On Friday morning, Lady Mary made her way back up to their room from breakfast, Matthew was still at the table, talking estate business out with Robert.
She rung for Anna.
Anna stepped into the room as Mary took her seat at the dressing table.
"M'lady?"
"Anna - sorry, I forgot to mention I'm going into York today, in an hour as it comes."
"Of course M'lady."
After Anna finished up with the clothes, Mary was adjusting her hat in the mirror when something caught her eye.
"Thank you," Mary said as Anna left.
She went over to the desk on the far side of the room and saw a piece of paper left on it. It was a letter to Matthew, half-opened, ignored.
"... I thought you would help me! I need this, I can't be stuck with her, she almost bumped into me only this morning at the village, I can't keep taking detours just to avoid the woman's constant importune. For the love of God my man, please get me that letter." Mary's eyes widened in thought, letter in hand.
At that point Matthew came in.
"Darling?" Mary questioned.
"Hm?" Matthew quirked.
"What's this?"
"Oh, ignore it... It was about that - business with Anthony, turns out his - aunt won't leave him alone."
"I don't know why he would badger you about his aunt."
"My darling, throw it in the bin, he can handle his own problems."
"Matthew, tell me the truth."
"Oh - alright... But you must promise to leave the matter alone." Matthew studied his wife wide-eyed, who looked ominously steady.
"That depends." Mary raised her eyebrows.
"Mary." Matthew reciprocated her expression with inferiority. "...Well, that afternoon at Loxley, Sir Anthony asked me to persuade Edith somehow, to leave him be."
"I'm not surprised," she scoffed gently.
"Well, I told him with due respect that we'd already tried that. He said I'd have to help him and write a letter which he could send her, that would be more... effective, than the ones he'd sent."
"I see." There was something baleful in the way Mary sighed casually at the matter, and squinted out the window.
"Mary? You won't do anything about this, please?"
"Why should I do anything? If Edith wants to adhere herself to a half-crippled gaffer who only wants an escape, I should rather laugh than care."
They studied each other for a second, then Mary was ready to leave. "Anyway, I'm heading to York now, is there something you want?"
"Only to see you in that new nightdress."
"Now who needs a telling off for being risqué. The things you say in this room..." Mary rolled her eyes benignly and placed a kiss on her husband's cheek. "I won't be long."
"The things you do in this room." Matthew whispered audibly enough for Mary to hear from the other side of the door.