Fic: A Girl in Black (23/?)

[mrstater]

Title: A Girl in Black (23/?)
Author: mrstater
Fandom: Downton Abbey
Characters & Pairings: Mary Crawley/Richard Carlisle, Cora Crawley, Sybil Crawley, Robert Crawley, Matthew Crawley, Anna Smith, John Bates, Taylor
Chapter Word Count: 5614 words
Chapter Summary: Mary attempts to get over the hurdle between her and Richard--both literally and figuratively

Comments

[gilpin25]

What a mix of feelings in this one: I'm in equal parts admiring (sort of, lol) and aghast at Mary's pride and sheer bloody-mindedness in the face of impending doom, because even after her failure to get Richard to listen to her (aagh), she refuses to crumple into a tearful heap and instead decides a hunting we will go! The part when she tells Cora it's all her fault for making sex sound so good is quite wonderful for the sheer nerve of it - I did hope Cora might lose it altogether at that point, lock Mary and Robert in a room together and throw away the key, and take herself off on a world cruise for a well-earned rest. ;)

You'll be glad to hear I was so into this I nearly yelled Listen to Anna! at the screen at one point, much like how in the previous one I was shouting at Richard to listen to Frida. Obviously nobody takes any notice of me or Anna, but dear me how those failures to compromise and understand on both parts seem to have come back to bite them at the end of the chapter. One way or another, this feels like a huge turning point.

I still say Matthew's cameo was excellent and I could see the sparks - and not just from the galloping hooves! Seriously, there seemed to be quite a few home truths flying around for various people, so it's going to be fascinating to see where they all go from here and if the words sink in. And that cliffhanger is truly EVIL! Which means you have to hurry up with the next one. ;)

[mrstater]

By sparks are you referring to the romantic variety? Only Richard better get back to Downton post-haste to prevent that, hehehe. I really did enjoy writing that moment, where they both have valid points--in fact that was really the joy of this whole chapter, writing all the different family dynamics and some people being clearly right and some partly right and as you said, they all just need to be locked in a room to sort everything out while Cora goes on holiday, LOL. Of course mostly I just love writing them all being so dramatic. So much for stiff upper lips, huh? ;)

And I'm glad that despite all the dire warnings Mary received that the ending still came as a surprise. I promise not to keep you dangling on that cliff for too long--though it may be next Friday as usual before I get to finish it up. I have a good bit of the dialogue for the next chapter written, though!

Thanks so much, as always. :D