Why did her mother make her go to this, this party just to met another woman who could become her aunt. She let out an exasperated sigh. The car slowed to a stop and the driver got out to help her. Her dress flowed in the wind. The hubub outside the club was that of electric. The young women smoking and drinking cocktails. She wondered what her grandmother would make of this, this place. As she made her way inside her eyes became locked on a silhouette she knew so well. Matthew Crawley. Before any other event took place her aunt-to-be caught her arm and greeted her. She was a well dressed woman who looked to be just a few years older than Mary. Her uncle was 10 years younger than her mother and now he had found a woman just years older than his edlest niece. To tell the honest truth, he was notorious for having always choosen younger women while he was looking for, what the Americans called soul-mates. The party was giving her headache already and she had only just got here. Her gaze stayed on Matthew, who had his back to her, while some young girl of about 19 was talking about how the fashion's were changing. She gave her excuse and wander through the crowd which seemed to get denser and denser every step she took. She felt a small tap on her shoulder. Turning her head slightly, she saw those blue eyes again for the first time since he had said they were cursed. His eyes seemed bluer than ever. At first everything seemed awkward and stiff. Eventually the conversation flowed with more ease, as if they were in a time before the war. He asked her about Downton and how her family was keeping.
"Matthew, why are you here?"The question had been dry in her mouth until know. Had her mother set this up, for Matthew knew no-one from her American family.
"Your mother..." He did need to continue for the laugh that came from Mary seemed to engulf the whole room the were standing in, alone.
"I should have known, for you know no-one from America." The music seemed to grow louder and Mary held her head.
"Mary? Are you alright?"
"No, not really. My head hurts and..I'm really sorry...for everything.."
"I know somewhere quite."
"Where?"
"My hotel is just around the corner and they aren't very busy tonight. It is also a brilliant place for you to explain what on earth you are talking about! You have nothing to be sorry about. "
"Yes i do, and on a lighter note, are you asking me back to your hotel? How very scandalous of you!"
"Yes i am, but as friends."

They made their escape without anyone spotting them and made the short journey to the Hotel. Mary couldn't believe it when she saw that it was none other than the Ritz. "Matthew, are you, Matthew Crawley, staying at the Ritz?"
"Yes, i Matthew Crawley, am staying at the most famous hotel in London." The smile that evolved on her face was as much a reward as he wanted from his answer. He asked for wine and two glasses to be brought to his room in five minutes. Mary raised her eyebrow in that classic Lady Mary way.
"Wine will make your head better so we can talk." She wonders how her knows this but then again his father was a doctor and his mother a nurse.
"If your sure!" His room was big and was decorated for a man with no understanding for style.
"Not the best room, but it does me."
"What do you mean?"
"This is my home for the next 3 weeks and has been for the past 5."
"Why?"
"I'm working for a London firm that need my help with a claim to a will."
"To be honest i have no idea what you are talking about!"
"Let's forget about it. Any way, how is your head?"
Mary sits herself in on of the chair on her right while Matthew took the chair on his right. Out of the four chairs they could have chosen they chose a chairs that faced each other.
"Much better. If granny had been there she would have left before even going in the door!"
"The music was a little on the... Well i think you know what i mean." The laugh he hadn't heard for so long, engulfed the room and made him shiver.
"Yes."

As the night went on, more and more wine and Champagne was drunk until talk turned to Sir Richard.
"Matthew... Please don't mention that man's name."
"Why not? He is your fiance, Mary."
Mary ignores him, but in place of an answer she kisses him. Mary didn't expect him to respond, but he did and with more power than she truly envisaged.
"Mary..."

The next morning Mary woke with fright when she felt herself begin shaken awake. As she prised one eye open and saw a very nude Matthew shaking her awake. She sat bolt upright and then realized not only was Matthew nude but she was also.
"Matthew?"
"I think we both know what happened and that Anna will be going out of her mind with worry that you have yet to return."
"What is the time?"
"Half past four."
"What! Anna expected me back at midnight, if not before."
"How's your head?"
"I though it was better but now its not the music but you that has made it return."
Matthew laughed but stopped when he saw the scowl on Mary's face.
"It not funny, Matthew." Giving him a slap on his arm. He kissed her collarbone and then moved upwards to her lips.
"Really, Matthew... I really don't want to go..but if i don't then...Well i think you know what Aunt Rosamund is like. If she finds out about this then she will relish in it for the rest of her life."

Mary got out of the taxi with a careful step. She saw the light coming from the Servants quarters and when she surreptitiously made her way down to the entrance. Anna must have been watching, for when she reached the last step, the door flew open and Anna greeted her with smile before going of into on of her rants.
"Milady, were have you been? It's past midnight. Lady Rosamund will be after me tomorrow to find out when you came back."
Mary smiled at her maid.
"Leave Lady Rosamund to me.. oh and if she asks i came back at half past...Wait, when did she go to bed?"
"Half past midnight. She was expecting you at midnight, like me. When she slept i don't know."
"In other words she may have been watching for me and she could still be awake..."
"Yes, milady."
"I had better go up know - oh and if she asks i was caught up speaking to Matthew and we lost track of time."
"Very well... but that's not what really happened is it milady?" The door of Lady Rosamund's room is open and Mary sees this, gently putting her finger to her lip. With her free hand she turns the handle, opening the door. Anna entered first and Mary looked back at the door that a moment ago was ajar.
"How can you tell?"
"Where to begin, milady. Your dress isn't done up right...you hair is not the way i made it up and ..."
"Alright you have made your point."

The morning came faster than she thought. The rattling of the crockery on the tea tray woke her with a start. She let out of groan that made Anna jump.
"I didn't think i had woken you milady."
"Never mind that. Has Lady Rosamund said anything?" Anna set the tea tray down and opened the curtains.
"No milady, and thank goodness."
"For both our sakes." Anna laughed and handed Mary a cup of tea. She put it to her lips before raising an eyebrow at Anna.
"What is it, Anna?"
"Just the fact,that you are so calm, as Lady Rosamund is waiting for you downstairs. Her maid told me to tell you that Lady Rosamund wants to know when you returned last night."
"Heavens! What am i to tell her?"
"It might be best if you tell her the truth."
"What? That i spend the night with Matthew Crawley in his hotel room and returned at 5 o'clock?"
"Yes. It will be better than telling her that you came in the door at 2 o'clock and then Lady Rosamund saying she saw you in a state of semi-dress going to bed at 5 o'clock! What will you say then? You may be family but, Lady Rosamund isn't afraid to spread gossip."
"She isn't Edith, Anna. But i sometimes wonder where her spitefulness comes from" She gets out of bed and sheads her nightdress from her body - a daily task that took just seconds. When she was in a state of better dress she sat down at the dressing table. Anna took the brush to the braid that took almost half an hour last night and undid it. She pulled the brush through the curling locks.
"Maybe your right Anna, but i will let her make the first move."

The material moved and shone as the sun came through the window and caught the dress. The door that her eyes had remained fixed too since she had given the message to her niece's maid over half an hour ago. The foot steps on the stairs went unheard and she never her the click of the door as her niece entered the room that was now named the Mirror Room - the young girl how had inhabited this house as a girl made up her mind that the Mirror Room was a much better name than 'The Green Study Room of Queen Carolina', so that is how the Mirror Room got its name. The memories engulfed her head so much she jumped, almost out of her seat, when she heard her niece's voice.
"Good morning." Mary took a seat across from her aunt.
"Huh, oh good morning, my dear. You were very late last night." Mary nearly missed the tone in her voice.
"Not that late, aunt Rosamund. I hope i didn't wake you."
"Heavens no i was still awake when you came back at 5 o'clock. What on earth possessed you to stay out until 5 o'clock in London, Mary? And you looked almost undressed when you and Anna came up stairs. I hope no one from that American Party took advantage."
"It wasn't an 'American Party' as you put it. Madeleine my be from New York, but her parents are more English than granny!"
"No one could be more English than mama, Mary."
"Very well, but her mother is from Devon and her father from Cornwall. You cannot get more English than that. And i didn't see any one American there."
"That's because you weren't there very long and you didn't speak to anyone apart from Madeleine and Matthew Crawley." It dawned on Mary that she must have either spoken to Madeleine or had someone follow her every move.
"Where you following me?"
"I wanted to keep an eye on you so i went to the Party as well."
"But you weren't invited."
"Your mother and i are better friends than you imagine. She asked me to go."
"To watch me because she doesn't trust me around me."
"Can excuse her after everything?"
"Not really, but to ask you to spy on me like that is really underhand of her." With that she stood and left the room.