This rather short chapter embodies the strangeness I mentioned in the last chapter for the Duke's character, but I hope that this only intrigues you further. Thank you so much for reading and for all the positive feedback and support for my writing. Please enjoy.

Apologies for any spelling/ grammar mistakes.

That night Thomas visited the Duke, who managed to bring out the under butler's energy, but it was different from the night before. There was tenderness in every move the Duke made, in every word he spoke. The need for physical attachment had vanished the night before, now there was something more fragile and distinct between them as Thomas fell asleep in the Duke's arms under the calming touch of fingers stroking his hair. It was a peaceful night of sleep and Jimmy did not feature in Thomas' dreams, but for once he did not mind his absence. On waking Thomas was reluctant to skulk back to his room alone, but he had no choice. The Duke kissed his forehead and, as a proper gentleman should, showed him to the door, taking the opportunity to ask Thomas if he might like to accompany him to the village after lunch to run a couple of errands. The under butler was naturally suspicious; the attachment clause the Duke said would be non- existent in their relationship was somehow breaking down. Something was changing; Thomas could feel it in his heart as much as he could in his mind; to what though he didn't dare to think about. It did not stop him from saying yes to the Duke's request, and found that since he started his work he could not stop staring at the clock.

Thomas and the Duke were wandering through the fields on the way back to Downton Abbey from their short trip to the village, the long grass still held upon it the moisture from the rainfall the night before last, yet the previous dry spell had seen that the ground beneath their feet was soft but not enough to muddy their shoes. The men trekked through the grass, brushing wildly against their trouser legs and the ends of their coats, the wind beating their faces gave them a sense of oneness with the world about them, a raw feeling which breathed romance through the vegetation surrounding them as it rustled lushly.

The conversation between the two men was relaxed and vivid as they laughed, enjoying each other's company; a thing Thomas would not have for a moment thought possible. All ideas of deception had been driven from his mind as the Duke continued in all his sweetness towards him, including taking the liberty of entwining his fingers in Thomas' as they walked through the field shoulder to shoulder, taking advantage of their seclusion. Thomas felt the grip on his fingers but disentangled them, unable to reciprocate. The Duke looked at Thomas kindly, "No need to look so scared Thomas."

"I'm just trying to understand your intention." Thomas withdrew himself from the Duke, stopping to face him.

"And what do you think that is?"

"I thought this was supposed to be a bit of fun." Thomas said, seeing that the Duke's actions had gone past that.

"It is; it doesn't mean I can't treat you well." The Duke ran his finger along Thomas' jaw line, but the under butler pulled away as confusion clouded his trust.

"You didn't treat me well when you first arrived." Thomas recalled the Duke's untiring manipulation.

"I know that, and I think now maybe I should have taken a different approach it's just that I remember the first time we met and how my… shadiness, I suppose you could call it, worked on you. I thought it would have the same effect this time around. It didn't occur to me that perhaps you had changed."

"Really?" Thomas compared his meeting the Duke to the last couple of days, and saw that the manipulative Duke was exactly the man the old Thomas would have been attracted to, and the Duke had no way of knowing that the Thomas standing before him wasn't the old Thomas.

"I told you I've changed."

'We both have', Thomas thought. "What have you being doing the past eight years?" Contentment kept Thomas silent the night before of questions regarding the Duke's wife, but wondered now if perhaps her existence could explain the change in the Duke's character, a change he was almost willing to accept.

"I assume you mean away from the war?" The Duke turned to continue walking, slower than their previous pace to suit the tone of the conversation. "I was married, but I get the feeling you knew that."

"What happened?" Thomas was somewhat disappointed, as he always thought the Duke was a man who would not conform to the satisfaction of society, so to hear he was married was a blow to the under butler. Was there no one like him in the world?

"She died after the war; flu." The Duke did not stop, to aid the wind drying any tears that may spring from his eyes at the recollection.

"I'm sorry." Thomas could tell it still caused the Duke pain to talk about it.

"Not as sorry as I am." He stopped, deliberating whether to reveal more to Thomas, "It was after her death that I found out she was carrying my child." The Duke tightened his lips to prevent them from inverting as he looked out across the fields.

Thomas was never any good at comfort, so keeping at a distance he asked the only considerate question he could think of. "What was she like?"

"She was kind, very kind, and generous. I didn't love her at first, but I grew to love her. The thing I regret the most is that I never told her enough. She gave me a wonderful gift though, she taught me to treasure things when I have them; to make the most of every day, every feeling. Seize the day philosophy I suppose. I know I haven't quite figured out how to better acquire the things I have, as you've seen, but when I have them I treat them well and don't let them go so easily."

"But if they do go?" Thomas didn't know if his question was with regard to himself, but he wanted to ask.

"Then I take it back." The Duke shrugged, for a powerful man he was. He crouched down to the ground and plucked a wild blue bell flower from among the weeds and in standing he presented it to Thomas, his face wearing the embarrassment of a simple gesture. Thomas reached out his gloved hand and gripped the stem, looking into the eyes of the Duke, who touched Thomas' fingers, and moved to take the under butler's hands in his, and kissed them lovingly. When he looked up Thomas saw his eyes were red with the onset on tears. "Sometimes I miss her so much Thomas." He whimpered, falling forward into Thomas' arms to weep into his shoulder.