piety vanished

Lily Watson,The Heiress Kitty Wright, The Lady Betsy Brown, the maid Thomas Foster, The Duke. mumu blog for downtownhq

[niicety]

janeyweir·:

It had been a long time since Janey had been in company other than that of her sisters and her brother, or perhaps her late husband’s family, and she wished rather strongly that she had waited until past ten to come down for breakfast - at least then there would be some chance of seeing Thomas up and about, to shield her from all the strangers. She had thought that visiting Lord and Lady Grantham would help her - Thomas had assured her it would - but instead she found herself even more out of sorts than usual, which was saying something. In the empty drawing room she picked up a piece of dry toast from the rack, then put it down again, appetite gone.

Downton was no more grand than Matlock, which had been the seat of the Earls of March for over a century now; indeed, Matlock was larger, but that did not mean it was preferable, and Janey had loved Downton when she had visited it before - before she had been widowed. The aspect was stunning, and the Yorkshire downs made for excellent riding, just like that of her childhood, a few miles away at the Bedford estate. Yet, she could not rouse any excitement at the thought of heading out, even in such brilliant weather. She frustrated even herself with her dim mood - she could only imagine what a moping shadow of a thing she appeared to others. Pausing by an ornate baroque mirror, she fiddled irritably with her earring, trying to convince the woman in the mirror to find some of her old, bubbly self and bring her back to the surface.

Kitty was being punished by God,she was sure of it. Somehow her mother had found out about her late-night adventure into town without her beloved husband and appeared at an ungodly hour for a visit. Somehow she was invited (ordered) to accompany her irritating mama to Downton to invite Lady Grantham to tea,a task Kitty was far too hung over to acomplish so while they talked, Kitty made her escape to wander aound the grounds,scouting for anything fun to do or someone to spy on. She had nearly given up when she spotted Lady Weir.

"Finally, someone to talk to!" Kitty exclaimed cheekily with a smile. "It's good to see you out and about. How are you?" Kitty asked genuinely.

[niicety]

lady-violet-marston·:

Despite the flurry of activity beneath her feet in the level below, of copper pots and pans clinking and the commotion of butler’s heels and maid’s skirts swooshing whilst hustling up and down the stairs, Lady Violet found Downton stood more a fortress than a family estate: too much a vast labyrinth that drowned out the noise of so many who lived within it. Peaceful silence, scarcely interrupted by a thick velvet curtain lazily moving against the windowpane. As a child, Violet romanticised the idea of Downton containing far more ethereal powers than any holy ground in the world. Paintings with eyes that studied soul, watched over shoulders, ghosts of the past observing the present. And, what a spectacle the eldest daughter provided whilst alone - save for the ever peering gaze of her wall perched ancestors. Rushing up the banisters after a stolen moment in the fields, or causing mischief with her sisters whilst their attendants struggled to chase after them. 

What were these portraits thinking, now? The home’s doors were opened, the flowers aligned the corridors on sheer display for - in Violet’s opinion - forced guests. Suddenly, her fortress threatened to give way, piece by piece, brick by brick, and no matter how much the vixen glided throughout her halls like a swan takes to water, Violet could not shake the odd pit in her stomach. Alone for a mere moment, Vi’s porcelain smile turned into her natural rosebud pout. A ride was what she needed, surely. A ride, a gallop of a horse followed by a rush of competitive smugness from winning a race, no matter how improbable a timing - stuck playing the hostess to these guests for tea instead. Light eyes rolled as she whirled round, knocking over the scowling portrait of her great grandfather, Charles Grantham, to the floor. “Not even champagne can fix a damned face such as yours.” Almost feline growl muttered to the painting, smirking to herself before she reluctantly and half-assedly attempted to rehang the painting.

All the new visitors had Betsy running from one end of the house to the other for something or another. Luckily the new visitors weren't as demanding as other visitors but she was still terrified of making a fool of herself in front of a guest. She was starting to feel like some sort of ghost or mouse,scurrying this way and that to stoke fires or fetch her ladyship's tea without being seen by anyone and that was going quite well. If she could just get through the day without Cook yelling at her, Betsy would consider the day a success.

She was rather flustered this particular moment after bringing the wrong flowers into the drawing room when she came across Lady Violet. She would have backed away slowly until she saw the portrait not in the right place. Knowing she would catch hell later if it was left like that, Betsy made her presence known.

"May I help you, Lady Violet? It's um...rather crooked and I don't want you to get your pretty frock all dusty."

[niicety]

magmarston·:

“Oh - good morning !  my apologies, I didn’t realise you were in here.”

Lily looked up,startled but gained her composure quickly."Good Morning Lady Grantham! Forgive me, there are so many rooms I seem to have gotten myself quite lost already.It's so lovely here, it's like something out a book."

[niicety]

♙ lashana lynch + cis-female + she/her♙look who’s come for a visit! don’t you see lady catherine “kitty” wright is walking this way? she is twenty-eight years old and  a lady.  the kitchen maid said she can be + friendly and - rebellious but the chauffeur told me otherwise. their aesthetic? silk gloves,pearls,whispered gossip,dancing till dawn.

might just be allison hargreeves in a 20th century period what.

catherine was born with a silver spoon in her mouth and is not afraid of letting anyone know that. her parents were doting and gave in to her every demand,trying their best to reign in the wild girl but she was always one step ahead,sneaking out,drinking, doing all the things young respectable ladies weren’t doing.

loves a rumor,spreads them (only about those she doesn’t like), creates them,believes you’re nobody if you’re not talked about. possibly knows everybody in yorkshire and all up in their business.

in an attempt to straighten her out, her parents married her to lord wright,a sixty something year old ex military man who tried to keep her check and that backfired on him tremendously.  now she just spends his money and has affairs because lord wright’s not exactly a spring chicken and she’d bite his abbey off if he tried.

she likes to laugh and loves to dance. her parties are legendary and entertaining is one of the only thing she likes about being married.

fiercely loyal to her friends but don’t cross her

afraid of change and believes her freedom is the most important thing.

has a younger sister (WC) who she adores.

[niicety]

♙ gemma chan + cis-female + she/her♙look sharp! don’t you see lily watson is walking this way? she is thirty years old and a member of the watson family. the kitchen maid said she can be + charming and - defiant but the chauffeur told me otherwise. their aesthetic? white lace,long stemmed roses, reading by candelight {lena, 24, est,she/her}

so hello! wow am I excited for this to be opening soon. here’s the first of four intros :)

lily was born in england,her father was a steelworker who died in an accident and her mother was a dressmaker. her mother was young wanted to see the world and not be tied down and met mrs. watson when she was visiting london. mrs. watson persuaded her mother to give lily to her and with a promise from her mother to see her again when she was older, five year old lily became a watson.

lily was hopeful in the beginning that her new life in america would be like a dream and it was, she had all the latest clothes and dolls,and with her brothers and sisters she was never alone. but her relationship with her adoptive mother was anything but kind. mrs. watson picked at everything, her hair, her speaking chinese in the house, her weight,her favorite subject. She kept lily on a strict diet of no sugar or meat, and there was punishment if the diet was ever broken.

when she was younger she did everything to make Mother happy,trying to be the best but it didn’t provoke affection. As a  teenager she became openly disobedient, sticking  up for her siblings against mother but that did nothing and received severe punishment for that,cruel emotional punishment because mother never hit her children, that was too easy.

she was a shell of herself,a pretty doll who’s only salvation was books and volunteering at the library where she met her fiance mr. marston (PLEASE BRING THE NEW HEIR) and they began to date. mother thought he was beneath her and mocked her relationship behind closed doors even after they got engaged. 

one day lily was looking for something in mother’s study and discovered years and years of letters from her biological mother. they fought and the next day mother and father left  to visit their friends in southhampton.  lily made a promise to herself that when mother returned she was going to confront and tell her she was moving out but then the news came that the ship they were supposed to be taking home,the titanic, had sank. 

 she took their deaths horribly and thinks its her fault they died. and as a result of their death became an inheritor along with her siblings of all their parents’ vast wealth.  when mr marston told her about downton and she was insistent that he go not to claim some money but to reconnect with his family in a way she never got to do,and came up with the idea of them having the wedding there. hoping for a fresh start with  her husband to be and her siblings, she’s not looking back but mother’s influence over her still holds her deeply. she’s a  kind person, but she’s eager to please people and make them happy. she struggles with perfection and insecurity, and never letting anyone see her upset.

[bevioletskies]

Gemma Chan in Mr. Malcolm’s List (2019)