Lady Mary Crawley (ladycontrary) wrote in madisonvalley, @ 2016-12-18 20:19:00 |
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Entry tags: | !closed, !completed gdoc, !log, [plot] ghosts, ~2016 december, ~25 points, ~~mary crawley (ladycontrary) |
Who: Mary Crawley Crane and Matthew Crawley (as played by Krista)
What: Ghostly visits
Where: Her house
When: Wednesday, December 14th (backdated)
Warnings: Angst?
Status: Completed gdoc
It was interesting how quickly Mary had settled into married life again, even if this marriage was entirely different than her first one. Her whole life in Madison was different. She had to run a business, to do chores, to run errands. They were all things she didn’t have to worry much about back at Downton.
That day, she had a dozen things on her mind, including Christmas presents that she had to pick up for George and what time she had to be at the tea house later that day. Mary stood in the kitchen washing and drying the tea cups from she and Ichabod’s breakfast. She hummed a little as she looked down at her still flat stomach. No baby yet, though she and Ichabod were trying. It had been difficult to conceive with Matthew, so Mary wasn’t entirely surprised that she was struggling again. Perhaps if she did not get pregnant this month she would go to the clinic and see if there was anything that could be done.
Mary turned around to put the dry tea cup back in the cupboard when she found a man sitting at her kitchen table. She gasped loudly and the tea cup shattered on the floor. Any stranger in her house would have startled her, but she was even more shocked because this man wasn’t a stranger.
Her late husband Matthew was sitting in her kitchen.
***
He hadn’t meant to startle her so much as that, but he knew there had been no easy way to do this. Having found her, and he knew not the how but was grateful for it, he could do nothing more than watch and listen to her pleasant tune. After all, he had never thought he’d see the day when Lady Mary was being domestic.
Matthew smiled calmly but made no move to rise from the table. “Forgive me, darling. This was the least surprising way to make myself known, I felt.”
***
Mary was utterly speechless for a moment, her hand resting on her chest. A million questions flooded her brain, and she had no idea how to begin. One of the first things she noticed was that Matthew didn't seem quite solid. There was a transparency to him that Mary found strange. She wondered if she was hallucinating.
“Are… are you really here with me?”
***
Matthew’s smile turned a bit sad as he looked down at himself. “In a manner of speaking, but not in the way I would like.” He looked back to his widow with his heart in his eyes. “No. I am but a shadow of myself, darling. I wanted to see you.”
***
Mary slowly moved across the kitchen and sat down across from him. She had a dozen questions, most of which he probably wouldn’t know the answer to. It was Madison. She knew that from time to time things that didn’t make sense went on here.
“You found me here?”
She had to admit that as pleased as she was to see him, this was something that deep in her heart she had been dreading. She knew that Madison brought people back from the dead, her own sister being one of them. Having Matthew back would have been more than she could hope for. But now she was remarried, and very happy with Ichabod. How could she possibly choose between them? From what she could tell though, Matthew wasn’t exactly here. He was… dare she say, a ghost?
***
“Of course I found you.” Matthew smiled with a small chuckle. “I would find you anywhere.” He could tell she was off. No doubt that would annoy her soon enough. That would go a long way to making her more relaxed, but he felt he could speed things up a bit to put her at ease.
“Of course I didn’t expect to find you being menial.” Even as a ghost his eyes twinkled with amusement.
***
She couldn’t help it. She laughed. Even as she sobbed at the same time, she laughed. That was one of the things that she had always loved about Matthew, how easily he could make her laugh.
“We don’t have servants here, so I do what I have to. You should see me clean the toilet.” Mary wiped at her eyes, trying to not look like so much of a wreck. If he was here, and for who knew how long, she was going to say all of the things that she wanted to, the things that hadn’t been able to tell him before he died.
“I love you. I still miss you every day, even though I am remarried.” Mary wondered how he would feel about that. “Please don’t hate me for marrying another man.”
***
Matthew chuckled for the thought of her cleaning the loo. “You would still be noble and beautiful,” he admitted honestly. There was no doubt in his mind. Mary would be beautiful mucking a stall.
Then he sobered. God, was she entertaining such guilt on his account? Matthew shook his head as he looked at her with a slightly pained expression. “I could never hate you, Mary, and certainly not for that. All I’ve ever wanted is for you to be happy.” He gave a small huff in amusement. “And you are as suited to the life of a widow dowager as a cat is to swimming with possibly the same reaction after a time, I’m sure.”
He reached for her but stopped short knowing a physical encounter was impossible. “He does make you happy, doesn’t he?”
***
One of the things she missed most about Matthew was how well he knew her. After he died, she had been sure that no man would ever again be able to know her as well as he did. She worried that she would continue to go through life misunderstood.
She nodded in response to his question. “I'm very happy. Ichabod loves George. Oh!” The tears fell again in earnest. “Your son is four and every day he looks more and more like you. He's such a beautiful boy.”
***
He wished she wouldn’t cry, but there was no point in trying to make her stop. One didn’t tell Lady Mary Crawley what to do. She did as she liked. If she wished to cry then she would.
Matthew smiled gently to hear that news. He was truly glad she’d moved on and found happiness as well. “Then I may be at peace,” he said. Mention of their son drew a proud smile from him, however. “Hopefully he is better mannered than me, at least.”
***
“Do you remember when I gave a damn about which fork you used at dinner?” Mary shook her head at the ridiculousness of it. She had been so young then and had no idea which things were really important in life. “I pray that you are at peace until I join you again. You were the only one for me, ever. I thank God every day that I knew you, that you loved me, that I was able to be your wife, even for such a short time.” She reached for his hand but hesitated, knowing that she wouldn't be able to touch him.
***
“Don’t you worry about me, darling.” Matthew’s calm eyes locked with Mary’s as he gave her a gentle smile. “Live. Love. Raise our son. Tell him who his father was, but most of all be happy.”
There was a long moment of pregnant silence between them. Matthew tried to put his love for Mary into it with his eyes since he couldn’t touch her. When it felt that things were growing far too maudlin his smile took on a bit of a roguish edge. “And tell your husband I said he is to see to your every whim or I’ll return and throw dirty laundry at him.”
***
Mary laughed again, not able to take the grin off her face in spite of her tears. “My husband is actually very well-versed in dealing with ghosts, so don't push him, Matthew.”
She sighed and shook her head, rubbing at her eyes once more. “I love you. Please know that you are never far from my thoughts.” All she had to do was look at George.
***
How he loved her laugh. Matthew smiled to hear it. She would be all right, his Mary. She always would.
Then his eyes lowered and his smile gained a bit of sadness. “I should go, Mary. Please know that I love you. Kiss George for me.”
***
“I will,” she replied, looking at him through tear stained eyes. Part of her didn't want him to ever go, but she knew that he must. He couldn't remain here as a ghost, and she had to live the life she had created for herself. “I will always love you.”
***
“And I you, my darling.” Matthew locked eyes with her, his smile soft as he slowly faded from view.