Dear Mrs. Bates,
(There, I'm practicing. How am I doing so far?) Well, I suppose it remains within Lady Mary's right to address you as she does, considering you have yet to become a ladiesmaid (which you undoubtedly will when she and Mr. Crawley tie the knot at last). And you may inform Miss O'Brian that I speak from experience when I say that it is, in fact, possible for friendship to exist between a servant and their employer whatever she says. (Just because she hasn't got any friends and no one fancies her doesn't mean that no one else hasn't got an admirer - least of all you.)
My dear you could never offend me. Although I do ask it of you not to sink to that wicked woman's level and to, instead, move past the hatred and anger your harbour against her. She is gone, out of our lives, and wherever she is I couldn't care any less so long as she can't hurt us anymore - which she can't unless we let her. So let's stop tending to old wounds and instead bandage them up and bear through the pain. Because you are every bit of good as I believe you to be and I'll not let you stain it with the bitterness that vile creature brings out in you. But, of course, should ignoring the scars we wear fail you know you can always count on me to cleanse your pure soul clean.
As promised, I have managed to stay out of trouble since I last wrote. I've met my new cell-mate, whom I'm admittedly not very keen on, but will solemnly swear to stay out of his way so long as he stays out of mine - and I've always been an honest man of my word haven't I?
You'll be relieved to know that you are not the only one who is grateful for the authority the first class holds in this one instance; and why shouldn't we be? Haven't we endured enough to have earned the right to pull the strings in our favor? I refuse to rot behind bars longer then I have to thank you very much.
And so you should have shaken some sense into her - I would have. She's a strong character your Lady Mary and too stubborn for her own good, and that's something I haven't the patience for. However, it still gladdens me more than I can say to hear of their happiness at last. How fair the wedding preparations? Has everyone gone sick in the head yet from all the roses? Have all the invitations gone out? Who are the bridesmaids? The groomsmen? Have they decided on cake flavors? Will a slice be saved for me? If I were to only admit one thing in my whole life, it would be that the one thing among many others that Lady Mary has and I don't that I am jealous of is a proper wedding.
As well as you should believe him to be a man of honor and kindness, for I never knew a better one - and that's saying a lot; for I've been places and met people and I'll tell you right now that there isn't a lot of good left out there. So when you come across it, try not to judge it too harshly at first glance my dear. Because if you think the world owes you something you're wrong; the world owes you nothing, and that's a lesson most of us have had to learn the hard way. But please give my regards to Mr. Branson and Lady Sybil when you next see them.
I'd like to think that I still am a mystery with plenty of secrets left for you to uncover, but I fear since we've married that you've gotten better at piecing my clues together. I would tell you that if I got smarter I'd be able to keep this up, but we both know I'm wrong and that you'll always be one step ahead of me. But I know that the children will be delighted by the tales I have to tell, (and don't fret, the gory details can easily be written out). But haven't you learned anything? The underdogs never conquer in the end; their soul purpose and very reason for existence is to help the protagonist triumph in the end. So no, as much as I would like to take credit for Lord Grantham's bold heroism in the face of war, I'm afraid i will have to disappoint you for neither the first nor the last time.
How can I possibly swear not to fail you when I already have? What am I always telling you? I don't deserve you - not in this life or any other. I could live a thousand of them and still not deserve you. But God knows I am the luckiest man in the world for having won you over when you could have done so much better for yourself. Perhaps it was my irresistable charm? Or maybe my aura of mystery that enticed you so? Either way, you could have saved yourself a lot of grief if you had stayed away. But I'm so glad you didn't because I don't know where I'd be without you. So solemnly do I swear to hold your hand through it all.
All my love,
-John
When I said there would be more to come I wasn't intending for it to take over a month -_- But anyway I'm here now and so sorry for the delay! Hopefully I'll have more time to update now that Chrismas is just around the corner. Speaking of which - who's excited? How do you all plan on spending the holidays? Mine will be spent by the fire with a cup of tea and the Downton Abbey series six Christmas special on the television and possibly blubbering for hours after it's finished.
Thank you to Jamesluver and TheLadyAndTheLaywer for their reviews! Hope you liked this chapter and don't forget to review:)
-birdywings