment led to Anna blushing and doing her best to hide it behind her napkin as she patted her mouth.
Then Martha raised the slice of toast she was holding to her mouth and took a large bite out of it.
"Mmmm…I do love the taste of marmalade," she said and licked her lips before putting her napkin to good use.
Matthew was pleased to see that Mary's grandmother was in high spirits despite the unpleasant conversation they had in her bedroom a bit earlier.
Crossing over to the sideboard to get his breakfast, he saw Mary turn to Anna with a quizzical look in her eye.
"Amelia Earhart?" she said.
Anna smiled and nodded her head.
Matthew gave the costume some thought. Not a bad choice…not bad at all, he thought as he took a plate from the stack at the end of the sideboard and began to survey his options. One tray was filled with pancakes, the American version which he found much fluffier than what was served back home, another held sausages, the next, scrambled eggs followed by hashed brown potatoes, oatmeal, and in the last tray, nothing but a fine film of pork fat.
"No bacon?" he bemoaned, not realizing he was speaking out loud.
Coming up behind him, Mary whispered in his ear, "Uncle Harold."
Matthew turned his head and eyed his in-law nibbling on an extra crispy slice and frowned.
Whether she had heard his complaint or not, Martha narrowed her eyes at her son and then summoned Claire to bring a fresh tray of bacon.
That pleased Matthew very much.
Thank you, Martha, not only for ordering more bacon but giving Harold the look of death, he said to himself, making sure his inner dialogue remained where is should this time.
XX
The household staff bustled with activity as final preparations were made for Martha's birthday party and Matthew nearly collided with one of the two men carrying out the rolled-up carpet that had lay on the ballroom floor.
He looked about the room then and saw small tables being carried in, a maid standing on the highest rung of a ladder dusting the massive crystal chandelier that hung in the center of the room and two other women roping off a section of the room near the French doors.
"One of the staff told me that a corner of the room is being roped off is for the Benny Goodman orchestra."
"Never let it be said that my grandmother or her son do anything in half measures," Mary replied, moving aside so that another worker carrying a ladder could pass by.
Their conversation was interrupted by the three children at that moment as they came barreling down the stairs with Victoria in the lead.
Spotting her parents, she immediately slowed her pace and gingerly made her way to join them.
I wish I could come to the party tonight," she said, looking up at Matthew and Mary with a pleading look in her eyes. I heard Miss Maxwell say it will be a humdinger."
George piped in before either parent had a chance to respond.
"Do you have any idea what a "humdinger" is, Victoria?" he asked with a smug expression on his face.
She narrowed her eyes at him and her lips tightened as she searched her mind for an answer.
"I think it may have something to do with someone singing a happy tune," she replied, answering her brother's question as logically as she could without knowing the answer.
George shook his head back and forth. "I knew you didn't know the meaning of the word."
"Now, George, Matthew interjected, "You are older than your sister and read a great deal more than she does. I would not expect her to know what a "humdinger" is as it is American slang."
JR cleared his throat at that moment and announced that he, too, had no clue what a humdinger was.
At that, Victoria broke into a smile that reached her eyes.
Matthew noted this wasn't the first time JR had come to Victoria's defense and the penny dropped. The Bates boy has good taste, he thought and smiled, taking notice that Mary was smiling, too. He would address JR's infatuation with their daughter later on, though he suspected it would be no surprise to Mary.
Having said his piece, the young lad looked everywhere except at Victoria before settling his sights on him with wide eyes and exclaiming, "Truth be told, Mr. Crawley, I don't think anyone reads as much as George does"
He and Mary broke out into laughter, George apologized to Victoria for behaving like a know-it-all and JR's cheeks turned the color of Martha's rouge.
Then, with the yard currently off limits, the two boys announced they were headed to the parlor to play a game of chess while Victoria informed them she would be in the kitchen with Jack and Dempsey, who were being served their breakfast.
XX
"What is that incessant banging?" Mathew cried out as he slipped the leather belt through the loops on his pants.
"Darling, unless you want me to get out of the tub and peek through the bathroom window naked, I can't know for sure. However, I assume it is the carpenters putting the finishing touches on the outdoor dance floor that my grandmother requisitioned for guests who wished to sway to the music under the moonlight."
"There will be an indoor and outdoor dance floor?" Matthew said with a note of surprise in his voice.
"Uncle Harold is indulging grandmama's every whim when it comes to this party," Mary replied, which no doubt is costing him a small fortune."
Matthew grabbed hold of the high leather boots he would be wearing and sat down on the bed, laying them at his feet.
"I am sure it is, but since he is in possession of a very large fortune, he can well afford it. It seems everything Harold touches turns to gold," he said, taking hold of one of the boots and shoving a foot into it.
He reached for his other at the same moment his wife emerged from the bathroom clad only in a monogramed bath towel that clung to her damp body, The sight mesmerized him and he dropped the boot he was holding, giving new meaning to "the other shoe dropping" as it fell to the floor.
Mary crossed the room and began gathering the garments she would be wearing while her husband followed her every move with a look of admiration and desire in his eyes"
As if she could feel Matthew's gaze, Mary turned her head in his direction and smiled at him.
"Oh, Matthew. I can't tell you how happy it makes me to see you look at me that way after all these years," Mary said.
Matthew grinned back at her. "I can't tell you how happy it makes me to know that the beautiful woman I am looking at is still mine after all these years."
She came to him, then, sat beside him on the bed and leaned in close before raising her head with an invitation on her lips.
He happily accepted it and planted a kiss on her mouth while his hand moved to the knot that held her towel in place.
Mary broke the kiss and slapped his hand away.
"We don't have time, darling. It is going to take me an hour to get into that wretched costume I must wear and I still have no idea what I am going to do with my hair. Anna said she would stop by after she managed getting into her get-up."
Matthew took her hands in his said, "I'm nearly dressed. What if I help you get into your costume? That would free up some time, wouldn't it?
Mary stared into his eyes for a long moment and then pulled her hands from his grasp and clasped them behind his neck.
"I think it just might, she said a bit breathlessly. You do have nimble fingers,"
XX
AN: The next chapter is complete and longer. I am just going to wait a day or two to post it so that no-one skips over this one by mistake.
I hope you have enjoyed it.
Please let me know!