AN: Here's chapter Five! Just so we're clear, I still don't own Downton Abbey. But I can pretend!
"Lady Mary? Mister Crawley, here to see you." Carson said stoically. Mary looked up from her book, and smled with true joy. "Oh, do show him in!" She straightend her simple green dress, and thanked God that her family were all busy with the convolesent home, too busy to notice.
Matthew entered with a somber expression, though he couldn't keep it once he saw Mary's adoring smile. "So, you've… done it then?" Mary asked, stepping closer to him. "Yes." Matthew sighed. "You look sad, Matthew." Mary observed. "I am, not as much as you seem to think. Mostly Mary, I'm thrilled." Matthew smiled. "Thrilled, whatever for?" Mary asked.
"Because now, I feel as if I can properly do this." Mary thought for a moment he was going to kiss her, but rather he got on one knee in front of her causing her to gasp. "You cant possibly be that surprised Mary?" Matthew laughed. Mary just shook her head "Continue." She almost ordered. "Mary Crawley, would you please do me the honor, of becoming my wife?" Matthew asked, his voice entirely filled with love and emotion.
Mary grabbed Matthew's collar, pulling him off of the floor, and kissing him on the lips, in a way that was not entirely gently. "Can I take this as a yes then?" Matthew asked when they finally broke apart for air. "what do you think?" Mary asked, and took to kissing him all over his face. "If this is a no, it's a very kind one." Matthew teased. "Yes, Matthew! Of course it's yes!" Mary grinned.
"What's yes?" Violet Crawley looked at the two, holding eachother closely, Her Grand daughters lips swollen… "From the state the two of you are in, I do hope it's an acceptance to a proposal?" "Granny!" Mary Excaimed, stepping back from Matthew. "Am I wrong?" Her lips twitched into a smile. "No, Granny, you aren't." Mary smiled. "I see no ring." Violet teased Matthew. "I was about to take care of that." Matthew smiled as he looked at Mary. "Oh, Matthew, it's really not necessary." "It is. I've already gotten one." He pulled a ring from his pocket, and held it in the light.
Mary gasped. "Matthew! It's beautiful!" she grinned brightly, looking at the ring, a thin gold band, with a few simple diamonds, forming a circle around one larger ruby. "It was my Grandmothers." Matthew smiled as he slid it onto her finger, glad to find it fit perfectly. "Oh… I would have thought you'd have givin it to Lavinia." Mary's smile faltered at the thought of wearing another woman's engagement ring.
"I didn't." Matthew promised her, admiring the dark ruby's contrast with Mary's pale skin. "I don't understand." Mary's brow wrinkled in confusion, as she remembered Lavinia wearing an egagment ring- a silver ring. "Why wouldn't you give this to Lavinia? She was to be your wife." "I had intended to give it to you, had you accepted my proposal a few years ago. It seemed wrong to give her a ring I had intended for another." Mary nodded in understanding, and looked at the ring. Something that was in a way an heirloom. He'd not givin it to Lavinia, even when he was sure she'd be his wife. He would have kept it forever, for her.
"Oh Matthew!" Mary kissed him again on the lips, forgetting they where not alone. "Mhm!" Violet Crawley cleared her voice, acting as if she was upset, when she was truly thrilled to see the two of them not only getting along, but finally engaged! "I'm sorry Granny." Mary stepped back from Matthew, and sat on the arm chair she'd been sitting on a few minutes previously.
"No need to apologize dear, I'm glad to see you happy. But there are a few questions." Violet sat herself most properly on the edge of a large arm chair. "Of course." Matthew sat beside Mary on the same arm chair, not caring that it was not proper, only needing to be close to Mary- his fiancée.
"Now, I see you've just become engaged, so I assume Matthew has broken things off with Miss Swire?" Matthew flinced alittle at the words, but nodded "Yes, things have been broken off." "Good. Now Mary, have you broken things off with Carslile?" Violet asked, with an arched brow. "I've written him a letter explaining things. Yes." Mary looked to Matthew, who nodded in approval.
"Wonderful. Now, when will the ceremony take place?" Violet asked excitedly. "Granny, we've just become engaged, we've not told anyone except you! We hardly know when" "Actually Mary, I've been thinking." Matthew inturrupeted her, and she looked at him with surprise. "Yes?" She was excited now, that he wanted to take control, and choose a date for there marriage.
"I'm on leave, for the next week. What if we married within this time frame?" Mary's heart beat sped. If she said yes, she could be Matthew's wife in a matter of days- possibly hours! "That's simply impossible! It just isn't done!" Violet objected. "It wouldn't be grand I'm afraid, but it could be just our family, and close friends." Matthew said, choosing to ignore Violet's outburst. "Matthew, I don't know what to say!" Mary admitted, though she was excited by the prospect.
"Mary, we've waisted so much time, being stubborn, and angry. And now, it's the middle of a war, and there is no more time to waste, I don't know if I'll be home again" "Matthew! Don't say that!" Mary commanded. "Hear me out Mary. I'm surrounded by death every day, and I don't know if I'll make it home again. And I cannot bear the thought of dying, without having married you." Matthew's words did something strange to Mary's heart, making her want to cry, and laugh all at the same time.
"Yes Matthew! Let's be married, straight away!" Mary smiled at him. Violet, who's presence had been all but forgotton, tried to think of a way she could talk them out of what they'd decided, but knew it would be futile. They where both so stubborn, and they'd made up there minds so strongly. "Alright, you two, I see there is no stopping you, but you'd best invite the family. I don't think Cora or cousin Isobel would take kindly to not being present at the wedding of there children." Violet smiled.
"Of course we'll invite the family!" Matthew was grinning now. It was all becoming real. Mary would be his wife. And in a small matter of time! "Tommorw afternoon." Mary said firmly. "I'll make the arrangments." Matthew smiled as he pecked her on the lips. "We'll announce it tonight, at dinner." Mary stood to walk him to the door. "Very good." Matthew agreed as they left the room.
The Dowager Lady Grantham smiled broadly at the prospect of the there marriage. "And it's hardly soon enough!" Violet thought to herself with a laugh. She could scarcely wait until she saw everyone's shocked expressions at dinner.
AN: There was chapter five! I havnt quite decided if I want to follow the actual events of the show, as far as Matthew's injury. Opinions?