Downton Abbey, my version of the episode described Here
Kind of spoiler alert. If you’re interested in Downton Abbey and haven’t watched the series, either don’t read this, or at least don’t blame me for any spoilers you find.
I’m changing names because I don’t want to run afoul of any copyright. Some of the situations are similar, but I’m leading up to how things went in my mind’s eye – my mind runs darker…
Edward and Lavinia married against his parents’ wishes. He inherited his father’s estate, a large stately home with servants, and large tracts of land. Unfortunately, he also inherited the debts that had accumulated.
His only hope to rescue the House and estate he had grown up in and wished to continue running, was to marry a woman with a great deal of money. Fortune-hunting, being frowned upon in English Society, would ruin his reputation and so, he went further afield to seek out a fortune to marry. In America, he found Lavinia, a fabulously rich heiress, and persuaded her to marry him and return to England, much to the disdain of his mother. Over the years, they came to love each other dearly and though it was an arranged marriage of sorts, the couple do seem delightfully happy with their three daughters. The fortune Edward married has all sorts of ties and conditions attached to it and though the couple can use it while they both live, once Edward dies, the problems will magnify and become insurmountable unless something is set in place soon – or at least before he leaves this mortal realm. Lavinia’s father set the conditions upon the inheritance, and though he divided it between his daughter, his son and his wife, the conditions meant that Lavinia would receive no more than she took with her to England.
Source
Lord and Lady of Downton
Olivia is the beautiful first-born daughter of the Lord and Lady of the House. Due to the confusing and complex legal issues, she will not be eligible to inherit her father’s estate – including her mother’s money. Lavinia’s money is deemed the property of Edward in English law and therefore, is now part of the estate. If she wishes to be the Lady of the House, eventually, Olivia must marry the heir to the estate – probably a cousin.
Oh the English and their quaint customs…
The surviving heir to Edward’s (and Lavinia’s) estate is found and brought to the House. He and his mother live in a cottage on the edge of the estate. Martin is a lawyer with his own practice. He does not want to run the estate, or learn how. Olivia is off-hand with him and instantly puts him on the back-foot in terms of being made welcome. Olivia is born to the day-to-day living and is used to it all. Martin is dropped in at the deep-end and has to learn how to swim with the sharks biting at his heels.
Martin quickly decides that Olivia is most definitely NOT the one for him and they part ways.
The storyline includes many twists and turns, with Martin and Olivia crossing paths along the way. Arguments, disagreements, spats and quarrels occur, but so to, do smiles, jokes, laughter and touching moments as they get to know each other and become comfortable in each other’s company.
The audience can see that they are growing fond of each other.
A monumental point in their relationship occurs as they part ways as Martin sets off for war. Olivia is, of course concerned for his safety.
Martin returns from the war on leave and returns to the House where his mother still lives in the cottage. Olivia is delighted to see him and shows her affection. Martin is uncomfortable with the display as he had set in his mind that she didn’t want to marry him under any circumstance. Martin introduces his fiancée, Diana, much to Olivia’s shock. Due to her breeding and upbringing, Olivia is polite and pleasant to Martin’s fiancée and makes Diana welcome.
Martin returns to war with a token of Olivia’s love – although she says it’s a symbol of good luck and he must keep it with him always and promise to return it safely.
Martin is seriously injured and is shipped home, severely damaged. When he reaches the hospital, it is decided that he should be sent to the estate in which a convalescent home has been set up. Olivia’s sister has decided to be a full-time nurse and she will nurse Martin back to health. Olivia decides that she will be Martin’s main nurse once she sees the state he’s in and especially once it is realised that he is injured far worse than anyone expected and is paralysed.
The discussion of whether Martin can father children is a serious one and of utmost importance with regards to his estate, for if he doesn’t have children – especially a son – to inherit, then the search for another male heir must start all over again.
Diana arrives at his bedside to nurse him back to health, ousting Olivia, who stands in the background – a position she has never been in before.
The drama increases as Martin realises he can’t move or feel his legs and the horrifying truth sinks in – followed in short-order by the realisation that he will be childless by the time he dies. He declares his love for Diana but tells her that she must, absolutely must forget him. He releases her from her promise to marry him and tells her to go and find a husband that can give her the children she desires.
Diana is worth her salt and refuses to take his command. She and Olivia nurse Martin back to health and wonder of wonders, he slowly heals and regains the use of his legs – the doctors had disagreed on the full diagnosis and the family doctor refused to give the family what he considered false hope.
The wedding day is set!
Diana agrees to be married at the House on the estate where Martin will be Lord of the Manor eventually.
Wedding preparations gear-up and the servants are busily cleaning the House from top to bottom to receive the wedding guests.
On an evening a few days before the wedding, the Butler is taken ill and his duties have to be picked-up by his staff. Lavinia falls ill at dinner and the doctor goes straight to see her when he arrives to see the Butler – priorities, of course.
The doctor leaves and no sooner is he gone, than Diana falls ill. She must wait until the morning for the doctor to see her.
Over the next tense hours, Lavinia is dragged into a deep fever and her lady’s maid sits up all night, drawing the admiration of the family. She sits mopping Lavinia’s fevered-brow, icing her down and generally making sure the Lady of the house doesn’t succumb to death.
The diagnosis is Spanish Flu and the Butler is also desperately ill. Diana seems to have the best of it. Her symptoms are slight and she is able to sometimes potter about. On one of these ‘pottering’ occasions, she sees a tender moment between Olivia and Martin and, without giving a hint that she has seen, she speaks out so they know she is there and they break their embrace.
Olivia, her upbringing giving her the poise to hold herself without reproach, speaks confidently to Diana, hiding any embarrassment or disgrace she may feel at the encounter with Martin.
Diana returns to her bedchamber and Martin follows to speak with her. Despite Olivia’s hope that Martin will break-off the engagement with Diana, he refuses to. He will not bring shame or humiliation to his fiancée. After all, throwing her over once he has recovered from disability that she nursed him through would be dishonourable and ungrateful.
Olivia has to admit defeat and stand-down.
This is where my take on things kicks in.
Lavinia, Olivia’s mother is suffering through a deadly fever brought on by Spanish Flu. Her bedsheets and pillows are soaked-through and probably infected with the disease.
Olivia goes into her mother’s room to relieve the Lady’s maid for a few moments. She holds her mother’s hand and speaks to her, telling her that she’ll soon turn the corner and start to be well again, all she has to do is hold on.
Once the Lady’s maid returns, Olivia takes one of her mother’s pillows and sneaks into Diana’s bedroom where the bride-to-be sleeps. She is medicated and in a deep slumber. Olivia lowers the pillow onto her face and presses own, hard enough that the damp pillow restricts the air-flow into Diana’s lungs.
Once the feeble struggles stop, Olivia counts to thirty, to give her half-a-minute more and takes the sweat-soaked pillow down to the servants’ quarters for it to be laundered. Any residue on the pillow will be removed in the laundry and no one will be any the wiser. Diana will be another victim of the Spanish Flu and Olivia will console Martin on his lost bride.
I know… darkness runs through my mind.