DISCLAIMER: All characters and locations in this story belong to Julian Fellowes except from my OC Florence Crawley. This story has been created for entertainment only.
A month later, the biggest news of the day was a visit by Evelyn Napier. It been arranged through Mary and Cora. Florence knew that this was another attempt by Mary to find a husband that had better standings than what Matthew will be when he inherits Downton Abbey.
Florence was in the library with a book when Evelyn Napier and his hunting party arrived. She could see the mass of horses and gentlemen from where she sat in the library. She could just about spot Mary in the mass of people, though she was surprised when she saw that Lynch had been sent back.
Florence dressed after the dressing gong and prepared for dinner. She was happy to see Matthew and Isobel entered the reception room. She waited patiently until Matthew walked over to her after greeting her father.
"Good evening. Have you had a good day?" Matthew asked.
"I have, though I suppose I should be asking you that. How was your church tour with Edith?" Florence replied.
Matthew smiled, "I think I quite wore her out and bored her slightly. Perhaps next time you should come with us"
Florence nodded, "I would love to."
"Great." Matthew replied before asking, "What did you do today while your sisters were out?"
"You'll find it ever so boring." Florence answered while dodging the question.
"Come on, I'm sure I won't. I don't think anything you do could be boring." Matthew encouraged.
Florence blushed and finally answered the question, "I was reading in the library and then spent some time speaking with Sybil."
"Ah, I seem to remember you saying that you would rather read than go hunting. I quite agree with that. See, I did not find it boring. You know I like reading myself." Matthew reassured her with a smile. "What were you reading?"
"Much Ado About nothing by William Shakespeare. It is my favourite play." Florence told him.
"What is your favourite part?" Matthew asked curiously.
"When Benedick and Beatrice admit their love for one another." Florence answered honestly.
"Do you not love me?" Matthew said, beginning to recite Benedick's lines from the scenes from memory.
"Why, no, no more than reason." Florence grinned and recited Beatrice's lines.
"Why then your uncle and the Prince and Claudio have been deceived. They swore you did." Mathew continued.
"Do you not love me?" Florence replied with a large smile on her face.
"Throth, no, no more than reason." Matthew said, still speaking in the character of Benedick.
"Why then my cousin, Margaret and Ursula are much deceived, for they did swear you did." Florence replied.
"They swore that you were almost sick for me." Mathew said, taking a step towards Florence.
"They swore that you were well-nigh dead for me." Florence countered, taking a step forward herself.
"'Tis no such matter. Then you do not love me?" Matthew continued.
"No, truly, but in friendly recompense." Florence finished with a grin, wondering where they would go from there.
"A miracle! Here's our own hands against our hearts. Come, I will have thee, but, by this light. I will take thee for pity." Matthew continued, skipping the lines of the other characters and reciting Benedick's next line from his memory.
"I would not deny you, but by this good day, I yield upon great persuasion, and partly to save your life, for I was told you were in a consumption." Florence recited Beatrice's reply.
"Peace, I will stop your mouth." Matthew said, the pair of them leaning forward, completely lost in their own world.
"Well, we should go through." Robert's announcement from the other side of the room, broke them out of their moment and away from each other.
Matthew and Florence both cleared their throats nervously as they stood unsure what to say after that rather romantic moment between them. They moved with others into the dining room. They were once again sat next to one another. Florence had Edith on her other side. Syble and Edith were sat on the end closest to Florence and Mary and Mr Pamuk was sat at the other side. Florence did wonder, however, why Edith seemed to be giving her a cold shoulder this evening. The main topic of conversation this evening was about Gwen, the housemaid that wished to get a new job as a secretary.
"I don't understand. Why would she want to be a secretary?" Violet asked.
"She wants a different life." Matthew replied.
"But why?" Violet asked. "I should far prefer to be a maid in a large and pleasant house than work from dawn till dusk in a cramped and gloomy office. Don't you agree, Carson."
"I do, my lady." Carson replied.
"She wants to do something that she is passionate about. I'd fully support her if that is what she wishes to do. She is limited by nothing but herself and her own self-belief." Florence commented.
Matthew glanced over to Florence and smiled at her belief. When she glanced over to him and they locked eyes she smiled back.
"You would believe that." Violet replied dismissively.
"Why are we talking about this?" Mary questioned. "What does it matter?"
"it mattered that the people that live and work here are content." Cora answered genuinely.
"Of course. We should be helping Gwen if that's what she wants." Sybil said, agreeing with Florence's previous comment.
"I agree" Isobel agreed. "Surely we must all encourage those less fortunate to improve their lot where they can."
"Not if it isn't in their best interests." Violet argued.
"Isn't the maid a better judge of that than we are?" Isobel argued back.
"What do you say, Mr Pamuk?" Mary asked to her table neighbour. "Should our housemaid be kept enslaved or forced out into the world?"
"Why are you English so curious about other people's lives? If she wishes to leave and the law permits it, then let her go" Mr Pamuk replied honestly, addressing the whole table.
"Perhaps the law should not permit it, for the common good." Violet argued.
"So you hanker for the days of serfdom?" Isobel argued.
Florence glanced at Robert who always seemed to be sat in-between the two women who just seem to refuse to get along. Robert looked like he was really wishing that he wasn't sat in-between them.
"I hanker for a simpler world. Is that a crime?" Violet questions, not about to be out argued by Isobel.
"I too dream of simpler world. As long as we can keep our trains and our dentistry." Mr Pamuk commented, causing a wave of laughter around the room.
The table seemed to break into smaller conversations so Florence quickly leaned over so she could whisper to Sybil and Edith without anybody else hearing. "I think Perseus just got replaced by Aeneas."
Sybil and Edith both let out quiet laughs as Florence sat up straight again. She glanced over to Matthew to see him looking at her curiously.
"My mother told me that you have been visiting the hospital a lot recently." Matthew commented, but both of them could tell that it was a question inside of a comment.
Florence nodded, "Oh, yes. There is a child there at the moment. Children can find the hospital awfully scary so I usually go and read to them and play a few games with them. As a volunteer I can be there when the parents can't."
"That is very kind of you." Matthew commented with a brand-new respect for her.
"Well, I know it must be terribly scary for them to be in a strange new place so anything I can do to make better for them I will." Florence told him honestly.
"Lady Mary rode very well today" Mr Napier commented, trying to draw everyone back into one conversation.
"Why did you send Lynch back?" Robert questioned.
"I had my champions to my left and right. It was enough." Mary replied, looking between Mr Napier and Mr Pamuk.
"Did you enjoy the hunt today, Mr Napier?" Robert asked. "Mary said you had a tremendous run."
"It was like something out of a Trollope novel." Mr Napier responded which prompted another round of chuckles.
"What about you, Mr Pamuk?" Cora asked. "Was your day successful?"
"Oh, yes, Lady Grantham." Mr Pamuk replied. "I can hardly remember a better one."
Initially, after the dinner was completed, the men went into one room while the women went into another. However, on this occasion they quickly joined together in one room. Matthew immediately sought out Florence, though to his annoyance he was joined by Evelyn Napier, Mr Pamuk and Mary.
The five of them began a conversation which was mostly led by Mr Pamuk and Mary. Florence and Matthew often look to each other, both clearly wishing that the others were not there.
Florence finally saw an excuse. "Oh, if you'd excuse me."
Florence quickly slipped away and over to Sybil who had been on her own. Matthew followed her progress with his eyes and quickly excused himself from the conversation so he could re-join Florence but he was quickly side-tracked by Edith. Matthew smiled politely.
"I hope I didn't wear you out today." Matthew commented politely with a smile.
Matthew couldn't help but look around Edith to where Florence had been talking with Sybil. It seemed that they had been joined by Evelyn Napier and Sybil was in the process of excusing herself leaving Florence alone to speak with Napier.
"Not at all. I enjoyed it. We must do it again." Edith commented.
Matthew realised that he was in dangerous territory and needed to make his intentions towards Edith clear. "Next time let's take my mother. She was so jealous, she made me promise she could come with us."
"Of course, how nice that would be." Edith relented rather disappointed.
Matthew noticed that Napier had made Florence laugh. He smiled politely to Edith, "If you would excuse me Edith."
Matthew quickly dashed away towards Florence. Napier saw his approach and nodded to him and excused himself. Florence turned around to see him and a smile immediately came upon her face.
"Matthew, sorry to abandon you before." Florence said, "But I could feel Mary's glare right through my skin and into my lungs."
Matthew smiled, "It's quite alright. I got away shortly after."
"Thank God. I felt terrible about leaving you to the lions." Florence commented relieved.
"I was thinking perhaps… as Much Ado About Nothing was your favourite play, perhaps we could go and see it then next time it circulates. You and I, I mean." Matthew suggested, rather nervously.
Florence smiled brightly, "I would really like that, Matthew."
"Good. I'll look out for its next circuit." Matthew relied, also with a bright smile.
The next morning, after Florence had completed her usual morning routine including making her bed three times, Anna appeared. Florence knew at once that something was wrong but she wouldn't find out until much later.
The news came through her father. He announced it to Mary, Edith, Sybil and Florence just after breakfast. The whole house was in shock. All of the women gathered in the drawing room in the morning after everybody was dressed and had eaten. They were all sat rather quietly as they considered what had happened overnight. Florence sat on a long chair with Cora and Sybil. Florence sat on the end so Sybil was in the middle.
Carson entered the room announcing, "The Dowager Countess."
Everybody looked over as Violet entered the room. "Oh, my dears. Is it really true? I can't believe it! Last night he looked so well! Of course it would happen to a foreigner. It's typical"
"Don't be ridiculous." Mary snapped as Violet sat down.
"I'm not being ridiculous. No Englishman would dream of dying in someone else's house. Especially someone they didn't even know" Violet commented seriously to Mary.
"Oh Granny, even the English aren't in control of everything." Sybil said gently.
"Well, I hope we're in control of something, if only ourselves." Violet commented in return.
"But we're not." Mary retorted sharply. "Don't you see that? We're not in control of anything at all!"
Mary stood and marched out of the room to the shock of the others in the room.
Cora turned to face Edith, "Edith, go and tell Mary to come back at once and apologize to her grandmother."
Edith stood and began to walk after her sister when Violet stopped her, "No, leave her alone. She's had a shock. We all have. Just let her rest."
Edith began to walk back to her seat when Carson opened the door to reveal William and a tea tray. William carried the tea in and to the table at the side of the room.
"Ah, just the ticket. Nanny always said sweet tea was the thing for frayed nerves." Violet lifted herself up to stand as she continued, "Though why it has to be sweet I couldn't tell you."
The next day, Florence was sitting in front of her canvas easel. She was outside with it. She was painting the front of Downton. It was often her favourite thing to paint. Today she was painting the scene with the hunting party stood outside. She was applying the finishing touches when Matthews voice called her name.
"Florence" Matthew called as he approached her.
Florence smiled and she turned to face him. When he reached her he greeted her, "Good afternoon."
"I didn't realise we were expecting you today." Florence commented in a friendly way with a large smile. She was happy to see him.
"You weren't, I just wanted to see you. See how you were." Matthew said.
Florence seemed to melt, a smile growing on her face.
"I looked for you yesterday at church." Matthew commented.
"Nobody was really feeling up to going to church." Florence replied honestly, though it mainly in support of Mary that none of them went.
"Yes, it must have been a horrible shock." Mathew commented. "Mary seemed to get on well with him."
"Yes. It was. Mary has not taken it well." Florence agreed.
"He seemed a nice fellow. So, if there's anything I can do for any of you, please ask." Matthew told her kindly.
"Thank you, Matthew. I'm sure everything will be fine eventually." Florence told him reassuringly.
Matthew then looked at the painting. "That is a beautiful painting. It's off the hunting party yesterday isn't it? I wasn't aware that you painted."
Florence nodded, "Occasionally, I do. A lot less recently but when the weather is nice I will try and get out here to paint something."