𝐂𝐫𝐚𝐰𝐥𝐞𝐲- 𝐌𝐚𝐭𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐰 𝐂𝐫𝐚𝐰𝐥𝐞𝐲

𝐒𝐞𝐚𝐬𝐨𝐧 𝟐- 𝐄𝐩𝐢𝐬𝐨𝐝𝐞 𝟐

~A few months later~

    It has been hard since Matthew has been gone and day after day the more I worry. A war is one terrible thing but losing my fiance is another.
    This morning I was walking to the Library when I saw William and Mr. Carson excited. I wonder what that's about? I enter the Library and see Mama and Papa talking.

    "Good morning." I greet them. They both turn to me.
    "Good morning Lizzie," Mama says with a smile. "I have news for you."
    "Oh what is it?" I ask with a smile. "Something good I hope."
    "Very," She stands up and hands me a letter. I open the letter and see it from Matthew. I gasp and look at her quickly, Mama just smiles. I read over the letter quickly in surprise.
    "Matthew is returning home?!" I question her and she nods. I have a huge grin on my face in happiness. I give her a huge hug and then quickly exit to soak in all the good news.

~Luncheon~
    Now it was time for luncheon and suddenly Carson bumps into Granny's chair.

    "Are you all right, Carson?" Granny asks.
    "Of course. That is, er, perfectly all right, Your Ladyship, thank you." He tells her.

    "Cousin Isobel says Matthew's coming home in a fortnight. He's touring England with some general." Edith speaks up and looks up at me.
    "So I've heard." I say with a smile.
    "We'll have a dinner when he's here." Says Papa.
    "I was going to ask Richard Carlisle about then. For Saturday to Monday." Mary speaks up.
    "You be careful, Mary. Sir Richard Mustn't think you're after him." Violet tells Mary.
    "Isn't that the truth?" Sybil agrees.
    "The truth is neither here nor there. It's the look of the thing that matters. Ask Rosamund. It'll take the edge off it."
    "Well, that'd be nice. Like before the war." Papa says.
    "How can we manage a great pre-war house party without a single footman?" Mama asks.
    "My dear, Rosamund is not a house party. She's blood." Granny states.
    "I saw Mrs Drake when I went into the village. The wife of John Drake, who has Long Field Farm." Edith explains.

    "Yes. What did she have to say?" Papa aasks her.
    "Apparently their final able-bodied farmhand has been called up. They need a man to drive the tractor."
    "Well, hasn't Drake recovered from his illness? I thought he was better." Papa questions.
    "No, he is. He's much, much better. But he doesn't drive. So I told her I could do it." Edith tells us all with a smile.
    "What?" Mama asks, surprised.
    "I said I could drive the tractor."
    "Edith! You are a lady, not Toad of Toad Hall." Granny exclaims.
    "We'll i'm doing it." Edith says proudly. I smile at her and give her a nod. I'm proud of Edith finally doing something she enjoys and sticking with it. Papa and Mary also nod at her and I smirk.

~Later that day~
    We were all in the drawing room this evening with Sir Richard Carlisle and Aunt Rosamund. They arrived a little bit ago to have dinner with us tonight. I was standing around anxiously waiting for Matthew to arrive. He was gone for so long and now he's finally coming back to me and I could never be happier. I'm currently rubbing my hands together and picking at my skin and then I hear someone enter the room. Matthew. I turn around and see him entering with Carson and Cousin Isobel. A smile immediately appeared on my face knowing that he's okay and came back to me.

    "Mrs Crawley, Captain Crawley." Carson introduces.
    "Ah. Isobel." Papa greets. I go near them and I have tears in my eyes but not sad tears, happy tears. Matthew then steps forward and shakes Papa's hand.
    "Well, now. Still in one piece. Thank God." Says Papa.
    "Touch wood." Matthew says hopefully. He then gives me a quick glance and smiles and I smile back.
    "I never stop touching it." Responds Papa. Mary then walks forward with Sir Richard Carlisle and I step back shyly from them both.

"Do you know Sir Richard Carlisle? My cousin, Captain Crawley." Mary introduces.
"How do you do?" Carlisle greets Matthew. Sybil talks to Aunt Rosamund while Papa and Matthew also chat amongst each other. Carson then comes around and tells us all,
"Dinner is served, M'Lord." Papa then nods and everyone starts exiting the room. Matthew is last to exit and I quickly grab his hand and walk with him to the dining room.
"I'm very happy you're back, and safe." I tell him. He looks down at me and gives me a smile. He pulls me to a stop and I look back at everyone walking.
"No time for stopping now we better catch-" He quickly pulls me into a long kiss by putting both of his hands on my cheeks. I kiss him back passionately before we pull away.
"I love you, my darling."
"As do I, my love." I say back with a smile before we head to dinner.

~Dinner~
Tonight I was a little worried about the new footman Mr. Lang. He looks a little shaken up but I decide not to worry about it.

"I gather your footman Thomas has returned to the village. No." Granny speaks up.
"Crikey. Where did you see him?" Papa asks.
"At the hospital. Seems he's working there."
"I wonder how he wangled that." I then see Carson whispering to Mr. Lang harshly and I give raised eyebrows to Matthew who sits diagonally across from me; he does the same. I just continue eating and not really listening when I hear Edith cry out as Carson spills the sauce on her dress.

"I--I do apologize, my lady. I-- Mr Lang, get a c--" Carson stutters as he starts to seize up and my eyes widen scared for him.
"Carson?" Mama calls out as we all stand up. Mama rushes over and asks him,
"Carson, what's the matter?"
"Carson, it's all right. Everything will be fine." Mary reassured worried.

"Edith, go with Branson and fetch Major Clarkson. I'll telephone and explain what's happened." Isobel explains as she gives orders.
"What about my dress?" Edith asks selfishly and I give her a glare and roll my eyes.
"Edith! We'll get you a coat! Come." Mama tells her.
"Sybil will know what to do until the doctor comes." Says Mary.

"You'll find there's never a dull moment in this house." Granny says still in her chair.
"Lady Sybil and I will take him upstairs. Mrs Hughes will show us the way, please." Matthew explains and I nod at him.
"I can help." Mary tries.
"No, let me. I know what I'm doing." Sybil tells her. Carson tries to protest,
"I'm sure that's not necessary, my lady." Sybil helps him and I see Mrs. Hughes enters and goes to Anna and Ethel as well as O'Brien. We all finished our dinner.

~Night~
    I was getting into bed and about to read my book when I felt a sudden rush of worry. I overheard Papa and Matthew's conversation earlier in the drawing room and how Matthew has to return to France. I try not to think about it and forget my book before getting under the covers and blowing out the candles.

~Next night dinner~
    Tonight at dinner we were all talking in the drawing room about turning the house into a convalescent home. Of course Granny has her own thoughts on the idea.

    "I think it's a ridiculous idea!"
    "Why?" Sybil asks her.
    "Because this is a house, not a hospital." Granny exclaims.
    "But, Granny, a convalescent home is where people rest and recuperate." I explain to her.
    "But if there are relapses? What then? Amputation in the dining room? Resuscitation in the pantry?" She asks.
    "It would certainly be the most tremendous disturbance. If you knew how chaotic things are as it is." Mama speaks up.
    "But when there's so much good can be done." Isobel says. I then hear a slam on the ground as Granny stomps her cane on the ground.
    "I forbid it. To have strange men prodding and prying around the house, to say nothing of pocketing the spoons. It's out of the question." Granny yells to everyone. I then awkwardly look down at my plate.
    "I hesitate to remind you, but this is my house now. Robert's and mine, and we will make the decision." Mama tells her sternly as she then gets up from the couch and takes a drink.

    "Oh, I see. So now I'm an outsider...who need not be consulted." Granny says.
    "Since you put it like that, yes." Mama says with a glare back at her. Our lives were about to change forever and everyone needed to be prepared.