Fic: A Girl in Black
I'm not as sad as I should be. That's what makes me sad. The Titanic sinks, Patrick dies, and rather than wait at home to meet the new heir of Downton, Mary tries her luck in London, where she meets Sir Richard Carlisle instead. Alternate S1. [167,683 words, rated M]
Alternate Links: AO3 | FF.Net
Table of Contents
1. The Ball
May, 1912: Mary defies social convention by attending a ball in mourning, where she finds herself invited by Sir Richard Carlisle to partner in an even more unconventional sort of dance.
2. The Ritz
September, 1912: Three months after she met Sir Richard, Mary returns to London to find an invitation waiting for her which she cannot refuse.
3. The Tour
Sir Richard's tour of the Daily Telegram gives Mary a glimpse not only into the newspaper business, but into the man behind it.
4. The Play
Mary continues her unconventional dance with Sir Richard when news from home inspires her rebellious spirit.
5. The Club
An aptly named nightclub takes Mary even deeper into Richard Carlisle's world.
6. The Trial
Mary awakens to surprising news--in the literal sense--about her unchaperoned night out with Richard.
7. The Talk
Following Mary's return to Downton in disgrace, her grandmother, mother, and sisters are all keen to offer commentary on her behaviour in London with Sir Richard--and, in the process, provide unintentional insight into her heart.
8. The Wedding
October, 1912: The engagement that first brought Mary and Richard together leads to a wedding that throws them together again--this time, under the vigilant eyes of her parents...and a sister intent on watching Mary get herself in even deeper trouble.
9. The Dance
Richard and Mary dance around the truth...and find certain revelations shocking, indeed.
10. The Drive
Mary confronts her father, and the truths the rest of the family reveal drive her to a spur of the moment decision regarding Richard.
11. The Houseguest
November, 1912: The manner of Richard's arrival at Downton comes as a surprise not only to Lord and Lady Grantham and the other guests, but to the very people in on the secret, as well.
12. The Storm
The storm that began to brew with Richard's arrival at Downton breaks after a clash at a dinner party.
13. The Hunt
While the Crawley family are seemingly on the hunt for Richard to err in points of country etiquette, the offenses they do each other prove much more on the mark.
14. The Chase
More suitors arrive at Downton in pursuit of Mary, but which will she chase?
15. The Kill
As Mary’s sexual education is put to the ultimate test, the hunt culminates in unexpected consequences.
16. The Folly
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--perhaps not even to Richard.
17. The Fall
December, 1912: The acquisition of new technology creates a stir at Downton, but the revelations that puts Mary off-kilter are delivered via old fashioned--yet unexpected--word of mouth.
18. The Costume
During a trip to London for Christmas shopping, acquaintances with a flair for the dramatic, and a dressmaker's error, force Mary to consider what role she must now play.
19. The Tea Party
Christmas tea is hardly a sampling of the delights of the season as Mary battles illness and Richard adds an unexpected member of their party.
20. The Web
In the days before Christmas, Mary finds herself hanging by a thread as her confidence in Richard--and her secrets--begin to unravel.
21. The Trap
Richard's return to Downton presents Mary with the perfect opportunity to come clean, but her family's attempts at saving her from herself--and from Richard--undermine the Christmas message of salvation.
22. The Game
Christmas traditions help Mary and Richard begin to get the feel for teamwork, only to be faced with the reality that they're not the only players involved in the game.
23. The Jump
Mary attempts to get over the hurdle between her and Richard--both literally and figuratively, as she gives in to the allure of Boxing Day traditions. Will the leap--and the ensuing consequences--prove insurmountable?
24. The Awakening
While Mary's on bed rest, new instincts stir as she finds herself no longer carrying the burden of her secret alone. Meanwhile, in London, Richard makes headlines...
25. The Fight
As Mary battles nature and her family for Richard, she discovers she's not the only one fighting her corner.
26. The Resolution
On New Year's Eve, Mary and Richard finally say what they mean, and reach a decision about what that means for their future.
27. The Arrangements
January, 1913: The wedding is inevitable, but as plans get underway, will Mary have the full support of her family?
28. The Engagement
Mary and Richard are properly engaged and making inroads into each other's worlds. But will their past improprieties haunt them as London society has already caught the whiff of scandal?
29. The House
A visit to Lady Duff Gordon's dressmaking establishment yields more than a wedding gown for Mary, as continued reminders of her misdeeds lead to a confrontation with her mother. And will her first visit to Richard's house reveal more about her husband-to-be and the place she is to occupy in his life? Or will the stresses of wedding plans erect more barriers to honesty?
30. The Invasion
February, 1913: The American side of Mary's family arrive at Downton for the wedding, and insert themselves into everyone's affairs. But Martha isn't the only Levinson who thinks Mary needs a little help mending her fences.
31. The Dinner Party
A simple dinner party to celebrate the upcoming wedding may not be enough for the Crawleys and the Carlisles to cross the great social divide, but their inevitable clash brings Mary and Richard closer together.
32. The Bride
The wedding day has finally arrived, but before Mary can walk down the aisle, unexpected members of the family make sure she's fully ready to enter her new life--and leave theirs.
33. The Wedding Party
Mary and Richard celebrate their marriage in high style, in the places where their relationship first began, in public with their nearest and (not so) dearest and, of course, in private.
Epilogue: A Girl in White
Mary and Richard welcome the newest Carlisle into the world, and so do her family-in true Crawley fashion.
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