Chapter 6
A brief respite from the emotional turmoil at Downton while we find out Matthew's fate.
Mrs Isobel Crawley was absolutely distraught when Matthew was brought in. Sybil bustled around and made her and Mary some strong tea.
"I'm sure everything will be fine, cousin Isobel." Sybil soothed, "After all, a few short months ago we didn't think Matthew would ever stand or walk again."
"Lady Sybil, I need your help." Clarkson called.
"Coming!" Sybil called.
Isobel listened tearfully while Mary told her everything, including her shameful indiscretion.
"I deeply regret that, cousin Isobel. It was a moment of fevered lust, of excitement but I have paid the price many times over. Losing Matthew to Lavinia and then being effectively held to ransom by Carlisle. I would have told Matthew one day, but I never meant for him to find out like that, or my father." Mary wiped her eyes on her sleeve.
"What's done is done, Mary dear." Isobel said kindly. "I always sensed there was something that you were not entirely honest about."
"Matthew will never want me now." Mary sobbed, "And in truth I never stopped loving him."
"I know, Mary." Isobel said gently.
"He will despise me, and rightly so," Mary said, her voice strained.
"You are far from being the first lady in your position to have made such a mistake, or to find herself in such a position later on." Isobel said, "I'm afraid the world is full of unscrupulous men who exploit things like that for personal gain. I believe Sir Richard had something on Lavinia too, although I don't know what."
"My mother had managed to keep it from my father, but now he knows and he must be so disappointed in me. That's why Mama invited Sir Anthony Strallan over; she was hoping he would rescue me but he fell in love with Edith instead and," Mary swallowed," I'm afraid I rather spoilt things."
She painfully told Isobel about the letter Edith had written to the Turkish ambassador and how she had retaliated by saying what she had at the garden party. "So Anthony went off to the war, believing a lie, and now he is injured. He never believed he was good enough for any of us Crawley girls. He's a nice man, although not exactly exciting. I have a lot of apologies to make and I hope Mrs Patmore has a good humble pie recipe, because I'm going to need to eat lots of it."
Isobel hugged Mary.
"I don't think any less of you, Mary. It takes a lot of guts to admit that you have made a mistake."
"Thank you." Mary said.
Two hours later Dr Clarkson had cleaned Matthew's wound and removed the bullet from his left shoulder. Matthew was coming round from the chloroform and clearly in pain. It was a mirror image to Anthony's wound, given that it was on the opposite side leaving Matthew use of his right arm and hand but not his left.
"Is it bad?" Sybil asked.
"Well, I'm guessing it was at close range so his shoulder blade and nerves are shattered. I have repaired the damage as best I can, but I will seek a second opinion. At least Carlisle is in custody. Anthony Strallan does not know who shot him."
"I don't know what would be worse." Sybil said.
"You should go home to Downton and get some rest." Clarkson said, "Matthew should sleep through the night, given the laudanum dose I have given him."
He went into the room where Mary and Isobel were dozing, the mugs of tea on the table had long since gone cold.
They both stirred when they heard Clarkson come in.
"Will he be alright?" Mary breathed.
"I have cleaned the wound and removed the bullet. It did a great deal of damage to the shoulder blade and nerve endings on his left side..I have repaired it best I can and he is now sleeping. I have given him laudanum and will be here all night, just in case he wakes."
"Will he be able to move or use his arm?" Isobel asked.
"I don't know yet," Clarkson said, "But such an injury is possible to manage, Sir Anthony Strallan is living proof of that; albeit the fact that Sir Anthony's right arm is affected, not his left."
"I'd like to stay here." Isobel said.
"I'll go home." Mary said, "I have a lot of talking to do." She swallowed.