lassothemoon

That wasn't Blake that did that. Mary always had it in her. The same thing would have happened if Tom or Evelyn or anybody else had gone down to look at the pigs with her. She's fighting for Downton, for George's inheritance. Blake didn't change her. Perhaps he was a catalyst for her to fight, but Lady Mary Crawley ALWAYS had fight in her. And she would have done anything to save those pigs, the livelihood of Downton Abbey. Remember, "I shall be Countess of Grantham someday, and in my book the Countess of Grantham lives at Downton Abbey." She may not be Countess, but George will be Earl and she's going to do whatever it takes to ensure he can stay there.

Whereas with Evelyn there's this huge fundamental shift, because 10 years ago she thought him dull. She thought him boring. She wouldn't have given him a second look. But she values him now like she never had before.

Let me frame this in this way--Mary found in Matthew someone who saw her the way she was, and loved her for it. And that in turn changed her, yes. Loving him made her a better person. She is that better person now. Why would she need a second person to change her further? What she fears is that she isn't that person any more, and that no one will see who she is and love her like that again.

But this man has been here for years, and he knows she was spoiled, he knows she has a temper, he knows she's vulnerable, he knows she cares about Downton and her son, he knows she's determined, he knows she's intelligent, he knows she has the capacity for goodness and kindness and has seen it not just now but then when they exchanged letters after his mother's death. He has this complete picture of Mary Crawley, the person, and he adores her unabashedly.

That's in essence what she wants, but she doesn't want to let go of Matthew yet. She wants to be Matthew's Mary forever. Matthew brought out the best of her but even he said that 'mine is the true Mary'--because what he saw was the person that she is.

And Evelyn arguably sees who she is, and would likewise bring out the best in her. He's a good, honorable, decent man, in the same way Matthew Crawley was. We already saw her being terribly nice to him in that 5th episode, of course he would continue to bring out her better qualities, should she fall in love with him, which I believe that eventually she will. One can't expect her to automatically fall in love with him or anyone else when she's working over her grief.

ajblondie17

She was different in E5, brighter and warmer. Not just in the initial library scene, but also when her parents joined them for tea.

And then after that part...yeah...not so much.

Another glimmer of hope, I guess, is that I heard somewhere (sorry, can't remember where) that the original plan *was* for Mary to have a more solid love interest by the end of series 4, but it became clear as they went on that that would have been too soon. So they dragged it on for a bit.

So if they first 5 episodes are written first (as JF has said), and if the original plan was for Mary to move on somewhat more, perhaps JF did plan for it to be Evelyn all along, but realized he needed to stall their relationship somehow.

I should write a fic where episodes 6-8 never happened and their relationship progresses at a slow but natural pace from where it sparked in E5.

Famu

Well said Lasso <3

Link please

lassothemoon

Her whole demeanor changed. The scene outside where he sort of kind of admitted he loved her made her pull back because I think she does care about him, and she also doesn't want to be put in a situation as she was with Tony because obviously that took an emotional toll on her. And obviously she cares about Evelyn and doesn't want to do that to him. So I think it is interesting that she's distancing herself from him emotionally. Because again, she only avoids the things that she's afraid of herself. And I do think she's afraid of letting herself get close to him because there is an emotional connection there.

Famu

FEELS!

I love the garden scene. He did somewhat confess his feels indirectly and Mary did not shoot him down as she did numerous times with Tony.

lassothemoon

Yup. And the look on her face afterward--she was processing it all, the fact that her friend was quietly in love with her for this whole time. That's not disgust. As someone mentioned, she looked overwhelmed. And I think she really doesn't want to and can't go there with him right now because he's always been this stable element in her life, which she needs right now, and she doesn't want to alter that.

Famu

Disgust?! I have seen the garden scene many times and there wasnt any indication of disgust. She smiled, smirked and avoided encouraging him to further by suggesting to go back. As she walked away, she looked nervous. Clearly thinking she wasn't ready and Evelyn knows it. Thats why he hesitated before telling her "Charles says Im blind where you're concerned"

The man understands her


ETA: We should start thinking of a title for the new thread.

pio231

I just wanted to say I really like this song - Simon Webbe - Coming Around Again - YouTube To me its about new beginnings and it offers up a feeling of joy and hope. I feel in someway it is relevant to Marvlyn.

lassothemoon

Yeah, without need of words. It's beautiful, really, because even Mary is the type to express her love through deeds and not words. They're so right for each other.

"Because marriage should be based on love", "Because he thought he'd take a chance and she's so glad he did", "because it's lovely to see her looking so lovely", "because he's blind where she's concerned"...

Have to listen to that!

ajblondie17

These are all great suggestions! My favorite, though, is "Because he thought he'd take a chance and she's so glad he did."

Another song that reminds me of them is Look After You by The Fray. Because he said in the beginning that he'd look after her.

quaist

Famu

^ I second it

lassothemoon

This is a Spider-Man/MJ video, but this song fits E/M--"I'll be Right There" by Ashes Remain: http://m.youtube.com/watch?v=HliBN9h...%3DHliBN9hs_OY

..and that ship reminds me of them.

Famu

L i N d $ @ y

Closing this thread now.