This is my answer to Lord Merton from the series/season 4 finale.

Richard had watched a strange man walk Isobel home and felt his heart constrict. When he'd seen the man turn to leave, he felt even more concerned. The man was Lord Merton.

Lord.

Above him in station.

The perfect person to be a husband to the grandmother of the next Earl of Grantham.

A man who was friend to the Crawley family not a lowly country doctor who had let the beloved younger Crawley daughter die.

Closing his eyes, he fortified himself.

He would go to Crawley House.

He would confront Isobel.

He would tell her that he was still in love with her.

That he had never not been in love with her.

He would ask her if she still felt as she had that day at the fair when he'd come so close to proposing.

He would ask her if she loved him.

RnI

"Richard, come in." Isobel told him as she moved to let him pass. "What brings you by?"

Richard turned, not even bothering to take off his hat before pulling Isobel into his arms and pressing his lips to hers. Feeling her body stiffen, he broke the kiss and hurriedly stepped back. "My god, I'm sorry."

"Richard? Whatever in the world?"

"I saw him walk you home. Lord Merton."

"Oh." Isobel blushed and turned away.

"I'm sorry. I didn't intend to come here and accost you. I only meant to tell you," Richard shook his head. "It doesn't matter. I'll bid you good day and be on my way."

Isobel watched Richard make his way back to the door. "Richard, stop," she called out to him.

Richard paused, his hand on the knob, and waited. He'd made a right fool of himself and knew that he deserved whatever she was about to dish out.

"What did you mean to tell me?" she asked in a soft voice.

That wasn't at all what he'd expected. Swallowing, he looked down at his hand. "I meant to tell you I love you. That I have never not been in love with you. I meant to ask if you still felt as you did that day at the fair."

Isobel walked the few steps to stand behind him, her hand reaching out to touch his arm. "Turn around, Richard. Look at me."

Doing as she bid him, Richard stared down into her soft brown eyes, remembering how they glinted red when the light of the sun hit them just right.

Isobel smiled as she reached up to touch Richard's face. "He didn't remember who I am. He asked me about Matthew, if he'd given up being a solicitor."

"Oh Isobel." Richard breathed, knowing how much that had to have hurt her.

"I froze a moment, my heart seized, but then I went on and managed to tell him why Matthew was no longer a solicitor." Moving closer, Isobel shuddered from the warmth radiating from Richard's body. "You have never forgotten who I am. You have always known exactly who I am. I was wrong that day at the fair. I didn't feel that way then, though I said otherwise, and I don't feel that way now."

"What are you saying?" Richard asked, his voice barely a whisper.

"I'm saying," she took a deep breath and pressed herself against Richard. "I'm saying that I'm yours if you still want me. Lord Merton never would have had a chance because my heart belongs to the village doctor."

With his eyes now wide open to how Isobel had always felt about him, Richard wrapped his arms around her, kissing her this time without the desperation of the first kiss, but with love and happiness.

His Isobel loved him.

Breaking from the kiss, Richard caressed her face. "But the family won't like it."

"Why ever not?"

"I'm not exactly their favorite person, Isobel. There's still an unspoken," he shook his head and looked down.

"You mean Sybil?"

"And Matthew's paralysis."

"Oh Darling," she whispered as she pressed a soft kiss to his mouth. "I never blamed you for Matthew, neither did he. We understood. I more than the others. You were protecting us, me I suspect more than anyone else, but you can't be faulted for caring. If you'd told us the truth and he never walked again, it would have made him even more despondent than he was. As for Sybil, you can't blame yourself. If anyone is to blame it's Cousin Robert and that horrid doctor he brought in. You did what you could. You argued and fought for her until it was too late. Tom doesn't blame you, neither does cousin Cora, they're all that matters."

Holding her close, Richard breathed her scent in, cherishing the feel of her body pressed against his. "If we were alone," he whispered against her ear, his warm breath making her shiver. "I would take you to bed and show you how very happy you've made me."

Holding onto his waist to steady herself, Isobel took a deep breath then whispered, "We could be alone."

Richard frowned as he pulled back to look at her. "You can't send your people away. There would be talk."

"I didn't mean send anyone away. You have a home, which has a bedroom, that has a bed."

Richard cupped her face in his hands and laughed, "Cheeky thing. You're right, I do. Meet me there at dusk?"

"I'll be there, my darling."

"I love you, Isobel."

Isobel closed her eyes and hummed her pleasure when Richard nuzzled her neck. "I love you, but you must stop that or I'll not care that I have servants in the house."

Richard chuckled as he placed one last kiss to her lips then let her go. "Until dusk," he whispered then turned and walked out of the house.

Isobel laughed as she realized…he'd never even taken off his hat.