Disclaimer: I do not own Downton Abbey
Chapter 2 – A Different Crawley Sister
Unbeknownst to Sybil, Matthew couldn't get her words from the other night out of his head. She'd said that perhaps he'd have to just marry her himself, and though it was not something that had ever crossed his mind before now, he could not deny the appeal. Not only was Sybil the type of woman he could see himself with one day – smart, outspoken, opinionated, modern, to name a few qualities – but it would also solve the dilemma of Mary's rejection. He had never thought to marry a different Crawley sister than the one that had originally been all but pushed in his direction, but the appeal was there now that the thought had been put into his head. Still, she was a full decade younger than he, in many ways innocent of the world, yet more mature than many women older than her. For days the thought played on him, the words she had spoken in jest that he was now taking seriously. Even more so after he'd come to see her the day after the vote, to check on her injury, and she'd smiled at him, making him realize that not only could they be just as comfortable in marriage as he and Mary could have been, but knew without a doubt that he could perhaps love her one day, while with Mary there had always been that doubt. After a week of contemplation he finally decided to broach the subject with Robert, and brandy and cigars after dinner when it was just the two of them as the only men was the perfect time.
"I wonder, Cousin Robert, if you've given any thought to the future, now that Mary has rejected my proposal." He started with a seemingly innocuous question, though one that steered Robert's thoughts in the direction he wanted them to go.
"I do admit myself disappointed in her decision." Robert replied with a sigh. "But there is no helping it, I'm afraid. Mary has a mind of her own, and will not be forced."
"No indeed. Nor would I wish to force her, if she'd be unhappy with me. Of course, it does bring you all back to where you were two years ago. It seems that honour is not to be satisfied, as Cousin Violet would put it." Robert eyed him and Matthew wondered if he knew where he was going with this.
"It is sad knowing that upon my death Downton will no longer be in the care of my family. That is to say…not that it is leaving the family," He amended, wanting Matthew to know that he considered him, and Isobel, part of the family. "But that it will no longer be a part of my direct line."
"I understand your meaning." Matthew assured him, not feeling in the least offended.
"Why do you bring this up?" Robert then asked, eyeing him once again. Matthew sighed and thought how to put his thoughts into words, but Robert beat him to it. "This is about Sybil, correct?" Matthew's eyes widened just a fraction but it was enough for Robert, who smiled stiffly. "I saw the look she gave you that night. I believe the young folk nowadays call it a 'crush.' You believe it to be more than that?"
"No." He readily admitted. "In fact I think that if she did indeed have a crush on me that it went away after the excitement of that night wore off. I cannot deny, though, that the thought of marriage to Sybil has crossed my mind these last days." Robert nodded, having expected exactly that and the two men lapsed into silence for awhile, each taking a good swig of their brandy.
"It would 'satisfy honour'. You marrying Sybil." Robert said finally. "But is this what you want? Could it be what she wants? For all her politics and modern views, Sybil is not so flighty as Mary, but much more grounded and, dare I say, honour and duty bound. If we put this to her she will accept, whether or not it is what she wants, for she will see it as our family's salvation."
"That is exactly why I wished to speak with you about it first. I will not say a word to her on the subject unless we both agree it is the right course to follow."
"You speak as someone who is also honour and duty bound. This is not what you want, is it Matthew? Yet, for the good of Downton, and our family, you will marry Sybil. No other reason necessary." Now it was Matthew's turn to sigh.
"You are not wrong, though there is more to it." Robert waited patiently for him to continue. "This last week I have come to realize that Sybil is the kind of woman I have always seen myself marrying. I believe we could be happy together. Perhaps even more so than Mary and I could have been."
"But you do not love her."
"No." He would not lie. "I care for her, certainly, but it is not love I feel for her. Not yet at any rate. I feel I could love her one day. As you and Cousin Cora grew to love each other, after you had married." Robert could not deny that many happy and love filled marriages didn't start out as such. He certainly hadn't married Cora for love, nor she him, though they had both been committed to their marriage and love soon grew. They sat in silence again as Robert thought on what Matthew had said, as well as the consequences of both paths.
"You are quite determined?" He had to ask.
"No. But I think it the best solution for all involved." His honest admission gave Robert some relief, knowing that at least Matthew wouldn't go into this with any blinders on. "Do you disagree?"
"I can't say I do." He replied with a shake of his head. "It does indeed seem the best solution, as you said."
"Then shall I talk to Sybil?" Although he didn't disagree with Matthew, Robert still wanted to discuss this first with his better half.
"Let me speak with Cora first. Tomorrow will be soon enough to finalize any decisions." Matthew agreed and no more was said on the subject as they left the dining room to join the ladies.
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As it happened Cora was of the same mind as Robert, though she admitted she had not thought about it before. Hearing of both Matthew and Robert's thoughts though, had her gut instinct telling her that this did indeed solve everything, save perhaps Sybil's heart. The subject of their youngest daughter's marriage had not yet really come up, nor could either parent claim to know what was inside their daughter's heart. They had only officially launched Sybil into society last summer at the age of seventeen, which while she technically should have been made to wait until she was eighteen, Cora had agreed as Sybil's birthday was in September at the end of the London Season. Still, regardless of her young age, they saw it for the solution it was and knew Sybil would as well, and so decided to allow her to make the choice, however much they knew what her choice would be. Two days after his discussion with Robert, Matthew received a note saying only that he could call up at the house that afternoon if he liked to present his proposal. His mother, upon hearing the missive, thought it meant a business proposal he wished to put to Robert regarding the running of Downton, though Matthew himself knew better. He felt nervous as he made his way to the house, though it was nothing compared to the nerves and confusion Sybil felt. She'd been called in from her ride early to find her mother and Anna waiting for her, her best day dress already laid out.
"Mama, what's going on?" She asked as Anna helped her dress.
"Matthew is coming over to speak with you this afternoon." This only confused her more.
"And so I must wear my best day dress for Cousin Matthew?" That was new. He was a part of the family, and so saw her as dressed down as anyone else.
"He's coming to talk to you specifically, and you should look your best." With the dress on, Anna began to fix her hair under Cora's watchful eye. "Please promise me you will listen to what he says."
"Alright…" Anna was almost done her hair when a knock sounded at the door and Mrs. Hughes entered.
"Mr. Crawley is here, my lady." She addressed Sybil. "He awaits in the library."
"Thank you, Mrs. Hughes." The housekeeper nodded at the dismissal and left with Anna, leaving mother and daughter alone.
"I want you to know that it's your decision."
"What is my decision? Mama, you are being entirely too cryptic, I don't know what you mean."
"You'll find out. Just listen to what he says, and then make the decision that is best for you. Alright?" Sybil nodded and left her room more confused than she'd ever been. He was standing by the window when she entered though turned and smiled upon seeing her, a smile she reciprocated fully.
"Matthew." She greeted. "Mama says you wished to speak with me."
"Yes." He couldn't help the sigh that passed through his lips, feeling already that this was harder than talking to Robert about it.
"Well what is it? You seem worried." Her brow furrowed and Matthew frowned knowing he was the cause of her own worry.
"Sybil, I'm going to speak plainly if that is alright with you. I'm afraid I don't know how else to do this."
"Of course." She readily agreed, preferring it when he spoke plainly, as he well knew.
And he did, he knew she hated it when people beat around the bush instead of just saying what they wanted.
"You are aware, of course, that Mary's rejection of me proves a complication. It was expected we would marry to stop all question of inheritance and satisfy honour, as Cousin Violet so often puts it. However, that is no longer an option. Marriage between me and Mary, that is, not not satisfying honour. I've thought hard on this, these last days and spoke with Cousin Robert after dinner the other night, and we agreed that there may be a solution…with your consent." He paused and looked to her, wondering if she'd drawn the right conclusions, but it appeared she'd not drawn any at all for she looked as confused as when she'd entered. With another sigh Matthew continued, seeing he'd have to spell it out for her. "If you agreed to marry me, all would be as it should be." That saw something click for Sybil and her eyes widened, her mouth parting in shock. She sat then, unable to believe what she was hearing, for whatever she thought Matthew might have wished to speak with her about, this was certainly not it.
"I…I don't know what to say." She admitted finally, and Matthew knew it wasn't because she was overwhelmed with emotion as most women getting a proposal, but that she really just didn't know how to respond.
"It is a heady thought." He said, taking the seat opposite her. "And I'm sorry for dumping it on you."
"This is all about duty isn't it? You have no real desire to marry me." She spoke after a moment.
"Nor, I think, do you have a real desire to marry me. And yet here we are."
"Bound by duty." She finished what he would leave unsaid.
"It is entirely your decision, Sybil-"
"Is it?" He could see the furious spark in her eyes. "You know me well enough, Matthew, to know I care for my family enough to do what is best for them. Putting this to me you must know my answer." He hung his head slightly and nodded.
"Cousin Robert said something to the same effect when we spoke." Again Sybil didn't know what to say. She looked away from him out the window and Matthew could see a million thoughts and emotions flittering through her, most of them not good. "You look as if your world has come crashing down." It was the closest he could come to accurately describing the expression on her face, though he hoped to god he was wrong.
"Not crashing down, just…changed. Perhaps drastically so." She admitted. "You know me, Matthew, you know I wanted to do something with my life. That I'm a supporter of women's rights and am keen on changing the world for the better. I had not once thought to be Lady Grantham, nor did I have any aspirations to spend my life going from one charity function to another where we talk about making things better but not much else gets done as they're more social standing and show than anything else. I had never thought to spend my life hosting dukes and other dignitaries, flittering through London ballrooms and simpering over the latest fashions."
"I don't think anyone could ever accuse you of simpering, Sybil."
"Regardless, that is now what my life is to be. Papa was right when he told you I would accept. I know what it means to him, to Mama and Granny, to Carson even that Downton stay within the immediate family. No matter my own hopes and dreams, or my plans for the future, I will always put the family first. At least in something of this magnitude." Matthew nodded, agreeing with everything she said. Sybil had never been one to be afraid of scandal, pushing the boundaries, or even breaking social norms and tradition, but for the things that truly mattered she would always put her family first. He had his answer, knew she had accepted him if not in so many words, and yet he appeared to be waiting for more from her. "Could you ever love me, Matthew?" She found herself asking, the final piece being laid bare.
"Yes." He said with little hesitation. "I will not insult you by claiming to love you now, but I truly think that love will grow, and even if it is not a deep passionate love I think we would still be happy."
"I think it would be quite easy to love you." She murmured. "You are probably the only man I could love that my parents would approve of." That didn't surprise him. They both knew she would not be happy with some prissy aristocrat who oozed wealth and lived for their title, which were exactly the kind of men the Earl and Countess of Grantham would approve of for their daughters, at least mostly.
"So…?" He said after a moment and was glad to see a teasing glint enter her eyes, today's previous seriousness taking a backseat.
"If you are waiting for an answer, you will have to ask a question first." Knowing she was teasing he decided to play along and with an elaborate flourish, sank to one knee, taking her hands in his.
"Sybil Crawley. Will you marry me?"
"Yes." She said with a smile, though it didn't reach her eyes. Something he was determined to change.
A/N - I always saw Sybil as the most kind and caring of the Crawley sisters. Yes she's an opinionated, political, modern woman for her time and the thought of an arranged marriage, of sorts, would repulse her; however, if it was what her family needed I don't think she'd hesitate. Especially before she fell in love with Tom, which she hasn't yet.
Review please!