This was fun and lovely: so nice to get a reasonable explanation for why he wanted to not live at Downton in S3E1 and then seemed happily ensconced there for the remainder of their marriage...but of course it would feel like home to him, after everything he went through during the war, and most especially, Mary. I firmly believe that Mary is the main reason why he started to actually care about Downton and the estate, and to throw himself into learning it. When he said she was his stick, I found those words reverberating far beyond just her helping him stay on his feet while they danced.

I love it ! I Love It! This story flows so easily and the smut is sooo hot.

Pity we cannot actually see this in the show. I do NEED A LOT OF MARY N MATTHEW LOVING!

Excellent. :-D

I know we're never going to get these types of scenes on the show, so thanks for "filling in the blanks." :)

That was great. They're tied so closely to Downton, it seems difficult to imagine them leaving. I love your descriptions of the drive and the house. You capture the characters very well with your dialogue; I can hear them saying it in my head! Well done!

Really good. Love the idea of exploring their own home, away from the family...everyone needs that, but then realizing Downton is home. So romantic when Matthew has put so much thought into finding a home for them, and their life there, even where his den would be, and a nursery. I think it gives a man much pleasure to show his bride the home he would like to provide for her - part of his demonstration of love. Love the car ride and their spontaneous ability to make love anywhere.

Ooooh, this was SO BEAUTIFUL! I don't think I can even find the words to say how much I enjoyed it and loved it. You capture these characters perfectly and everything they are on screen shines through your writing so effortlessly, it's alway a joy to read :)

But please tell me that that house is real and that I (one day, when I'll be rich) can buy it! I loved how you had them visiting it together and Matthew point out... basically a whole life that could be lived there. But I LOVE that in the end they agreed on Downton. I think Matthew is right in wanting some sort of... indipendence, almost, from the family, but Mary will always be his main concern and of course if Downton is home for her it will be for him too.

And oh, how it makes me happy that they're still discovering each other and enjoying all sort of things together. It was so beautiful (and also SO HOT) to see that they couldn't stop themselves :)

Love it!

Yes. More of this. All the time. Always. Stair sex. YES!

More of this please...

Nice one shot. I love how you write. I can't wait until season 3 of Dowton Abbey.
Maureen

Aww. I want to live there. That sounds so beautiful... especially if it inspires THAT!. Smutty fluff is back and in business.. so good and wonderful and I love how Mary revels in just being ALLOWED to do all sorts of things.. well done!

Perfect story in every way. Love the image of them looking over an empty house together, considering their future needs. I can totally understand Matthew wanting to move somewhere, where it is just the two of them. I always thought Mary would move out of Downton and into Crawley House after the wedding. Now I'm not so sure. We will have to wait and see. I personally don't mind spoilers so I'll be looking for them from Downton fans in the U.K. You are so lucky to be able to see it in a few days time! Love how you had them get so overcome with passion that they couldn't wait to get it on. Very hot!

I don't know if it's just me, but it feels like there's a sadness to this. I'm not sure how to explain it properly either...but it's like seeing the house makes Mary think of Carlisle, and that's probably the last she wants to do (but credit to Richard though - he wanted Haxby because it was close to Downton, which is what Mary wanted). That leads me to my next point though: I think that Downton means as much to Mary as it does to Violet and Robert, so much so that it *is* a part of her, and the thing that is sad about that (although maybe it's not actually that sad), is that she is tied to Downton, and Matthew is tied to her, so as much as they both might want to leave, Mary wouldn't be happy anywhere else, and Matthew wouldn't (couldn't) be happy if Mary wasn't. Also, I completely agree that Mary is 'home' to Matthew (watching 2.05 and as he's waking up, he sees Mary and Downton and not the ceiling of the hospital).

As for the house itself, I think I'm in love and I want to live there... :p In relation to the fic though - I LOVE that he's been round and thought about what can go where. AND THE NURSERY! OH PAPA!MATTHEW. CANNOT. And I love that they've not thought about having children *yet*, and also that they are, of course, *ahem* getting to know each other everywhere all the time... Hehe and being naked, gasp!, in a place outside their bedroom, discovering and learning together... ;) Perfectly hot smut was exactly that. :D Oh and Matthew and the car! Awwww! BLESS HIM.

I just want to see this on my screen. :D Or you know, the bits they're allowed to show... Wonderful my dear. :D

SIGH...just SO perfect. :D I am absolutely in love with married M/M, as you've written them - affectionate, yet realistic. :) Also adore the little character details, like Matthew loving to drive, Mary remembering she's already been shown a house before and even Matthew's back flaring up at the end. LOVE. :D All the details about the house were wonderful, and just totally brought it to life (the NURSERY, OMG! :) And do I even need to say? ON THE STAIRS. Just...HOT. OMG. And I SWEAR the utter realism of M/M learning together, of this being the first time they've ever tried anything remotely "adventurous" makes it ALL THE HOTTER. And OMG SO much love for *Matthew* being the first one to say the house isn't Downton. Because it really is his home. :D Excellent weaving in of trailer lines and moments, yet in a totally original way. Just SO wonderful! :) Keep writing! :D

Aww, I'll move in! It sounds lovely! Also, I am very jealous that you only have a week to go! January 6th is so far away!