A/N: Hi! I am back with another one-shot. What if Mary and Francis had an honest conversation about their feelings for each other and other people? This scene explores that. Set as soon as Mary returns with Bash and Lola. Told from Mary's POV. This is not friendly to any of the characters, really. Well, maybe Bash. And it is a conversation that is long overdue.

"Mary, where have you been?" Francis asks as I round the corner from the entrance. I shivered a little, from the cold. "I have been looking for you everywhere. And look at you. Your nose is all red. You must be freezing!" He raises his arms slightly as if inviting me into a hug.

Ignoring the invitation, I come to a stop in front of him. He puts his arms down. "I, uh, was out riding with Lola." I smile sheepishly. It wasn't a lie, I was riding with Lola. Bash was also with us, but I can't tell him that, I thought to myself. Nor could I tell him why we were out "riding".

Francis tilts his head down with his eyebrows raised in an amused expression. "You were out riding for pleasure in this weather? I doubt that." His countenance now turns a hair colder. "What were you really doing?"

I am stunned, speechless. I don't know what to say. So, I turn it around. Taking a step back, gesturing to myself, "Francis, are you accusing me of lying? I am not the liar around here." I mumble the last part, but he hears me.

Now his face has turned to an ugly expression of anger. Grabbing my arm, he walks us swiftly back to his chambers. As we are walking, he gruffly and quietly says through his teeth, "This is not a conversation for court." Once we are back to his rooms, he continues, "What are you talking about? I have never lied to you." He now appears confused and angry.

"What about...O-Olivia?" I stutter, as I angrily take off my cloak and throw it on his settee. She is not who I wanted to talk about. I didn't want to talk about any of this. But I needed to start somewhere. And it was better than admitting the truth. I couldn't admit I knew he had had relations with Lola and now she was pregnant.

"I have never lied to you about her." Francis replies.

"You said you would find a place for her to go with possible suitors and you didn't. You let her stay. I had to hear it from Kenna. And Bash is the one who told me all about her." He cringes at the mention of Bash's name. "You weren't forthcoming with any information. If I wanted to know something, I had to ask."

His voice low, "Don't say his name. I don't want to talk about him, ever again." Here he raises his voice. "Why are you bringing this up now?" Pause. "You still haven't told me what you were really doing, Mary. Why are you being secretive? Were you with Bash? Is that why you brought up Olivia? Because you feel guilty." He spits the last word like it leave a bad taste in his mouth.

I can't lie. I have just accused him of lying. I have to tell him about Bash."Yes, he was with us. He ensured our safety." I say this all matter of factly, as if this smoothes everything over.

I realize I was wrong as he starts to wonder out loud, "Why did Bash come back, again, after I told him he needed to leave? Well, I am sure I know why," and throws me a look that could melt candle wax. He continues, "But why did he accompany you? Why didn't you ask me to go riding with you?"

"I had ridden out to the woods and he was there riding already and I asked him to accompany me." This was too honest and I stammer trying to correct myself. "I-I mean us."

Realization dawns and he is standing there speechless, thinking. His hand is on his chin with his index finger on his mouth. He knows I am at least partially lying. Slowly, he puts the pieces together. "He asked you to meet him in the woods, didn't he? For what, a secret rendezvous? And you agreed."

I reach for him, but he turns away from me. "Francis, it's not like that at all! You are wrong. I asked him to meet me at the edge of the woods, but not for what you think." He has turned back to face me at this point with an incredulous look. Tears are in my eyes. "Lola had gotten herself into a bind. She needed my help and Bash agreed to accompany me. That is all."

"What sort of bind? Mary, tell me." he implores. He notices my tears and I can tell he is torn between being angry with me and being sympathetic for me.

"I can't. I promised Lola I wouldn't say a word to anyone." He thinks my tears are for Lola. I know they are for me. My husband is having a child with one of my best friends. And if he found out she tried to be rid of the baby, I am not sure what he would do to her. I nearly breakdown, but I pull myself together and he is oblivious.

No longer torn between his emotions, taking my hands, he says "Oh Mary, it will be alright. Whatever the cause of your tears, it will be alright. I love you, Mary. I have always loved you."

"Have you? Then why were you with Olivia?" The words slip out before I can stop them and I wish I could take them back.

Exasperated, Francis groans. "Is she always going to be in our bedchambers? Mary, let it go. She is no longer at court. And what about the fact you were with Bash?"

I am horrified at what he is implying. "I was not! You know I wasn't! I can't believe you would even think I would do something like that!" I move to his settee and pick up my cloak I had thrown on it and set it in my lap. Oh, how he angers me!

He is now kneeling next to me and takes my hands again, "I only meant that you were together because you chose to believe that silly prophecy. You two grew close and I know you care for him."

"Of course I care for him. You care for him." Pause. "Or at least you did." His eyes turn a little cold at my words. "He has saved me from your mother,-" He scoffs at this. "Pagans-"

Cutting me off, "A mess he got you into in the first place by kissing you."

I look down at his face and truly look him in the eyes. Ashamed, I say, "I kissed him first. You didn't know that, did you?"

He drops my hands and rises to his feet. He is silent as he turns his back to me and walks to the window. After a moment, still with his back to me, "I didn't know that. I saw him kiss you and you kiss him back, but I didn't know you made the first move." His voice is quiet and I think I may have broken him.

"We were both a bit drunk as I recall and you-" I stop. His brokenness gone, he turns to me and finishes my sentence for me.

"I was with Olivia. So, you thought, what? You would get back at me? Or did you hope I wouldn't find out you harbored feelings for my brother?" He walks toward me while he is saying this and stops in front of me, trying to figure me out.

"I didn't have feelings for him. I was angry, he was a good listener. That's it."

Not buying this, he says, "You didn't have feelings for him, meaning you do now." I suck in a breath at his words."Tell me, do you kiss all your friends who listen well or is it just him?"

I am the one who is angry now. I am on my feet again. "Get out!"

"I need some fresh air anyway. This is stifling." He leaves the warm room for the frigid air outside and I can see him walking across the grounds hurriedly. Off further in the distance, I see who I think is Bash on his horse, by the edge of the woods. Watching, waiting, always waiting, patiently. I begin to cry. Over us. Over Bash. Over myself. I move over to his bed and have a good cry. Francis is right. I do have feelings for Bash. I just don't know what they mean. I care about him. How could I not? He has saved me multiple times. I owe him my life. He is noble, trustworthy, a gentleman. Maybe, just maybe, I have chosen the wrong man. I need to stop this train of thought before it goes any further. I pick myself off the bed and go in search of my ladies for distraction.

A/N: So, what did you think? I am really nervous about this one. Not sure if I included all I wanted to. I toyed with the idea where Mary tells Francis about the baby and Lola and everything. But, I just couldn't! She promised Lola and I think Mary would respect that. And I also think she is trying to not think about it. I am not sure if this scene flows well and is believable. Please review and let me know what you think.