Mary surveyed the short, stubby woman before her. How had he chosen her? Had he chosen her? Everything was so unclear. She had decided to confront the outspoken teacher and today was the day. The village was quiet, it was only a Tuesday morning after all. However, the teacher was on her break from the local school. Mary knew the exact time and walked purposefully, back straight over to the bench in the centre of the village where she sat.
She cleared her throat as the teacher looked up from the copybooks she was correcting.
"Lady Mary?" She questioned, mouth agape.
"Miss Bunting," nodding her hello, waiting for the teacher to question again.
"You're not often in the village. Are you and Mr Branson on business?" the teacher looked past Mary, searching for Tom.
"Yes, that is I am on business, but Mr Branson is not with me. He is at the Abbey, packing for America." Mary's porcelain face was stern as she stared down at the teacher.
The teacher smiled when she heard of Tom's plans which infuriated Mary.
"I take it you knew of his plans then." Mary balled her hands into a fist.
"Yes, well didn't you? He talked of them openly."
"He was never serious, until you came along. You awoke something in him, something he is not proud of and now he is leaving. He's leaving because of you,"
"I only encouraged him to be the man he was before he came here,"
Mary's temper flared as she raised her voice, "but you didn't know him then. I did and I know he was proud of how far he came,"
"He was proud or you were?"
"Of course I'm proud of him, I l..."
"You what? You love him?" The teacher laughed at the thought.
"The matters of my heart are none of your business," Mary spat as the teacher's eyes widened at the confession. "I want to know what you told him so that I can persuade them that they are untrue."
The teacher softened as she realised how this grand lady felt about the former chauffeur. It confused her but the heart wants what it wants after all.
"Lady Mary, all you can tell him now is how you feel about him," deciding to confess something herself she said,"I was always jealous of the way he looked at you,"
Mary was stunned as the teacher stood when the school bell rang. "I'll leave to your work, Miss Bunting." Turning away Mary called, "Thank you, really, thank you."
Mary walked straight up to Tom's room when she returned to the Abbey, clicking the door shut and flicking the lock.
Neither emerged until the next morning.
Tom never went to America.