An Infelicitous Meeting
Oct. 13th, 2012 12:44 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
lady_maryPapa has invited Mr. Matthew Crawley, the new heir, and his mother to live at Crawley House in the village. It makes no sense to the rest of the family, but Papa has insisted. Mama seems no more pleased about this development than Mary, but says that it is nevertheless their duty to welcome the Crawleys as their neighbors.
A duty which she has conveniently transferred to her eldest daughter, suggesting that Mary could visit at Crawley House to invite mother and son to dine at Downton. The errand was unavoidable, as Mama had doubtless known it would be, since Mary was already on her way out.
When she arrives, Molesley informs her that, yes, Mr. Crawley and Mrs. Crawley has just arrived, and takes her through to them. A man's voice carries down the hallway: "And before they, or you, get any ideas, I will choose my own wife."
"What on earth do you mean?" answers another voice, this time a woman.
"Well they're clearly going to push one of the daughters at me. They'll have fixed on that when they heard I was a bachelor." Mr. Crawley finished his speech, completely unaware that one of the very daughters is now poised behind him in the doorway.
"Lady Mary Crawley," Molesley announces.
"I do hope I'm not interrupting," Mary says with a polite smile. Based on Mr. Crawley's shocked expression, he's aware of what Mary has just overheard.
"Lady Mary," says Mrs. Crawley. Her son still stands in shocked silence.
"Cousin Mary, please," she demurs. "Mama has sent me down to welcome you and to ask you to dine with us tonight. Unless you're too tired."
Of course the Crawleys cannot refuse the invitation. Not that Mary, or Lady Grantham, actually wants them there.
"We would be delighted," says Mrs. Crawley, all propriety.
"Good. Come at eight."
Mary quickly turns to leave, when Mrs. Crawley interrupts her.
"Won't you stay and have some tea?"
"Oh no, you're far too busy," she says, then turns to Mr. Crawley, who still hasn't said a word, "and I wouldn't want to push in."
Mary makes her exit and find Lynch waiting by the gate with the horses. She mounts quickly, eagerly to get away. She probably should have stayed to tea, but she has better things to do than waste her time on a middle class lawyer who fancies himself her superior. At least this way she does still have time for a proper ride.
"Lynch, I think we'll go back by the south lodge."
"Very good, M'lady."
Gathering her skirts, she turns and sees that Mr. Crawley has followed her out.
"Lady Mary, I hope you didn't misunderstand me," he says. "I was only joking."
So he speaks!
"Of course. And I agree. The whole thing is a complete joke."
Dialogue from Downton Abbey 1.02
A duty which she has conveniently transferred to her eldest daughter, suggesting that Mary could visit at Crawley House to invite mother and son to dine at Downton. The errand was unavoidable, as Mama had doubtless known it would be, since Mary was already on her way out.
When she arrives, Molesley informs her that, yes, Mr. Crawley and Mrs. Crawley has just arrived, and takes her through to them. A man's voice carries down the hallway: "And before they, or you, get any ideas, I will choose my own wife."
"What on earth do you mean?" answers another voice, this time a woman.
"Well they're clearly going to push one of the daughters at me. They'll have fixed on that when they heard I was a bachelor." Mr. Crawley finished his speech, completely unaware that one of the very daughters is now poised behind him in the doorway.
"Lady Mary Crawley," Molesley announces.
"I do hope I'm not interrupting," Mary says with a polite smile. Based on Mr. Crawley's shocked expression, he's aware of what Mary has just overheard.
"Lady Mary," says Mrs. Crawley. Her son still stands in shocked silence.
"Cousin Mary, please," she demurs. "Mama has sent me down to welcome you and to ask you to dine with us tonight. Unless you're too tired."
Of course the Crawleys cannot refuse the invitation. Not that Mary, or Lady Grantham, actually wants them there.
"We would be delighted," says Mrs. Crawley, all propriety.
"Good. Come at eight."
Mary quickly turns to leave, when Mrs. Crawley interrupts her.
"Won't you stay and have some tea?"
"Oh no, you're far too busy," she says, then turns to Mr. Crawley, who still hasn't said a word, "and I wouldn't want to push in."
Mary makes her exit and find Lynch waiting by the gate with the horses. She mounts quickly, eagerly to get away. She probably should have stayed to tea, but she has better things to do than waste her time on a middle class lawyer who fancies himself her superior. At least this way she does still have time for a proper ride.
"Lynch, I think we'll go back by the south lodge."
"Very good, M'lady."
Gathering her skirts, she turns and sees that Mr. Crawley has followed her out.
"Lady Mary, I hope you didn't misunderstand me," he says. "I was only joking."
So he speaks!
"Of course. And I agree. The whole thing is a complete joke."
Dialogue from Downton Abbey 1.02
