one.

It wasn't until she turned on the radio, she realised what a shitty situation they had placed themselves in.

Oh bollocks.

She started to put last night's dishes in the cupboards when her children descended down the stairs, dressed in uniform (well...just), and still half asleep; her husband dressed in his Armani suit, followed not far behind.

He kissed her cheek lightly, his cheek resting lightly against hers in attempt to listen to the 7'o clock news.

The house could have heard a pin drop.

They had heard her voice before; bloody Sarah O'Brien. This wasn't fair or wanted. She wasn't wanted or fair.

"Top QC Matthew Crawley starts his final day in the Old Bailey as reports of a sex scandal broke 7 months ago; involving his wife, the Minister of Education Mary Crawley. Is this a cover up for this missus or is this a very sly bid for no.10"

The whole story was utter bullshit, they all knew it. We-el, not all of it exactly. The sex scandal certainly wasn't a lie, it was common knowledge.

Mary had a wild fling in the mid-90s, when she was a teenager- before she met Matthew. She had slept with the son of a friend of her father's; he- the man in question. Died. In her bed.

"We will be speaking to Mr Crawley as he leaves the Old Bailey at 12'o clock-"

The radio was switched off abruptly; "No she won't" Matthew said firmly, he turned to his family. "And none of you speak to anyone"

All of this had happened before; when the story of Mary's sex scandal broke 7 months ago; Matthew threatened (and quite menacingly to be precise) the press that he could sue them all if Mary came to any danger because of them.

Ah Mary.

He traveled to the lounge to find his phone, only to find his wife bending over; her pencil skirt fitting nicely over her bottom and hips.

"Your phone woke me up" she grumbled to him. "So I brought it down for company" She brushed passed him. "At half past 5 in the morning! Half 5 Matthew!"

Matthew chuckled and raised an eyebrow, flicking through his messages.

His eyes would divert to his wife's bottom every once and while.

She caught him and sighed. "Must you?"

His laugh was low and seductive. "Yes" He came up behind and placed his hands on her hips. "But you know better than to wear things that tempt me. Especially at 7 in the morning" He growled into her ear.

He started placing kisses down the collum of her neck and groping her bottom, causing her to squeal.

"Ewe, Mum and Dad are at it again"

The jumped apart.

Their disgruntled 9 year old daughter stood in the doorway.

"Lizzie, darling. Why aren't you ready for school" Matthew asked, eyeing his youngest daughter's appearance- her tie around her neck, a pair of skinny jeans and her slippers on.

"Not going" The child said simply.

"Why?"

"Got a cold"

"You haven't" Mary chatised, moving reluctantly from her husband's embrace to tie her daughter's tie. She placed her hands on her daughter's shoulders. "Now go and change your trousers...and your shoes."

Lizzie left with dissatisfied sigh.

Matthew laughed.

"What?"

"Like mother, like daughter"

He kissed her cheek and left the room.

A shout came from the kitchen.

The televison was on, their children clambered around it, the sound of the Daybreak theme tune rang through the house.

"Bloody hell, it's Thomas!" Mary cried. "What's he doing giving an interview now?!" She turned to Matthew. "You haven't even got into court yet!"

Another pin could have been dropped.

"Do you think this is Matthew Crawley's bid to help his wife get furthur into no. 10?" Sarah O'Brien asked.

Another pin.

"Well yes. I've known Matthew all my life and this is totally out of character. So yes, I believe this is a bid to help his wife"

Thousands of pins could have been dropped.

Matthew's world had shattered.