Thank you to everyone who reviewed, followed, and favourited this. Anthony may have to work on his own for a week as I have to go away on business, but he will be back!

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In the last of that day's dusk, Sir Anthony Strallan was on a train to London. Hugh had been a brick really. He'd listened to Anthony's incoherent fears with patience, only interrupting to insist he get Oakley to give Anthony a brandy for his nerves' sake. Then while Anthony and Oakley packed, Hugh had been in touch again with his friend at Scotland Yard, Detective Inspector Peregrine Chaunter. Anthony was to meet him at the Yard tomorrow morning first thing. There was little Anthony could do between then and now other than worry.

Of course he was sure that Edith was not capable of stabbing a man to death, but his steadfast opinion alone wasn't going to prove it in the eyes of the Law. What had really shaken him was the report that she had taken a lover. He'd got a small inkling that she felt underappreciated at Downton, although Edith had never really talked about that to him. He'd known that he'd hurt her, but had she really been so desperate after he jilted her? If so, this turn of events was his fault. He was responsible for the fact that Edith was being held in some god-awful prison, and, if he knew her at all, was most likely despairing of herself but putting a brave face on it in her bold, determined way. He couldn't bear to think of it. But for the rest of the journey, he could think of nothing else.

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Nine o'clock was striking when Sir Anthony presented himself to the front desk Duty Sergeant at Scotland Yard asking for DI Chaunter. It wasn't long before the man came to the front desk himself to meet Sir Anthony but he looked quite discomfited that he had to talk to this aristocrat for the sake of a friend when he really should be doing his job.

"Sir Anthony Strallan, Colonel Gervas has told me about you and your interest in the Gregson case."

"I'm grateful to you for seeing me, Inspector. Is there somewhere we can talk more privately, perhaps?"

Annoyance crossed Chaunter's face. He'd rather hoped a private conversation wouldn't be necessary, but there seemed to be no avoiding it. This tall man had a quiet way of insisting.

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Back in Chaunter's office, Anthony asked him how he knew Hugh Gervas.

"Served together at Ypres" was Chaunter's simple answer.

"Really? I was there myself for a bit."

"Oh my God!" Chaunter suddenly exclaimed. "You're Major Strallan?"

"Well…I'm sure there were others" answered Anthony hesitantly at Chaunter's complete about face in his attitude towards him.

"Do you remember a lad called Murchison? In the Royal Army Service Corps? Got himself stranded in No Man's Land with his leg hanging off, April 1915? You carried him back to the lines."

"Good grief, yes! Did he make it?"

"Yes, he did! They had to take his leg off, you know, but he's quite fond of the wooden one now. Makes jokes about it."

"How do you know him, may I ask?"

Chaunter's smile couldn't have been broader. "He's my son-in-law."

"Oh! Oh, that's marvellous. Very glad, yes...very glad" stuttered Anthony. "Er…was he your son-in-law before the War?"

"No, but he was my Gladys's sweetheart. They married in 1919."

"Sorry to ask but…you didn't mind he was wounded?"

"Why ever would I mind? He's a good man. I'm grateful to you for saving his life. He's a Duty Clerk here as a matter of fact, and a damned good one too" Chaunter added with obvious pride.

The difference between this man's honest acceptance of the War's consequences, and Lord Grantham and his family's attitude to Anthony's own injury struck him with bitterness. He liked Chaunter; he seemed honest and unprejudiced, but this link between them might make it look like Anthony was calling in favours.

"Look, Inspector, I want to ask you for some help with this Gregson case. I know that what I ask may be…well, not entirely the done thing. But I don't want you to think…or feel…that you owe me anything…because of Ypres. Don't let it influence your decision."

Chaunter looked at him guardedly. "What is it you want?"

"I want to be sworn in as a temporary assistant or something, but detailed to you so that I can read all the relevant files, interview witnesses including Lady Edith, that sort of thing. I have to get to the bottom of this, because, you see, Lady Edith…" Words failed him.

"I know. Hugh told me. She's special to you."

"And I know she couldn't do a thing like this, not even in extremis."

Chaunter examined Anthony's eyes.

"And if I refuse?"

"I will thank you for your time, then go to Lady Edith's solicitors and make the same request to work with them. And, to anticipate your next question, if they refuse me I will work on my own as best I can, bothering everyone equally."

"You'll have your work cut out: she hasn't got any solicitors yet. I wouldn't usually countenance something like this, but I suspect you really know what you're suggesting. If I swear you into the Force, make you a Special or something, and you discover evidence which points to Lady Edith actually being guilty…"

"Then it would be my duty to inform you, and I shall do so, without hesitation. She'd expect nothing less of me, and neither would I."

"Noblesse oblige" muttered Chaunter.

"Something like that, yes. But I won't be put in that position, because she isn't guilty."

"Well, I won't lie to you, Sir Strallan…"

"The title is 'Sir Anthony', just so you know. But I don't really mind."

"I won't lie to you Sir Anthony, I am under considerable pressure from my Chief Constable to get this case sorted as quickly as possible. No matter what really happened, it involves a newspaper editor, the daughter of an Earl, and a love affair. That makes it really good news for the media, and really bad news for the Force. I need all the help I can get, and Colonel Gervas says you were in Intelligence so you won't be a waste of space. And everything I've heard from you so far makes me believe you're a good sort of chap. I accept your proposal, but on two conditions: first, from now on, you are Anthony Strallan, plain and simple. We've got enough aristos mucking the place up in this case as it is. And second, you only answer to me, agreed?"

"Agreed" Anthony replied immediately and directly, offering his hand.

"Good" said Chaunter, shaking it briefly. "While I find out the correct procedure for swearing you in, you can begin by reading the report of the first officer at the scene and telling me what you think."

"Certainly."

"Certainly, Sir" Chaunter said, pointedly.

It took Anthony only a fraction of a second to realise he wasn't addressing him.

"Certainly, Sir" Anthony said with humility.