Downton Abbey: The Risk Of Love

Matthew's Heart Broke

Downton Abbey,
August 1920

"Mrs Hughes?" Matthew's forlorn voice called out from the other side of her sitting room door. Mrs Hughes beckoned the heir inside and she let out an audible gasp at his appearance. Had the poor boy slept at all? Had he eaten? It looked like Matthew had done neither since Thomas had been taken away.

"Dear Mr Crawley, you are looking worse for wear." She stated and offered him a seat in the same armchair Thomas had once sat and told her stories of him and Matthew in. She couldn't blame the poor lad, how terribly aching it all must be — and for her as well. Mrs Hughes was hoping that Matthew was bringing some news about Thomas, anything at all, because no one had heard a peep about how he was fairing — sadly some didn't seem to care.

Matthew slumped down into the chair and held his fingers to this temple to support his head. He was trying hard to keep his composure but it was impossible. Tears came rolling down his cheeks and he simply shook his head.

"Oh dear." Mrs Hughes sighed sadly and reached out to give Matthew's free hand a gentle pat "No word yet? Nothing?"

Matthew shook his head and then sniffled before wiping his eyes quickly. He cleared his throat before speaking but his voice broke regardless. "Nothing, no visitors allowed that is not family —" Matthew swallowed thickly as he knew Thomas family would most likely rejoice in him being arrested "— and I cannot get a lawyer to take on the case, no good ones at least." Matthew let out a groan of frustration and leaned forwards on his elbows and hid his face into his hands. "I'm so terribly sorry, Mrs Hughes, what you must think of me for acting this way."

"Well, now both you and Thomas have wept in my chair." Mrs Hughes said with a soft smile "but I don't understand, how can they keep him without charge?"

"It's a sodomy offense, Mrs Hughes, so who will try and tell them without sounding sympathetic? The other policemen at the station?" Matthew shook his head. "I simply don't know what to do."

"What about your friends in Manchester, Mr Crawley?" Mrs Hughes suggested.

Matthew's face appeared from his hands and he blinked rapidly — why hadn't he thought about John and Harvey? They knew plenty of men like him and Thomas, perhaps one of them could help. "Oh Mrs Hughes, you are an absolute treasure — bless you." The first smile in days appeared on Matthew's face.

Mrs Hughes returned it. "See, everything will be alright Mr Crawley, Mr Barrow will soon be with us again."

Matthew nodded and inhaled sharply. "I may not be a lawyer but I know that eventually, without evidence, they have to let him go because I know deep down that there is no servant to speak of."

Matthew rose to his feet and Mrs Hughes with him "Thank you, Mrs Hughes, for everything." He said and gave her hands a squeeze before leaving the sitting room. Outside he saw O'Brien hurrying down the hallway and towards the staircase with a tray of breakfast for Lady Grantham and Daisy peeking her head out from the kitchen with her eyes following Matthew as he left to try and face the day and get a hold of John and Harvey.

Mrs Hughes sat down in her chair after bidding the broken hearted man goodbye. She felt deflated; dispirited. How she wished the world would change tomorrow and allow love to simply be. Mrs Hughes said a silent prayer for Thomas and Matthew; to end their hardship. She knew it would not be so but her heart hoped. Though, while she hoped, she needed to do what she could to aid the valet she doted on like a mother and the man he loved. O'Brien had left her a nasty aftertaste for quite some time now and the words she had spoken as Thomas was taken away 'karma comes for us all' — then Mrs Hughes was determined to be O'Brien's karma. She had not told Matthew this, not yet, as she needed him to focus on the lawfulness of Thomas' arrest and being kept from being charged. Mrs Hughes knew that O'Brien was behind this and she could only imagine who the servant in question was — James, but Mrs Hughes could not see James turning to the coppers. Then there was the question of Maud, she knew the girl had given up on Thomas months ago now, but still there was something uneasy about her — had she also been a part of this?