A/N As promised, here is the next installment in our little story. Oh the angst! Will Mary eventually see Matthew? Will they settle things? Will I be virtually lynched if they don't? Will Sir Richard suddenly see the error of his ways? Well the answer to the last one is no, but hopefully a few more pertiant questions will be resolved here.

Thank you again to everyone who took the time and effort to review. If I had a cap I would doff it humbly.

Hang on to your tiaras, here we go!

Enjoy.


"Lady Mary was lost in her thoughts as she slowly climbed the main staircase. Perhaps Matthew would come this morning? All she had to do was ask Carson to tell him that she wished to see him. If not she could easily ride down to Crawley House this afternoon.

She was almost bowled over as Sir Richard Carlisle appeared from the opposite direction in a great hurry.

She was stunned by the look of anger on his face. He paused for a moment as if to speak to her, but realising that they were observed by Lord Grantham, he seemed to compose himself and merely nodded and continued on his way.


"Is everything all right Richard?" Robert asked as he reached the hallway.

"Quite all right thank you." He replied briskly, "I'm glad I caught you. Things have been held up at Haxby. This is the problem when you are not there to stand over contractors. I wonder if I may impose on your hospitality for a few more days."

"Well… I…" Robert began. He could think of nothing worse than having this hawker of scandal remain in his home for one more hour let alone a few days.

"You understand, with the arrival of our other guest…"

"Of course, but if I am to leave the very least I should do is call in on Mr Crawley and his mother before I go."

The implications of such a visit were not lost on the earl. He clenched his fists in agitation. "Of course if it is only for a few more days I am sure we could accommodate you." He said tightly.

"That is very charitable of you Lord Grantham." Richard said amiably. "Now if you could excuse me, apparently your sister believes my soul may be in need of some salvation." And with that parting shot he collected his hat and was gone.

"That is if you have one." Robert said quietly, before heading to his study.


As Mary entered the upstairs corridor she noticed Anna leaning against the wall. Tears were streaming down the maids face, towels scattered on the floor.

"Anna! What ever is the matter?"

Quickly Anna scrambled to pick up the fallen linen and hide her face. "I wasn't expecting you back my lady."

Mary bent to stop her. "Leave them! Tell me what has happened? Is it about Bates?" She took Anna's arm and helped her up. "You're shaking like a leaf!"

"I… I can't my lady…" Anna began.

"You jolly well can." Mary said firmly before ushering her through the door to her own bedroom.

With the housemaid seated in a chair, Mary regarded her as she tried to stifle tears. "I'm fine my lady. It is nothing."

"It doesn't look like nothing to me." Mary said firmly, "It wouldn't have anything to do with Sir Richard by any chance would it?"

Anna raised her head, her face a mask of sheer anguish. "I am so sorry my lady. Mr Bates will be so ashamed of me… I am so ashamed of myself… I am so very, very sorry."

"Well I suggest you tell me about it." Mary demanded.

Anna bowed her head. She couldn't continue with this. Sir Richard was right; she had committed the cardinal sin. What was the first rule of service? We do not discuss the business of this house with outsiders. No matter how carefully she thought she had edited the information. She had been selfish and stupid. It was over anyway and now the time had come to face the music.

"Anna, confession is difficult, but you do feel so much better when it is done, believe me, I know."


It was an outwardly calm Mary who approached the breakfast room, inside she was positively seething. Anna, her confidant, had betrayed her, that had been her first thought. She had barely been able to comprehend such a thing. Who could have thought that after Sir Richard's first attempt at enlisting Anna as his spy backfired , it would have been possible? Anna would never turn against her. But then she supposed everyone had their price. What had she herself endured in order that he would keep her secret? Anna's weakness was Bates, and if Sir Richard offered the key to her husband's freedom… it was an impossible prize to resist. Once Mary had regained her composure, she was able to find out exactly what Anna had told him. In the grand scheme of things it wasn't much. The maid had been vague at best, and only divulged things she knew would be public knowledge soon after. But now Sir Richard was demanding more. Anna's refusal to reveal their private conversations had thrown the man into a rage, the aftermath of which Mary had witnessed.

Of course Anna had offered her resignation. She had been beside herself with regret. Mary had considered accepting it in her initial anger, wondering if she would ever be able to trust the maid again. However, her rage soon found a new focus in that Sir Richard had orchestrated this, exploited the poor girl's desire to have the love of her life returned to her. She wondered if she had underestimated him.

Gordon and Edith were sat together talking. They both looked up as lady Mary entered.

"Don't stop chatting on my account." She said with practiced brightness. "Although in my experience, a gentleman would normally get up when a lady enters."

Gordon indeed struggled to his feet. "My apologies Cousin Mary." He said nervously.

"I would prefer Lady Mary. I am by no means certain that you are any relative of mine."

"We thought you had gone out." Edith said, clearly uncomfortable with her sister's presence.

"I thought I might spend the morning with you. If this is indeed Cousin Patrick, as he so vehemently claims, then it would be as well to be reacquainted, don't you think? As Edith reminded me, once, Patrick and I were destined to be married and the future of Downton, after all?"

It was obvious from the look on Edith's face that she did not think this was a good idea.

Neither indeed did Matthew Crawley who had just arrived, still dressed in his overcoat, hat in hand. He had called in this morning in the hopes of seeing Mary. Spotting her, he strode across the hallway, just in time to catch the tail end of her speech. It was as though someone had plunged a bayonet of ice through his heart. After a night without sleep, a night where doubt after doubt assailed him, he had decided to walk up to the house this morning. He had to find out once and for all, and it seemed his worst fears were being realised.

Edith glanced towards the door and Mary followed her gaze. Matthew stood in the entrance completely transfixed by her. There was a coldness in his eyes that Mary had not seen since… Suddenly she realised what he must have heard, and what he would imagine from it.

"Cousin Matthew." Gordon said. But the Canadian may well have saved his breath as the other man just stared at Mary in disbelief. She took a step forward, but he merely nodded curtly before turning and heading out of the front door into the snow.

"Matthew!" Mary called out. If he thought he was going to just walk away, she certainly wasn't going to allow it. How it stung when he was cold towards her. He was positively insufferable.

Still he kept walking.

"Matthew wait!" She called again as she reached the front door. She wasn't dressed for the inclement weather. Still she had to catch him, if she could only speak to him then everything would be all right, if he would only listen.

Rushing outside, she began to run down the path towards him. Seeing her, Isis dashed from the house and charged alongside, barking in delight at the game. She had nearly reached him but the ground was treacherous, and with the dog under her feet and her smooth soles Mary tripped and felt herself tumbling forwards. She gave a small scream as her ankle turned over and she plummeted onto the frozen path.

She lay there in shock as the pain from her ankle registered. Matthew was at her side in seconds, crouching beside her.

"My God Mary, what were you thinking? Are you all right?"

She bit her lip against the pain as she started to sit up, her eyes threatening tears.

"Do I look all right?" She almost snapped, but there was no real fire in it.

He helped her to her feet where she winced as her weight rested on the twisted ankle.

"Can you walk? You're soaking wet." He said, taking off his overcoat and draping it around her. She took it gratefully. It was comforting, it smelt of him and she snuggled into it.

"I… I don't know... my ankle."

Isis leapt around them barking.

"That damned dog…" She began.

"Don't blame the dog just because she has better balance than you do." Matthew attempted to smile. If Mary was irritable then she was fine, just slightly bruised and embarrassed.

She tried a step, but her ankle couldn't take her weight. She stumbled and Matthew caught her.

"This wont do." He said sweeping her off her feet into his arms.

"You can't possibly carry me, what about your back?" She said even though it was wonderful to have him so close, caring for her.

"I can and I will. You weigh less than my mess kit, so for once Mary, will you keep quiet and do as you're asked?"

She simply smiled and rested her head against his shoulder as he carried her back to the house. She may be hobbling for a few days, but it was definitely worth it, now he would have to listen to her.


It caused quite a stir as Matthew carried Mary into the drawing room and placed her gently on the sofa. Carson was fussing around and ordering that the doctor be sent for immediately.

"It's not necessary Carson, please." She said.

"I will decide what is necessary my lady, one cannot be too careful." He nodded and made his exit.

Matthew stood awkwardly by her side. "Well, it seems you are in good hands." He said eventually and looked to be preparing to leave. Mary grasped his hand.

"That man is not Patrick Crawley; I would be willing to stake my life on it!" Mary exclaimed. "Those papers must be entirely fake. Papa asked me to chaperone Edith with Gordon, presumably so she wouldn't hand over the family silver!"

"So what you said…" He stopped himself. Why did he have to doubt her?

"What you assumed you mean. If you are going to eavesdrop you really should try to catch the whole conversation. How many times must I tell you never to take any notice of the things that I say?"

God she was stubborn.

He sat next to her. "But if I will no longer be the Earl of Grantham, my wife will not be the Countess... ever?"

Mary lowered her eyes. "And you are concerned that if you are no longer the heir, then I won't marry you?"

"Will you?"

His fingers brushed her chin, forcing her to look at him. He was struck by the pain his words had obviously caused her.

"You once said to me that my father will be holding the reins here for a good many years and any wife of yours will spend more years as the wife of a lawyer than they will as a Countess."

There was a slight hope in his eyes. "So you are willing to settle for only being the wife of a country solicitor?"

Mary raised her eyebrows. "Do I seem the kind of person who would settle for anything?" She said haughtily. "I fully intend to be your wife, and there won't be anything 'only' about it.