Fic - An Unexpected Visitor, Chapter 4
An Unexpected Visitor
Rating - Teenage
Fandom - Downton Abbey, Mary and Matthew
Summary - Matthew finds his busy day at the office interrupted by a very unexpected visitor.
Genre - Romance/Humour
Status - Work in Progress, Chapter 4 of 7
Word Count - 2, 227 words
Previous Chapters - Chapter 1, Chapter 2 and Chapter 3.
This story is meant to be a fun, and pretty silly, romantic comedy type story, full of fun fluffiness and set in some random time in the future, post World War I.
Chapter 4
Mary was sat in the sitting room twiddling her thumbs, drumming her fingers incessantly against the spine of the book which sat open but unread in her lap. It was not like her to sit so without employment, usually Mary found enough tasks to occupy her time, from visiting her family at the Abbey to helping her mother-in-law at the village hospital, something Mary had become involved with during the war and had continued since. Then there were tasks to complete around the house; even one as small as Crawley House had a butler to organise, a cook to discuss menus with and servants to command. Today, though, Mary was restless and impatient, unable to concentrate on anything and even her favourite pastime of reading proved unsuccessful. She was too busy looking at the clock every other sentence, counting down the hours, the minutes, until her husband would return home from work. Of course, Mary was used to Matthew being at work all day, seeing him only in the evenings and weekends and even then he often had to work late or was busy with her father around the estate. While she did miss him, and always looked forward to his return, she understood his need for employment and there were even times when she envied him, having somewhere to go and a purpose to fulfil each day. She also supposed that, in a house as small as Crawley House, if Matthew were here all day, things might not be quite so content between them.
Today was different though, as she found herself quite earnestly waiting for her husband’s return. For today, not only had Mary some joyful news to share with Matthew, but she was finding her thoughts turning towards him rather more than she would like. Memories of their stolen kisses in his office only distracted her considerably from other pursuits, including that of reading the book in her lap. Mary found herself blushing at the memory of Matthew kissing her so passionately, holding her closely as his lips trailed along her neck and he pushed her down onto his desk, before his blasted clerk had interrupted them! She supposed it was a good thing they had been interrupted, but it still left her rather frustrated and even more impatient than ever to see him and continue what had started between them.
Of course, Mary hadn’t intended that to happen, it had been her intent to tell Matthew her news straight away, so exciting it was that she’d even made her own way to Ripon to see him. On the train journey, however, a game of sorts had started forming in her mind and she couldn’t resist playing it when she’d arrived, making Matthew wait and increasing his curiosity and anticipation. Even now, after several years of marriage, Mary hadn’t tired of teasing her husband and often found herself impressed by his ability to play along so well. When he’d been most willing to participate in this game, and had somehow managed to turn the tables on her, she’d forgotten the real reason for her visit. She’d found herself quite unable to resist kissing him, a kiss which seemed to get very quickly out of their control. Mary felt her blush deepen at the thought of it; it had all seemed so much more daring and exciting being in her husband’s workplace. She was tempted to visit him more frequently at work, but if it was always to have this effect, of leaving Mary quite unable to concentrate or think upon anything else for the rest of the day, perhaps it wasn’t such a good idea.
Mary glanced at the clock on the mantelpiece again and sighed. She wouldn’t mind waiting so much if it weren’t for every minute that passed being a minute closer to them having to visit her parents and a minute less time she’d get to spend with Matthew. Mary had tried to minimise the need for wasted time by already being dressed and ready for dinner, her ladies maid Anna having done her hair so prettily it would be sure to give her husband a nice surprise when he returned. Mary couldn’t help remembering then, with a beaming smile as she was after all currently quite alone in the sitting room, Matthew’s astonishment when she’d appeared in his office. It had taken all her will power not to laugh at Matthew’s awkward and clumsy behaviour upon seeing her. It was actually a very nice compliment that, after several years of marriage, she could still affect her husband so. Mary’s own impatience to see him was proof enough that her husband still rather affected her too and when Mary suddenly saw him approaching through the window, she actually jumped up in excitement, her book falling noisily to the floor. Thank heavens she was quite alone in the sitting room, for Mary knew her behaviour was somewhat unseemly; even Anna had only been told that Mary’s eagerness to be dressed early was simply because she did not want to be late for dinner. Mary managed to stop herself from quite rushing to the hall to meet him and instead stayed lingering by the door, waiting for her husband to remove his hat and coat before he came in. However, Mary did find herself quite annoyed that he seemed to be taking his time and why on earth was he talking silly nonsense about his day with Molesley!
Eventually, Matthew deigned to enter and Mary used all her will power to make herself calmly approach him, giving him the usual kiss on the cheek in greeting as she said, “Hello Matthew, how has your day been?”
Matthew, it seemed, quite had other ideas, for he gently grabbed her arm and pulled her forwards, off balancing her and tipping her towards him. Mary reached out reflexively with her hands, leaning them on his chest, but Matthew was too quick and before she knew what was happening, his arm had slipped around her waist to steady her, the other encircling her head as he drew her face towards him and pressed his lips firmly to hers. Mary’s surprise was very short lived and she soon found herself wrapping her arms around his neck and returning his kisses quite passionately as her secret desires of the entire afternoon were finally fulfilled.
The door was still wide open behind them, but Mary was pleased to see, when Matthew eventually broke the kiss, that Molesley was gracious enough, and rather used to it by now, to have made a hasty retreat.
“My day’s been rather boring, I’m afraid,” Matthew replied to her earlier question, his voice rather breathless as he leant his forehead against hers, still holding her tight.
“You’re home early,” Mary commented. She’d glanced at the clock as she’d first seen him approach and had been very pleasantly surprised to see him a near hour early.
“Yes, my dear,” Matthew answered, “I was finding it rather difficult to concentrate this afternoon and I thought there was no use in staying when work was not being done. Besides, one of the perks of being a partner in the practice is having the ability to choose my own hours somewhat.”
Mary smiled at this, she knew Matthew was still enjoying his recent promotion to head of the law firm, even though it did mean his workload had increased considerably, something Mary herself was less keen on. Her smile broadened into one of barely concealed flirtation as she pulled away from Matthew and, keeping hold of his arm and pulling him with her, she moved besides the fireplace. Mary was grateful that Matthew had the mind to shut the door behind him; whilst the servants were relatively used to the happily married couple, Mary still considered it very unseemly to behave in front of them so. She knew Matthew agreed, though his actions, albeit less frequently than hers, sometimes got the better of him.
“My dear, I am quite concerned at your inability to concentrate at work. I hope there is not anything the matter.”
Matthew must have seen the flirtatious smile in her expression, for he pulled back on the arm she was holding and Mary let herself be dragged back against him. He quickly and tightly slipped both arms around her waist so she was unable to escape. He then said, his face so close to hers that Mary could feel his breath on her cheek, “I had a surprise visit from a difficult and awkward client today, it quite distracted me from the rest of my work.”
Mary smiled against Matthew’s cheek, before moving as far away as his strong arms around her waist would allow. She looked at Matthew disapprovingly, though she was quite unable to stop her eyes from sparkling mischievously at this new game of his. “It’s not like you to talk so unfavourably of a client, Matthew. May I ask what the client did that offended and distracted you so? Or would that be deemed as infringement of your client’s privacy?”
Matthew tried to hide his smirk as he gently slid his hands from her waist up her back, causing her to shiver and lean slightly closer towards him, wrapping her arms gently around his neck. “Well, as they weren’t a proper client, there’s no harm in mentioning a few things.” He leaned his face a few inches towards hers, his voice deep and somewhat taunting. “It was a rather self important and silly, aristocratic lady, asking about her husband’s will of all things.” As he said this, he gently pushed on her back, causing Mary to lean fully against him.
However, at his words, Mary pulled away slightly and did her best to portray a look of outrage and shock. “My, my, Matthew, that’s quite a harsh judgement you have! What was it that offended you most; that she was an aristocratic lady or that she asked you about wills?”
“It was neither actually,” Matthew replied, drawing her closer again and inclining his face nearer to hers, so his next words were spoken softly against Mary’s cheek. “It was simply that I was unnecessarily interrupted whilst I was very busy at work.”
Mary didn’t pull away this time, as she quite enjoyed the feel of his lips against her cheek, especially when they dropped to her neck, planting warm, delicious kisses there. Matthew’s ministrations were making it somewhat difficult to speak, but she did her best and answered, “That really is quite terrible of her, Matthew.” She let out a little sigh and stalled in her speaking as Matthew’s lips against her neck slipped up to her ear. Somewhat breathlessly she continued, “I hope you were able to sufficiently answer her query, regardless of her rude interruption.”
Matthew suddenly pulled his head away as he looked at her in bemusement and slight reproach and Mary felt a strange coldness where his warm lips had been. “I’m afraid I was unable to sufficiently answer her query, as she felt unable to give me enough information.”
“That’s a shame, Matthew,” Mary replied and, deciding she already missed his proximity, leant her head forwards and whispered in his ear, “What, pray, did you tell her?”
Matthew’s answer was to just move away from her again, relaxing his grip on her back so there was now a good few inches between them, leaving Mary feeling quite bereft. “Well, as it was concerning her husband’s will, she would need her husband’s permission before anything can be done.”
“Oh dear,” was Mary’s reply, her voice full of fake concern. She stepped closer towards him, filling the gap that he’d just made between them and her hands at the back of his head pulled his face closer, holding it there firmly. Whispering seductively against his neck she asked, “Do you think that is likely to be a problem for her, convincing her husband?”
Despite Mary’s strong hold, Matthew pulled his face away from her again, but also pressed his body intimately against hers, his body deliciously warm and causing Mary to quite tremble against him. His eyes were furrowed and his expression contemplative, the perfect picture of professional concern as he said, “I’m not sure.” A moment later, the expression faltered as a playful smirk danced across his face. He leant his head towards her and whispered in her ear, his lips making light, electrifying contact and his voice dark, deep and alluring, “It would depend on how persuasive she can be.”
With his lips at her ear, his words enticing and his voice husky and rough, Mary felt her toes curl and her body shiver in delightful anticipation. As he pulled away from her slightly to look deeply in her eyes, Mary felt her heart momentarily stop beating, before thudding loudly in her chest and she quite forgot how to breathe. His eyes were dark, intense and full of seductive promises and challenge. This was certainly one challenge Mary was more than happy to meet and, slowly pulling his face towards her, her fingers twisting in his hair, she inched her lips closer to his. She kept her eyes locked with him until the last possible instant, closing her eyes the moment before her lips touched his; the kiss all the more sweeter for the increased anticipation.
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