The new lady at Downton Abbey • Alan Rickman x oc

13.Chapter

I made my way down the stairs looking for a mirror on the way down. 'Hopefully no one sees how much I actually cried after Mary left me alone'. At the door my cousins and aunt waited for me all already in their coats. I went over to someone that had my coat in his hand and helped me into it. "Thank you so much." "No problem lady Margaret." I made my way further to Mary's side which already put out her hand to me. "We are going to buy the most wonderful dress for you." I smiled back at here, finding it so Wonderful for having someone as Mary by my side that always catches me when I fall even when she doesn't know it herself.

We stopped at a boutique with a lot of people in it. "are you sure they have time for us Mary? I don't think we should go in there considering that they already have so many customers" "Oh, my dear sweet, sweet cousin I already told them that we were coming and they made special room for us" I didn't know what to say to that, so I just followed Mary. People made room for her when she went in and some lady with a black modest dress came directly to her and talked with her about what new dress they had and form where.

They had a lot of different stuff. Birds, silverware, glass decoration and so much more. They took us up a flight of stairs and into a room where other ladies already were, but as soon as we came in every other customer was all of the sudden gone. I looked around the room so many different things all around us beautiful things so beautiful that I was afraid to touch them. Mary took me by the hand, and we walked over to a young girl probably close to my age with blond hair. "how can I help you today?" she had a big smile that was contagious. Mary took over for me which I was really grateful about I still wasn't finished being in awe. "We will be going to the ball of his majesty George V" I looked with wide opened eyes at Mary she never told me who's ball we would attend. The young girl also looked quite startled but managed to hide it better than me. "Of Course, how many dresses would you need for this occasion?" "one is enough for my dear cousin here I already got everything" Mary again just smile at me as if it was normal for us to go on so short notice to a royal ball.

"so why didn't you tell me?" I asked as soon as the girl was gone. "Why didn't I tell you what?" Mary asked me with a small smile on her lips. "You know exactly what I'm talking about Mary don't act as if you don't" "it was a surprise for you and by how you are acting I would say it did just that." The girl came back with four dress one more beautiful than the next. After deciding on a green dress with golden accents we went on with shoes. When I had the hole outfit on and came out of the dressing room my aunt came towards me. "You look beautiful my dear Margaret" "Thank you Aunt Cora" They packet everything and would delivered it to Rosamund's house. Right as I made my way out of the store, Mary is walking in front of myself talking with Edith, I hear Mary talking with a familiar voice. "will you come to the ball tonight duke?" 'did he see me? I hope not I couldn't live with myself knowing he doesn't care about me. What even is he doing here? isn't this more of an establishment for women?' I turned my back to the direction the voice is coming from. "What are you doing Margaret?" Edith looked at me and then realized with whom Mary is taking. "Do you think he saw me?" she looked again in their direction. "I don't think so Margaret, but he certainly is looking for you?" there was a little hope but not much. "Is he alone or is there a woman?" she again looked in their direction. oh, how silly I must look. "No, I don't ... yes, there is a young beautiful girl she must be almost as old as you. oh, she has beautiful eyes." That was enough for me I made my way to the exit and that without even drawing attention to myself.

Mary's point of view:

"will you come to the ball tonight duke?" he probably was but I wanted Margaret to be aware that he would be coming. "Lady Mary. Good to see you and your family again" did he not see Margaret right behind me? I turned and of course she turned around so that he would see here. "Yes, I will actually my niece came to visit me so for her I will attend. How long are you and your family in town?" I know that was not really what he wanted to know he looked a few times over my shoulder probably looking for Margaret. But if she sees his niece right beside him, she will think something completely wrong. "We actually are going back to Downton in three days. We were her for two weeks. It's a shame we didn't see each other more often." With we I definitely meant him and Margaret the poor thing already painted a pretty future with him as the focus point. My poor, poor cousin. And now her he is after she search everywhere, we went for him. "That is a shame." He still was looking for Margaret but when I turned not even, I could sport her. I took it upon myself to inform him that Margaret would also be attending the ball. His eyes got bigger and there was a twinkle in them. "I will see you tonight. Lady Mary, Lady Edith, Lady Grantham." we walked back to the automobile and Margaret was already sitting in it her head turned so that I could not make out her face. Bevor we went in I asked Edith "what happened with Margaret?" "oh, she asked me if the duke was alone or if he had company, I then informed her of the beautiful girl that was with him and that she must be close to her age." I was shocked how could it be that Edith always had to ruin everything. "Are you crazy? you know she likes the duke and already lost hope that he likes her, and you really think by saying that he is with a beautiful girl she wouldn't think that he never had a real interest" I got into the automobile and tolled everyone else they should wait a few minutes outside.

"Margaret" I said softly she turned to me and I could she her glistening eyes. "don't cry my dear" she looked so lost. "but he didn't care for me. he never did Mary he just ..." I had to tell her. "No, Margaret it's all wrong. You see the young girl with him" she nodded her head. "That is his niece, and you know what else he did? he looked the hole time for you and asked me for how long we would be in London, but I know he just wanted to know if you would be her to. And when I told him that you would be coming to the ball tonight his eyes started to get bigger and there was a twinkle." she looked at me her tears stopped I wiped away her tears "are you sure? I couldn't live with false hope again" I held her in my arms "Yes, cousin I am sure you were the only thing on his mind as soon as he saw us."