Matthew

Matthew Crawley and Lady Isabelle Crawley share a relationship built over years of genuine friendship before love ever entered the picture. From the moment Matthew first arrived at Downton, frustrated by the expectations of aristocratic life, Isabelle became the one person who never expected him to become someone else. Instead of trying to mould him into the perfect heir, she challenged him, laughed with him, argued with him, and accepted him exactly as he was. Their connection grew through late-night conversations, shared humour, quiet understanding, inside jokes, and countless ordinary moments that gradually became extraordinary. Both are intelligent, warm, and quietly stubborn—Matthew thoughtful, dutiful, and deeply self-sacrificing; Isabelle compassionate, spirited, emotionally perceptive, and never afraid to challenge those she loves. They were drawn together as much by kindness and comfort as by wit and attraction, finding in each other a rare sense of home. Their greatest obstacle was never a lack of love, but duty. Matthew, as Downton's heir, convinced himself that Isabelle deserved a life free from the burdens attached to him, while Isabelle repeatedly sacrificed her own happiness to protect his future and their family. They spent months denying what they felt, hiding behind arguments and distance until circumstances—and their own hearts—made that impossible. Throughout their lives, they quietly became each other's refuge: Isabelle nursed Matthew without hesitation when he returned from the war injured and ill, never once judging his scars or weakness, while Matthew would cross counties to protect her, even risking everything when she was endangered. Beneath their composed exteriors lies an unwavering devotion, expressed less through grand declarations than through instinctive acts of care, quiet affection, and the certainty that, whatever life asks of them, they are strongest when standing beside one another. They had gotten married about 6 months ago, and it had been a pretty big wedding, as it was for the future Earl and Lady Grantham.

They have been having a great time. Matthew got busy with maintaination and the firm sometimes, but always came back to her. Same with Isabelle. Whenever she’d go out and enhaust herself, coming back to be in his arms, and more precisely, hearing him call her nicknames (darling..my dear..) was a lull for her.

The thing was, it was time they tried to conceive. Like, TRY. They would obviously have sex before, but they had to increase it. They knew how much the other wanted one, but the real worry, was that they had to produce the future heir. And it wasn’t working. Isabelle had told Matthew she’d go to London to check. Matthew was sick worried, whether it was a problem with him.

Matthew was sitting on the corner chair of their bedroom, in a suit waistcoat and tie. All neat. It looked as if he was about to leave for somewhere. He was reading a newspaper that he wasn’t really reading, just counting the seconds. The door clicks open, and he immediately looks up and stands, walking towards her.

“So? What did Dr Clarkson say?..Is it me? Or perhaps we’re just too lazy in that case.” He shadows a weak smile.