I know marriages between in-laws are not completely unknown, especially in upper classes where marriages were made for dynastic reasons. But it would still feel weird to marry your sibling-in-law.
Tom was already well aware of how insufferably cruel Mary was capable of being. Mary wouldn't marry Sir Richard, even though he would have brought a fortune and a baronetcy to the table, mainly because he didn't know how to behave like a gentleman. Tom was a much nicer person than Richard, but not any more of a gentleman.
They liked each other quite well, well enough to be sibling-in-laws. But with constant exposure of a marriage they would have grated on each other.
Mary, and perhaps Tom, would have grown up with the notion that a brother-in-law was in fact a brother. When you married into a family you were really in that family. It was only recently then that it was even legal to marry the spouse of your deceased sibling. So the would have been something a little creepy about their marriage, especially given the social conservatism of the Crawleys. Besides, however well they got along, Tom got along with Edith better.
I would have loved to see them get together but I do like the new relationship between Tom and Lucy
I agree, Tomcervo. In Season 5 after Mr. Gregson's death was confirmed and before Edith was seeing Bertie Pelham, Tom and Edith seemed to be getting along very well. It wouldn't have surprised me to see them getting together, if they did make the decision to date a sibling-in-law.
But why
Are you asking why I think Edith and Tom might get together? Well, they know each other pretty well and like each other - better than Mary and Tom really. Tom already knows about Marigold and isn't bothered by her. Edith has turned for a word of comfort from Tom several times, regarding Marigold or Mr. Gregson. Edith and Bertie both have a child from a previous relationship, and the children have already met and like each other as well. Mary would see a potential husband having neither title nor fortune as an obstacle that would have to be overcome, but Edith just doesn't care that much.
Help! When did you see that Bertie has a child from a previous relationship? I just watched the entire series, did I miss that? I thought his mother would have disowned him.
I'm sorry, no, I meant Tom Branson not Bertie.
I absolutely agree with you, Ffuiffuieiffuiffuie. I’m sure the family would be OK with Tom and Mary getting married. Bertie Pelham would be the best man and Edith would be the maid of honor. I wonder how the servants would take the news, Mr. Carson would probably faint in shock 😱🤣. How do you guys think the show would look if this happened?
Well, Tomcervo, do you remember the episode where he told Sybil that he lost a cousin to the Easter Rising? Maybe when Tom introduces Lady Mary to his family including the aunt who lost her son, Tom’s cousin, to the Easter Rising, maybe his call for the Irish Republic will rub off onto her.
What do you think?