Fic: A Girl in Black (16/?)

[mrstater]

Title: A Girl in Black (16/?)
Author: mrstater
Fandom: Downton Abbey
Characters & Pairings: Mary Crawley/Richard Carlisle, Gwen Dawson, Robert Crawley, Evelyn Napier, Anna Smith
Chapter Word Count: 4206
Chapter Summary: As the household cope with a death at Downton, Mary is reminded that the matters which concern her are of little importance to anyone else--

Comments

[vladnyrki]

Great chapter, as usual, I might say. The interactions between Mary and Anna are particularly spot on: Anna doesn't miss anything, and, at the same time, she respects Mary's privacy and convey the feeling she has her back. A true big sister, like during the canon Pamuk scandal.
However, I've got a question. I understand you needed Richard out to have Mary fully think about her actions, and doubt a little; and I understand the necessity to underline Richard's passion, obsession even for his work, a characteristic that can break a relationship indeed.
However, I don't think that, as a papers owner, he would have needed to go back to London to write the article himself. Owners used to inspire the articles, give the general outline, use their influence, but left the grunt work to the editors and journalists (choosing the best paper for their project). When Lloyd George became Prime Minister, he used his connection to Max Atkins (Daily Express) who orchestrated the campaign against the government, but Atkins did not write a single line.
Or, since the Balkanic war is still raging, the scandal is too big to be left to a mere journalist, and I'm talking nonsense ;-) Or Richard suffers from typical guy's fright and is running for cover...
That said, I love Mary's reaction, so spot on, and her tendency to see herself as the heroin of a novel.

[mrstater]

It's a fair question about Richard writing the article/going back to London himself--I toyed with him going into the village and phoning it/telegraphing it in. But that was why I had him do this interview with Pamuk, and I think he'd really have to/want to write that up himself--it's an exclusive last interview before his death, and as you mentioned the situation in the Balkans/the peace talks that have been going on in London at this point (and will conclude in December), and Richard wants to handle it himself, live and in person. I mean he was the eyewitness here, and his blood is up, on the scent of a big scoop... I'll get into some of that a bit more in the next chapter, which hopefully will eliminate any need to suspend disbelief about the publisher being so hands-on.

Very glad you liked the chapter, though; thanks so much for reading and commenting! Your feedback always means a lot. :)

[vladnyrki]

And maybe it would help Mary to understand he did not leave for just another juicy, but for scoop with political and international ramifications... That would be interesting indeed. Is it Friday yet (for AGiB, and because, next Friday, I will be settled in my new place, at last)?

[mrstater]

Alas for Richard and Mary, they're both a little myopic and not the most open people in the world. So...it doesn't occur to Richard that Mary might be feeling really insecure after taking this step she's just made with a man she's not married to, and Mary's not really the type to ask for explanations... So...this probably won't be resolved right away. ;)