1. Mary spends much of her childhood emulating Violet. She sees very clearly who is truly respected in her household. Not her mother with her strange American mannerisms and the voice that doesn’t quite fit in; not her aunt, who, defiant as she is, clearly craves her grandmother’s approval; even her father and grandfather all bow to Violet Crawley under pressure. She wants, more than anything, to be seen as an equal, to be respected and mature. So, even as Violet looks down at her, ever quietly disappointed that she was not born a boy, she copies her grandmother’s mannerisms and habits, longing for approval.
2. Mary decides she won’t marry Patrick on his birthday, sometime in their childhood. Her father makes twice the fuss over Patrick he ever made on any of her birthdays. The party is grander, the gifts more spectacular, the attention longer. She wonders if her father is trying to buy Patrick’s love and decides, at the very least, she will not be reduced to buying her father’s love through him. She’ll earn it herself - somehow.
3. Carson’s timeline is so messed up, but let’s pretend this works if it doesn’t. Mary vanishes right before she’s set to appear at her debutante ball. Of course, all the servants are sent up and down every hallway looking for her, but it’s Carson, who always paid her more attention than anyone else anyway, who finds her. Feeling all sorts of emotions - fear she won’t be liked, won’t perform well enough, that she won’t like them, excitement, and other nerves - Mary confides that she is not quite up for a party at that moment. And Carson sits down on the chair opposite hers, assures her that, then, everyone will just have to wait until she is. (“Oh no, Carson, I’m not worth the trouble.” “Of course you are, M’lady.”)
This is a post about Mary Crawley and Elsie Hughes. I’ve been rambling about their similarities for eons, so I’m finally putting my money where my mouth is and rambling about this. I don’t know how many people will read this insanity, but:
