AN: Please do not read this chapter if you have not read Chapter 24. Both posted about a week apart.
This is the final chapter of Passage. As I said before, there will be an epilogue but not for a bit. I need a rest!
If you have enjoyed this story, please leave a comment on this chapter, the story, or both.
This was a long labor of love and I would love to hear what you think of it.
Thank you to all of you who have supported me since the first chapter, which was quite some time ago.
You are a lovely group of people.
Till the epilogue,
Stay well!
XX
They sat in companionable silence until the road was clear, and resuming their journey, came to a straight run in the road that would last until they reached the farm. Tom gave Matthew a sideways glance that told him he should hold onto his seat and then shifted the car into high gear. It took off like a thoroughbred coming out of the gate at the Grand National and picked up speed, increasing the the wind in the cab.
Matthew raked his fingers through his hair in an effort to keep it from flopping down on his forehead but failed miserably, the golden strands unable to stay put.
I am going to look like a fright by the time we reach the farm, he told himself, feeling his hair whipping about.
Curious as to how Tom was fairing, he looked over at his brother-in-law and found his thick mop standing on end like porcupine needles and he turned his head away from him, grinning like a loon.
Glancing quickly at Matthew, Tom's smile widened with every second and once the farm came into view, he slowed down and said, "Daisy and Jimmy will have a good laugh at our expense if my hair looks anywhere near as bad as yours."
"Then they will be in hysterics since I would bet my last shilling that yours looks a hell of a lot worse than mine," Matthew cried out, and the two of them burst into laughter.
Passage – Chapter 25
Mary was half-way up the stairs to the first landing but turned upon hearing Matthew and Tom come through the door and said, "I didn't expect you two to be back so soon."
"Soon? Darling, we are late. Tom and I expected to be back in less than two hours, but between the tractor and the pies, we've been gone nearly three," Matthew replied.
"Three," she exclaimed. "I've lost track of time with all the phone calls, Mama and Papa's trip planning, Rose's lengthy letter, which I will tell you about later, and George's school uniform being delivered." She then stared at him with a bemused expression on her face and said, "Tractor and pies?"
Tom gestured for Matthew to respond, but before he could get a word out of his mouth, began rattling off details about the tractor in question.
"The Kents had a new tractor delivered yesterday...a Fordson...and it's real beauty...three-speed transmission, a heavy-duty worm-drive rear axle, engine and drive-train bolted together and…,"
Mary looked at Tom as though he were speaking Greek and Matthew frowned and cut him off. "I thought you wanted me to field Mary's question?"
"Sorry," Tom replied, looking abashed. "Go on, Matthew."
Returning his eyes to his wife, Matthew said," Well, that explains Tom's part in our delay. Now, as for the pies…,"
"You don't need to explain about the pies, Matthew," Mary exclaimed, waving him off. "I remember how much you enjoyed Daisy's pies when she was in our employ. No doubt she did, too, and had some of your favorites on hand."
Matthew nodded his head.
"And you found it difficult to refuse more than one slice. Correct?"
Matthew sheepishly nodded his head, again, and mumbled, "three" under his breath.
"Three? Did you just say you ate three slices of pie?" she asked, her eyes wide.
"Yes...but they weren't very large slices," he clarified as if he were in a courtroom, defending someone accused of gluttony.
Tom snorted a laugh.
Mary rolled her eyes and spat, "Men!" Then she informed Matthew that she was going to George's room to see if his uniform fit properly.
"Please coax him to come down once he has dressed, Darling," Matthew called out. "I would like to see how he looks in his regalia."
"So would I," echoed Tom. "It is still hard for me to believe that my nephew will be going off to Eton in the fall. Talk about time flying by."
Mary promised to do her best. Then her attention turned to the butler, who was passing through the Great Hall with a large vase filled with pale pink peonies.
"Mama would like those in the drawing room, Thomas."
He tipped his head in Mary's direction and excused himself as he passed in front of Matthew and Tom.
"In the old days a maid would be doing that," Tom whispered to Matthew.
"In the old days, Thomas would be indignant that he wasn't being addressed as Mr. Barrow," Matthew replied in the same hushed tone. Then seeing the butler out of hearing distance' he raised his voice and declared, "The lines have been blurred, Tom, and I doubt they ever will be clearly defined again."
XX
The Earl of Grantham stood in the center of the room with his granddaughter, who was instructing him on how to get his yo-yo to spin in the air and then snap back into his palm.
"Turn your wrist this way, Grandfather," Victoria said, bending her own at a precise angle in front of him to demonstrate.
Robert began to roll his eyes and stopped, camouflaging his impatience with a forced smile in the little girl's direction.
"I'm sorry, sweetheart. I am trying, but I guess it is true that it is difficult to teach an old dog new tricks," he said in a playful tone.
Not familiar with the adage, Victoria's brow became furrowed, and her head remained tilted to the side a few moments before she replied, "I don't think that is true, Grandfather. Mother told me that Horus is not young any longer and I teach him new tricks all the time."
Matthew chuckled as he passed through the threshold of the room with Tom in tow, the sound causing both Victoria and her grandfather to turn in their direction.
"Father! Uncle Tom!" Victoria squealed. You are just in time to see what I have taught Grandfather so far today."
Matthew saw a grimace form on his father-in-law's face before he had enough time to hide his displeasure and took pity on him.
"Sweetheart, I am sure your grandfather is making excellent progress, but I know your Uncle Tom would like to see what you've learned from the book I gave you this morning."
Victoria nodded her head enthusiastically and ran across the room to retrieve the instruction booklet that lay on the salmon-colored couch near the fireplace. Then with her yo-yo in one hand and the book in the other she approached her uncle with a wide grin on her face.
Tom narrowed his eyes at Matthew before he turned to Victoria and said, "Come on, little lady. Let's see what you can do."
The two of them moved toward the corner of the room, which was lit to perfection by the natural light coming through the glass panes that lined the wall and quickly became engrossed in what Matthew termed "yo-yo talk".
"Thank you, Matthew," Robert said. "You know I adore her, but those yo-yo lessons can be grueling."
Matthew chuckled, "I can see how they would be…and it is I who must thank you for having so much patience with her. Victoria can be quite demanding at times."
"Of course, I have patience with her," Robert exclaimed. "She is my granddaughter and I love her dearly Then he gazed across the room and smiled as he caught sight of Victoria giggling over something her uncle had just said.
At that moment, Mary entered the room with George in tow and announced with dramatic flair, "Here he is, everyone, our future Eton graduate in his uniform."
All conversation stopped and Victoria ran across the room and gawked at her brother.
A blush settled on George's cheeks, and he stared at his feet for a moment, swinging a black top hat that he held in his hand by the brim from one to the other for a long moment before raising his head and standing at attention with the precision of someone in military service.
Matthew's heart swelled with pride. George cut a fine figure in a crisply starched white shirt, bowtie, black waistcoat, trousers, and tailcoat.
You look splendid, Son," he exclaimed. "The uniform fits you perfectly."
"Top-notch…but there is one thing missing." Robert called out.
Placing his yo-yo on the nearest table, he walked over to Geroge, took the hat that he was holding from his hand and placed it squarely on the boy's head, giving it a light tap on the top.
"There now," he said, beaming at him. "You do us proud, young man."
"Thank you, Grandfather," he replied with a wide smile. "I will do my best to ensure your opinion of me doesn't change."
"I know you will, George. You always have," Robert said, grinning back at his first grandchild.
At that, George changed the topic, and asked him if he would be willing to play in a chess match once he returned from America that would include him, his father and JR Bates.
"He is an excellent player, Grandfather, especially for someone his age…a very worthy opponent," George declared without reservation.
Matthew chimed in that his son was not exaggerating as JR had bested him in more than one game.
At that, Robert's eyebrows rose and he chuckled. "Is that so?" he said with a playful glint in his eye. "Then it appears I am going to have to secure a win to redeem the elder generation of Crawleys."
Matthew chortled. "It would appear so, Robert, but I am giving you fair warning…Mr. Bates has taught his son well."
"I am not surprised," Robert responded. "He is an excellent player, himself, and has always exhibited a great deal of patience."
"Thank you, Grandfather. This is going to be great fun," George piped in, the look on his face making it clear he was thrilled that the tournament would take place.
Exuberant, he removed his top hat, tossed it in the air and deftly caught it on the way down. Then he asked for permission to change out of his uniform, and upon receiving it, rushed out of the room and bounded up the stairs to the gallery.
XX
The day had been hectic and long for Matthew, filled with both business and personal matters that he needed to address. Downton's profit and loss statement for the last quarter had to be reviewed, there were contracts to be signed, repairs that needed to be prioritized and farmed out and most importantly, a wife and two children who needed him to be there when they needed him, which had been more often than usual that day.
George had engaged him in a long conversation about Eton, a bit anxious to be leaving home. Victoria, too, was upset that he would be gone in a few months and pouted for hours, at one point refusing to leave her room to eat. He had soothed the two of them as best he could and then found that Mary had developed a headache while assisting Robert and Cora with their travel plans and took her place so that she could tend to it.
He let out a long sigh as he sat on the edge of the bed and began undressing, giving his wife a quick glance over his shoulder where she lay with a cold compress on her forehead.
In spite of the folded washcloth that covered her eyes, she looked lovely in a wine colored, satin nightgown with thin straps that accentuated her curves.
The sight made him wish she did not have a headache and he wasn't so tired.
"Is your headache any better, Darling?" he asked.
Mary withdrew the cloth and turned her head in his direction. "Yes, it is a lot better. I just needed a quiet place to rest, really. Mama and Papa's travel plans were the last thing I wanted to get involved in today. Thank you for taking up the mantle, Matthew.
"You're welcome. Their boarding passes were delivered an hour or so ago and their itinerary is set. I had to take care of a bit of business with George and Victoria, too, as they both were feeling a bit anxious about his leaving for Eton in September. The three of us had a long chat and by the end of it, George was much more receptive to the upcoming change. In fact, he appeared to be a bit excited about what lay in store for him...and Victoria stopped pouting after I promised her that we would be inviting many of her friends to Downton to fill the gap when her brother was at school." He let out a long yawn, then, before continuing, "Last, but not least, I am happy to report that after going over our financial records, Downton made a considerable profit in the last quarter. "
"That is wonderful, Darling. What would I do without you?"
"If I have anything to say about it, you will never have to find out," he replied, and began bending his neck from side to side in an attempt to relieve a kink that was irritating him.
Taking notice, Mary asked him what was wrong and he shared that the time he spent with his head in the books had given him a stiff neck.
"Can I help?" she asked.
"Only if you are sure that you are up to it," Matthew replied.
Mary rose onto her knees behind him and placed her hands on either side of his head, guiding it slowly from side to side, forward and back. Then she placed her thumb on one side of his neck and the tips of her other four fingers on the other and began applying pressure to the knot that had formed.
As she continued her ministrations, Matthew let out a soft moan and then said, "Now, tell me about your day. When Tom and I returned from Mason's Farm, you said you had taken a lot of calls"?
"Yes, Edith called to say she won't have time to see Mama and Papa off at the dock. She is bogged down with meetings the rest of the week but assured me she would make time to speak with them on the phone before they left. Anna called to ask if it were convenient for John to stop by in a day or two. He would like to pay his respects personally since he wasn't able to do so when Granny passed and also thank us for including Anna and JR on our trip…and I got a call from Mabel Foyle..,"
Matthew twisted around to face her, his eyes owlish and spat, "What the devil did she want? And why is she back from New York so soon?"
"Do not undo my good work," Mary demanded, guiding his head forward and resuming her kneading. Then she addressed his question.
"Apparently, she and Tony returned a day after we did. Her morning sickness got worse, and Tony thought it best that she sees her doctor here. Mabel said he has been worried sick about her."
Matthew huffed, "As well he should be, the scoundrel."
"Darling, he isn't the first man who has behaved like a reprobate when he was in his cups, and he won't be the last." She paused then, her expression contemplative before adding, "I do believe Tony loves Mabel…and I am not saying he should not suffer any consequences for his actions on the Olympic. It is just that…Well, I would like to keep the lines of communication open between Mabel and me. She is my friend, Matthew…and her daughter, Gertrude, and Victoria get on famously. I won't sever either friendship because of Tony's bad behavior."
Matthew reluctantly nodded his head and confessed that he, too, liked Mabel.
"As for Tony, you know I do not wish him any ill will. I just don't want him sniffing around you like you are a dog in heat."
Mary swatted his shoulder. "I do not care much for being compared to a bitch, although it won't be the first time I have been," she said wryly.
He quickly apologized, blaming his poor choice of words on his fatigue.
"Apology accepted," Mary said and planted a quick kiss on the top of his head before moving her hands to his shoulders.
"Mmm!…Ooooh!…Yes, that's it, Mary. God, that feels good. You are an angel," he declared.
She purred, "Now, that's more like it."
After a couple of minutes had passed, Matthew assumed his wife's hand must be tired, and reached over his shoulder to take hold of it, stopping the massage.
"Thank you, Darling. That's enough. Come sit beside me and tell me about Rose's letter."
Once he released her hand, Mary gave his shoulders a final pat and sat next to him, weaving her left arm through his right and leaning against his shoulder.
"It was filled with good news, Matthew. She and Atticus will be coming to Downton to attend Tom's wedding...and they will be bringing their family with them. George and Victoria are going to be thrilled by the news. They will arrive a few days before the wedding and then go on to visit Lord and Lady Sinderby at Brancaster Castle. The children will remain with their grandparents while Rose and Atticus cross over the border to Scotland for a second honeymoon."
"That is good news," Matthew said, patting her hand.
She looked up at him then with smiling eyes and gushed, "I am so happy that the two of them are reconnecting this way. To be honest, I was worried about them.""
Matthew's thoughts drifted back to the conversation he had with Mary's headstrong cousin in Central Park regarding the state of her marriage and he was extremely pleased to learn that she and her husband were striving to make it better. He knew, however, that Atticus paying more attention to his wife was only half of the problem.
"Did she mention Mr. Haversmith in the letter?" he asked as nonchalantly as he could.
"Yes, she did," Mary replied in tone that made it clear she saw through his manufactured insouciance. "Apparently, the fly in the ointment urged Atticus to take the time off, insisting he could handle his work at the bank while he was away… …"aaand …," she added with a drawl, "...I think you will be as pleased as I am to learn that Atticus's able assistant has been stepping out with one of the bank tellers, a bright, comely woman who emigrated from Poland. Rose said she gets more male customers in line daily than all the other tellers combined."
"Bully for Mr. Haversmith," Matthew cried out and grinned.
Gazing up at him with a smile that matched his, Mary said, "Bully for Rose and Atticus."
Feeling invigorated by the news, Matthew lurched to his feet, causing Mary to tumble sideways onto the now empty space.
He caught sight of her righting herself in his peripheral vision, turned to her and said, "Sorry, Darling, but I've been meaning to speak with you about a plan that has been forming in my head ever since we ran into the Foyles…and now with Rose and Atticus doing the same thing…"
Mary sat straight-backed on the bed and stared at him, her eyes round with curiosity.
"The Foyles? Rose and Atticus? The same thing? What are you going on about, Matthew?"
"I'm not making any sense to you, am I?" he replied as he went to his nightstand, removed a small, black case from the top drawer and stuffed it into his pant pocket.
Seeing his wife eyeing him with impatience, he said in a soothing tone, "Now then, allow me to explain."
"Please do," Mary pleaded, her eyes speculatively veering to his pant pocket before she returned her gaze to his eyes.
Matthew cleared his throat and said, "Rose and Atticus are the second couple that I have heard of that will be going on a second honeymoon in the last month, but even before I knew of them, I had been contemplating we do the same. What do you say to our renewing our wedding vows in a simple ceremony next year to celebrate our 15th wedding anniversary and then taking a trip to Cannes?"
Rising from the bed, Mary's chocolate-hued eyes widened with delight. "I say it I would love to, Darling," she exclaimed and lifted her arms to draw him in.
"Not yet," Matthew said, guiding her arms back to her sides. "There is more."
"I see," trickled off her lips, her eyes alight with anticipation.
He took her in from head to toe and thought her as beautiful as the first time he had laid eyes on her.
No, that isn't true, he told himself. She is even more lovely now since I have seen the beauty that lies inside.
She is "My Mary".
"Mary, you have made me the happiest man on earth these past 14 years. I would like to shout it from the rooftop, but our rooftop is entirely too high, and my voice would be drowned out by the wind up there even if I were able to manage the stairs to reach it…"
Her lips curved upward into a smile that reached her eyes and widened with each word he spoke.
"…I want to do something to make it clear to the world…at least everyone in our world…that after all this time, no matter any differences of opinion we may have had…any flaws that we possess that might irritate the other at times…I adore you, Mary. I could not ask for a more loving, supportive wife or better mother for my children…"
He saw that her eyes glistened with tears, and dropping to one knee, he felt his own begin to sting.
Mary looked down at him with astonishment as he pulled the tiny case from his pocket and opened it, revealing a heart shaped garnet ring flanked by two small diamonds in similarly shaped settings with cut outs on a gold band.
She gasped, bringing one of her hands to her mouth while Matthew gently took hold of the other.
It came to him, then, that the color of her nightgown was the exact hue of the one she had worn on the night he had decided that he did not want to live without her, and although there were no snow flurries dancing in the air or the sound of a waltz playing in the background, this moment was every bit as romantic.
Mary is finally getting the ring she was denied the first time I proposed because I hadn't planned it that night.
Offering her the ring, along with his heart, he said, "Lady Mary Crawley, will you do me the honor of becoming my wife….again?"
She cried out, "Yes! Yes, I will marry you, again. I will marry you a thousand times if you ask me."
He gently placed the ring on her fourth finger and rose to his feet. Then, overflowing with ebullience, he pulled Mary into his arms and kissed her until the two of them were breathless.
XX
Unfortunately, his in-laws did not get the bright sunny day he and Mary had when they left Southampton for America. The sky was overcast with a smattering of grey clouds that kept blotting out the sun. When it did manage to shine through, however, the sight was magnificent, the dingy grey puffs edged with incandescent white and shades of gold, orange and pink.
Robert and Cora would be making their journey to America on the RMS Berengaria, formerly the "SS Imperator" a German ship built for the Hamburg-America Line. She was launched five weeks after the "Titanic" disaster with changes made to her hull design and equipment in order to increase safety. In 1920, she was sold to the Cunard line and made their flagship. Heralded as the largest passenger ship in the world by gross tonnage, the ship was also renowned for opulent furnishings and amenities comparable to the Olympic.
The dock was cramped with people jostling for a position to get a good view of those on deck while the ship's crew readied the ship to leave the port. Chatter filled the air along with the cacophonous squawking of gulls as they circled the fishing vessels that were hauling their catch to the docks.
A cool breeze swept over Matthew's face, carrying the briny scent of the sea along with it and he closed his eyes for a moment and inhaled deeply. When he opened them, he spotted a familiar face in the bustling crowd and nudged Mary to follow his gaze.
"Darling, isn't' that Edith?" Matthew said, spying his sister-in-law breaking through the throng of people on the Southampton dock.
Following the direction of his gaze, Mary rose on her toes to get a better view and fixed her eyes on her sister, who was squeezing her body between a heavy-set man with a handlebar moustache and a slight young woman with strawberry blond hair.
it was no easy feat weaving through a throng this size and by the time she reached him and Mary, she was winded.
Offering the two of them a brief smile, Edith rasped, "I haven't had to do that in a while." Then recovering her breath, added, "By the size of the crowd, one would think a new ship was being launched."
"What are you doing here?" Mary asked without preamble. "You said you couldn't come because you had to attend an important meeting this morning."
Ignoring her sister's question, Edith's eyes narrowed, and she combed the deck, moving her gaze quickly from one passenger to another.
Knowing the ship would be leaving soon Mary sighed and said, "Never mind. You can explain later. The gangplank will be drawn soon. If you want to say 'goodbye' to Mama and Papa you had better hurry. There they are," she called out, pointing to the spot they occupied on deck.
"Thank you," Edith fired off. Then she turned on her heel and bounded toward the gangplank at a fast clip.
Matthew saw Robert and Cora's heads turn toward their second child as she made her way, and once she reached them, they each pulled her into an embrace with Robert planting a kiss on her head before gesturing for her to go.
His sister-in-law slipped through the passengers on deck like thread through the head of needle and made her way down the gangplank at a trot as the ship's horn blasted two long, loud bursts, indicating the last call for those on board who were not a passenger to leave.
Victoria grimaced and placed her hands over her ears as she did when the Olympic's horns had blasted and Matthew placed his own on top of hers to dull the noise.
Edith returned then and belatedly replied to Mary's question.
"I had a change of heart," she replied with a half-smile. "I know that ocean travel is much safer than it was when…Well, leave it at it being safe…but still, even though Mama and Papa are not traveling on the sister ship of the Titanic as you and Matthew did, I felt a need to see them before they set sail. I know it likely sounds silly but I thought of Patrick...how I've always regretted not seeing him one last time before he set sail for New York….and with Granny's unexpected passing and Grandmama Martha so ill, I felt the need to spend a few moments with Mama and Papa before they left. I stayed up late last night making notes that would enable my assistant to take the morning meeting for me."
Mary's expression softened. "You really did love Patrick, didn't you?"
Edith blinked, clearly surprised by the question, but after a few moments, replied, "Yes, Mary, I did. It feels good to be able to tell you that now, knowing I will not be mocked or teased that I felt that way."
"I'm happy that you feel you can confide in me. We've come a long way, haven't we?" Mary replied.
Edith nodded and grasped hold of Mary's hand. "A very long way. When I think of the way we treated one another, I cringe." Then taking notice of the new ring on her finger, her eyes went wide, and she stared at it.
"Matthew wanted to give it to me for our wedding anniversary, but as it was custom made, it took longer than expected to be ready and then we had to leave for America. Tom picked it up for him yesterday while he went over the books, and he presented it to me last night."
"Oh, Mary, it is exquisite," Edith gushed, eyeing the stones and setting carefully before releasing her hand.
Matthew's heart swelled at the sight of the two sisters' display of affection, grateful that with time, their contentious relationship had morphed into the loving one they had now.
She turned to Matthew and said, "Nicely done, brother-in-law."
He thanked her and added, "I chose the garnet because it is symbolic of love and the three hearts represent me, George and Victoria. I'm very pleased with the way the ring turned out."
His attention was then drawn to Tom, who was working his way through the crowd with Victoria on one side and George, the other, the three of them having been caught up in the shuffle when they left the ship.
Once they were reunited, the children wedged themselves between Mary and Edith and each sister wrapped an arm around the child at their side while Tom moved to Matthew's.
Taking in the sight of his son standing beside his sister-in-law, he could not help but notice he was nearly as tall as she was and said as much to Tom.
Tom chuckled and replied, "He will probably be taller than me when he reaches his next birthday," and then his eyes veered to the ship as the gangplank was removed
A loud cheer rose up in the crowd, followed by a cacophony of final farewells.
"Have a safe trip," Edith called out while Mary blew their parents a kiss.
"Goodbye, Grandmother…Grandfather…Don't forget to practice the new tricks," Victoria cried out and then buried her head in the crook of her mother's arm as she became overcome with emotion.
"They will be back before you know it, Sweetheart," Matthew said…"...and in the meantime, Uncle Tom will fill in for your grandfather."
"And I will take you and George for a ride into Ripon to get that ice cream you like."
At that, Victoria raised her head, wiped her eyes on her sleeve and said, "Pistachio?"
Tom laughed, "Anything you want, darlin."
All eyes remained on the Berengaria as it moved slowly in reverse and then three long blasts filled the air as a handful of tugboats gently edged the massive liner into the main channel and turned her bow downstream. The tiny boats then cast off their lines and moved clear of the ship.
Tom nudged Matthew and said, "Did you ever think it was possible that our lives would turn out this way when we first met? I mean what are the chances that a solicitor from Manchester and a chauffeur would wind up here? I don't mean here on the dock...I mean living the life we now lead...You the heir presumptive of the Earl of Grantham and I, his son-in-law, running his estate with you and his eldest daughter."
A wry smile formed on Matthew's face. "It wouldn't have crossed my mind in a million years, and if anyone had suggested such a scenario to me, I would have told them they were mad. Yet, against all odds, here we are. If I've learned anything in the time I've walked this earth, it is that that life can be quite unpredictable."
Tom nodded. "...and with all the surprises, the ups and downs, joys and heartaches, time marches on."
Matthew agreed with Tom's assertion and reflected on some of the life changing events that had transpired since the day he received the letter from the Earl of Grantham that brought him to Downton.
He had married one of his daughters. Tom had, too, and then tragically lost her in childbirth, leaving him with a baby daughter that bonded him with his aristocratic in-laws for the rest of his life.
He had sired a son and on the day he was born, had a car accident on his way home from the hospital that took him, his wife and the rest of his family from him for over a year while he suffered amnesia.
He had lost people he loved to war and disease - William Mason, the servant turned batman who saved his life, Lavinia Swire, the sweet, kind girl who recognized she could not win his heart because Mary already had laid claim to it.
Servants at Downton had married and left service to improve their lives- Mr. Carson and Mrs. Hughes, Anna and John Bates, Daisy Mason and Jimmy Kent.
Isobel had married Doctor Clarkson. Edith tied the knot with Evelyn Napier.
The estate had nearly been lost due to mismanagement and the Great Depression but thanks to the inheritance from Lavinia's father, innovations that were put in place, some wise investments and a lot of luck, it was prospering when so many others had gone under.
Who would have thought, indeed? he asked himself.
His eyes remained fixed on the ship that would take Robert and Cora to offer a final farewell to Martha Levinson grew smaller and smaller with each second that passed.
He thought of her, then, and pondered whether or not she would prove her doctor's wrong and live beyond Christmas.
If anyone can do it, she can, he told himself.
A vision of Martha with a flute of champagne in her hand and the necklace from Tiffany's that she had wanted Harold to buy her hanging around her neck popped into his head, and he smiled.
"Darling, are you ready to go?" brought him out of his musings, and he found Mary at his side with a bittersweet smile.
Matthew nodded and mirrored it, feeling his own emotions at war.
Then, he gathered his loved ones close, and along with time, marched on.
XX