In the World of Downton Abbey

Chapter 17 - Late-Night Kitchen Talk

I'm so happy that this story has gotten so many views so far! I know things have been seeming pretty dismal lately, and the contention has been high, but hang in there! Things will lighten up later, I promise.

~ ~ ~

Usually, soaking in a hot bath calms one's nerves and muscles and can set your mind at ease... but Mandy still felt the tension everywhere as she soaked in the hot water, and the memories of the evening whirled through her head like an angry fish, giving her a horrible headache. Giving up that a hot bath would solve her problems and ease her mind, she got out, changed into a white nightgown, and climbed into bed. She was emotionally drained. After an hour, she lay there in bed in the darkness of her room, staring at the ceiling. Sleep was lost to her. Of course, after a night like she had, how would anyone be able to sleep?

Mandy sat up and stared at the closed door. "I'm not going to sleep any time soon, so I might as well do something to keep myself occupied." She put on her lavender robe over her night gown and went downstairs, tiptoeing so she wouldn't wake anyone up. She went into the kitchen and turned on the lamp near the door. "I think I'll make myself some lemon tea. Maybe that will ease my mind a little."

She put a kettle of water on the old stove and started it up. Her long curly orange hair down, she leaned against the island counter in the center of the kitchen, one that had a few bowls and cutting boards on it. She stared at the heating kettle as she recalled the night's events again. "What do I do now?" she muttered. "I only told Thomas half of the truth. What will he think when I tell him that I'm from a different time and reality? He'll think he fell in love with a crazy person!"

The kettle started to steam, and she took it off the heat. She got a cup and poured the hot water in it and found a lemon to cut up. She did so and popped the lemon slice in the water and added a dash of sugar that was in a little jar on the counter near the pantry cupboard. She leaned against the island again, staring at the assortment of jars of flour, sugar and other baking ingredients on the counter across the way from her.

"Thomas deserves to know the truth." She took a sip of the tea, and even though it was sweetened, it still tasted bitter. "I hurt him... he deserves to know where I'm from. Maybe I should just write a letter detailing everything, and when I leave, he can read it and realize that it was a good thing that I rejected him."

Mandy suddenly heard footsteps on the stairs out near the entryway, and her heart jumped. Who was that? Mrs. Crawley? She set her cup down on the counter behind her and waited anxiously to see if the person would enter the kitchen. She heard the footsteps dissipate a bit, like the person went into the family room, but then they came back into the entryway and down the hall towards the kitchen. Mandy wanted to kick herself—she hoped that she wouldn't wake anyone up, but she did.

The kitchen door opened and in came Matthew. His blonde hair was uncombed, and he wore a navy-blue robe with light-blue pajamas underneath. His blue eyes widened in surprise. "Oh, Mandy. I thought it was my mother who came downstairs."

"No, just me. I couldn't sleep."

"Me neither. Not a wink." He eyed the cup of tea on the counter behind her. "Would you mind if I had a cup as well?"

"No, go ahead. It's your house—you shouldn't have to ask."

He got a cup from the china cupboard on the other side of the room where she got hers and went to the kettle and poured himself some water. Mandy couldn't help but stare at him as he did so, and he took one of the slices of lemon and put it in his cup. He poured a bit of sugar in it and swirled it around with a spoon. He leaned against the counter across from her, and she still stared, slightly stunned. How could any man—any person—look so good after just getting out of bed?