*April 1912 - Manchester*
Joshua Crawley awoke with a start, his heart pounding against his ribcage as the morning light filtered through the thin curtains of his bedroom. For a moment, disorientation clouded his mind—the familiar yet distant surroundings of his Manchester home momentarily confusing him. It had been twenty-eight years since his rebirth, yet sometimes, in those hazy moments between sleep and consciousness, he found himself caught between two lives.
In his previous life, he had been Dr. Joshua Bennett, a promising young surgeon in Boston in the year 2020, only twenty-five when his life was suddenly cut short in a tragic accident. Now, he was Joshua Crawley, the eldest son of Reginald Crawley, a respected doctor in Manchester who had passed away three years prior, and Isobel Crawley, a nurse with formidable intellect and energy. He was also the older brother of Matthew Crawley, a solicitor who had recently become a partner at his firm.
Josh ran a hand through his dark hair, still thick as he approached his late twenties in this life. The dreams of his past life had been particularly vivid last night—memories of modern hospitals with their gleaming equipment, the frantic pace of the emergency room, and medical knowledge that was decades ahead of his current time.
With a sigh, he swung his legs over the side of the bed and stood, stretching his tall frame. His bedroom was modest but comfortable, reflecting his position as a successful doctor in Manchester society. Medical books lined the shelves alongside novels and historical texts. A photograph of him standing proudly beside his father, mother, and brother sat on his dresser, taken shortly before his father's passing three years prior.
"Dr. Crawley?" came a tentative knock at his door. It was Mrs. Wilson, their housekeeper, a no-nonsense woman who had been with the family since Josh was a child in this life. "There's a telegram for you, sir. It seems urgent."
"Thank you, Mrs. Wilson. I'll be down shortly," Josh replied, reaching for his dressing gown.
After a quick wash, Josh descended the stairs of the comfortable townhouse he shared with his brother and mother. Matthew was already at the breakfast table, newspapers spread before him as he sipped his tea with meticulous precision. Across from him sat their mother, Isobel Crawley, a woman whose energy and intelligence belied her years. She was reading a medical journal, making notes in the margins with the precision of someone who had spent decades in healthcare.
"Good morning," Josh greeted them both, bending to place a kiss on his mother's cheek.
"You've slept later than usual," Isobel remarked, though her tone was affectionate rather than scolding. "I was beginning to wonder if I should check your pulse."
Josh smiled at his mother's medical humor. Though she had been a nurse rather than a doctor, her knowledge and passion for medicine equaled that of many physicians. It was from her that Josh had inherited his dedication to healing, though his surgical skills—enhanced by knowledge from his previous life—surpassed even what his talented father had possessed.
"I received a telegram," Matthew said without looking up from his paper. "It's beside your plate."
Josh nodded, pouring himself a cup of coffee—a habit he had insisted on maintaining despite the English preference for tea. He picked up the telegram, noting the official seal before breaking it open. As his eyes scanned the contents, he felt a strange mix of anticipation and dread settle in his stomach.
"Well?" Matthew prompted, finally looking up from his reading. "You've gone quite pale."
Isobel's eyes immediately sharpened with concern. "Joshua? What is it?"
"It's from a solicitor in London," Josh said slowly, placing the telegram down. "A Mr. Murray. He represents the Earl of Grantham."
Matthew raised an eyebrow. "The Earl of Grantham? What business would he have with you?"
"Earl of Grantham," Isobel repeated thoughtfully. "Robert Crawley, I believe. A distant relation on your father's side."
Josh took a deliberate sip of his coffee, his mind racing. He knew precisely what this meant. In his first life, he had been an avid fan of period dramas, including one about a grand estate called Downton Abbey. The storyline had centered around a distant cousin named Matthew Crawley who had unexpectedly become heir to the Earldom after the original heirs perished on the Titanic. But in this reality, he, Joshua, was the eldest Crawley son. Which meant...
"It appears that James and Patrick Crawley were aboard the Titanic," Josh said carefully, watching his brother's reaction.
Matthew's brow furrowed. "The ship that sank last week? How dreadful. Were they distant relations of ours?"
"Very distant," Josh confirmed. "Third cousins once removed from our father, I believe. But apparently, they were the heirs to the Earl of Grantham."
"And what has that to do with us?" Matthew asked, though his intelligent eyes had already begun to connect the dots.
Isobel set down her medical journal, her expression suddenly alert. "Joshua, are you saying what I think you're saying?"
Josh set down his cup with a small clink. "According to Mr. Murray, with their passing, I am now the heir presumptive to the Earldom of Grantham and the Downton Abbey estate."
Matthew stared at him in disbelief before a small, incredulous laugh escaped him. "You? The heir to an Earldom? Surely this is some elaborate joke."
Isobel, however, did not laugh. Her eyes widened slightly, but she composed herself quickly, years of nursing having taught her to remain calm in surprising situations. "The entail," she said quietly. "With James and Patrick gone, the estate would pass to the next male heir. And that would be you, Joshua."
"I assure you, it's not," Josh replied, a hint of a smile playing at his lips despite the gravity of the news. "Mr. Murray wishes to meet with us as soon as possible to discuss the implications."
"Us?" Matthew echoed. "Why should I be involved?"
"Because," Josh said, folding the telegram deliberately, "if anything should happen to me, you would be next in line."
Matthew's teacup froze halfway to his lips. "Good God."
"Next in line," Isobel repeated, her voice barely above a whisper. She looked at her sons—her brilliant, dedicated boys who had followed their father into respectable professions—and tried to imagine them as aristocrats. It seemed impossible, yet here they were, discussing it over breakfast as if it were merely an interesting turn of events rather than a complete upheaval of their lives.
Josh couldn't help but chuckle at his brother's stunned expression. Little did Matthew know that Josh had been preparing for this moment for years. His knowledge of the future had allowed him to position himself advantageously, investing wisely in companies he knew would flourish, and establishing himself as one of Manchester's most progressive and successful young doctors. His surgical skills, far advanced for the time, had earned him both respect and notoriety in medical circles.
"Downton Abbey," Isobel said thoughtfully. "I've heard it's quite magnificent. One of the great houses of Yorkshire."
But becoming the heir to Downton Abbey—this was the opportunity he had been waiting for. A chance to step into the world of aristocracy with all its privileges and pitfalls. A world populated by the Crawley family, including the Earl's three daughters: Mary, Edith, and Sybil.
Lady Mary Crawley. Even in his previous life, he had been captivated by her character—proud, beautiful, and complex. Now, she would be a real woman he would meet, not just a character on a screen.
"I suppose we will have to go to this Downton Abbey," Matthew said, breaking into his thoughts. "Though I don't see why our lives should change. You're a doctor, I'm a solicitor. We have our practices here in Manchester."
Josh smiled, a glint in his eye that Matthew knew all too well—it was the look his older brother got when he was about to embark on a new adventure or challenge.
"My dear brother," Josh said, rising from the table, "our lives are about to change in ways you cannot possibly imagine."
---
*Downton Abbey - That same morning*
Lord Robert Crawley, the fifth Earl of Grantham, stood in the grand library of Downton Abbey, the morning light casting long shadows across the ornate carpet. His normally composed features betrayed a hint of distress as he gazed out over the estate that had been in his family for generations.
"You've sent the telegram, then?" he asked, not turning to look at Mr. Murray, the family solicitor who sat patiently in one of the leather armchairs.
"Yes, my lord. To Dr. Joshua Crawley in Manchester. He should receive it this morning."
Robert sighed heavily. "A doctor. The heir to Downton is a doctor from Manchester." He spoke the words as if testing how they felt on his tongue, finding the taste unfamiliar and not entirely pleasant.
"And his brother is a solicitor," Murray added. "Both educated at good schools, from what I've gathered. Their father was a respected physician as well."
"But they're middle class," Robert said, finally turning to face Murray. "They know nothing of running an estate, of the responsibilities of a title."
"Dr. Crawley is twenty-eight, unmarried, and by all accounts, quite successful in his profession despite his youth," Murray continued. "He's published several papers on innovative surgical techniques and is rapidly gaining respect in Manchester society."
"That's something, I suppose," Robert conceded, though his tone suggested he found it cold comfort. "When will they come to Downton?"
"I've suggested they visit as soon as possible to discuss the inheritance. Perhaps next week, if it suits your lordship."
Before Robert could reply, the door to the library opened, and his eldest daughter, Lady Mary Crawley, entered. At twenty-one, Mary was the very picture of aristocratic beauty—tall, elegant, with dark hair and intelligent eyes that missed nothing. She was also, until a week ago, unofficially engaged to her cousin Patrick, the former heir.
"Papa," she said, her voice measured despite the turmoil Robert knew she must be feeling. "Carson says Mr. Murray is here with news about the inheritance. I thought I might join you."
Robert exchanged a glance with Murray before nodding. "Of course, my dear. We've just been discussing your third cousin, Dr. Joshua Crawley. It seems he is to be the new heir."
Mary's expression remained impassive, though a slight tightening around her eyes betrayed her feelings. "A doctor? How... unconventional."
"He and his brother will be visiting next week," Robert informed her. "I expect you to be civil, Mary. This situation is difficult for all of us."
Mary arched an elegant eyebrow. "Of course, Papa. I shall be the very soul of civility." The words were proper, but the subtle edge in her tone did not go unnoticed by either man.
"This Dr. Crawley," she continued, turning to Murray. "What else do we know about him? Is he married?"
"No, Lady Mary. He is unmarried."
A flicker of something—calculation, perhaps—passed across Mary's features before she composed them once more. "I see. How interesting."
Robert sighed, recognizing the wheels turning in his daughter's mind. After Patrick's death, Mary's position was precarious. As a woman, she could not inherit Downton or her father's fortune directly. Her mother's American money was entailed to the estate as well. Marriage to Patrick would have secured her future and kept Downton in the immediate family. Now, this distant cousin from Manchester would one day possess everything that she, as the eldest daughter, could never have.
"Mary," Robert began cautiously, "I know this is difficult—"
"Not at all, Papa," she interrupted smoothly. "I'm merely curious about the man who is to inherit what should have been mine." With a rustle of silk skirts, she turned and left the library, her head held high.
After the door closed behind her, Robert turned back to Murray. "I fear this will not be an easy transition."
"Few things worth doing are easy, my lord," Murray replied diplomatically. "But the law is clear. Dr. Joshua Crawley is the heir to Downton Abbey, and nothing can change that now."
Robert nodded, his gaze returning to the window and the vast estate beyond. Downton had stood for centuries, weathering wars, economic upheavals, and changes in fortune. It would survive this too, though what form that survival would take remained to be seen.
In one week's time, Dr. Joshua Crawley—a middle-class doctor from Manchester with no knowledge of aristocratic life—would arrive at Downton Abbey. And nothing would ever be the same again.
---
*Manchester - Later that day*
"You can't seriously be considering this," Matthew said, pacing the length of Josh's study. The afternoon light cast his shadow long across the polished floorboards. Isobel sat quietly in an armchair by the window, her hands folded in her lap, observing her sons with keen interest.
Josh looked up from his desk where he had been responding to Mr. Murray's telegram, confirming that they would indeed visit Downton the following week. "I'm not just considering it, Matthew. I've already made up my mind."
Matthew stopped his pacing to stare incredulously at his brother. "You're a doctor, Josh. A good one. You've built a life here, a reputation. Patients rely on you. And now you're willing to throw it all away because some distant relative died and left you a title?"
"Matthew," Isobel interjected gently, "perhaps we should hear your brother out before jumping to conclusions."
Josh set down his pen and regarded his younger brother with patient amusement. In many ways, Matthew reminded him of himself in his first life—principled, idealistic, somewhat rigid in his thinking. But Josh had the benefit of two lifetimes of experience now, and he knew that opportunities like this came rarely, if ever.
"I'm not throwing anything away," he explained calmly. "I can continue my medical practice, perhaps establish a clinic near Downton. Being the heir doesn't mean I have to abandon my profession."
"And what of your investments? Your research? Your friends here in Manchester?" Matthew pressed.
"Your patients who depend on you," Isobel added softly, though there was a pragmatic gleam in her eye that suggested she was already considering the possibilities. "Though I suppose Yorkshire has need of good doctors as well."
Josh rose from his desk and crossed to a small side table where a decanter of whiskey sat. He poured three glasses, handing one to his brother and another to his mother. "My investments can be managed from anywhere. As for my research..." He trailed off, taking a thoughtful sip. The truth was, his "research" was largely based on medical knowledge from his first life, techniques and treatments that wouldn't be discovered for decades in this timeline. He had been careful, introducing innovations gradually to avoid suspicion, but the medical establishment was conservative by nature. At Downton, with the Earl's influence behind him, he might have more freedom to implement his ideas.
"I see opportunity," Josh finally said. "Not just for me, but for you as well, Matthew. Think of the connections we could make, the good we could do with the resources of an Earldom behind us."
"And you, Mother," he added, turning to Isobel. "Think of the healthcare initiatives you could spearhead with the influence of the Crawley name. The rural poor in Yorkshire are surely as deserving of good medical care as the urban poor in Manchester."
Isobel's eyes brightened at this. Throughout her career as a nurse, she had been a fierce advocate for better healthcare for the underserved, often butting heads with the medical establishment in the process. "There is that to consider," she admitted. "Though I confess, I know little of aristocratic life. I fear we may be rather out of place there."
Matthew snorted. "I have no interest in aristocratic connections or resources. I'm perfectly content with my life as it is."
"You might change your mind once you see Downton Abbey," Josh replied with a knowing smile. "And meet the Earl's daughters."
"Daughters?" Matthew's eyebrows rose despite himself.
"Three of them, according to Mr. Murray. All unmarried." Josh's smile widened as he saw the flicker of interest in his brother's eyes, quickly suppressed. "The eldest is about your age, I believe."
"I doubt very much that the Earl's daughters will have any interest in middle-class professionals from Manchester," Isobel said pragmatically, though her tone held no bitterness. "We must remember our place in this new world we're about to enter."
"Our place?" Josh echoed, his eyes twinkling with amusement. "Mother, I am to be the Earl of Grantham one day. Matthew is to be my heir until I have sons of my own. Our 'place' is at the very heart of this world."
"I have no intention of marrying for advantage," Matthew said stiffly.
"Who said anything about marriage?" Josh replied, his eyes gleaming with mischief. "I merely suggested you might find the scenery at Downton pleasing."
"Joshua!" Isobel admonished, though a reluctant smile tugged at her lips. Her eldest son had always been charming and a bit of a flirt, traits that had only intensified as he grew older. It sometimes worried her how easily he moved through the world, as if he knew what was coming before it happened. But she couldn't deny that his confidence had served him well in both his personal and professional life.
Matthew shook his head, but Josh could see the hint of a reluctant smile. "You're impossible, you know that?"
"So I've been told," Josh replied cheerfully. "By both of you, primarily."
Isobel sighed, finishing her whiskey with a delicate sip. "Well, I suppose we should at least visit this Downton Abbey before making any decisions. It would be rude to refuse Mr. Murray's invitation without even seeing the place."
Matthew's resistance visibly faded. "Fine. We'll visit this Downton Abbey. But I make no promises beyond that."
"That's all I ask," Josh said, raising his glass in a toast. "To new beginnings."
After a moment's hesitation, Matthew and Isobel clinked their glasses against his. "To Downton Abbey," Isobel said softly. "May it be worthy of my sons."
As they drank, Josh couldn't help but feel a surge of anticipation. If his memories of the story were correct—and they had proven remarkably accurate so far—Downton Abbey would be a world of intrigue, passion, and drama. A world where the old aristocracy clashed with modern ideas, where love and duty were constantly at odds.
And at the center of it all would be Lady Mary Crawley, the proud, beautiful eldest daughter who had been denied her birthright by the accident of her sex. In the story he remembered, she had eventually fallen in love with Matthew after initial resistance. But this time, Matthew wasn't the heir—he was. How would that change the dynamics? How would Mary respond to him?
Josh found himself eager to find out. After twenty years of patience, of careful planning and positioning, his new life was about to truly begin. And he intended to make the most of every moment.
As the afternoon sun cast long shadows across his study, Dr. Joshua Crawley, future Earl of Grantham, exchanged a knowing look with his mother. Isobel Crawley had always been perceptive, and sometimes Josh wondered if she sensed something different about her eldest son, something that set him apart beyond his obvious intelligence and charm. But if she did, she kept her observations to herself, supporting him as she always had.
Downton Abbey awaited, and with it, a future full of possibilities that even he, with all his foreknowledge, could not fully predict.
The game was about to begin, and he was more than ready to play.