March 27, 1918

Downton Abbey

Robert waited until dinner to make his announcement.

"Today I received a letter from Murray advising that he has found my heir. Tomorrow I am setting out to meet him."

"In Canada?" asked Cora.

"No, in France. He is serving with the Canadian Army. I intend to invite him to visit us on his next leave."

"Is Downton to be ruled by a fur trapper" sniffed Violet.

"I understand that he is from Southern Alberta in Western Canada which I understand to be cattle country" smiled Robert.

"A cowboy then"

"He very well might be. Murray is expecting a dossier from the Pinkertons which should provide more detail but all I know for now is that his name is Matthew Crawley. He is about 30 years old. He is a bachelor." With this Robert looked at his daughters. "And he joined the Canadian Army as a private soldier".

"A private!" Violet snorted.

"There are gentleman rankers" Robert remonstrated. Then he conceded "he may be little rough around the edges. The Canadian Army is famously insubordinate and undisiciplined; you would not want them mounting the guard in front of Buckingham Palace but when it comes to fighting they might be our best soldiers."

He continued "In any event if he needs some polish you ladies can provide it. You may never be able to make him shine as brightly as, say, Evelyn Napier, but I am sure, no matter how low he starts, eventually you will be able make him presentable in polite society."

"Why should we bother" whined Edith.

Robert glared at her. "Because he controls your fates. Maybe not you and Sybil. The two of you might marry well although neither of you have shown any inclination to do so. With your settlements and what your husbands bring to the table you both may never need to rely upon Downton again. To be sure Mother and in due course, Cora, have dower rights but legally they do not amount to much more than the right to live in the Dower House. Without the beneficence of the future Earl they will not be able to maintain the lifestyle to which they have become accustomed. And Mary ..."

With this Mary threw down her napkin and stood up. "I know my place..."

"Sit down and listen!" Robert commanded.

They all stared at him, shocked at his vehemence. Mary sat down and stared at her plate.

"Unless you remarry" Robert said looking at her "you and Patricia are going to be dependent upon his generosity for a very long time." he paused to let that sink in. "You should all be very aware that he does not have to reside in Downton Abbey and take care of you. While he cannot sell or mortgage the estate he can squeeze every penny of income out it. I imagine he can live very high in Canada on that

income."

"So let me be clear. When he comes you will treat him with the utmost hospitality. You will not mock him, you will not disdain him, you will not cut him. If he requires schooling in our ways you will provide it in the most diplomatic manner possible. You will not run him off."

There was a long pause finally broken by Violet.

"Let us be practical. Nothing cleans up a bachelor like inheriting an earldom and a great and wealthy estate. If he drinks out of his finger bowl we will drink out of ours until we can wean him off of the habit. The rougher he is the greater the challenge. We can do this ladies."

She raised her wine glass "To Matthew Crawley, the next Earl of Grantham, may he not be too rough"

"Hear, hear"

March 28, 1918

Dower House

"Your father is right you know"

Mary looked at her grandmother. "Not you too Grannie. It is bad enough that Father wants me to marry Matthew. Cannot you leave me alone?"

"No" Violet replied. "Your father is right in every respect. You must be practical. It is not just you now, you have Patricia to consider. I do not care how much of an orangutang Cousin Matthew proves to be you must marry him." She glared at Mary.

Mary's back was up. How dare they, she would make her own decisions. She would... they were right though. What could she do? She sighed. "I will not commit to anything. I will see how big a monkey he is after the first week he is with us then I will make up my mind"

Violet reached over and patted Mary's hand. "That is all I am asking. Give him a chance."