Downton Abbey: The Risk Of Love

Why Is Barrow Still Here?

Crawley House,
May 1920

It had been quite a dramatic time within Downton Abbey and Mary hadn't found a moment free until now to go and visit Mrs Crawley. After her failed attempt to stalk Thomas in the night she had thought of a more discrete approach to finding out the truth. Who had seen Thomas and Matthew together more than anyone? Isobel Crawley. She had been in the house when Thomas had tended to Matthew after his injury — she had watched them for months. Mary figured that if anyone else knew the secret her father harboured, it would be Matthew's mother.

Mary knocked on the door.

Of course she could not be so blunt, and absolutely not accuse Isobel's son of having an indecent relationship with Thomas — not if she wished to gather more clues to unravel the truth.

Mrs Crawley answered. "Ah,Mary — come in, Luncheon is prepared for us."

"Thank you, Cousin Isobel" Mary said and stepped inside of the house and they walked towards where the table was set for them. No, Mary could not give Isobel any indication that she was snooping around. She knew that it would not be appreciated and Mary knew Isobel's feelings towards her.

"Do have a seat." Isobel told the oldest Crawley sister and then sat down in a chair herself. "I must say, I was quite surprised when you suggested that we take lunch together."

"Why, Cousin Isobel?" Mary said with a pleasant smile as she sat down "I was more surprised that you accepted my suggestion."

"And why would that be?" Isobel retaliated but both women knew exactly why they had been equally surprised.

"Let us not beat around the bush." Mary said and helped herself to some tea "I know you are not overly fond of me after what happened with Matthew and I before the war."

Isobel sat up a little bit straighter "No, let's not — and you are right" She admitted " — I have had many reservations about you, Mary, and your intentions." She took her tea as well " — but I did see you a bit differently during the war and when Matthew was injured, I knew you were very taken with him."

"I was." Mary admitted and it stung her heart still.

"I can't lie and say that I would have been overly thrilled by a union, I would have blessed it if that was what Matthew had wanted, but I am sorry that your heart broke." Isobel said with sincerity. "A heart is the hardest to mend, and I do hope you mend it."

"Thank you Cousin Isobel — " Mary said with a small smile. " — I am sure time will mend it for me."

"Time tends to mend most things" Mrs Crawley agreed.

"Even if we believe, at the time, there is no healing." Marry said and tried not to sound too excited over how easy this conversation was steering in the right direction; towards Matthew's injury. "Like Matthew, Doctor Clarkson said there was no mending it — but he did it on his own."

Mrs Crawley nodded and took a bite out of her salad "Not all on his own though, I'd like to think I had a hand in it — but mostly it was Mr Barrow."

Mary couldn't help her wide grin as Thomas was brought into the conversation. This was exactly what she had wanted. "Oh yes, we are all grateful towards Mr Barrow for how he helped Matthew."

" — but?" Isobel asked.

"Oh no, it's nothing." Mary said and shook her head " — but Matthew never speaks about the time when he was healing, what was it like?"

Isobel raised her eyebrow "It was perfectly fine, Mr Barrow was a great help towards Matthew and let him live a normal life."

"I am sure it was a lot for Mr Barrow, he must have been relieved when sweet Lavinia came to ease the work." Mary nodded and ate some of her salad as well.