"That's lovely," Cora said, looking at the ornament in Mary's hand. "I don't remember seeing it before."
"Matthew just got it for us," Mary told her. "We're starting a new tradition with it."
"I helped him pick it out," Edith said, trying to earn Mary's forgiveness for letting Matthew travel alone. Since she found out what had happened, she tried to avoid Mary as much as possible but it wasn't easy.
Mary barely acknowledged her contribution as she hung the ornament, making a point to place it on a prominent branch.
"You're still not speaking with her?" Matthew asked in a whisper when she returned to his side.
"She knows quite well what she's done or she wouldn't be hiding from me."
"I will never understand your relationship with Edith," he said sadly.
"That's because you don't have a sister like Edith," she told him.
"You'll have to forgive her eventually and it is Christmas," he reminded her.
"To be honest, I'm not angry at all," she revealed to him. "But since she thinks I am, it does keep her away from trying to find out what I got her for Christmas."
Matthew merely shook his head while smiling at the absurdity of that.
"Wait for me, I want to hang an ornament I got from papa from India," Rose called out. From upstairs, she raced down to add her ornament to the tree.
"Rose, a lady must not run," Violet warned. "The world will just have to wait until you are ready to arrive."
"Is that why ladies are always fashionably late?" Matthew whispered jokingly into Mary's ear.
"Not always and careful, she might overhear you," Mary warned softly.
"Have you ever raced down the stairs like that?" he asked, trying to suppress a chuckle as he imagined her doing just that.
"Never when granny is watching," she said while watching Rose hang a glass elephant ornament to the tree.
"Are all the ornaments on? Are you ready for the tree to be lit?" Robert looked around before nodding to Alfred. He was pleased just as the rest of the family and staff were with their decorated Christmas tree.
...
In a blink of an eye, it was Christmas day and Downton was just starting to stir to life on a beautiful morning.
Mary slowly opened her eyes and listened to Matthew's steady breathing. She found it very comforting and she liked reveling in it before moving to wake him. When she finally lifted her head, she was greeted by a smiling face.
"You're awake," she said, leaning in to touch his cheek. "Happy Christmas."
"Happy Christmas," he replied. "I couldn't sleep much."
"Why?" Mary raised herself to take a better look at him.
"Because I couldn't wait to give you your Christmas present," he told her with a grin. "I wondered if we can exchange gifts before we go down."
"Why not," she agreed easily. "Do you need help getting my present?"
"And show you where I hid it? No thanks, I think I'll manage," he said and started to head for the dressing room. "You must promise not to look while I get it." He was standing at the door and hoped she wouldn't follow him.
"I won't." Mary stood up when he had left the room and walked over to her hiding spot to retrieve her present for him. She waited patiently for him to return at the same time was slightly nervous at how he would react to her gift.
"Are you ready?" he asked when he returned, carrying a small wrapped box.
"Would you like to go first?" she offered. She pressed her present in his hands when he nodded.
Matthew carefully opened the long narrow box in his hands. He flipped it open and touched its content. He recognized it but asked what it was to confirm.
"I know how much you like modern things," she started to say. "So I got you a wristwatch to replace your pocket watch. I even had it engraved with your monogram."
"That I do," he confirmed with a smile. "But I might not get much use from it."
"Until you can see again, I know," she finished for him. "But it will be ready when you do."
"Mary, it might be quite a while yet," he said, a little saddened by the uncertainty.
"Matthew, it took you months to heal the last time," she reminded him. "I believe it's the same now, you must not lose hope."
"How can I when you're always keeping my spirits up?" He appreciated Mary's strength through it all which buoyed his own.
"It's my duty as your wife," she teased. She was pleased when he extended his wrist towards her for her to place the watch on.
"How does it look?" he asked, touching the watch on his wrist.
"It suits you," she said happily. "Now what did you get me?" She was excited to see what he got for her.
"I hope you like it." He gave her the box that contained her gift and waited for her to open it.
"Matthew," she gushed. She stared at the locket set in the middle of the box before pulling it out to see what was inside. The picture inside brought tears to her eyes. "When did you have the picture taken?"
"When you were in London," he revealed. "I wanted a picture taken of me and William to place in that locket so you'll have us close to your heart."
Mary touched his cheek and marveled at how sentimental he was. The picture alone was gift enough and she wished she could be as demonstrative as he was. She wondered if he knew how deeply she felt for him. She got her response when he caught her hand and kissed it.
...
"Thank you Mary," Edith said when she opened her Christmas present. She admired the elegant Parker Duofold fountain pen she got.
"I'm sure you'll put it to good use," Mary noted in response.
"What did Matthew get for you?" Edith asked, curious if he took her advice.
"Never you mind," Mary replied and walked away from her. She handed Matthew a plateful of food and sat beside him.
"Mary, I was thinking of asking Arthur to join the shoot," Matthew suggested when she was settled beside him. "Since I can't go, there's a vacant spot."
"Do you think he can shoot?" she joked. "Why don't you ask Tom to go in your place?"
"He's already going; he doesn't like it but he is doing it for Robert."
"If you think he would be any use then I suppose," she agreed grudgingly.
"Will you be going?" he inquired. "I know you like that sort of thing."
"Matthew, I have better things to do than go on a shoot," she said. "In case you've forgotten, your heir needs me."
"Mary, I'm sure William will be fine, I'll be here for him."
"Well, I won't be fine leaving you and William," she said. She saw Matthew's signature disappointed look but chose to ignore it.
"What's the matter?" Isobel asked when she approached them and also recognized that look on Matthew's face.
"Matthew is trying to convince me to go on the shoot without him," Mary explained. "When I much prefer to spend the day here."
"Matthew, you shouldn't tell Mary what to do," Isobel admonished, in support of Mary's decision. "Besides, when have you ever been able to do so?"
"I'm not telling her what to do mother," he argued. "I just don't want her to miss out on doing what she loves to do."
"And what makes you think I prefer shooting to motherhood?" Mary interjected.
Matthew was stumped and had no ready counterargument to give.
"Motherhood does change a person," Isobel noted. "I remember when you were born; I couldn't leave you for even a minute." She got nostalgic then.
"Now do you understand?" Mary said triumphantly, reaching for his hand to squeeze it.
...
Mary had just settled into bed and waited for Matthew to join her. It was taking unusually longer for him that she was starting to consider checking on him.
"There you are," she said with relief when he finally appeared from the doorway. "I was beginning to think you were lost in there."
"I'm quite familiar with the dressing room, I didn't need rescuing," he joked.
"Then why did you take so long?"
"I thought I'd give William a Christmas goodnight kiss and then Robert stopped me in the hallway on the way back," he revealed as he got into bed. "He asked me the oddest question."
"What did he ask you?" she wondered as she settled next to him.
"He wondered if we were planning to have any more children. I suppose he is wondering if I'm performing my duties as your husband."
"Of course you are," she said, slightly miffed with her father for talking with Matthew instead of her about the matter. "I think he just wants to know if there will be a spare." She tried to rationalize her father's behavior.
"Mary, we're never going to call our next child a spare especially if we have another son," he warned. "We will love all our children equally."
"I don't think that's possible," she said cautiously. "There will always be one that you favor over another."
"We must always try to be fair and equitable," he proposed. "We need to give each one of them the same love and attention."
"I'll try my best," she said honestly. "I make no promises but I'm sure you'll remind me if I forget."
"I certainly will," he said. "And I hope you'll do the same if I forget." He realized she may be right about the difficulty of staying fair always.
"So what did you tell papa?"
"I told him that we plan on having a brood as big as Queen Victoria's," he teased.
"What?" she exclaimed and raised her head to look at him. "You do know she had nine children."
"Don't you think we can achieve that?" he teased further.
"You do know that papa will hold us to that," she warned him. "Are you sure that's what you want?"
"I suppose we'll just see what happens then," he replied, chuckling as he tried to imagine Mary's face to match the reaction he heard in her voice.
"Remember, you're the one who wants to love them equally," she joked, slightly recovering from her shock and joining him in laughter.
...
Mary was sitting at her usual spot in the garden reading when Tom approached her. She was quite surprised to see him that time of day.
"Hello Tom," she greeted him first when he was near.
"Hello," he greeted back with a shy grin. "I was wondering if I might have a word."
"Of course," she said and set aside her book. "How's the project coming along?"
"For the most part it's good," he explained. "But we may have a small problem with the new machines. People are quite scared of them."
"I think anything new is scary," she noted. "Perhaps you just need to show them it's not. Do you know how to operate the new machines?"
"No," he admitted. "But I think between me and Arthur, we can figure it out. I'm quite good with machines and Arthur has seen them in operation before."
"Can't we ask for help from the manufacturer?" she suggested. "I wouldn't want you to put yourself in danger learning how to operate them. That won't gain confidence from those who will be using it when time comes."
"I suppose we can but that might take longer. Manufacturers aren't keen on helping after they've sold you their machines."
"Leave that to me," she said confidently. "I'll ask papa for help; there are advantages to being an earl you know."
"Well, I suppose you can ask him now," Tom said when he saw Robert returning from his walk with Isis. "Are you sure you don't need my help?"
"I think I can manage," she said with a smile. She watched as Tom left and her father approach.
"What is Tom doing here this time of hour?" Robert asked, checking his pocket watch.
"I suppose he decided to spend the afternoon with Sybie before dinner," she guessed, looking at him enter the house. "He can't always be working, papa. He will become a dull boy."
"That's not what I meant," he said defensively. "He's just not usually here at this time."
"Papa, this is his home," she reminded him. "He is free to come and go as he pleases."
"Of course," he agreed, properly corrected. "He is showing a love of Downton and proven a good estate agent hasn't he?"
"Yes he has," she confirmed. "That reminds me of something he needs your help on papa." She explained what was needed to help smooth over the transition to using the new machines they have acquired for the estate.
"I can certainly help," he acknowledged. "I'll ring Murray in the morning."
...
"Mary, are you in here?" Matthew asked when he entered the library.
"I think she's in the garden," Violet responded, sitting in the library waiting for Robert's return from his walk. "Shall I ring Carson to have someone fetch her?"
"No thank you Cousin Violet, I can find her myself," he said and was about to head out to do just that but then decided to speak with Violet first.
"Is there something else?" she asked when she saw him come back in.
"I was wondering if I can ask for your advice," he said and maneuvered to a chair to sit. "You see, I think Mary is not being honest with me."
"What makes you think that?"
"Well, I know how much she likes to join the men when they go shooting but she's refusing to go this time," he explained. "Actually, she's refusing to go anywhere for any prolonged time away from me and William. I'm afraid she's neglecting herself taking care of us."
Violet listened quietly as he described how he had been trying to get Mary to do activities she once loved to do like horseback riding and going to London to shop with little success since she went Christmas shopping.
"She's not even eating breakfast in bed anymore so she could help me eat," he said sadly. "I just want her to be happy."
"As you should," she affirmed. "But are you truly concerned that she is taking her duties far too seriously or that you aren't as independent as you once were?"
Matthew had to think for a minute. "I just don't want her to feel obligated to abandon her life."
"Have you considered that you are her life now that you are married? If things were reversed and she was in your shoes, would you not place her needs above yours? I seem to recall you were glued to her side when she was pregnant."
Matthew felt slightly embarrassed for sounding ungrateful and was glad she reminded him of his own behavior during Mary's pregnancy.
"We bear our burdens for the ones we love," she noted. "Mary bears it well because she loves you very much."
"There you are," Mary said when she entered the library followed by Robert. "I was looking for you in our sitting room." She rested her hand on his shoulder.
"I came to the library looking for you," he said. "I found Cousin Violet instead and we had a lovely chat."
"It's nice to see you two getting along," Robert noted happily.
"When haven't we?" Violet asked incredulously.
Robert chose not to stir the hornets' nest further given that they have all embraced Matthew in their own time now.
"Would you like to come upstairs with me?" Mary asked, knowing that it was time to check on William.
"I'd be happy to," he replied with a smile. "I've been reminded just how lucky I am."