Begin Chapter 7.

It was 7:58 on Monday morning and as Elsie stood in the ascending lift she thought of Tom for the first time since Friday. She laughed internally at her own irresponsibility. She supposed she'd just treat him as she ever had, the suspension was most definitely enough punishment for the poor lad. The doors opened revealing a cheery and coy looking Ethel. "A very good morning to you, Ms. Hughes."

"And to you, Ethel" Elsie said eyeing her suspiciously.

"How was your evening with Mr. Carson?" Ethel asked once Elsie was about to pass the reception desk.

"Very good."

"And the morning after?"

Elsie's expression changed abruptly.

"I rang your house. You didn't pick up all day."

Elsie tried to give her a disapproving look but couldn't keep a hint of a smile off of her face. Ethel smiled at her, making her fell like staying in this conversation any longer would be unwise.

"What did you need, Ethel?"

"Oh nothing in particular, Charlie missed you is all" Elsie immediately felt very sorry for not being around when little Charlie was asking for her, she loved that little boy.

" How is he? Is he feeling any better since Friday?"

"Oh yes, it looks like it was a twenty four hour thing, anyway, he has been for you all weekend."

"Bring him over to mine tonight, I'll cook you both dinner."

"You can't tonight, you've got that exhibition opening you said you'd go to."

"Oh that's right… the rest of the weeks booked too isn't it?" Ethel nodded nd they both looked disappointed.

"No wait, you've got Thursday free" Ethel corrected herself looking at the calendar on her desk.

"Oh brilliant, Thursday will be perfect. Tell Charlie I've been missing him too will you?"

"Of course" Ethel smiled widely and Elsie continued to her office hoping that Tom was present and had a latte for her.

She opened the door to find Tom sitting on the edge of the sofa, he perked up as she entered, it looked like he'd had his head in his hands. She felt bad for letting the poor boy stew in anxiety for nearly a week. She decided to treat him as if the whole thing had never happened, hopefully he would catch on that she wanted to forget about it and go back to normal. "Oh Tom, thank God. My coffee?" She inquired as she hung her coat on the rack by the door. And turned back to him with a smile.

He looked surprised and intensely relieved.

"Yes, Ms. Hughes" he picked up the cup from the table and handed it to her.

He still looked a little uncertain about where they stood.

"Anything important I should know?" She asked him. He looked scared. "Tom, for heaven's sake you're not in trouble anymore" she reassured him.

"No, it's not that, Ms. Hughes." He hesitated "It's just… lady Mary."

"What about her?" Elsie was worried now. How did Tom know something as wrong with Mary? He picked up a newspaper from the coffee table and handed it to her. The headline "Turkish Diplomat Dies In Bed With Aristocrat". "Oh my God…" Elsie felt her heart drop as she read. She flung the paper onto the floor and marched to her desk. She called Charles.

Once his secretary had put her through and his deep voice started to greet her she hissed at him "What the hell is this!"

"What is what, my dear?"

"Have you seen the newspaper, Charles?"

"No, I haven't actually, my paper wasn't delivered this morning" he complained. "Why?" She sighed and summed up the article for him with a heavy heart and a gloomy voice.

"My God…" She heard after a few seconds "That's why Gwen didn't give me the paper…" She heard him exhale an exasperate breath "the poor girl, she isn't going to leave the house for months." Elsie suddenly felt terribly guilty for only thinking of the possible negative effect on her ad campaign. She had forgotten to think of Mary as a vulnerable human being.

"Charles, is she alright?"

"She wouldn't say a word this morning. Barely got her to eat anything. She'll bounce back like she always does but I daresay a thing like this is… hard to recover from."

"I daresay it is." Elsie couldn't help imagining herself in the same position and how she would be if it had been Charles who keeled over in bed. She couldn't bear the thought, it was too horrible. "She wasn't serious about him was she?"

"No, not as I understand it. It was to be a first date, they hadn't known each other long. A mercy I think."

"I quite agree…"

"Elsie I know this could hurt your spring campaign-"

"No, absolutely not. Of course it's not the type of thing I generally want to be associated with but… things happen, Charles." She wouldn't dare dump Lady Mary now, not because of a spot of absolutely dismal luck. She felt guilty for having considered it.

"Thank you, Elsie" Charles sounded relieved and emotional "You don't know how much that means to me." They soon hung up in order to begin the damage control on their respective ends of the scandal's spectrum. Elsie and Tom discussed various possible approaches to the problem and determined nothing should be said at all until the autopsy report was released (Tom had told Elsie about the tabloid coverage and ridiculous foul play theories being printed by publications that were also running articles about the possibility of the prime minister being an alien and things like that).

Once they'd reached a decision there was a noticeably tense silence. After a few second both Elsie and Tom spoke at the same time "Look, Tom-"

"I was out line-"

.There was another brief silence.

"You go first." Said Tom.

"No, I think you ought to." Elsie replied.

"I just wanted to say that I was incredibly out of line, and nothing like that will ever happen again… and it's incredibly gracious of you to not have sacked me by now."

"Yes." Elsie began "It is. But, Tom you're not entirely to blame. I let our relationship become much too casual, I let boundaries get blurred. I like you, Tom and I'd be lying if I said it wouldn't be a detriment to lose such an efficient worker."

"Thank you, ma'am. I promise to keep my hands to myself and my head down from now on." There was a hint of humor in his voice. She smiled and they both laughed a little. The air in the office seemed much clearer now.

"If you don't mind my asking, Ms. Hughes" Tom began "I've been dying to hear about your evening with Mr. Carson." Elsie wasn't sure how much sarcasm he meant that with or where exactly their new boundaries lay but this question seemed moderately safe, she and Tom were, after all , friends.

"It went very well, Tom. Thank you for asking. " He looked as if he were about to say something but thought better of it. "What is it, Tom?"

"It's just that I… well I came by your house Saturday morning to apologize and you weren't home." Elsie blushed.

"I'm sure I was busy, Tom."

"Yes." He said while making a Trojan effort to not smile "I'm sure you were."

Tom left Elsie's office and sat at his desk not far away. He was happy for Elsie but as he sat at his only semi isolated desk he couldn't help but be a bit jealous Of Charles Carson. *I hope the old man knows how bloody lucky he is* he sighed and started work on some of the tasks Elsie had given him. He had to keep his mind occupied with other things now, he had never really seen himself with Elsie Hughes but it still felt like defeat. However it wouldn't stop him flirting now and then.

Charles put down the phone and rested his head in his hands. He knew it was only going to be a matter of time before the press got ahold of this but he thought he'd have a bit more of it. He didn't know what to do. He just wanted to turn back time and stop this whole terrible ordeal from happening, warn Mary somehow, keep her safe. His blackberry rang and the name Sybil flashed up on the screen. He was mildly confused while he answered the call, he never got the impression that Sybil had really liked him. "Helllo"

"Uncle Charles, thank God! Do you have any idea where Mary is? I've been calling her all morning but her phone is off."

"Yes, she's fine- well not fine exactly but she's at my flat, I don't think she's got any of her things so her mobile's probably dead."

"I'm so glad she's somewhere safe from this madness. I assume you know what's happened then."

"I do."

"I saw it in the paper on the train this morning. I've just come from trying to get to her flat, it's packed with photographers outside her door. Scum." Sybil sounded very angry indeed.

"I couldn't agree more. I'll try to send someone for her things later, someone the press won't care about. You should join her, I think she needs someone to talk to… I think you're far better company than I am right now. I'll phone and tell them to expect you."

"Thanks so much, I'll see you when you get home." And with that she hung up. He had no idea who he would send. Who did he trust that much? No one really. But Elsie… Then an idea flashed through his mind… no. Surely Elsie had him doing more important things. He couldn't bother Elsie with a thing like this. But with Gwen hiding from him he didn't really have a better choice. If Elsie could trust Tom he was sure he could. He swallowed his pride and picked up the phone.

Tom picked up his desk phone and heard Elsie's voice, "Tom, come in here please, I have an errand I need you to run". Five minutes later he was out the front door and on his was to Charles Carson's flat to retrieve lady Mary's keys. He would run as many errands as she needed him to as long as he still felt guilty. When he arrived at Mr. Carson's front door he knocked and waited patiently for *what was her name again… Sarah?* When the door swung open what Tom saw before him took his breath away. She was beautiful. No. Beautiful was an understatement. He didn't know what to call her, words didn't seems to cut it.

"You must be Tom" said the angelic figure in front of him.

"Yes, I'm-" *For the love of God what am I* "uh- Elsie's Assistant. I'm here for Lady Mary's key." She smiled at him, reached somewhere behind the door and came back into view with a key and a list.

"Here's a list of what she needs and where to find it. If you can't find something just call me, my number is at the bottom"

"Thank you, my lady. I'll be back as quick as I can. " He gave her a polite smile and set off for Lady Mary's flat.

-TEXT TO ELSIE HUGHES: What is her name again? Lady Mary's sister.

-TEXT TO TOM: You've forgotten already? Why do you want to know? Is she pretty?

-TEXT TO ELSIE HUGHES: It would be terribly rude to call her the wrong name.

-TEXT TO TOM: Very pretty then. Her name is Sybil.

-TEXT TO ELSIE HUGHES: Thank you.

Mary's building was surrounded by a hoard of photographers and various journalists through which he passed relatively easily. He didn't have any trouble finding the things on Lady Mary's list, her flat was incredibly tidy but for a few pieces of crumpled clothing on her bedroom floor. Trying them on for her date he expected. He picked them up and hung them in her closet, he thought leaving them where they lay would be a terrible reminder for her to come home to.

He was back at Mr. Carson's door quicker than he expected to be and clearly quicker than he was expected. Lady Sybil looked a little surprised when she opened to door and found him there. "Oh, Tom. I didn't expect you back so soon. " Her comment came with a polite smile.

"It was pretty easy, getting through the press, being anonymous has its benefits."

"Gosh, don't I know it. Well thanks, Tom. We really appreciate this. Both of us."

"It was my pleasure, my lady."

"Call me Sybil." She extended her hand for him to shake.

"Sybil." He took her graceful hand in his.

When she closed the door he felt like he was walking on air. Never before had Tom encountered such a beautiful creature, not even in Elsie. Elsie was plenty striking but Sybil *Sybil. Even her name is beautiful*. Tom believed he may be falling love.