Seven

.

Her early wake up the next morning is far more pleasant than she's accustomed to.

When she comes to, Mary is aware of Matthew hovering over her, his hand dancing down her arm coaxing her back to awareness.

When her eyes open, he explains quietly, "Your phone's going off in the next room."

She looks at the clock and groans softly, "It's my alarm. I must have left the phone through there last night."

"You have an alarm set for before five a.m.?"

Dryly, she informs him, "I have a lot to get done before getting to the office."

"At five in the morning?" He gives her this dangerous sort of smile and leans closer.

Clearly humouring him she begins, "There are papers to read, most days I go to the gym, sometimes I join Carson when we force him out running along the Thames so that people will take pictures and other world leaders don't think he's soft..."

At this, Matthew laughs, "He doesn't strike me as a runner."

"He's not. But don't tell Ahmadinejad."

"And what about this morning? Are you going to up and leave me in the name of misleading the President of Iran?"

Her voice a little lower than before, she tells him slyly, "I think Iran can wait."

It earns her a kiss – simple and light but something she could get used to nonetheless.

He turns himself toward her and she works herself in a little closer. By the time they break away, the air around them is heavier than before and he takes her in carefully.

His forehead in at hers, Matthew asks tentatively, "Are we going to have to talk about this?"

"Probably."

"I thought as much." He pulls back a little.

"It's never going to be... straightforward. It's probably better that we talk so that you're... prepared for that."

She at least tries to be honest.

Matthew nods and with more affection than she feels she deserves, repeats, "I know. I'll do what I can to accept that."

"It's selfish of me to expect that from you."

"That's too bad. I get to decide how much I'm willing to give." He punctuates his assurance with a kiss.

Uncertain on whether or how to wade deeper into the mechanics of it all so soon, she lets the conversation trail off there and answers Matthew's comment only with a warm smile. She feels a little bereft when he gets out of bed shortly after but accepts his offer of breakfast and watches with no small amount of admiration as he dresses quickly and heads for the kitchen.

Pulling back on her dress from the night before and brushing out her hair, Mary follows him through.

"I'll have to send Daisy by my flat for something else to wear. I can only imagine how it will go if I show up in this again."

Sliding her toast across the counter Matthew asks, "You won't have time to go yourself?"

"Unfortunately not. Granny called last night; I have been summoned to tea first thing, no doubt to discuss everything from yesterday."

He looks at her earnestly, "You're not seriously still thinking of resigning, are you?"

"That's not exactly what I said," she tries to wave it off.

Matthew gives her an amused and sceptical look.

"I wasn't exactly in the most positive frame of mind," she concedes, "But there will be questions to be answered. It's going to be a fight."

Before she has the chance to say any more, they're interrupted by her ringing phone and seeing Anna's name on the screen, Mary is quick to answer.

"Hello?"

"Hey, uh, it's Anna."

Her voice sounds unusual, almost distant.

"What do you need? Is everything okay?"

"It's fine," the response is quick and short.

"Are you sure? You seem... out of sorts."

"It's just..." Anna trails off.

"Just what?"

After a moment, "No, don't worry, I'm being silly. I'll sort it out myself."

"Are you sure?" Mary is wary.

"I am." She then asks, "Are you okay this morning?"

Watching as Matthew putters around his kitchen, Mary is able to answer honestly, "I'm fine."

"I will be seeing you in the office later, right?"

"Of course. I have to go see Granny first but I'll be in as usual after that."

"Good." There's a short, hesitant silence. "You did everything right you know, we'll get through this. Carson too."

"I hope you're right."

There's a noise in the background and Mary can't quite make out Anna's muffled words at the other end of the line. Eventually Anna tells her, "I have to go. I'll see you later."

Still a little confused by the whole call and Anna's uncharacteristic evasiveness, Mary says her goodbyes with some amount of suspicion and sets her phone aside.

"Well that was odd."

"Who was it?" Matthew asks.

"Anna. She was definitely worried about something."

"But not about the vote?"

"I don't think so. I'll have to press her for some more information later; she's not usually so cagey."

She goes to leave not long after, clearing her plate and gathering what few things she has scatter around Matthew's flat.

Lingering close into him for just a moment, she assures him, "We'll talk properly. Soon."

"Okay. I'll see you later?"

"Tonight," she tells him confidently, "But in the meantime, perhaps we ought to keep things... quiet."

He tips his head, "That's reasonable."

"Good. I'll call you."

As the door closes behind her, Mary can't help her smile.

.

"I never did trust that Strallan," Violet Crawley is full of disdain, "And just look at the mess he's made."

"I don't think the blame is entirely Stallan's," Mary points out.

"I wouldn't go standing up for him. In my day we would have had him shot for cowardice! Or desertion!"

She's slightly too excited by this prospect.

"Granny," Mary gives her a fond but withering sort of look, "You were Prime Minister in the eighties, not the first world war."

"All the same – I ran a tight ship."

"And you're saying Carson doesn't?"

"The circumstances are different. The hung parliament complicates matters."

"All the same – I don't deny that Strallan bungled the issue and it is right that he's resigned, I would just point out that there were others who contributed."

"Well yes," her grandmother concedes, "There's also that Sarah O'Brien. All scheming, no substance. I hope you have something ghastly in store for her."

"We can't well take back the money she got off of us. She is, however, running perilously close to losing her chance to run again, come the next election."

"I would hope so."

"I'm sure you would, Granny."

It's exactly why Mary is so fond of her.

Looking her over with an air of superiority, Violet asks, "You're not thinking of doing anything uncouth are you? I know times are hard Mary, but I wouldn't advise making any bold decisions."

"What do you mean?"

"Well, I would hope you're not thinking of resigning your position with Carson."

"Why on earth would you ask that?" Mary is perhaps a little too defensive.

"Because I know you Mary," her grandmother gives her a significant look, "And perhaps... perhaps also because Carson telephoned me with his concerns."

"I beg your pardon?" She's a mixture of surprised and frustrated at the thought.

"He's concerned Mary; he knows how seriously you take these things."

"With good reason – he's going to be ravaged for this."

"And that is not your problem. Carson would fare much worse without you and he knows it. You're the best political mind in that office."

"He said that?"

"Of course he did and I would too – you're a Crawley after all," Violet seems more than happy to take credit for this fact. Primly, she adds, "Carson isn't an idiot Mary, he knows how valuable you are."

Sometimes it helps to be reminded.

Mary's not always used to having people in her corner but between this and everything that has happened in just the last twelve hours, she wonders if she's going to have to learn.

Eventually, she admits, "Well it did cross my mind – not because I wanted to but because it seemed the right thing. I can assure you that I have since been brought to see the error of my ways."

"Oh, that is good news. It's a wonder what a good night's sleep can do."

Mary avoids choking on her tea.

"Yes, well, now you don't have to worry about intercepting me and talking me out of resigning before I go in to the office," she quickly establishes her grandmother's scheme, "Am I going to have to worry now at every turn that you and Carson are conspiring together? It sounds a rather nefarious prospect."

"It's your own folly for uniting us," Violet informs her gleefully.

"Watch it, Granny," but Mary is smiling. Gathering her things, she says, "I should go. It's going to be a long day and I need to get started."

"That's the spirit," Violet gets up to show her to the door. As Mary goes to leave, she adds, "You might want to think about changing your dress before you go in though, it looks like you slept the night in that one. Honestly, Mary."

If only she knew.

.

It is a special kind of torture, Matthew learns, to receive a call early on an already frantic morning from the father of the girl you spent the night before with.

"Mr Crawley?" William's voice comes over the phone intercom, "I have Baron Crawley looking for you on line one. Are you free?"

Matthew's throat gets a little tighter. He wouldn't know would he?

No.

No, that's ridiculous.

"Ah yes, of course. I'll take it here."

Because really, what else could he say? Sorry, I'm avoiding your call because I shagged your daughter last night and it might be awkward for me?

Just, no.

Pressing the button line one with no small amount of trepidation, he answers, "Hello?"

"Ah Matthew, I was glad to get hold of you; I know it's a busy day so I won't keep you long."

"...Of course. What can I do for you?" He tries, but can't tell if he succeeds, to sound normal.

"Mother and I have done some digging around with the family tree, like I mentioned in Manchester. I thought you might be interested to hear what we found."

Good lord.

The family tree.

This is only getting worse.

Matthew has to clear his throat, "Yes, absolutely."

"How about dinner tonight?"

Again with the unexpected.

"It's not the sort of thing you can, ah, tell me on the phone?" he asks awkwardly.

"I thought it might be quite nice to meet properly, if we're to be family," Robert explains. "Besides, I have a table reserved at The Ledbury tonight and the person I was supposed to meet just cancelled. I thought I might impose on you and suggest that you might accompany me instead. I was rather looking forward to the sea bass."

"Uh..." Matthew struggles for how to respond.

Robert mistakes his hesitation, "I should have thought; it's a Friday night – you must have some lovely young girl expecting to see you this evening. Don't mind me."

"No!" The words slip out without Matthew really having time to think about them, an automatic response to the thought of Robert having any idea just who it is that might just be hoping to see him later on.

"You're free?" Robert seizes on the suggestion.

"...Sure. Uh, what time were you thinking?"

.

It's after lunch time before Matthew can get away but he takes his moment when it appears. There's been this childish sort of excitement building in him all day and despite the media and the questions and the complete circus that seems to once again surround them (he really ought to be used to it all by now) his anticipation cannot be touched.

In spite of his disappearing act in the week before, Daisy doesn't seem surprised to see him when he finally arrives and waves him straight through to Mary.

He's mindful to close the door firmly behind himself as he enters.

"What brings you here?" Mary greets him with a charismatic smile, getting out from behind her desk.

Not wanting to come across too seriously, Matthew flat out lies, "I can assure you I am here for wholly professional reasons."

The smile becomes a grin, "Oh, absolutely."

He takes a look around her office and remarks, "I see you're still employed then – that's always good news. No sacking, no resigning?"

"Yes; if your impassioned pleas last night and this morning weren't enough, Carson recruited my grandmother to talk me out of doing anything too drastic."

"I did tell you."

"You did," another smile plays on her lips.

"Can this be the last we speak on the matter?"

"I would prefer it actually," she explains, "I'm not sure I'm quite used to having so many people worrying about me at once. It's unnerving."

"It's not unnerving. It's just life... love." He adds the last part toeing the line between awkward and significant. "Everyone gets to have someone looking out for them. You're just going to have to adjust."

"Is that an order, Mr Crawley?"

"Call it some handy advice for what's to come." He then asks, "But that was all your grandmother wanted this morning?"

"That and to make pointed comments about my state of dress. Apparently she could tell a little too easily how I'd spent my evening."

A horrified look crosses Matthew's face, "She doesn't know does she?"

"Not like that!" She laughs lightly, "She just skirted perilously close to the truth with her usual barbs. My grandmother is annoyingly on point most of the time."

"Yes, well it's not just her, apparently we also have to be concerned about your father. He wants to go to dinner with me tonight."

It's Mary's turn to look concerned, "What?"

"Apparently he's done some digging into the family tree and has decided I'm distantly related somehow. He wants the chance to get to know me."

Dryly, she asks, "Oh god, he's not dragging out seventh cousins again and pretending like we actually mean anything more to each other than having the same last name?"

"I would say that's exactly what he's doing."

"This is how most people lose thousands of pounds to total strangers," she rolls her eyes.

"Well I can assure you I'm not looking to fleece your father out of his riches. I think he's just interested because I'm in the same line of business and he happened to need a body across the table from him at dinner this evening." He then adds with amusement, "I did ask if you might be coming along but your father seemed to think you would be otherwise engaged in the company of some charming gentleman – you're busy and in demand apparently."

"Well I was holding out hope until about five minutes ago that I'd have plans. But apparently the charming gentleman I have in mind would rather go to dinner with my father."

"I wouldn't say rather, I just thought I ought to stay on his good side. I feel that much could become important down the track." His eyebrows lift expressively and the space between them begins to shrink as they both move a little closer.

"Is that so?"

The urge to lean in and kiss away her smirk itches at him stubbornly, as does his awareness of their surroundings.

They're at work and he doesn't know quite where he stands.

"We still have to... talk. About this. About all of it," he tries to explain, "But I would still very much like to kiss you."

Mary's response is confident, "Well what are you waiting for?"

He leans in and she meets him halfway.

And with that, he knows they'll make it work.

.

By the time the starter has been cleared and the second glass of wine poured, Matthew has come to the conclusion that dinner with Robert Crawley isn't going as badly as he feared.

Despite Mary's vehement warnings to be on guard (a string of increasingly concerned and somewhat endearing text messages throughout his day) he hasn't found the whole affair to be too disastrous. He's vaguely aware there's something – some story about Mary's dealings with her father that he's not yet privy to and with this in mind he's done his best to be on guard.

"So what brought you to politics?" Robert asks from across the table.

"I worked as a solicitor for a while," Matthew explains, "Bates was a client but given our common backgrounds we got along rather well. He had a vacancy and he asked me to come on as his man in London."

"Am I to take it you were both in the army?"

He nods, "And both eventually discharged through injury, though I suppose I have been a little more fortunate with my recovery."

"Oh my. May I ask how you were hurt?"

"Spinal injury. They told me I wouldn't walk again."

It feels odd sharing something so personal with Mary's father.

"I'm glad to see that they were wrong," his warm response seems genuine. If Matthew were to speculate, he would say that Robert Crawley had taken a liking to him.

If only to make things more bizarre.

He continues, "Would you believe that your Bates and I were once also in the forces together? It was before I left to take over the family business and we haven't exactly kept in touch."

"Oh? He hasn't mentioned it."

"I offered him a job once, long ago, but in this day and age I suppose he didn't want or need my charity."

"Is that why you don't have much to do with each other these days?" Matthew asks, finding himself interested in this small piece of his employer's history.

"I imagine so," a small amount of regret tinges his words.

Their meals arrive shortly after and Matthew is more than impressed with the calibre of the food. Their chatter continues, punctuated by satisfied mouthfuls and when the plates are cleared Robert takes to informing him, "You have to go three or four generations back to find the link, but it does explain the common last name."

"I'm sure you're glad to clear that up."

"I suppose. Isn't family history a rather fascinating thing?"

"It is," Matthew nods noncommittally before joking, "Had I known there was a Prime Minister in the family, I would have spent more time trying to use it to my advantage."

"Of course, dear Mama," Robert speaks of her fondly. "You know, I think she might rather like you. You ought to come along and meet her."

This catches him, "Oh?"

"We're putting on a big dinner at the house in a couple of weeks. My wife Cora is returning from New York for a short while along with our daughter and the grandchildren – I thought it might be nice to have all the family in one place for at least an evening. As a cousin, you really ought to be there."

"Well..." he hesitates.

"I insist. I would very much like for you to meet them all." Robert adds, "Besides, Mary will be there, and Patrick, so there will at least be a few familiar faces for you."

He can't tell if this idea makes him more or less inclined to come.

Eventually he responds, "...I suppose if you're insisting."

They don't stay too much longer after the main course with both opting not to have a dessert. Robert seems to be just a little sorry for the night to be coming to an end and as he farewells Matthew, he tells him warmly, "I don't have many male relatives, certainly no sons and my grandsons are all in America, so I do appreciate this chance to get to know you."

Glad at least to have made a good impression, Matthew nods, "Of course. Thank you for an enjoyable evening."

"I'll call you with the details for Cora's dinner."

Matthew has a feeling it's all about to get rather complicated.

.

They're awoken the following morning again by a buzzing phone.

Matthew groans at the noise from Mary's bedside table, "It's a Saturday."

After his dinner the night before, Matthew had appeared at her door with a soft smile and every intention just to talk – about his day, about her father and about them.

That wasn't strictly how it had ended up.

Also rather unhappy to be woken, Mary tucks her face into the crook of his neck and sighs, "It's not my alarm."

"Then what?"

It takes her a moment, "Someone's trying to call me."

Rubbing at her eyes, she sits up in the bed and reaches to silence the phone.

"It was Anna," she explains as she curls herself back into his side in the bed, "Though why she would want to call me so early, I have no idea. I'll ring her later."

"Mmm," he's half asleep already.

It's only a matter of seconds however until the phone goes again.

"Sorry," she kisses his temple briefly in apology, "It must be urgent."

Moments later she answers, "Anna?"

"Oh god, Mary," on the other end of the line, Anna's words are almost at a wail.

Much more alert, she asks, "What is it? What's wrong?"

"The papers..."

"What papers? What's happened?"

"Have they been delivered yet?"

Concerned for her friend, Mary struggles out of bed and gropes for Matthew's shirt still on her floor. Jamming her arms into the sleeves she reassures Anna, "I'm on my way to check now."

"Mary..." she trails off.

"What is it?"

"Just. I- I'm sorry."

Even more alarmed, she hurries to her door and wrangles with the plastic wrap around the first paper she finds.

Taking in the headline and the picture on the front page, her mouth falls open.

"Matthew...!" she calls back to her room without even thinking.

This is bad.

This is very, very bad.

.

Coalition kingpin Bates in bed with PM's trusted advisor

John Bates, the leader of the Britain First Party that joined the Carson government in coalition earlier this year, has been caught in a series of secret liaisons with the Downing Street Communications Director, Anna Smith.

The pair, who have attempted to keep their relationship secret were photographed exclusively by The Mail locked in a passionate embrace outside Miss Smith's London flat on Thursday, just hours after the Coalition Government lost a major vote on defence spending.

Picture: John Bates kisses Downing Street Communications Director Anna Smith

The involvement of Bates and Smith, whose position makes her one of the most senior figures working for the Prime Minister, Charles Carson, casts serious questions over the deal that elevated the BFP leader to a cabinet position. It has not been established how long their affair has continued but there is no doubt that Smith would have been heavily involved in the discussions that identified Bates as a possible coalition partner and subsequently installed him to power.

The Opposition have been quick to respond to the photos, with Opposition Leader Tom Branson saying, "This is evidence of yet another dodgy deal done by Charles Carson and his well-connected staff in order to keep an illegitimate government in power. After concealing evidence of [former MP] Ian Laming's sexual harassment of employees to maintain their coalition agreement, this is yet another example of questionable practises and deceit at the hands of the Tories."

Branson also called for the resignation of Bates, Smith and Carson in light of the revelations about the pair's ongoing involvement.

Neither Miss Smith nor Mr Bates was available for comment at the time of printing.

.

She doesn't get a chance to talk to Anna before all the usual sharks start circling and they find themselves dragged into Carlisle's office for a crisis meeting. Matthew, whom she'd dropped by his flat for some clothes and to at least make an effort to arrive separately, appears just as they're heading in and joins them without a word, along with a harried looking Mrs Hughes.

Needless to say, Carlisle is furious.

"What the fuck were you thinking? It's bad enough we've idiots like Ian Laming to contend with – now we have you lot bringing us down from the inside?"

Mary is first to Anna's defence, "Honestly Carlisle, I don't think it's quite that bad."

"Not that bad? They're saying that the only reason we put Bates in the cabinet was because he was shagging Anna here." He aims an icy look at Mary before dripping with venom, he asks, "Is that why we put him in the cabinet."

Across the room, Mary sees Matthew's knuckles go white as his hand balls to a fist.

"For Christ sake, it quite clearly is not. None of us had any idea about this until this morning."

"There was nothing going on back then," Anna tries to explain, still shaken but at least more coherent than she'd been on the phone. "I didn't even get to meet Bates until after all that had happened."

"So how long?" Carlisle asks pointedly.

"...Since Birmingham. On the Cabinet tour a few weeks ago."

It all seems to fall into place for Mary.

"They must have followed us home after the vote on Thursday. I had thought... I thought I saw something unusual and I did phone Mary, thinking I should let her know. I know it was a mistake but before I actually told her anything, I decided it wasn't worth raising the alarm on a hunch."

She reassures her friend, "It's okay."

But Anna is still trying to explain, "He's always been very kind to me. There was... something there for a while I suppose, but John had always been very insistent that it shouldn't go any further for this very reason. It was my fault really, I pushed him, I... encouraged things."

Mary gives her a look that advises caution and Anna lets her explanation trail off there.

Her nerves already stretched wire-thin, Mary feels the tension ramp as Carlisle's steely glare turns to Matthew. "And what does Bates have to say for himself? He didn't feel like gracing us with his presence?"

"He's in with Carson now," Mary cuts him off cold, but a look from Matthew implores her to let him handle the matter himself.

"Bates is upset, to say the least. He's concerned for Anna," Matthew gives her a sympathetic sort of smile while Carlisle rolls his eyes, "And he's sorry for the trouble it'll cause Carson."

"He should be," Carlisle warns darkly.

Reading the tension of the room, Mrs Hughes intervenes, "What matters is what we do from here. Do we have any idea yet how we're going to respond to it all?"

"Well, for starters we'll be getting rid of Anna," he grouses in return.

Mary goes to refute the idea but is beaten to the mark by a furious Matthew, "How on earth is that a solution? Doing that will only look like some admission of guilt over the whole matter when Anna has done exactly nothing wrong."

Carlisle seems riled in the face of Matthew's defiance. They close in towards each other predatorily.

"At this level and in Miss Smith's position, you do not just get to hop into bed with a senior member of the government. Her poor judgement has brought this office into disrepute."

Mary can see the disgust dance across Matthew's face. This issue and Carlisle's attitude are getting to him in an unusually effective way.

His eyes flicker briefly in her direction and she feels the weight of all that they have left undiscussed hovering awkwardly between them.

It all cuts a little close to the bone.

Matthew turns to Carlisle, "Frankly, I find your attitude disgusting."

"Oh do you?"

"Bates and Anna are free to do as they like as two responsible, unattached adults and no amount of your misogyny will justify Anna's dismissal."

"So you're calling me a misogynist?" There's a quiet threat behind Carlisle's words as he raises himself up with no small amount of guarded aggression.

"It's one way to interpret your actions."

For a frightening moment, Mary is convinced that Carlisle is going to lunge for Matthew and something within her readies for the moment she'll jump between them.

It's Mrs Hughes that diffuses the situation and she is stern and calm as she steps in to commend both of their attention, "Of course Anna won't be going. Mr Crawley here is right to say that provided the information she's given us is correct, strictly speaking she and Mr Bates have done nothing wrong."

"Thank you Mrs Hughes," Anna manages a feeble little smile.

"Of course dear." She continues, "I think our priority now should be disseminating the truth of the matter and making it clear that your involvement came long after Bates was promoted."

"Carson should make it clear he has full faith in Bates going forward," Mary adds.

Mrs Hughes agrees, "Yes, that would be best. Perhaps then it should be Carson that first speaks out on this matter; we should get him on television before the day is over."

"I'll talk to Carson, see that it's arranged."

"And what about Bates?" Matthew asks.

"We'll see how things go with Carson. You'll need to stay closely in touch with Mary here as the matter develops."

Mrs Hughes likely intends only to keep Matthew and Carlisle at arm's length given their earlier heated exchange, but the suggestion sees their eyes meet across the room and they exchange a heavy look.

It all feels a little familiar.

"Of course," Matthew responds more quietly, his gaze not leaving Mary.

"We'll leave it there until Mr Bates and Mr Carson are finished with their discussion." Mrs Hughes turns to Anna, "Perhaps you might like to come with me for a cup of tea; I imagine you need it."

The pair of them are the first to leave Carlisle's office and Matthew follows Mary as she also goes to move off.

Just as they both step towards the door, Carlisle speaks up, "I wonder if you might stay a minute, Mary."

Matthew seems to hesitate as she hangs back but with little alternative, she waves him off.

They tread a tricky line, especially when it comes to Richard Carlisle.

Just about masking his concern, Matthew reluctantly leaves, telling them, "I'll be waiting around for Bates."

Mary just nods and watches him go.

"What was his problem?" Carlisle asks after he's gone.

"I imagine it was your attitude," she doesn't bother to mask her mildly unimpressed tone.

"He has no place speaking with me like that."

Mary makes a point not to sit, towering over him at his desk. "Oh please, Richard. He's Bates' Chief of Staff, it's his job to speak up for him."

"But not for Anna. What is it, I wonder, that has him all hot under the collar?"

Mary feels the first tingle of alarm itch from inside her chest.

"This is hardly a situation where you can expect him to be the picture of calm. I would suggest you're reading a little too far into it all."

"Would you?" He's almost amused leaning back in his chair in some supposedly masculine show of power.

Mary doesn't give an inch, "I would. And you shouldn't be too concerned for all this – I can assure you it will all be sorted in good time. You'll see."

Though he smiles, his eyes are dark, "I'd better."

She turns to leave.

"Just remember Mary, I'll be watching – over you and over your little friend there. With all the trouble the papers are giving me about my dealings with Carson and after what happened with the vote this week, you ought to be doubly sure you get this one right."

"I'll keep that in mind."

As she heads back to her office, she doesn't let any of her worries – not Carlisle's threats, not Anna's distress, not even Matthew's loaded, worried glances all sent in her direction – affect the way she carries herself.

Once she gets there, she closes the door firmly and slumps herself against it briefly.

It's a perfect mess.

.

When an interview is scheduled for Carson later that day, Mary makes the decision not to go and instead briefs him in the office and again on the phone once he gets to the studio. For Anna (and a little for herself, she has to admit) she's determined to be thorough.

Her boss, she knows, had been a little put out when she'd announced that she'd be staying back at the office but while she'd put on a brave face and assured him it was solely because of her confidence that it would all go swimmingly, her words feel a little hollow. The truth that she would never admit out loud is that not only is she wary of Carlisle and his watchful eye, there is also a growing unease stemming from the whole mess – from those things that are unsaid and those things that are hitting a little too close to home – that seems to be tying a knot in the pit of her stomach.

In her office, she has the television on and she watches with some interest as things get underway. Beyond the pleasantries and the initial introductions, the questions are not easy ones.

"Have you spoken to Miss Smith directly about her relationship with Bates?"

"Absolutely."

"And are you concerned about this relationship?"

"I'm not. Not once I was provided with all of the appropriate information."

Wildly uncomfortable with the supposedly 'improper' notion of discussing a staff member's sex life on national television, Mary can tell Carson is struggling a little with the interview. Though she is accustomed to it, she isn't sure his short answers will come across particularly well with the viewership at large.

Mary continues to watch as the reporter fires off more questions with mixed results.

"You understand how it must look. Why is it, if I can ask, that you are completely confident that their relationship has not somehow affected your dealings with John Bates?"

"Miss Smith and Mr Bates did not become involved until very recently; they did not formally meet until well after Bates joined our government in coalition. I also know them to both be morally upstanding people and I do not believe they would allow this personal matter to affect the manner in which they conduct themselves professionally."

"Do you believe they are indeed morally upstanding, even when they have concealed their relationship in this manner?"

"I think they did so with the right intentions at heart."

"Oh, do you?"

As much as is pains Mary to admit, there's no narrative to his explanation, no pizazz. What she'd tried to stress to Carson earlier in their various briefings had been that their current drama is the sort of situation that needs a bit of texture, a rich and interesting story to keep the masses entertained.

In his time as Prime Minister and indeed, more broadly as a politician, Carson has largely been able to get by without this particular skill on the back of his apparent nobility and his commitment to propriety, but both of these traits seem only to be hindering him now.

It goes on.

"So you're saying that the general public should take you at your word that absolutely nothing inappropriate has happened before or after a coalition was established?"

"...Yes."

"Are you going to offer anything further that might substantiate these claims?"

By the time the thing is finished, Mary can only admit that the whole affair has produced mixed results. As they had hoped, the facts are now laid bare and while they will go some way to taking the edge off the scandal, she's not sure they've done enough to engage the public and to win them over to their way of seeing things.

The media will still have more than enough to pick at.

The thought churns uncomfortably in her gut.

She turns the television off and at first she considers going to see Anna, at least to see how she's doing and to say to her all the right things that a friend should given the circumstances. Instead, she finds herself sending a text message to someone else entirely.

Where are you?

The response is swift.

At the office. Have been in with Bates most of the day but he wanted to watch the interview alone. He kicked me out and closed the door.

Making a decision, she tucks her phone into her suit jacket pocket and gets up from behind her desk.

Telling Daisy to call if it's important, she sets off for Matthew's office.

.

The interview is not what he'd been hoping for and, judging by his door, now firmly closed, not what Bates had been hoping for either.

There's an awkwardness to it all – sharp questions and blunt answers that Matthew feels won't fully quiet the suspicions of the average person watching. Though it is not an easy thing to admit, this is not going to be a scandal forgotten by the day's end.

As he watches, certain questions grate at him uncomfortably – a sort of damning self-awareness nagging at him on the periphery.

"And are you concerned about this relationship?"

"I'm not. Not once I was provided with all of the appropriate information."

"Were you aware that they were involved prior to the story breaking this morning? When was it then, that you were provided with this 'appropriate information'?"

It's the secrecy that makes it all worse, he knows. Even though there would have been no easy way around it all, it is clear to Matthew and more regrettably, clear to the man now interviewing Carson, that it is the secrecy that gives the whole notion of scandal some traction.

However you try to look at it, secrecy is an implied admission that all is not entirely right with what you are doing.

Needless to say, it's not been an easy day.

Unable to look away from the screen, so many of Carson's comments ring true.

"Do you believe they are indeed morally upstanding, even when they have concealed their relationship in this manner?"

"I think they did so with the right intentions at heart."

One thing he cannot deny about John Bates, is that he is a man of good intention. Matthew hasn't seen him before quite in the way he has today – Bates is beside himself, not only because of the drama he has caused but also because of the impact it has had on Anna.

Thus far, Matthew has established that the pair had grown close over time, coming across each other so very often as a result of their work. With both well aware of the complications involved, they had done well to remain professional for as long as they had but had eventually slipped when they'd travelled outside of London, embracing a sense of escape that comes with such a marked change of scene.

Once they'd started, they'd been unable to stop.

And the thing is, Matthew understands. He knows unusually well how these things can be so very complicated and he can only feel sorry for his boss who now seems so heartsick over the whole affair.

It doesn't help anyone – not Bates or Anna or even Matthew himself, when it comes to it – the Carson continues to stumble through.

"So you're saying that the general public should take you at your word that absolutely nothing inappropriate has happened before or after a coalition was established?"

"...Yes."

"Are you going to offer anything further that might substantiate these claims?"

It's not elegant and he's not sure it's going to work.

Just as it all draws to a finish, he finds himself surprised by a text message that lights up his phone. Mary.

Where are you?

Matthew doesn't hesitate before replying – it's an automatic kind of response that he can't quite seem to temper – and tells her where to find him.

He knows, of course, that she will also have seen the interview and he can't imagine that she'll be any more impressed with the way it all went. An unfamiliar concern seems to wear at him around the edges with the knowledge that she's looking to find him and with little idea what she might have to say should she appear.

He has to face it; the way it has all unfolded for Anna and Bates rings so very true to the suggestions Mary made months ago in her office – as two people in positions of power on opposite sides of a new coalition, she'd told him rightly all those months ago that their involvement would mean scandal, intense media pressure and rank disapproval. Today has only served to remind him that Mary Crawley is almost never wrong.

Back in that moment in her office, her comments had been about them – it had been a reason to keep them apart and it had been a resolution that Mary had seemed very determined to stick to. It leaves him questioning how she might have looked past this idea these last couple of days, wondering if anything has ever really changed, worrying how the events of the day might give her cause to re-evaluate...

He's not really sure what to think.

Just a few minutes later, she appears at his door.

His greeting is a little reserved, "I thought you might be on your way."

"I should have let you know, sorry."

She doesn't come too far into the room.

"It's fine."

"I take it you watched the interview then?"

The question comes as he expected.

"Of course. I thought Carson... explained the details well enough."

She seems to understand what it is he's reluctant to say, "The details, perhaps. I don't think he managed so well with the overall story he was supposed to be telling – at least not enough to turn the tide of public opinion."

Matthew is resigned, "That's what I thought."

"It's frustrating. They're making out like it's as big as the phone hacking – though I'm struggling to see how two people getting involved because they actually care about each other has anything on scores of journalists systematically breaking the law and disregarding the privacy of others for years on end."

"When you put it that way..."

She brightens, "Still, there's hope for us yet – this was just the first interview."

"I know," he sighs, "It's just been a rather trying day."

She hovers on the spot and though he's sure that hers will have been no easier, she doesn't respond directly to his remark. Eventually, she begins, "I thought maybe... we should talk."

Something in him bristles at the thought, a little unwilling to face all that he's been wondering over – what he fears will end up a rather painful chance to revisit what had been said in her office all those months ago – especially in their current environment.

Still, he bites back on his concern and replies, "There is certainly... much to talk about."

"What's happened with Anna and Bates..." she trails off, leaving the sentence unfinished.

Matthew picks up where she left off, "It does feel a little familiar."

She seems grateful for his stepping in, "It does."

"It's happening the way you said it would."

Mary shrugs in a noncommittal sort of way, "The media can be very predictable."

"Are you... concerned?" He doesn't go so far as to detail just what concerns he might mean.

"Anna and Bates' situation is a little different," she tries to explain.

"Is it different enough?"

Mary hesitates.

It may not be his finest moment, but it's a kind of self-preservation thing stirred up at the sight of Mary wavering that sees him suggesting, "Perhaps... perhaps it might be worth taking some space. Just for the next few days, while this all blows over."

She can't push him away if he asks for distance first.

All the same, she seems a little taken aback by the idea. "I- I suppose. It does make things a little less complicated."

"Precisely." He manages a grim smile.

"I should... go then," Mary says in a prim, guarded sort of voice that he hasn't heard aimed in his direction for rather a long time. "I imagine I'll see you in the office as this all goes on."

Right up until the moment she leaves, he has to fight back an urge to call her back and to somehow set things right.

Stuck between a rock and a hard place, unable to find his voice, she slips away without any more said.

.

Carson insists staffer and prominent MP's involvement is not inappropriate

In an interview conducted earlier today in response to growing public concern, Prime Minister Charles Carson has sought to assure Britons that the relationship between his Communications Director Anna Smith and BFP leader John Bates had no significant influence over a coalition deal struck earlier this year, or in any of Bates' subsequent dealings with his Tory Government.

His reassurances however, appear to have fallen largely on deaf ears as a poll conducted by The Guardian shows more than half of respondents (63%) feel that they are still concerned about the relationship and feel that there are more questions to be answered.

In the notably awkward interview, Carson stood by both Miss Smith and Mr Bates and said that he understood their relationship had only been established in recent weeks. He also remarked...

.

Mary is already in bed and is almost asleep by the time she hears the knocking.

Feeling tired and just a little sorry for herself, she'd turned in earlier than she might have otherwise, forgoing an evening on the couch to instead curl into her bed.

Not only does she need to be ready to go at it all again tomorrow, there had been other thoughts turning over in her mind she'd felt she ought to take time to sort through.

Matthew's request earlier in the day – the idea that they might take some distance – had of course not been without its merits but it still had chafed at her in an unfamiliar and surprisingly powerful way. She's not exactly sure what it was she was going to say when she'd seen him that afternoon but Mary certainly hadn't envisioned it going the way it did.

In her bed she had turned and tossed, pulling the covers closer around her ears.

She'd told him before he'd broken up with Lavinia that her reasons that had once kept them apart no longer mattered as much as they once had, and this much she knows is still true. Though the drama with Bates and Anna had shown her predictions to be pretty well correct, it had also given her the chance to consider how and whether she might fight back against it all should she find herself (should they find themselves) in a similar position.

Until she'd seen Matthew that afternoon, she'd been so ready to think that she could; that she would when a time came that she had to.

Now, she finds herself rather at a loss.

It doesn't help her, of course, that Matthew doesn't have the full story – he doesn't know that her talk of dishonour and scandal was just one of the reasons she pushed him away and the only one she could speak of freely.

Lying in her bed – alone at least until the noise at her door rouses her – Mary had found herself lost in these thoughts, a complicated mess of should haves and shouldn't haves that don't really seem to be travelling in any coherent direction.

Mostly, she'd just felt unusually... alone.

As the night had dragged on she'd begun to drift, sleep coming uneasily and often stolen away by her brain still turning over. It's not just Matthew though, it's a strategy for the next day, it's how they might get themselves out of this – yet another mess that has befallen Carson and his government when they could certainly do without.

And then the noise.

She ignores it at first, not exactly sure what it might be, but when it continues, getting a little louder and more urgent with time, she hauls herself from the bed and makes her way through her flat to the door.

When she opens it, she is again surprised with who she finds on the other side.

"Matthew?"

There is a sheepish and lovely sort of smile playing on his features, "Hey."

Picking self-consciously at her unbecoming sleepwear, she asks, "What are you doing here?"

He steps towards her and his hands reach out, gently caressing down her arms. His careful touch stirs something inside of her and she easily folds in towards him when he pulls her close.

"I had to come. I had some stupid ideas about everything that's happened today – about this," Matthew explains as his hand traces a circle across her back, "I hope you'll forgive me."

"...What ideas?"

He sighs, "I don't know exactly." And then, "I don't want this to be the way it was the first time."

"It won't," she says simply.

"I'm sorry."

"I know."

Matthew smiles, "Are you going to let me in?"

"In a minute."

And then she kisses him.

She kisses him because he's here and she's glad and because she wants to.

When they break apart, he offers, "You know, we really need to stop doing this – this disappearing and not talking about things – it's hard work."

"Might I point out that this time was all your doing."

"I came back," he points out, "I couldn't stay away – not after all that's happened."

"I was having some trouble with the idea too," Mary admits, "Let's... not do that anymore."

"Agreed."

And on the back of his small, enamoured sort of smile, she finally lets him into her flat.

.

The day that follows is not an easy one for Mary.

The Sunday papers delivered first thing had brought the news that whatever they'd tried the day before hadn't quite worked the way they'd hoped and that Anna and Bates' so-called scandal continued as a hot topic of conversation, as well as of speculation and remonstration.

Like Mary, most of the media seemed to think that Carson's interview had been a little too awkward and had interpreted much of his uncomfortable blustering as some kind of poorly executed whitewash of the whole situation.

It was exactly not what they needed.

The team inside the Prime Minister's office had spent much of the day trying to reengineer their plan of attack; Carson had put out an additional statement with the hope of clarifying and bolstering some of his remarks, though the odds of it making inroads Mary knows are not great.

There is something to be done to make it all right – for once she just doesn't quite know what it is.

Surprisingly, she doesn't speak with Matthew much throughout the day about their work or about Bates – he does send her messages throughout the day, as well as the odd email but they're all of a more personal nature, leaving her each time a little brighter than before.

Through all the mess, both of the public and more private varieties, Mary realises she hasn't had much of an opportunity to talk to Anna about it all and seeks her out early in the afternoon. It's a strange role reversal, she finds; Mary is not usually one to press a friend to speak openly about their troubles and she'll admit to feeling a little out of depth as she closes the door to Anna's office inside Number Twelve and offers her a sympathetic smile.

"I came to see how you are," she begins, trying to present herself in the right kindly manner that Anna seems to have perfected.

"I'm... fine. I'm doing fine."

"It's not easy, I know," Mary coaxes, "Have you spoken much to Bates since this all kicked off?"

"Not really. It would just complicate things more." She seems sad at the thought.

"Will you... continue? The two of you?"

Mary realises that this is the question that has never been asked.

"I care for him very much and... I would like to," Anna eventually admits carefully, "Even if it means having to leave my position here."

"You would choose him over me?" Mary asks, though gently. She finds herself able to understand.

"We will always be friends, you know, even if I don't work for Carson."

"I know. And I know that you must love Bates very much if that's your choice – I do respect that."

Anna gives her a curious sort of look but Mary doesn't elaborate. Instead she assures her, "Still, there's hope for us yet. You're still here aren't you, and it's not often I let myself be beaten by these things."

"That's true." She can't seem to help agreeing.

"You're my dearest friend Anna; I'm determined to put this right."

She returns to her office after that and spends the next handful of hours in meetings and making calls. As a Sunday, the office is quieter than she's used to and she appreciates the chance to get on with things in peace.

It's after three when she gets a text message:

Turn on your TV. Sky News. And don't be too cross with me for my insubordination.

More than a little nervous as to what Matthew might be talking about, she does as she's told and turns on the news.

Having no notice of any interview (insubordination, indeed), she is more than surprised when its Bates' face she finds on her screen.

The news banner along the bottom of the screen so eloquently informs her: BFP leader, John Bates, speaks out for the first time about romance with PM's staffer.

There is part of her that wants to panic – this has not been approved in any way, Bates has not been briefed by any of her team on what to say, the various possibilities and outcomes of an interview like this haven't been analysed to the last detail – but then she remembers that it's Matthew and for just one moment, she decides to have a little faith.

She texts Anna.

Sky News, right now. Did you know?

Anna replies quickly.

Jesus Christ. No.

Putting her phone to one side, Mary turns the volume up to listen.

"I just wanted the chance to air my side of the story. I fear that the public might not be aware of some of the... details involved."

"What sort of details?"

"I hope you understand, I don't find this very easy, but I feel I ought to make it clear that yes, I have loved Miss Smith... Anna, for a very long time but it is also the truth that I only met her after – and in fact as a result of – making my arrangement with the Prime Minister."

"You had no cause to meet before this time?"

"Absolutely not. Until that time, I was just a backbench MP and the leader of a very small party – the Downing Street Communications Director was far out of my reach. I will admit though, that once I met her I was entirely enchanted."

Bates, like Carson is a rather stoic man, but it's his honesty and his obviously ardent feelings on the matter that rescue him.

"Did you strike up a relationship right away?"

"Of course not. To start with, I had no idea that my feelings might be reciprocated and once that much was clear we both... struggled; we did our best to stay apart for a long period of time because we knew what it would mean. Anna – my Anna – is a very intelligent person and an extremely effective Communications Director; she knew how it would play in the media. She has been proven to be right, as I knew she would be. I did my best to protect her from that for as long as I could, but in the end, for both of us, not allowing ourselves to be together became too difficult."

"So how long have you actually been together, like you say?"

"Just a matter of weeks."

And like that, Mary knows, this is the narrative that they had been missing the day before. It had seemed like too much of a risk in the days past to have Bates in front of a camera where he could well be crucified for his part in the scandal but she sees now how she has underestimated his ability and the ability of Anna and Bates' story to perhaps set things right.

"And has any of it affected your dealings with the Prime Minister or his office, do you think?"

"I can only say that I have worked hard – very hard – to ensure that it has not. Much of that sort of thing would have gone via my Chief of Staff anyway. He, too, is very competent – it was him that convinced me to talk to you today – and I imagine that he would have been able to tell and would have done the right thing if anything was amiss."

The notion that this all might have been Matthew's idea stirs something within her. It is Matthew that has talked this private, guarded man into baring his feelings on a national news channel, Matthew who ran the gauntlet of defying the Prime Minister's office with a media strategy that would have been shot down in a second, Matthew who might have just pulled off a coup worthy of saving their skin.

For the last one, at least, time will tell. Mary can only hope.

And just as she thinks it can get no better, it's one of Bates parting remarks that catches her.

"So where do things stand with you and Miss Smith now, if you don't mind my asking?"

"It's been difficult, there's no doubting that. I haven't spoken to her much, for fear of making things all the worse but I have expressed to her that I'll do whatever it takes to make things right. And whatever it takes for us to remain together."

"Does this mean you hope that you'll remain as you are, despite the stir all this has caused?"

"I hope for much more than that. I hope that she'll be my wife, that we can be a family."

"And you've told her this?"

"In so many words."

Love, Mary decides, is a crazy and rather magnificent thing.

She should know.

.

Bates and Smith confirm engagement as eager public warms to their relationship

Appearing in public together after an interview this afternoon where Bates candidly discussed their involvement, BFP leader John Bates and Downing Street Communications Director Anna Smith have announced their engagement.

Though when it was first revealed, their relationship was a topic of some concern among commentators and voters, the announcement has largely been met with warm wishes from the public.

Beaming from the site of his London press conference, the Secretary for Communities and Local Government held his fiancée's hand proudly as they confirmed...

.

This time, when he comes around at night, she is expecting him.

"I've been waiting for you a while," she said as she closes and locks her door.

"It's been a busy day."

"Indeed. I hear you have a wedding to plan."

"Who, me?"

"Yes, and you should be careful you know," she gives him a meaningful look, "You wouldn't believe the number of Westminster staff who have told me horror stories about being political operatives one day and glorified party planners for loved up employers the next. And then, you have to watch out for the babies."

"Good Lord; not really?"

"Oh, it happens – something about politicians being unable to do anything for themselves. But I imagine you won't actually have to worry with Bates."

"Good." With this, he comes to stand before her and leaves the matter where it is when he kisses her easily, seeming to relish in the moment. Pulling away just slightly, he smiles, "Hello."

"Hello," she runs a hand along his face, "You did something rather wonderful today."

"I thought I might be in trouble for it, to be perfectly honest."

She tips her head, "You might still be with Carlisle, so do watch out, but I'd say I'm rather impressed."

"That's just because it worked," Matthew laughs.

"I suppose that's true," but she kisses him again to take away any sting to her remark.

After a moment, she steps away to open a bottle of wine in the kitchen and they settle on her sofa in a way that reminds her of old times.

The nostalgia of it strikes her with its sweetness.

"It was quite the turnaround in the media," Mary begins as he reaches an arm around her.

"Do you think?"

"There are news articles calling it 'a topic of some concern'. Yesterday it was the end of the world as we know it and today they're spinning fanciful stories about a great romance. Yes, I'd call it a turnaround."

"And it'll stick?" Matthew asks, if a little tiredly.

"I'd say so – there's more mileage to be had out of a wedding and they'll be onto the next scandal in no time," she shrugs it off. Then for a moment she takes him in, trying to read thing from him that she wouldn't see in other and asks seriously, "What made you do it?"

"Well Bates wanted to air his side of the story..."

"He never would have been so open with his feelings if he hadn't been pushed somehow."

"I suppose it did take some encouragement," he allows, with a careful sort of smile.

"Then why?"

Matthew seems to take his time with this one. "Because of love."

There's this way he's looking at her; she's seen it before a handful of times, including that first night, and something about it sees delicious tension grow rich between them.

Love.

He explains further, "Because people forget sometimes when faced with all this mess and when they're knee-deep in politics that love actually matters and that it deserves its place. Because, with that in mind, I know what it is to have things that need to be said and I thought it was time that we said them." After a beat adds a little more awkwardly, "...Or that Bates said them."

"And so you convinced Bates to bare his soul on national television?"

Matthew's lips quirk, "I browbeat him into it."

"I would have liked to have seen that," Mary's eyes dance with the air around them still electric.

"I was... rather determined. I was caught up with my own problems and all of my own ideas about secret romance; I thought if I could make Bates see..."

"You were right though – you saw it in a way we didn't and your romantic notions might just have gone on to save the day."

"I'm glad." His fingers twine with hers, "And it goes to show that even indirectly, you still had a big part to play in making it right. It was because of you..."

Again he trails off.

It feels like her moment.

Mary feels so unusually brave when she bolsters herself and commits to the coming discussion with the best of intentions, "I know it's not just Bates – I know that we have things that must be said as well."

"We do." He pulls her in a little closer.

"I'll do my best to be honest."

Matthew nods as a sort of acceptance. He seems to understand that there will always be these limits, as much as Mary wishes there weren't.

It is, after all, for his own good. Because she cares for him so.

Love.

"Then..." he struggles to find the right way, "I suppose what I want to know, like you did, is why? Why now when it wasn't okay all those months ago? This whole Bates and Anna thing... it's exactly as you said it would be and I thought that might put paid to all of this fairly swiftly."

"You must know..." Mary breaks off and tries again, "I can't imagine you haven't realised now that the reason I gave you that day wasn't the only one."

"I had a feeling."

"It's all the stuff I can't talk about without making things worse for you. It's not about me – not entirely, anyway – you really don't want to know. You don't want the trouble it will bring you."

"But what if I do? What if I want to take the trouble?"

She looks at him, wistfully and meaningfully, "Do you trust me, Matthew?"

"Of course."

"Then you have to trust me that you don't want to know," she urges, almost desperate with her words.

He thinks on this for a moment, allowing her the chance to continue, "I told you before – and I meant it – that all of my reasons are still reasons. It's just..."

"It's just what?"

She faces the truth with steely determination, "It's just that I have a better reason for wanting to be with you."

Matthew's voice is low and crackles with the weight of what passes between them, "What reason is that?"

It's falling asleep in the same bed and waking up together, it's snippy little emails and a feeling of getting swept away in it all like never before, it's the buzz and a sense of strength that it gives her...

"It's... love." And then, "I just... love you."

It about the biggest and scariest thing she's ever said but there is no part of her that regrets her words once she hears them admitted out loud.

"Mary?" She listens closely to his uneven breathing, his unwavering conviction, "I do. It's crazy and it's so soon but God, I can't help it, I just love you. Hopelessly."

He can laugh, lightly and freely and wonderfully, in spite of himself.

"I might need a small amount of time – not to be apart – it's not about that; we just need to keep this... quiet until I sort a few things out."

"These are the things I don't want to know about?"

"I'm afraid so."

"Right," he nods shortly. "But we're going to do this? Us?"

"We can only try."

"We can do a lot more than try."

It's the last they have to say on the matter – lips crashing together and eyes fluttering closed – for a significant period of time.

.


A/N: All political-type anecdotes you'll find in this story are based on real experiences; spare a thought for my friend and colleague who knows more than he could ever need to about planning a wedding.