Chapter 4
A/N – I apologize for the age it has been since I have updated this fic. Life has been extremely busy and challenging. Now that the movie has been released, it is clear that Mary stays at Downton for the film, so now this is AU. Though, with Henry still not in sight, and the marriage clearly in trouble – that leaves me great hopes. (See my other story Action! - I loved the Jack Barber character, and there was much more chemistry between Mary and him than there ever was with Henry. In a world without Matthew, Jack would have made a great match for Mary. Anyway, in this AU Matthew lives. And finally, here is chapter 4 of this tale.
Mary started at her current husband, well no he really was not her husband, now that she knew that Matthew was alive.
"Henry, I thought you were traveling for the car shop or racing or whatever it is you do when you are gone for months?"
Henry continued to stare at Mary and her very handsome companion who had taken his arms off Mary.
"Well, I returned to Downton, and I was surprised when I heard you had come with the others to the south of France."
Mary got out of the pool and dried herself off and Matthew followed, putting on a robe.
Henry approached her.
"Are you going to introduce me to your companion? Or your lover?"
"Henry you're not one to talk. And he is not my lover. He is my husband."
Henry winced and looked at Mary as if she was crazy.
"Last time I checked, that was my title. Husband of Lady Mary Crawley."
"Henry you always have been a bit slow. Do you not recognize Matthew? Or have you not bothered to look at photos and paintings of him."
"Mary, you told me your first husband died back in a car crash in 1921 on the day George was born."
"Well, we all thought that. Matthew has been without memory living as Dwight Enys. Papa is confirming his identity, but it is clear to me and the rest of us that Matthew is my Matthew."
"Mary this is crazy. He is obviously a sheister."
At this point Matthew, who had been quiet all the time observing the interaction between Mary and the man who had taken his place in her life. Henry was clearly not an intellectual match for her. And he was rude and talked down to Mary. Matthew was incensed, he could not allow his Mary to be treated this way. And then he had a flash of memory of punching someone in her defense. And Matthew knew he was not a violent person. He wondered what that had been about.
"Mary, let us go inside. Perhaps we can talk about this reasonably."
Mary looked at Matthew, oh how she loved him.
"Henry, Matthew is right let's go inside."
They made the walk toward the villa in silence. Matthew kept glancing over at Mary to make sure she was ok, but she seemed to be holding her own with Henry. Matthew wondered how Mary could have ever married this bloke. He was beneath her in station, clearly did not appreciate her. She must have been really lonely. How could he blame her, fate had been against them. But now he hoped for a future with this lovely woman, even if he barely remembered anything about their former life together. There was something about her, he knew she was his, and she was the one. His heart just knew it.
They settled into the drawing room and the butler brought some tea and coffee and cakes. Henry quickly helped himself and spread himself out in a chair rather dramatically.
"So, Mary, do you want to tell me why you think this stranger is your first husband resurrected from the dead?"
Mary sighed. "Is it not obvious?"
Mary pulled her wedding photo out, her photo with Matthew that she had always held close at hand.
"Henry, have you never seen this photo? Have you never paid attention as I sat with George and went over photos of his father with him. I know its been ages since you have been at Downton with any regularity, but I thought you paid attention."
Henry wiped a hand over his brow as he sipped some tea and sized up the man that sat across from him in a robe covering his swim attire. His own wife had her dressing gown wrapped around the swimming costume he had first spotted her in. She was right he had hardly been at Downton. He felt suffocated by it. When they had married, he had promised to quit racing because her first husband had died in a car crash and he had been mourning the death of him dear friend by the race track. But in the end he could not settle for that life. He missed the travel, he missed the speed and he missed the celebrity of it all.
True he had a daughter at home, and he was a horrible father to her, now that he thought about it. But as alluring as his Mary was, it was not enough to keep in suffocated in that ancient castle. Now he assessed the stranger again; she was right his appearance was identical to the man in the photo. It put a dagger in his heart that Mary carried the photo with her. And of course she was right he did have women all over the world. But they did not mean anything, it was just that he was a man, a celebrity and he had needs. In a perfect world, Mary would have travelled with him and they would have had excellent adventures. But he knew when he pushed the marriage, that was not her. She was married to Downton. And now he realized she was also married to the ghost of her first husband.
How many times had he hear her murmuring "Matthew" in her sleep. He was sure he had heard her say it in the heat of passion as well. In a way it was part of the reason that he had gone back on the racing tour. It had been difficult to live in the shadow of the perfect husband, the perfect heir, even if it was never mentioned by day. Henry was aware that when her guard was down, Mary was still very much in love with her deceased husband.
"Henry, are you going to say anything?"
He realized he had been musing for far too long.
"I suppose he resembles the photo. But how could he possibly be your first husband, when he is buried in the graveyard in Downton?"
Mary signed.
"It's a great question. But it is obvious to me and to the family that whomever is buried in that grave is not Matthew. Matthew is here in this room."
At this Henry's anger boiled over and he stomped out of the room.
A-A-A-A-A-A-A-A-A_A
He was finally gone. It had been an ugly afternoon. Henry accusing her of all sorts of things and Matthew struggling to maintain his calm. And then Mary had just come out with it. Telling Henry how she knew he had been unfaithful to her, how their marriage had been a sham these last few years. And now that Matthew had returned, Henry was not her husband. Henry did not like to lose but he knew he was beat. He left making threats about taking Caroline from her. Matthew had reassured her that Henry had less legal standing than he thought and that he would happily take Caroline as his own.
Mary was in tears as Matthew had held her and told her that it will all be ok. They spent the rest of the afternoon cuddling on the couch, and then eating a proper lunch and eventually going back out to the pool.
The family had telephoned and relayed that they would be staying the night in Monaco. Matthew then turned to Mary and suggested they head to town to have a nice dinner and a night on the town. Mary looked at him not sure what to answer. Really Matthew should probably go back to his hotel like he always did, but she did not want him to leave. After the afternoon they had had with Henry, she did not want to leave his side ever. She was tired. Should they go out for a night on the town or perhaps just stay in and have a quiet dinner.
"Well, Mary, what do you think? If its all too much for you and you want me to return to my hotel, I can do that."
Mary eyed her husband (it was incredible to even think that).
"Darling, I think now that I have had it out with Henry, there is no reason for you to return to that hotel room. Unless you are still not comfortable being here. The family is away tonight, so there won't be that uncomfortability. Can you stay here with me? Do you feel comfortable doing that? In all the craziness this afternoon, I had not asked how you were feeling."
Matthew looked at her thoughtfully. He had been concerned about Mary. He had not been thinking about himself. The past few days had irrevocably changed his life for the better. But still was quite a shock. But as he looked at Mary's eyes, almost pleading, there was no way he could deny her.
"Of course I'll stay with you, I just want to make sure its what you truly want and that you are ready for it."
Mary smirked.
"I have wanted it since at least 1914. And I have missed it for these past seven years. You on the other hand, have no memories, and I don't want to overwelhm you with my love."
Matthew drew her into his arms, rubbing her shoulder and kissing her temple.
"I may have almost no memories of our life together. But I have flashes of our wedding and engagement and my heart remembers, because it is so full of love for you. Words can not express the depth of emotion I feel for you."
Mary snuggled in closer. "good."
Matthew smiled. "Now what is this 1914, I thought you told me we were engaged and married in 1920."
Mary laughed against his chest.
"Maybe that part of the story is better left unsaid for now. I don't want your heart, that remembers our love, to also remember the years of unrequited and denial."
Now Matthew looked at her strangely.
"If we are to have a life together, you are going to have to fill me in on all our past. The good, the bad and the ugly. But we don't have to do that now. What do you say my lady to a night on the town – dinner and dancing at a nice French club?"
Mary sighed in contentment. She was eager for a wonderful night. It had been ages since she had done anything like that, and this type of dancing was not yet in fashion when she thought Matthew had passed on. It would be interesting to see her Matthew at a club.
"I'm happy to accompany you."
"Good then I will run back to my hotel and get dressed appropriately, and return to pick you up at 6. I'll make the dinner reservations, I discovered a lovely place and I hope you will enjoy it."
Mary gave him the widest smile and kissed him.
"I eagerly await your return. Make sure you come prepared to spend the night. I really don't want to be alone, with everyone else in Monaco."
Matthew nodded his head though he was not 100% sure of her meaning.
To be continued.
A/N – Finally getting out another chapter. I hope you have enjoyed it. Please leave me a review as it encourages me to continue.
