Hey readers! Thank you for all the reviews/followers etc. I'm really pleased that people like reading this story! Enjoy.

''I haven't spoken to him since that evening.'' Mary answered, putting an emphasis on the word 'that'. Sybil could tell she was bitter.

''So you are telling me you just left? Mary I get it he's engaged but you seemed so different around him. Like actually happy.'' Sybil looked down at the coffee in front of her. Mary pulled the seat out across from her at her parent's table and sat down.

''I don't want to talk about it Sybil. I was making a mistake. I wish Matthew, Lavinia and their family all the best.'' Mary had become tense since Sybil had brought it up. Mary pulled her iPhone out of her pocket and saw a reply from Anna.

Coffee tomorrow? At Our shop?

-A x

Mary quickly typed a reply saying that she would love to and placed her phone back in her pocket. Carson opened the room leading into their dining room and Mary's father, Robert, walked in.

''Mary, darling! Just the person I wanted to see.'' He walked over and kissed Mary on her left cheek. ''How are you dear?''

''Fine Papa.'' Mary wore a fake smile. Robert however, did not notice.

''Good. I've been meaning to ask you if you'd like to take someone with us to Fiji? Sybil's bringing Tom & Edith is coming a day after with Mike. I'd hate for you to feel left out.''

''It's fine Papa. I can come alone.''

''You should be bringing Matthew.'' Sybil looked up at Mary, wearing the biggest smirk Mary had seen.

''Mary, who's Matthew?'' Robert asked facing Mary and making eye contact. ''Some beau?''

''No Papa he was an old friend. That's all.''

''Well you are more than welcome to bring him along. Your mother want's you to bring someone and you've been awfully quiet about any boyfriends.'' Robert was genuinely curious. Mary was a lovely person and beautiful, he was very surprised that she was single while his other two daughters were happy in relationships. Robert blamed Mary's stubbornness, something she had inherited from him.

''No I'll be coming alone. It's not a big deal.''

''Well you have some time to change your mind.'' Robert sat down at the table holding a newspaper and beginning to open the pages.

''Sybil, do you want to go now?'' Mary asked, wanting to remove herself from the tension in the room.

''Can't we go later. I've already got a coffee. Mrs Patmore has a new kitchen hand who is training to be a barista. Might as well stay here for the coffee.'' Sybil looked down at her mug, the foam looked amazing and even had a heart shape on it.

''Fine. Where's Mama?''

''Upstairs dear. Sorting out some old clothes for a charity auction.'' Robert replied still not bothering to look up from the paper.

''I'm just going to go to the office and borrow the computer.'' Mary stood up, feeling uncomfortable just sitting at the table and headed out of the room, down the corridor. The office was the next door across from the dining room and contained an impressive bookshelf on the left, two desks with the biggest iMac computer screens in the middle, two leather couches facing a large bay window and a large painting on the right. Mary walked over to the computer and opened up Safari, deciding to check her Facebook page. Nothing interesting was on her timeline so Mary decided to search Matthew. Something inside of her gave her the feeling that she should go against everything she was trying to do for the past few months and just quickly check what he was up to. She clicked on his page and his timeline popped up. He had changed his cover photo to a picture of him and Tom, arms around each other's shoulders, wearing the two biggest grins she had ever seen on their faces.

They look so happy.

Mary then scrolled down to his timeline and saw something that left her completely gob-smacked:

Matthew Crawley is no longer in a relationship.

Nobody had liked the post or commented on it. Mary remembered that she didn't even see his relationship when she stalked his page those many months ago.

Did Matthew finally let Lavinia go? What's going to happen about that incident? Has her father promised to remain quiet? Poor Matthew.

Mary scrolled down his page. Of course she didn't expect to see anything of Lavinia but she had a feeling in her gut that Lavinia would've hurt him. She half expected to see multiple wall posts on his page telling him what she thought of the break up, but of course they were adults here, not petty teenagers. Mary remembered adding her fourteen-year-old third cousin Laura on Facebook then deleting her because of her thousands of status updates about boys and break ups.

Mary wasn't sure what to do next. Should she contact Matthew and check up on him? Make sure he wasn't too upset? She wanted to be a friend to him but at the same time Mary was purely embarrassed for her past feelings towards him. She was employed to help plan his own wedding, the wedding that she guessed has now been called off. Was she the reason?

She outstretched her arms on the newly polished wooden desk, folded her hands under her elbows and lay her head down awkwardly onto them. Mary closed her eyes and breathed deeply. The gradual tick of the clock on the desk next to her started to irritate Mary so she sat back up, closed Matthew's Facebook page and left the office. Seeing Matthew's photo and his page really made Mary reconsider everything. She had spent so much time distracting herself with her new job just so she could forget him and now she was considering calling him. Mary decided that she should pay a visit to the kitchen.

I can't think properly on an empty stomach.

Later that afternoon Sybil had finally caved in to Mary's pleas of going to the coffee shop near the family home. The two were just sitting at the window table and talking about their Fiji plans were the door opened, forcing a chilly breeze on to Mary's back. Sybil looked up to see a very familiar face walking over to the counter.

''Who's over there?'' Mary asked Sybil, clearly seeing her facial expression change from happy to cold.

''Look for yourself.''

Mary turned her head to the left and saw the back of a man wearing jeans and a jumper, a satchel around his right side and his fingers combing through his dirty blonde hair.

Matthew.

''It can't be him Sybil, he doesn't live around here.'' Mary looked out the window of the café, staring at the cars parked outside.

''I saw him walk in Mary! What should we do?''

''I should probably say hi. This is way too awkward for my liking.''

''Should I wave him over here?'' Sybil asked shifting in her seat.

''Let him see us first.''

The two girls sat in silence, both now staring at their lattes. Mary couldn't decide whether she was pleased to see him or not.

Just because he is single, doesn't mean he wants us to be friends again. No matter how fun it was.

Matthew was still standing at the counter, obviously ordering his drink to go. Mary took the time to look up from her latte and let her eyes travel over him. He looked the same as he did on that night two months ago. Mary had cut her hair shorter, stopping at her shoulders, but apart from that she believed she looked the same as well.

It was only two months Crawley. Pull yourself together.

Finally after what felt like a lifetime to Mary, Matthew turned around with his drink in his right hand. The two immediately locked eyes.

God, they are beautiful.

Matthew broke the eye contact and looked over to Sybil, checking whom Mary was sitting with. A smile broke out on his face and he waved at the two girls, earning a smile from Sybil and a wave back from Mary. He slowly wandered over to the two.

''Mary, Sybil, how are you two? I haven't seen you for a while?'' It was friendly small talk, Matthew was clearly being polite but it caused Mary to feel upset.

Why say you haven't seen me when you made it clear you didn't want to remain friends.

Mary understood that she was partly to blame as well.

''Yes it has been a while. How are you?'' Mary queried, trying to read his facials to see what he was actually like.

''I'm good. Yourself?''

''Fine.'' Mary smiled. Matthew could tell that this small talk was getting awkward.

He didn't know how to deal with the situation. Sybil took her queue to leave excusing herself to the bathroom.

''May I?'' Matthew pushed, gesturing to the empty seat across from Mary.

''Of course.'' She felt a little uncomfortable having him so close to her. Mary was truly confused as to why he would want to sit with her. It wasn't as if they were friends.

''What brings you to this part of London?'' He tried to make the conversation more meaningful.

''My parents and Sybil live near by.'' Mary took a small sip of her latte, relishing in the soothing feel it gave to her as it passed down her throat.

''That's nice. It's a lovely area.''

''What brings you around here?'' She looked up, staring directly into Matthew's eyes.

''My lawyer's office is nearby.'' He looked down.

''You have a lawyer?''

''I didn't want to represent myself.''

''Why would you need to do that?'' A confused look was plastered on Mary's face.

''Mary please.''

Mary swallowed. She had forgotten about his situation and suddenly a wave of guilt crushed her. But Matthew didn't know that she knew he wasn't with Lavinia. She decided to keep the act going.

''I broke up with Lavinia. I left her for good about a month ago.'' Mary could tell he wasn't happy or sad. His face was expressionless.

''I'm sorry. Has he released the story? I haven't heard anything on the news.''

''No, Lavinia's father has not done nothing yet. But just incase I got a lawyer who doesn't know me personally. It's better that way.'' Matthew looked away from Mary and stared at his feet.

''Of course.''

''Nothing I can do about it but get a good lawyer and pray he decides not to do anything about it.'' Matthew was clearly uncomfortable talking about it.

Something had been eating at Mary since that morning.

Why did he decide to break up with Lavinia now?

She wasn't sure if she should ask or not, feeling it might be awkward and Mary was still confused as to what their relationship was. Friends? Mary decided to ask him there and then, she'd have to ask at some point and wanted an answer.

''Why did you end it?'' Mary took a sip and placed the cup back down. Matthew hadn't touched his drink.

''I liked Lavinia a lot. I really did. But I realized that I fell in love with the idea of her and I didn't truly love her. Then of course she cheated with Richard Carlisle and Summer came along.'' Mary choked slightly on her latte.

Did he just say Carlisle?

''My story didn't seem worth ruining my chance at happiness. I know I was stupid, immature and pathetic. But I've grown up and I'm ready to move on and take the consequences of my silly youthful mistake.'' Matthew let out a breath he didn't even realize he was holding in.

''I'm sorry but did you say Richard Carlisle as in Sir Richard Carlisle?'' Mary was completely stunned and she was even surprised that it came out as a sentence. Her head was spinning. Could it really be the same man that she ran into? The same man who took her out to dinner months ago?

''Yes. He is Summer's biological father.''

Did you see that twist coming? I hope you like how it plays out. I am also looking for a Beta so PM me if anyone is interested or knows anyone who wouldn't mind helping me! I don't have the best grammar/spelling but I have no idea on how to find someone (sorry blame the being new part.) I'm not too sure how many chapters will remain but let's just say I do love a happy ending.

Thanks for reading,

-Marthewshipper xxx