"I think I'll be rather glad once we have finalized the purchase of Haxby Park is finalized," Michael said as he looked in the mirror and made sure his tie was straight. "Not that I don't mind staying here but… it will be nice to be masters of our own kingdom."
Edith, who was going over her makeup to make sure everything was perfect (and wondering if she could get away with going with the more modern styles she remembered from the memories of her alternate life), glanced over at him. "It still seems so odd to believe that we'll soon be living there. It… honestly feels like a dream."
"I would make a comment about how being with you always feels like I dream but I don't believe either of us are interested in such sugary sweet comments."
"Quite," Edith said with a teasing smile. "I think we are quite past such things." A few memories of just how NOT sweet and innocent she was when with Michael bubbled into her head but she quickly pushed them aside; it would only be torturing herself to think about such things, honestly. Not when she couldn't act upon them. So instead she glanced back at the mirror and asked, "Do you know how much longer it will take to finalize the sale?"
"Only a few more weeks. Two months at most. The Russell are ready to leave but there is a hold up on the estate they have purchased that is delaying things."
"It is so interesting how events can chain together, isn't it?" Edith said idly. "One small delay can cause another and another until the actions of someone I have never met can drastically interfere in my life."
"For good and for ill," Michael pointed out. "After all, if it hadn't been for that poor soldier who killed himself your sister would have never talked with Mrs. Crawley about the need for a hospital, she would have never convinced your father to make Downton a place for soldiers to recover, you would have never seen the true effects of the war and gotten a taste for activism…"
"And we would have never met," Edith said with a smile… only for it to drop into a pout. "And as lovely and charming as that story is we can't even share it because that didn't happen in this life!"
Michael laughed at that. "Ah, but I will take the extra time we gained over a cute story any day of the week."
"Yes, I suppose so. And I do like that Mary's first meeting with Matthew is now him verbally smacking him about." Michael raised an eyebrow and Edith rolled her eyes. "We are much closer now but old wounds never fully heal, I'm afraid. There will always be a petty need to needle each other."
"Is that why she said Haxby is vulgar?" Michael asked, remembering how Mary had been rather dismissive of the place when they'd all done a tour of it a few weeks back. Not in a rude sort of way… it actually had been rather polite considering how Mary could get during her first life. She had said that Haxby Park was over-wrought and over-done and she suggested they have themselves a do-over. 'I'll be rather glad to see how you fix this vulgar place," she had said and he was sure she had meant it as a compliment, that Edith and him had good taste and would fix the problems she saw. Still… it wasn't exactly what one wanted to hear after purchasing a large estate.
"No, there are other reasons for that," Edith stated, pulling him from his thoughts. "What do you know of Mary's life during the War. The first time?"
"Not much, to be honest," he admitted. "You obviously never talked about it and Matthew, Sybil, and I never really got into it because by that point so much had changed. Our concerns about what needed to be changed didn't matter when it was clear so much had already been altered." He paused. "Which makes it odd that so much that happened the first time somehow managed to repeat itself."
"Tom calls it echoing," Edith said idly. "In her first life Mary was engaged to Sir Richard Carlisle."
"…she was nearly married to him?" Michael said before pressing his tongue against the inside of his cheek. "I… I was about to say that seemed rather impossible but thinking about it I can see it, based on what you told me about her. But I must ask… what about Matthew?"
"Oh, that terrible falling out that was all Mary's fault," Edith said with a wave of her hand. "Mary will admit that herself… we used to talk about it, if my memories are correct of that first life, after he passed. She was rather angry with herself that she wasted so much of the time she could have had with Matthew being a fool who focused more on station than on love. It's why I think she doesn't like to focus on her memories of that first life as Tom and I do… she is glad to have them but she'd rather only remember this life." She clicked her teeth together. "But we've gotten off of topic. Mary was engaged to Sir Richard-"
"It was so hard to remember not to address him with that title."
"I can imagine," Edith teased. "Sir Richard decided to by Haxby Park for her."
"Ah. I see now. Poor memories of all that."
"Very much so. Thus why I don't take offense to her comments about our new home… besides, we do plan to do much to it." She finally turned to face him, rather than look at his reflection as she talked to him. "We are going to have the most modern of homes."
"Indeed," Michael said. "If Mary can have a kitchen at Downton Place then we can have the nerve center of our newspaper empire at Haxby."
"I so do love it when you say, 'our' empire. Makes me feel… powerful." Edith rose up and ran her hand along his chest before quickly snatching it away. "But I think it best we save such talk until after the afternoons chaos."
"Quite," he said before offering her his arm. "Though I suppose there is no chance we can't just flee there now?"
"Unfortunately not," Edith said. "Grandmama would just chase us down all the same."
"Then I suppose I must face the firing squad," Michael said as the thought of having to deal with Martha Levinson caused his spine to feel like someone had dumped ice down it.
"If you need too inform her of Matthew and Mary and then run. If that doesn't work I'm sure we can throw Sybil and Tom in her way."
"Aren't we supposed to be in this together?" Michael asked.
"When it comes to my grandmother there are no loyalties."
"…you are going to abandon me if it saves you, aren't you?"
Edith merely smirked and didn't say a word.
~MC~MC~MC~
"Something just occurred to me," Tom said he walked up to Mary and offered her a drink.
"Its far too early for this," she said… before taking a long swig from the glass like she was a dock worker. "What occurred to you?"
"That you and I have found ourselves with memoires of another life, one where we were very close to each other, and yet we haven't had a private conversation. It is usually all of us or you with Matthew while I got off to find Sybil."
"Hmmm… you are quite right," Mary said, looking over to see Matthew chuckling at something Sybil had said. "And those two are best friends. Sometimes I feel like I am in competition with Sybil not for Matthew's heart but rather his attention."
"I know what you mean," Tom said as he looked about the drawing room; the family had all gathered there when word had reached them that Mrs. Leveinson's train had arrived and she would be there very soon. "But I don't begrudge them that friendship… it couldn't have been easy to walk about Downton, knowing all they did, and being unable to talk to anyone about it."
Mary let out a huff. "You are making far too much sense, Tom… I don't like it."
"You like it," he teased her.
She cracked a smile. "Yes, I do." She swirled the glass. "I have memories of the two of us supporting each other in our grief. I am ashamed that there was never a memory of me doing what I should have done… Tom, thank you for being there for me when Matthew passed."
"Thank you for never allowing me to spiral after Sybil's death."
Mary was silent for a long moment. "I sometimes wake up at night and can't remember which set of memories are real. I mean, of course they are both real, Matthew has been firm in that. I mean only-"
"I understand," Tom told her. "Which ones have happened now."
"Yes," Mary whispered. "There were times during the War where I woke up to find Matthew staring at me, tears in his eyes. He was always quick to assure me it was nothing but now I know… he was thinking about how lucky he was to have his second chance. But… it is different for them than it is for us."
"They lost us only to regain us instantly," Tom whispered. "We lost them and had to continue on."
"Yes," Mary whispered. "It's utterly silly because they are merely memories but… it still hurts."
He reached out and gave her hand a squeeze. "I know."
"…we're going to save all of them, aren't we?"
"We are," Tom said. "I'll tie Matthew up myself and destroy the car so there is no chance he goes for a drive."
"The moment Sybil realizes she is with child we are going to London," Mary said firmly. "I have already made contact with the doctor who helped me so I might conceive George… I fabricated some family history of difficult births, not that hard honestly, and he is prepared to see to Sybil. She will survive and we will get…" she stopped herself before she called the baby 'Sybie' as she knew that would only anger Sybil if she heard her use the hated name, "…both of them in our lives."
"It will be as it should have been," Tom said. "All six of us against the world itself."
"Eight once Lillian is of age," Mary said, watching as mama chatted with the littlest Crawley. "She, more than anything, is proof that we can change things Tom."
"That she is."
"…I think you and I should plan to meet, perhaps once every two weeks, and discuss things. I plan to do as much with Lavinia so you could take the opposite week. Not just what we need to do to ensure ourselves and Downton remain safe and happy but… to remind each other that we are there for each other."
"I'd like that," Tom admitted, knowing how much it had cost Mary to admit that she needed him in her life. Even though his current memories told him that Mary had become more open to others and understood that she needed people in her life rather than going it alone… he knew that both this Mary and the previous one had suffered from issues with independence and admitting that she wasn't able to soldier on by her lonesome was a powerful declaration.
And… he had found that he missed the woman that had become his closest friend.
"I do have a question for you," Tom said. "When your grandmother came last time I didn't have the… best interactions with her."
"She was rather displeased you didn't invite her to the wedding," Mary reminded him.
"Yes. I was wondering if you had any suggestions on how I could make a better first impression."
Mary considered that carefully.
"Do you know how you moved to change yourself to fit in better at Downton? Nothing extreme but just enough that papa and mama were more open to you?"
"You mean wearing a proper suit to dinner?" Tom asked.
"Do the exact opposite with grandmamma," Mary teased.
Tom flashed her a flat look. "You're jesting, right?"
"Not in the slightest. You know my grandmother… she hates people that act as if they are better than the rest of the world. It's part of the reason why she was so open to Matthew in my letters… and seemed mildly disappointed when she met him. She was expecting a fierce hound and instead found a tamed dog."
"You do remember that is your husband you are talking about, right?"
"Of course… I'm the one that tamed him."
"In your first life," Tom pointed out. "One could argue that in this life he tamed you."
"Luckily for all of you I rather like being domesticated. So much more fun." She smirked at that before continuing. "I think that is the problem you ran into with grandmama, that you never realized: she was upset that you didn't invite her to the wedding because she would have been utterly tickled pink to show up in some Irish church dressed in the gaudiest clothing one can buy in New York and make a grand scene."
"That does sound like something she would do," Tom admitted. "So be myself."
"Very much so," Mary said just as Carson entered the room. All of them could feel the air change with the butler's entrance, the air thickening around them, making them all tense.
"My lord," he said to Lord Grantham, "Telegram from the station. Mrs. Levinson is on her way."
Mary straightened her shoulders. "Well… time to meet her."
"Why do I feel like we are marching to meet a Spanish firing squad?" Tom asked, Mary chuckled at that even as her smile waivered at the truth of that statement.
~MC~MC~MC~
Matthew reached over and took Mary's hand, holding it carefully in his own. Not because he was worried about hurting her but because he was just so utterly worried that they would do something wrong and reveal to Mrs. Levinson that the two were far closer than she realized.
He knew he was over thinking it… yet he couldn't help it. The first time Mary's grandmother had come he had been focused on things like the wedding and what to do with Lavinia's money and Robert's failed investments. And yet all of that felt so simple when compared to having to deal with the woman's anger if she realized that they had all forgotten to even inform her that they were married!
"It will be fine, Matthew," Mary said, clearly sensing his worry. "We will announce that we have set a date for the wedding. It will be after Edith is wed and be just close enough that it would not make much sense for her to return so soon while just far enough away that it would do no good for her to stay and wait. We'll get a few photos made for her and that will be that… nice and simple."
"And if she wants something more?" Matthew asked.
"Worse case we have a second wedding," Mary told him. "Mama and papa saved quite a bit with us marrying in London so they can afford to throw us something small. But… let us just hope it doesn't come to that, okay?"
"Of course," Matthew said with a smile as he saw the car making its way up towards the Abbey. "Well… here we go," he said quietly.
The car came around, doing a 180 spin and Alfred hurried forward to open the door, letting out the one and only Martha Levinson. She was dressed in a long fur coat that Matthew thought might have been made from leopard fur, with a great thick collar that seemed to be trying to swallow her up. She stood on the car's step, looking at everyone gathered, servants and family alike, before taking a breath.
"From war to peace Downton still stands," she declared, "and the Crawleys are still in it." She stepped down, patting Alfred's arm as he shifted to help her, before moving to Cora who had stepped forward to greet her mother. "Cora."
"It is so good to see you."
"And you as well." Mrs. Levinson held out a gloved hand to Robert. "Robert, aren't you going to kiss me?"
"With the greatest enthusiasm," he said, moving in and giving her a polite peck on the cheek. He glanced at the red car that was decidedly not one of their's. "Tell me, where did this come from?"
Matthew raised his head to look at the car only for Mary to squeeze his hand hard. "No."
"I was only looking," he muttered, feeling like a child caught eyeing up a plate of sweets. "I promise I have no desire to get behind the wheel."
"Good, because I swear I will lop off your hands if I have to."
"But you so do love what my hands can do," he whispered.
"I have my own for that," she snarked, making him nearly choke.
Mrs. Levinson had just finished greeting Carson and Mrs. Hughes (and while Matthew didn't know what she said nor could he remember what she had mentioned the last time, he could tell that Carson wasn't overly pleased with it but was controlling his own thoughts as was the norm) and suddenly he saw her heading their way.
"You must be Lillian," Mrs. Levinson said, kneeling down next to the little girl who stood next to her nanny. "I'm your grandmother."
"…no," Lillian said.
"No?" Mrs. Levinson said, amused.
"No." She pointed at her leg. "No limp."
That caused Cora's mother to laugh. "Oh no, sweetheart… I am not Robert's mother, I am Cora's. People have two grandmothers."
Lillian screwed up her brow, considering that new bit of information before finally nodding. "Ah, yes. Of course." She reached out and pressing her little hands against the fluffy color of Mrs. Levinson's coat. "Very soft."
"It is, isn't it," Mrs. Levinson confirmed. "If you let me hold you then you can nuzzle it." Once more Lillian thought that over before nodding, allowing Mrs. Levinson to pick her up, the little girl smiling softly as she rubbed her cheek against the collar. "You remind me of your mama, do you know that? Such a sweet little thing. I am very excited to meet you."
"I'm the distraction."
Matthew's eyes went wide.
"Oh, are you now?"
"She's being silly, mother," Cora said quickly and after a moment Mrs. Levinson nodded but as she shifted Matthew saw Lillian SCOWL at her mother and Cora grimaced at the little glare.
Martha moved away from the nanny, keeping Lillian grasped in her arms. "Sybil," she said, clearing deciding to work her way up the ranks. "Please tell me that even with the war over you aren't going to just go back to sitting around in drafty rooms. It did my heart so good to hear that you were helping with the war effort."
"No, grandmama, you have no need to worry about that," Sybil assured her. "While I am not quite sure if I wish to remain in medicine I don't think I'll be lazing about."
"Good. We can sit down and come up with some ideas." She moved on to Tom. "And you are the Irish radical courting my granddaughter."
"A few other things you can add to that list, but the last is probably the most important."
Mrs. Levinson smiled at that, patting his shoulder lightly with her hand. "Good, good. A wise man understands that he gets no where without a wise woman behind him. You Irish are very good at lowering your heads and bursting through any obstacle… Downton needs that kind of determination, I think."
Tom smiled at that compliment. "Considering that Sybil has the same temperament…"
The American woman laughed. "Oh, she gets it from me!" With that she moved to Edith. "My love, it is so good to see you. Now, I want us to have some time to talk about your wedding plans and then I can help you figure out how to make them better." Edith merely nodded at that, seeing it wisest not to say a word, and Mrs. Levinson moved on to Michael. "I am rather cross with you."
"You… you are?"
"Yes," Mrs, Levinson said to him sternly. "You haven't bought any papers in America, meaning that I need to pay more to read Edith's work." Michael relaxed at that only for Mrs. Levinson to shoot him a cool look. "I wasn't joking. I want you to buy a paper. I have several I think would do well for you. If you don't want to run it give it to Edith… I would so enjoy showing my friends a paper my granddaughter was in charge of."
"…yes ma'am," Michael said quickly.
"Good," Mrs. Levinson said before finally coming up to Mary. "Ah, dearest Mary." She leaned forward, giving her a hug and a kiss. "Did you think I wouldn't find out?"
Matthew felt his heart plummet to his toes.
"Find… find out?" Mary asked, trying to sound confused and not at all terrified. "About what?"
"Your skills as a baker, of course!" Mrs. Levinson declared. "At the station I ran into a local farmer and he mentioned it to me. Seems you are far more than I expected… I believe it's my blood that let you be so willing to buck the social norms."
"Yes… sorry about that," Mary said bashfully but Matthew could hear the relief in her voice.
"As you should be," Mrs. Levinson said with a smile before looking at Matthew. She locked eyes with him, tilting her head. "And shame on all of you for not telling me Mary and Mr. Crawley here were married. Well, except Lillian but I don't think she can write me yet so she is forgiven."
His heart wasn't in his feet. It was plunging to the center of the heart.
"I… grandmama," Mary began only for Mrs. Levinson to hold up a hand to get her to stop talking.
"None of that. I don't blame just you, Mary." She swept her gaze over all the Crawleys. "Not a single one of you remembered to tell me that Mary was married. I know things were quite mad with the war but come now."
"How… mama, how did you know?" Cora asked.
"You think I don't have spies in my employ to keep an eye on all of you?" Mrs. Levinson asked, sweeping her gaze over all of them before pinning Robert with a cold stare. "Were it not for the fact that Mary's husband-" and oh did Matthew not like how she wasn't addressing him by his given name, memories of her cold response to him in his first life dancing through his head like demons, "-was your heir and thus Downton would belong to him and Mary I would have seen this estate burn to the ground because of an… accident. I may or may not have let you escape either, Robert."
Robert swallowed at that, knowing that she wouldn't have made that statement if she didn't mean it.
"Thinking you can keep things from me. I am much more cunning than that."
"You spied on us, mama?" Cora asked.
"Oh don't be shocked!" Mrs. Levinson declared. "If you all lived in America Violet would have done the same thing. You might call it some posh word, most likely to do with making friends in good places that are willing to provide you with whatever information you might desire, but let us be frank that it is spying." She glanced at Carson. "You did very well."
The butler's eyes went wide before he began to sputter in shock.
"I'm joking," she said before adding, "Or… am… I?" She paused. "Besides, if it weren't for my spies I wouldn't know dear Mary was married." She shot the couple in question a dark look. "Something I believe we need to discuss."
And with that she swept into Downton.
"Let us look around, Lillian," she told the baby of the family. "You are a very good distraction, you know that?"
"I do," Lillian chirped.
"…well that went swimmingly," Edith finally got out.
"You're just happy you got away with Michael just needing to buy a paper!" Mary huffed before chasing after her grandmother, calling out pleas for her to slow down so she could explain.
