Downton Abbey: The Risk Of Love

The Risk Of Love

Downton,
August 1920
Day Of The Cricket Match

Mrs Hughes was out of breath as she ran all the way back to Downton Abbey. She was far too old to run like this; but she needed to reach Matthew. She absolutely had to before that lad went and messed everything up; there was no use for both of them to be stuck behind bars. Mrs Hughes understood the sentiment but Matthew was also not in his right mind — and Thomas would not want Matthew behind bars any more than Matthew wanted Thomas behind them.

She was too late.

Matthew drove his car out of the garage and sped past her. "MR CRAWLEY!" she shouted at the top of her lungs, that had very little breath left within them, but it was to no avail. Matthew disappeared down the road and towards the village to commit a grievous error.

"Mrs Hughes!" Tom's voice rang like an angel's choir in Mrs Hughes' ears.

"Oh thank heaven for you, Mr Branson." She exhaled in relief. "We have to stop him, I couldn't get here in time."

Tom nodded and they both hurried towards where the cars were kept; where Tom's own car was parked. "It works out well, and my lie wasn't completely a lie — " Tom said as he started the car " — I told them I was going to see if Matthew required a doctor."

"When I get my hands on him he might need one, I've given him a tongue-lashing before and I will do it again." Mrs Hughes grumbled under her breath which caused Tom to chuckle.

"I have never seen you like this before, Mrs Hughes — you truly care for them don't you?"

"Of course I do, I spent last year listening to Thomas tell me all of their story during the war, I was the one who went to Matthew and talked some sense into him" Mrs Hughes said proudly. "I won't let him throw it all away now, Thomas will not thank him for it."

"Then I better step on it, because I know my Sybil would not have wanted this to be both their fate as well."

Matthew drove with determination and a single objective; to tell the coppers everything. He had made up his mind in his bedroom and he was not going to change it. He would be with Thomas through it all, he would risk it all — he was not going to let the love of his life suffer alone. At least if he came clean Thomas would not be seen as an assaulter; at least they would know that he was loved by someone, cared for by someone — that he didn't sneak into rooms and kiss blacked out men.

' for better, for worse, for richer, for poorer, in sickness and in health, to love and to cherish, until we are parted by death.' Matthew kept repeating in his head like a fanatic. Sod it if they could not be married, sod it all — he was standing by vows that they should have shared by now. This was the moment to prove that he meant every word he had ever spoken to Thomas; every time he had said he'd love him always and he'd always be with him. This was the time to prove that Thomas Barrow, a man — a valet — was the one Matthew Crawley, an heir — a future lordship — loved more than anything that walked upon God's green earth.

He stopped the car right outside the station and he had a firm grip on the steering wheel as he stared at the building. This was it, this was his last moment for freedom; this was when he faced judgement and proudly so. Though they were condemned by the world he knew their love was not wrong and he was going to declare that in court, to the jury; the judges and all of the Crawleys'. His mother would finally know that it was not some servant girl he secretly loved, no, it was Thomas Barrow.

As he stepped out of the car another one hit the brakes right in front of him and the frantic voices of Mrs Hughes and Tom came from it.

"MATTHEW CRAWLEY!" They both shouted as they stepped out of the car.