Previously:
Downton Abbey, Yorkshire, England, December 2015
They soon found a hard rhythm, every moan and whimper from her lips making him more and more delirious. He knew he wouldn't last very long, but the thought was neither embarrassing, nor discomforting. They had the entire weekend ahead of them, and numerous ideas of what he wanted to do next filled his addled mind.
She moaned his name, kissing his neck, his cheek, his lips as her hips rose and fell faster and faster. He tightened his grip on her, his arms wrapped across her back, holding her chest against his as he thrust with deeper and deeper strokes.
She pressed her lips to his neck one final time as he yelled out and pushed up as hard as he could. They remained locked together as he let go, and moments later when they both calmed down, he rolled them over and carefully withdrew.
"You need another shower, it seems," she chuckled, snuggling against him.
"You may be right," he said weakly.
"Race you to the bathroom?" she teased, sitting up and arching her eyebrow at him. "Or are you too tired?"
He smirked as he took in her mussed hair, her dark eyes, her swollen lips, her flushed skin and her bare breasts.
"I'll carry you," he challenged, getting up and out of bed.
She smiled as he came around and picked her up, then giggled as he carried her naked over to the bathroom.
Chapter 35:
Crockfords Casino, Mayfair, London, England, December 2015
Anna sighed as she looked at her reflection in the mirror. She turned left and right, the beaded fringe of her dress flying about. She bit her bottom lip nervously, looking up and down her figure, not entirely pleased with what she saw.
She was startled by a knock at the door.
"Come in," she replied, still looking at the mirror.
"Are you all right? Lady Mary's worried you might be late," Alex asked, poking his head in the washroom.
"Yeah, I'm ready," she said disinterestedly. She picked up the long silk blue gloves from the counter and pulled them on as she turned towards him.
"What's wrong with you?" he asked in amusement, stepping inside the washroom and closing the door behind him. Rather than send everyone off to the hairdressers, Lady Mary had a team of staff come into the office to dress and style the ladies for the Citibank party tonight. Normally an afternoon of manicures, makeup and hair would have Anna all excited, but instead she had been quite reserved throughout the day. As Alex looked at her curiously, she seemed as though she would prefer to be anywhere but here.
"Nothing, it's nothing," she shrugged.
"Love," Alex said, stopping her from walking past him. He gently lifted her chin with his fingers so she would look at him in the eyes. "What is it? Please, just tell me."
"Oh, you'll think I'm being stupid," she groaned, shaking her head and turning back to the mirror. She held her arms out at her sides and frowned at her reflection. "It's just this whole 1920s theme for the party! I don't have the body to pull off this dress. These flapper outfits are supposed to be sexy and playful and on me it just hangs like a fucking bin bag!"
Alex smirked at her, shaking his head in bewilderment. He stepped up behind her, his hands going to her hips, his eyes catching her frown in the mirror's reflection.
"You've either gone completely mental, or you're deliberately fishing for compliments now," he said smoothly, kissing her cheek, mindful not to disturb her hair, which had been carefully styled into waves and adorned with a diamond barrette and blue headband that matched her dress. "You look absolutely gorgeous, and this dress looks hot on you."
"Shut your face," she grumbled, not moving out of his hold. "My shoulders aren't square enough and my boobs aren't big enough for this dress."
"Really? Let me see," he said, running his hands along her bare shoulders and pulling at the straps.
"Stop it!" she admonished him, slapping his hand. "This is not time to cop a feel! I look hideous!"
"Then take it off," he said cheekily, dropping his hands back to her hips. "Just who are you trying to impress tonight anyway that has you so worried about how you look? This is a work function, need I remind you? We only need to look the part. There's no awards for best costume, you know."
"Easy for you to say, you always look good in suits, even vintage ones from the 1920s," she said plainly.
"And you, love, always look incredible in skirts that show off your gorgeous legs, just like this one," he replied, grinning as his hand moved down and grazed her bare thigh.
"You're just saying that because you're my boyfriend," she grumbled.
"Fine, let me show you how much I like you in this dress," he said, kissing her cheek once more. He took her wrist and pulled it behind her.
"Alex!" she yelped, though she did nothing to move her hand away from him. "Right here, in the office washroom?" she teased, unable to stop herself from smirking as she caught him leering at her in the mirror.
"We could go back to your office and use your chair if you like," he said. "It proved quite sturdy last time."
"Everyone's still in the boardroom," she noted, smiling genuinely as she turned around and came into his embrace. "I don't think we would have much privacy."
"Very well," he sighed dramatically, leaning down and kissing her softly. "We'll just have to find a dark corner somewhere later tonight."
"It's a date," she chuckled, kissing him again. "Thanks, babes. We've just gone to so much trouble with the decorating and getting outfits for all the staff and the rest of it. I just want tonight to go well, for Mary."
"Trust me, it'll be a smashing success," he assured her. "Nothing excites bankers more than to dress up and play gangster with gorgeous women and free drinks all around."
She grinned up at him. "And is it the same for you? Do you fancy yourself Al Capone, with your expensive suit and fedora?"
"No, hats never look good on me," he replied. "I don't mind the part about having a gorgeous woman on my arm, though."
"Mmm," she sighed, hugging him, careful not to leave her makeup on his suit. "Was it really just last week that we were still in France? It seems like months ago now."
"It's still quite fresh in my mind, actually," he chuckled. "And don't worry, love. In just a couple more weeks, we'll be in Brighton for Christmas!"
"You're such a loser," she said, grinning at him, then leaning up to kiss him. "I think Mum has a crush on you. She was all excited when I talked to her. 'Is Alex coming? What does he like to eat?' God, she was bursting."
"I told you, mums love me," he said.
"I love you," she said pointedly. "Mum can go and find herself someone her age. You're all mine."
He laughed and kissed her deeply.
"Anna Smith, you're rather bold," he joked.
"You love it," she smirked. "Let's go. The sooner we get downstairs and take care of our assignments, the sooner we can find that dark corner you were talking about."
Alex kept his arm around her lithe waist, the thin silk of the dress giving him a new appreciation for the 1920s. He reached for the door and pulled it open, only for them to come face-to-face with a startled William.
"Erm…Mr. Crawley wanted me to come find the two of you," William muttered.
"Thank you, Mr. Mason," Alex said, guiding Anna past the poor boy. "We're heading downstairs now."
When Mary first heard from Henry that Citibank wanted a 1920s theme for their annual party at Crockfords, she thought it was a fun and creative idea. They could serve drinks from the time period, have the staff dress up as flappers, serving girls and waiters from the era, and obviously the casino was already decorated accordingly, with its bright chandeliers, brass and metal railings and leather and marble throughout. It would be the easiest thing to turn the place into an approximation of a speakeasy or upper class jazz club. Mary also had numerous ideas for her own outfit. She loved the vintage look of the 1920s, when hemlines came up and dresses had intricate beadwork and accents.
Matthew wasn't nearly as enthusiastic. Truthfully he wouldn't have been enthusiastic over anything having to do with the Citibank party, but the 1920s theme didn't help. He knew very well just how overboard Henry would go in choosing his outfit and the effect it would have on his behaviour. Henry would come in wearing a tuxedo, black and white wingtips, a scarf of some sort and a fedora and act like he owned the place. He was bound to be at Mary's side all evening. Even she thought it would be insufferable, which meant it would make Matthew see red.
Mary turned her head and adjusted the gold coloured headband around her hair. She had found her dress in the attics at Grantham House, surprisingly, remembering it from when she was younger. It had belonged to a great aunt, or someone, and was absolutely beautiful. Rather than being a flapper dress with the usual low cut neck and beaded fringe, it was actually a sleek green dress with a halter-style neck, and gold floral embroidery from the collar down to the hem which stopped at her knees. It showed off her bare shoulders and back, and hugged her body in all the right places. She complimented it with gold jewellery, headband, and silk gloves. She felt quite regal in it, actually, less of a flapper or moll and more of a femme fatale, a boss of her own.
Smiling at her appearance, she turned and headed towards the elevator. She could deal with Matthew and his bruised ego later. Her rich and prestigious guests were already arriving and it was time for the show to begin.
Matthew finished his drink and nodded to the bartender. He turned away from the bar and took in the view. Many of the guests were already well into their second drink and crowding around the various gaming tables. Usually the junior associates would arrive first and get right into it, with the senior executives arriving last. The evening was meant to not only celebrate the bank, but also to allow the employees to enjoy themselves and blow off steam. The juniors were the ones who predictably had the most pent up stress that needed relief.
The casino staff circulated about, refilling drinks and distributing player cards, the servers laughing and smiling on cue, their slinky mini-dresses and feathers in their sparkly headbands drawing more than an occasional leer. To a novice, such behaviour seemed entirely natural and genuine. Matthew saw it differently, recognizing the practised skill involved, the lure and bait offered by the women, leading to bigger tips and reckless bets from customers futilely trying to impress them. It was all part of the experience of coming here, an elaborate dance that Mary had choreographed and perfected over the years and drilled into everyone who worked here. Gratification. Give them the appearance that they can have anything they want, and they'll spend and spend and spend.
He frowned as he surveyed the scene. Another successful Citibank party was in its beginning stages. The night would be a very profitable one for Crawley Group, and Mary would win raves from Henry and his cronies yet again. Matthew didn't mind overly much, and didn't have many objections to these private events. He wasn't even against the idea that Mary was handpicked by Citibank to host them. For how much they were paying, the bank was entitled to bespoke service.
Rather, he wondered to himself how many more of these private parties he could reasonably stand. He could easily continue on for years more, keep raking in the profits and supporting Mary in her long terms plans for the company. The work wasn't particularly difficult, it just required vigilance and careful planning. Whether it was his websites or the casinos, there would always be gamblers and the potential to make money from them. Job security wasn't a concern for him.
But making money wasn't his highest ambition. He never lacked for anything growing up, and the pursuit of money was entirely irrelevant now. He could take off an entire year or more and still be the same multi-millionaire he was now. He had come to London at Robert's request to save Patrick's division, and for his own selfish reasons – to get close to Mary, to try and finally win her regard – and he had succeeded on all counts beyond his wildest dreams. Though it wasn't Matthew's preference that it had happened so fast, and at the cost of his relationship with Robert, he had helped Mary to the President's chair, and his work, for all intents and purposes was complete.
"Mr. Crawley, sir," William called, coming up to his side.
"Yes, Mr. Mason?" Matthew replied, turning and looking at the young man.
"Mr. Talbot and the senior staff are just pulling up to the kerb, sir," William said. "And Lady Mary is on her way down."
"Thank you, Mr. Mason. I'll go and see him," Matthew said curtly. He reached over to the bar and picked up his cane, a vintage piece he had found at Downton Abbey after Mary told him about Citibank wanting a 1920s themed party. The cane was solid ebony hardwood, polished to a brilliant shine, and topped by a round sterling silver head. He twirled the cane in his right hand and made his way towards the lobby.
"Good evening, Mr. Talbot. Welcome back to Crockfords. Wonderful to see you again."
Henry got up out of the limo. He touched the brim of his fedora and did not make eye contact with the valet or the doorman. Jazz music was playing as he walked into the lobby, his long coat flowing as he went. There was a photo area set up near the elevators, with paparazzi stationed nearby to take everyone's pictures. This event was a charity fundraiser, among other things, and it was good publicity for the bank to have coverage in the papers.
Henry took off his coat, hat, and scarf and handed them to the valet. He waited for the other executives to come in before heading over to the photo area and posing for several shots. He smirked as he looked into the cameras. All that was missing to complete this moment for him was Mary.
He turned his head as he heard the chime of the elevator. His smirk turned to a toothy smile as Mary stepped out of the elevator and came into the lobby. Her green and gold dress seemed to shimmer under the lights, and he loved the elegant gold headband and gloves she wore with it. As she approached him, his eyes moved down her body and back up to her dark brown eyes. She would look incredible at his side, he thought.
"James, Alastair, Henry," Mary greeted them, smiling and nodding as she went through the group, making eye contact and addressing each of them by name. "Welcome."
"Mary," Henry replied, taking her gloved hand and bringing it up to his lips. "You look even more radiant than usual. The period seems to agree with you."
"Thank you," she answered. "And do you fancy yourself a gangster, or a hitman?"
"A gangster," he said, smiling at her.
"The big boss of London?" she teased.
"Nothing happens in this town without me knowing about it, my dear," he said, looking at her intently.
"Lady Mary! This way, please! Lady Mary!" the photographers called.
Mary turned and smiled politely as the flashbulbs went off before her. She felt Henry's hand slide across her back, and she kept facing forward, smiling for the cameras amidst the shouts of the paparazzi for her to turn this way and that.
Henry smiled smugly. Even though there were ten of them standing together in a group before the cameras, it was easy enough for him to imagine it was he and Mary standing together, the centre of attention, being treated as a celebrity couple. What a sight they must make, he thought, as his hand moved up to the bare skin of her back. He always knew Mary was beautiful and smart, an accomplished hostess and socialite. The recent announcement of her taking over as President of Crawley Group was surprising to him, just as it was to most of the London financial world, but he wasn't troubled or threatened by it. In a way, it made Mary even more attractive to him. To have such a powerful woman at his side would only enhance his own image. Not only would he be complimented for her beauty and her aristocratic lineage, but now also her corporate position and reputation. Yes, they made a splendid pair.
Matthew heard the commotion before he reached the foyer. The photographers invited to the event only wanted shots of the Citibank executives, so the area was usually rather quiet during the arrivals of everyone else. It was also a normal part of these events that Mary's entrance was followed closely. She was the face of their brand, particularly now that she was President. He knew that Henry would waste no time in soaking up the attention either.
Arriving on the scene, he stood off to the side with Alex and Anna and watched on as the photographers snapped numerous photos of the Citibank executives gathered around Mary. Matthew had got a glimpse of her outfit before, but seeing her under the bright lights now, he had to smile at how beautiful she looked. His smile lessened significantly when he saw Henry was standing next to her, the arrogant smirk that Matthew knew well plastered across his face.
"Let's have a bit of a silly shot for the company website, yeah?" one of the executives suggested.
The others quickly agreed and the paparazzi continued to shoot.
"Come here, Mary," Henry said, moving his one arm around her waist and deftly scooping her up off the floor, his other arm sliding under her legs.
Mary gasped in surprise, her arms going around his neck to balance herself. She swallowed and recovered as the other executives made funny faces and mugged away. Smiling once more, she relaxed in Henry's hold as much as she could and tried to look calm.
Matthew grit his teeth behind his pursed lips.
Eventually Henry set her back down and the group broke away. The paparazzi began packing up their equipment as Henry guided Mary towards the casino floor with a hand on her back. As they turned away from the front entrance, Matthew stepped forward.
Mary blinked upon seeing him.
"Matthew, there you are," Henry said cheerfully, extending his free hand to him and keeping his other on Mary's back. "Good to see you, old boy."
"Henry," Matthew said tightly, keeping his eyes on Mary's for a moment before looking at Henry and shaking the man's hand. "Welcome. Nice suit."
"Thank you, thank you," Henry beamed. "I was going to scour some of those shops for a vintage tux, but in the end I just told my tailor to put something together. I rather like the look actually. Mobsters knew how to dress back then."
"Indeed," Matthew noted, glancing at Mary again before focusing back on Henry. "I'm surprised you didn't bring a fake Tommy gun along with you for special effect."
"I considered it, but thought better of it," Henry laughed, looking at Mary, who smiled and nodded along. "Anyway, no one here would mistake me for anyone other than the man in charge, so carrying around a gun isn't necessary."
"Well," Matthew said, stepping aside and gesturing with his arm. "Go on in and enjoy yourself."
"I always do," Henry said, nudging Mary forward. "We'll catch up later, Matthew."
"Yes, we will," Matthew answered, watching them go.
Anna exchanged a nervous look with Alex and turned to follow Mary's group into the casino.
"All right, you win," Alex said quietly, coming to Matthew's side. "He really is an annoying wanker."
Matthew snorted derisively.
"Let's go," he said finally, nodding towards the casino floor. "We have guests to take care of."
Alex sighed and followed his boss into the casino.
Two hours into the party and Mary was pleasantly buzzed and happy. Henry's antics in front of the photographers were annoying, but not unexpected. He always followed her around at these things, or rather insisted that she stay at his side for most of the time. Given that Henry usually attracted all of the Citibank bosses as well, it was in Mary's interest to remain close to him. She soon settled into her familiar role of laughing and joking with the men as they drank and gambled, and her well-practiced coquettish laugh was back in fine form.
She freely admitted that she enjoyed the superficial and vacuous element of these events. She had been attending Society parties since she was five years old, and performing for the bankers was no different. There was a thrill to having so many rich and powerful men hanging on her every word. Now that she was President of Crawley Group, she felt their presence here was an endorsement of her as an executive in a way. Good looking women could be found anywhere, and men like these grew bored of them quickly. To have Henry and his mob come back to her time and again, trying to impress her, was an ego-boosting shot of power.
"Another round?" Henry asked, smiling at her as he looked up from his cards.
"Why not? I'll buy this one," she said, garnering laughter from the table.
"Something tells me that I'll end up paying for it in the end," he said, and Mary laughed along with him as she turned away and nodded for the servers to come forward to refill everyone's drinks.
"So, is the Presidency agreeing with you?" he asked, idly playing with his chips.
"It's been a rather frenetic transition, but that was to be expected," she said easily. "Thankfully the performance of the company has only gotten better, which is of course what one hopes for."
"I'm hardly surprised," he said smoothly. "I was actually hoping you would show me the expansion later on."
"Certainly," she agreed as the servers finished passing out fresh drinks to the table.
"To tonight, then," Henry said, smiling at her as he lifted his glass of Scotch.
"To tonight," she echoed, clinking her glass of vodka against his and taking a sip.
"Mr. Crawley, sir," a hostess said as she came running up to Matthew and Alex.
"Yes?" Matthew asked.
"They've asked for you at the roulette tables, sir," the hostess advised. "They're rather adamant that you join them."
"Who?" Alex asked.
"Yes, who?" Matthew repeated, equally confused. Who would deliberately ask for him? He didn't know anyone beyond their names, except for Henry.
"Erm, it's Ms. Bennett, sir," the hostess explained. "She has a group of…friends…that she's been gambling with and they all asked for you to come over and see them."
"Ms. Bennett…" Matthew said, frowning at Alex as he tried to match the name to a face. "I don't believe I've ever even been introduced to her."
"I have no idea who that is," Alex said, shaking his head.
"Well, she didn't ask for you by name, sir," the hostess mumbled, swallowing nervously. "She told me to go find 'that hot blond man with the blue eyes and the…erm…cute bum' sir."
Alex chuckled and looked at Matthew.
Matthew rolled his eyes.
"I'll be right there," he told the hostess, who hurried off.
"Good thing you've got that cane. You may need it to defend yourself," Alex joked, laughing again.
"I need a drink," Matthew muttered.
"Rather shocking what happened to Sir Richard Carlisle," Henry noted as he and Mary walked down the long hallway towards the observation area of the casino expansion. The hall was deserted, the din of the guests and the music ringing out behind them.
"It was, yes," Mary said, sipping her drink. "Though I expect the government must have some rather damning evidence against him to arrest him."
"Even if they don't, the damage has been done," he replied, shrugging his shoulders. "All of the other media outlets have had a field day with the story. They're still covering it now, months after the fact."
"Well, if anyone expects to see him in jail, they shouldn't hold their breath," she said easily. "He'll pay the tax arrears and settle on a penalty and that will be that, I expect."
"Your parents must not have been pleased to have the authorities interrupt their party," he stated. "It must not have been very enjoyable for you, either."
"It wasn't ideal, no," she replied. "But it isn't as though we did anything wrong."
"No, of course you didn't," he said as they reached the observation area.
He looked up at the glass ceiling and down at the vast space.
"Very impressive," he said, nodding his head. "It looks almost complete."
"Soon," she said, smiling as she looked over the site. "We're aiming for a soft opening around Lunar New Year, with a grand opening in the Spring."
"Lunar New Year…is that Chinese New Year?" he asked, smirking at her.
"Not all cultures that celebrate are Chinese, Henry," she said, looking at him amusedly.
"I wasn't aware you were an expert," he laughed.
"One must know one's market. Our Vietnamese customers would be rather insulted if we were to wish them a Happy Chinese New Year, don't you think?" she asked.
"You don't miss a thing, do you, Mary?" he said, shaking his head and smiling at her.
"Very few things, anyway," she said.
"Well, I think you're doing a brilliant job so far," he said. "I can imagine it must have been rather hard to push all of this through. Patrick used to tell me that your father was not overly progressive."
"No, he isn't," she agreed. "But I wasn't entirely on my own. Matthew helped."
"Ah, and how is Mr. Crawley? Is he good to you?" he asked.
"Yes," she replied. "Very good."
"If you say so," he replied lightly. "But if I ever find out that he's not, he'll have me to deal with."
"Yes, that should keep him in line," she laughed. "He probably wouldn't mind taking a swing at you, actually."
"The feeling is mutual," he said, nodding and laughing. "But then again, when it comes to you, I don't particularly care what he thinks."
She arched her eyebrow at his comment, then looked back at the expansion space and took another sip of her drink.
Matthew smiled as Dolores Bennett and her group of equally drunk women all cackled with glee. The croupier distributed the chips and the ladies all placed their bets. Matthew signaled for a server to come over and refresh everyone's drinks, which led to another bout of laughter and clapping as the women made their orders.
Dolores was a Vice-President with Citibank, and was the highest ranking person at the table. When Matthew arrived, she explained to him that they had organized a women's group at the office in the past year. The ladies got together a couple of times a month to learn about and try their hand at different casino games. Roulette was by far their favourite.
Matthew initially thought that he could smile and hug his way around the table and conveniently disappear after wishing the ladies luck. He was corrected by Dolores quite quickly when she ordered him to stand behind her 'for good luck'. Over the course of the past hour, Matthew had learned that Dolores' other 'good luck' rituals included having him blow on the chips before she placed her bet, sharing drinks with her and the ladies, and, though she didn't say so specifically, apparently letting her pinch his arse from time to time.
Any excuse he could conjure to leave evaporated when, rather stupidly, he made the mistake of telling her his birthday, which promptly led to all of the ladies betting the number on the board, and shockingly, winning. Despite his meek protests, Dolores was convinced that Matthew was a harbinger of good fortune for the group, which was why he was still here almost two hours later and Alex had long ago abandoned him.
"We'll need to organize a ladies' night here quite soon!" Dolores exclaimed, clapping as her number hit again.
"I'm sure that Mary would love to have you come by," Matthew replied politely.
"Well, we can't come here without our good luck charm!" another woman piped up, which led to enthusiastic agreement from the rest of them.
"How…nice," he said, struggling to keep his smile on straight.
"And the Lady has 21," the dealer announced, sweeping his hand across Mary's cards and placing her winnings in front of her.
Mary laughed and clapped her hands as the men around her cheered for her and their own wins as well. Conveniently, the tables and games were not nearly as tight and difficult compared to normal evenings at Crockfords. While it wasn't deliberately made easy for everyone, there were enough big wins to keep the spirited mood going.
"Erm…Mary," Anna whispered, touching her shoulder lightly.
"Yes, what is it?" Mary asked cheerfully, turning to look at her assistant.
"You might want to circle the floor," Anna suggested politely. "Check in on some of the others."
Anna warily glanced at Henry, trying to keep her voice down so as not to draw anyone's attention.
"The others?" Mary asked, looking at her curiously. "Is there a problem?"
"No, no, not at all," Anna shook her head.
"Well, I'll make the rounds in a while then, I'm on a bit of a lucky streak at the moment!" Mary said, grinning smugly. "If anything comes up, just go and have Matthew deal with it."
Anna smiled tightly, pausing as one of the bankers made a toast.
"It may be Mr. Crawley that needs your help, Mary," Anna said quietly, touching Mary's shoulder again.
Mary blinked and frowned at her. She turned in her seat and looked out across the casino floor, her eyes widening in surprise as she found Matthew surrounded by women at a roulette table. The ladies were fawning all over him, Dolores Bennett was practically draped on him.
"Are you in on this hand, Mary?" Henry asked from her other side.
Mary turned around and smiled easily.
"Of course," she said. "Why don't we raise the stakes a bit?"
The men laughed in agreement.
"I'll see whatever you've got, Mary," Henry declared, sipping his drink.
Matthew thought he was finally granted a reprieve when Dolores Bennett declared that their group was done with roulette, only to discover that meant she wanted to move on to play craps. Accompanying the ladies to the table, he waited patiently as the croupiers answered all of their questions and even allowed them a few practice throws to better understand what was going on. Throughout the exercise, Matthew kept expecting one of the other bankers to come over and check in on them. The evening was not only about gambling, but socializing as well, and yet the women were largely left alone. The only interruptions were by the servers bringing drinks and hors d'oeuvres over. Matthew caught more than a few amused glances from the staff as they realized his plight and did nothing at all to assist him.
"So, Matthew, sweetheart, how is business?" Dolores asked, sipping her drink as another woman played with the dice.
"Good, thanks," he replied. "This was actually one of our best years. We didn't see any drop off due to currency rate fluctuations and the expansion is almost set to open in a few months."
"I noticed the signs, yes," Dolores nodded. "Quite bold to undertake such a big project in today's economy."
"Well, it was Mary's idea, her pet project, really," he said, somewhat proudly. "We think it will make Crockfords a bit of a destination in the City."
"Very nice," Dolores said, smiling at him. "And once that's open, what's next for you?"
"We'll see," he replied. "I've got a few ideas."
"Well, if you ever need capital, let me know," she said, eyeing him meaningfully. "I would love to do some business with you."
The rest of the women cheered and laughed, some as a result of the game, others in response to Dolores' suggestion.
"I'll keep that in mind," Matthew said carefully.
Maxim's Casino Club, Kensington, London, England, December 2015
"Thank you for suggesting this, Charles," Tony said, arranging his stacks of chips as the dealer passed out the cards. "It's been a while since I last played."
"Well, I thought it was time we went out again," Charles replied. "Although I'm surprised we're not at Crockfords."
"There's a private event going on there this evening," Tony said. "Besides, I don't know how welcome I would be there at the moment. Mary and I did not part on good terms the last time we saw each other."
"She can't be angry with you over what happened at the Season party still, can she?" Charles asked. "She doesn't know your full involvement, does she?"
"She knows I had something to do with it," Tony sighed. "And she isn't entirely certain of my motives."
"Well, you hardly had a choice, given the situation your father was in," Charles remarked. "You did the right thing, Tony. Eventually, she'll see that."
"Time will tell," Tony said, glancing at his cards.
"Don't worry about it, my friend," Charles said confidently, placing his bet. "Next time we'll go to Crockfords and see Lady Mary. You'll be back in her good books soon enough."
Crockfords Casino, Mayfair, London, England, December 2015
"Good night, Mr. Lewis, Anna," William said, nodding to them as he headed for the exit.
"Good night," Anna answered, leaning against Alex as they walked off the casino floor. "God, tonight seemed like it would never end."
"Well, technically it's the morning, now, love," Alex chuckled, his arm around her shoulders. "But you're right. Returning to the 1920s seems to have made everyone a bit more rowdy compared to last year."
"Poor Mr. Crawley," she laughed. "I thought he would never be free of those women."
"He still spent two hours too long with them, I bet," he agreed. "I'm surprised that Lady Mary allowed it to happen, but then again she was rather preoccupied herself."
"I told her about it, but she didn't seem overly bothered," she noted.
"Anyway, let's get home," he said. "I need to get out of this suit."
"You know, babes," she whispered, looking up at him playfully. "Mary and Mr. Crawley have left, and now so has William."
"Yes, which only leaves us and the cleaning staff probably," he said.
"Exactly," she said, smiling at him. "My office is empty. In fact, that entire floor is most likely deserted."
He blinked in realization and looked over at her cautiously.
"Are you saying you…forgot something upstairs, love?" he asked.
"I did, now that you mention it," she nodded. "Would you like to come up and help me look for it?"
"Very much, yes," he stammered.
She laughed as she took his hand and led him to the elevator.
London Suite, Shangri-La Hotel, At the Shard, London, England, December 2015
Matthew stared at his reflection in the bathroom mirror, concentrating as he flossed his teeth. He frowned as he moved his fingers back and forth, leaning forward for a better look.
"Dolores Bennett seemed rather taken with you tonight," Mary noted, rubbing cream on her bare legs as she sat on the edge of the bathtub. "She wouldn't let you out of her grasp."
"She was just having a good time," he replied, discarding the floss and picking up a cup of mouthwash. "Apparently she has a group of co-workers who she gets together with to play casino games. I just happened to be in the vicinity, is all."
"Strange, I was told that she specifically asked for you," she replied easily. She stood up and turned towards him, smiling at his bare back. "The blond with the blue eyes and cute bum, wasn't it?"
He rolled his eyes as she came up behind him and pinched his ass through the thin cotton of his pyjamas.
"Something like that," he grumbled.
"Did you get a chance to catch up with Henry at all?" she asked, circling his waist with her arms and hugging him from behind. "He went looking for you at one point."
"No, I didn't have the pleasure," he replied evenly. "He must have seen me with Dolores and decided to go back to you."
She laughed and kissed the back of his neck.
"What's so funny?" he asked, turning around to face her.
"You are," she said mischievously, moving her hands up his chest and resting them on his shoulders.
"Me? How so?" he asked, frowning at her.
"You're funny when you're jealous," she stated.
"Jealous?" he sputtered, his hands moving down to her waist, holding on to the silk of her robe. "I'm hardly jealous."
"Darling, it's quite all right, you know. I won't think any less of you," she smirked.
"You won't think any less of me for what? For being jealous? I'm not," he said.
"You weren't just a little bit jealous of Henry?" she asked, arching her eyebrow at him.
"Why the hell would I be jealous of Henry, of all people? He's got a mind-numbingly boring job, horrible taste in cars and is entirely full of himself," he growled. "Not to mention his team is shit."
"Hmm…what do you really think of him, darling?" she chuckled.
"I will never have cause to be jealous of Henry Talbot, I assure you," he grumbled.
"Not generally, no, but tonight you were. You were jealous of Henry, and of his boss, and of his boss' boss, and of any man who I spent time with," she declared.
"That's your job. You may be the only President who also serves as a hostess, but there's no reason for me to be jealous," he noted.
"Of course there isn't, which is why you find it so maddening that seeing me laugh with them, or seeing them put their arms around my waist makes your blood boil," she said confidently.
"That's not true," he said petulantly. "I thought Henry was rather out of line when he picked you up in front of the photographers, but you obviously didn't mind, so why should I care?"
She laughed, caressing his cheek with her hand.
"It doesn't make you weak, Matthew, to be annoyed by it. It doesn't make you ugly just because you don't like other men to touch me, to touch your woman, and it doesn't make you wrong to think of me as yours," she said patiently.
"I don't…" he began, then paused, looking down and sighing in exasperation. "I don't think of you that way. That would be petty of me."
"Yes, petty and juvenile, and immature, and hilariously normal. Finally, proof that the perfect Matthew Crawley can be just as possessive and primitive as any man," she said, smiling cheerfully.
"I'm glad you find this amusing," he frowned.
"I do. I'm enjoying it immensely," she laughed.
He huffed and released her, leaving the bathroom.
"Oh, come on, darling," she laughed, chasing after him. She caught him near the bed and pushed him down, following on top of him to sit in his lap. She smiled at him, playing her fingers through his hair, which eased his pique by a small degree.
"Do you know why I seem to enjoy myself so much at these parties? Do you know why I'm not bothered when these stupid drunkards get too close, or act too friendly?" she asked him.
"It's part of your job," he muttered.
"Yes, but you think I enjoy the attention, that I'm asking for it, in a way, that I encourage it," she suggested.
"No, I don't!" he said firmly. "You could do nothing at all and men would still flock to you."
"Probably," she agreed. "But it's all harmless, and I don't put any value in it, but not because it's my duty, and not because it's the job. I don't care about it, Matthew. It doesn't mean anything to me, because I know that at the end of the night, I get to go home with you."
He blinked and met her gaze guardedly.
"I can put up with these foolish boys as long as I have to, because I have a real man waiting for me," she teased.
He swallowed as she leaned forward and kissed him lightly.
"I know that you trust me, and even though you find nights such as this to be quite a bother, I know that you're there for me, that you'll keep me safe, and that you won't let anything get out of hand. And I know that despite how furious all of it may make you, that you know it means nothing in the end, and you won't let it come between us," she continued.
"Of course I wouldn't," he said softly. "I'm more secure than that."
"Yes, you are," she said. "Though it is nice to see you a bit put off by it, still."
He rolled his eyes.
"And you're not the only one who can be petty and jealous, you know," she said. "When I saw Dolores Bennett drooling all over you, I almost went over there to tear that bitch's hair out. She and her gaggle spent more time staring at your arse and other parts of you than they did gambling tonight, it seemed."
"Lady Mary Crawley, jealous? Impossible," he said, smiling for the first time in hours it seemed.
"Irrational, yes, and unreasonable, most likely, but not impossible. It's entirely understandable that women want you, and of course I would be jealous. You're mine and no one else's," she said pointedly.
"How delightfully possessive of you," he said, kissing her.
"It wasn't easy to remain composed," she said, shifting in his lap. "I don't like women looking at you. I kept glancing over throughout the evening to check on you, actually, which I'm sure perturbed Henry."
"I did the same," he chuckled. "Whenever he saw me watching, he would try to draw a laugh out of you or touch you in some way. The idiot."
"I noticed," she laughed. "Which is why I began dropping your name more often as the night went on."
They both laughed and kissed again.
"I don't…I don't mean to behave as though you're somehow my property, Mary. I would never…" he said.
"Shh, I told you, it's all right," she said. "If such behaviour became a regular part of your character, then yes, I would be quite offended, and even angry. I know how to take care of myself and I'm perfectly capable of making my own decisions. However, in this particular instance, I quite liked it. Obviously everyone knows that we're together, but it's nice, every once in a while, to know that you consider me yours, and that you don't want anyone else to look at me."
He smiled at her, in a mix of relief and arousal.
"Now, where are you taking me on this getaway that you have planned for us?" she asked.
"You'll find out this weekend. Pack light," he replied cheekily.
"And the weather?" she asked.
"Hot. Delightfully hot. Bring a bikini, several in fact," he smirked.
"I'm allowed to pack my own?" she joked. "I thought you would have bought some balls of string instead."
"Now there's an idea," he smiled, kissing her and sliding his tongue past her lips.
"I'm still prepared to honour our bet, you know," she said, closing her eyes as he kissed the sensitive spot under her ear, then along her neck, his hands sliding between them to pull the tie of her robe loose.
"What bet is that?" he asked, pulling part of her robe to the side so he could kiss her bare shoulder.
"Mmm, that you get to decide where we're going, and that I won't complain or object, to anything," she said as one of his hands settled on her breast.
"Oh, yes, that…" he said thickly, kissing her neck again.
"I'll do whatever you tell me to, Matthew," she whispered sultrily in his ear.
He pulled back and looked up at her with dark eyes. "Will you really?" he asked.
She smirked and nodded. "Anything you want," she said, arching her eyebrow.
"Well, then let's consider ourselves on vacation," he said, reaching up and sliding her robe off her shoulders and down her arms.
Mary laughed huskily as he turned her over on to her back and opened the rest of her robe.