It was in the early afternoon the next day, when Matthew made his way down the staircase of the abbey.
"I hear you're going out, Mr Crawley. Need I arrange anything?" Carson proposed.
"Oh, no need for that. You know me, Carson - I like to drive." Matthew reassured as he apparelled his coat.
"Very well." Carson nodded.
After fifteen minutes, Matthew drew up in the drive of Loxley House with a crunch of gravel.
"Matthew! I'm so glad you aren't preoccupied this afternoon." Sir Anthony welcomed him into his living room from where he sat.
"If sitting at my desk in the library for hours, handling the estate finances sounds like fun to you, don't look so guilty. Though I am curious as to what you were referring to in your invitation?"
"Come, sit down please." Anthony gestured to a green, comfortable-looking armchair. "Shall I ring for tea?"
"No need for the time being, but thank you." Matthew shook his head, studying Sir Anthony curiously.
"Alright..." The man looked extremely uncomfortable at the prospect of speaking. "There's no polite or round about way of saying this Mr Crawley, please don't be affronted. Just see an old man who has just been through a war and wants to live old age in peace."
"You don't give yourself credit, but I'm listening."
"I need to break away from your leech of a sister-in-law." It was said with such a defeated expression as Matthew raised his eyebrows in surprise.
"You can't mean.."
"Edith. Yes."
"... I see. But I don't see where I come into this. Surely the whole thing isn't so unbearable as you put it."
Sir Anthony sighed. "Apparently I should be flattered by young woman's interest at my age. But you see, if it were any other woman that could be any bit less needy, after world war, I shouldn't protest so much. She's like a never-ending incursion of my life. At first I was pleasantly surprised by her company, that was five whole years ago. Before a world war, when I had two working arms." He lifted his shoulders in gesture.
"So, what could I do?"
"Perhaps you could persuade her to leave me be? Help me."
"She won't listen, we've all tried that I'm afraid, no offense."
"Oh, I appreciate it. You'd think there were other men in her life. Find her someone, if they could bare her constant company they'd be perfect."
"Most of the men her age these days are pushing up daisies."
"Why couldn't I be? I need to be rid of her, damn, I've lost patience with trying to be polite about it, I have to get away. I've written this to her, it was sent right back, here." Anthony handed Matthew a folded letter.
"My Dearest Lady Edith
I've been debating with myself on the matter of writing to you, so this will have reached you by the evening I imagine.
I beg you read acknowledging I have regarded the matter with the utmost sensitivity, and I mean not to hurt you, nor to intentionally offend.
You see my dear, as I'm sure you must have estimated by now, the matter in mind with which I put pen to paper.
I speak of our relationship, as much as I adore your company, as much as you seem to be pleased with mine, nothing more can come of us. If I were at least twenty years younger I would have put a ring on your finger by now. I'm sure you see what I am referring to. The fact of the matter is that I am just far too old for you. I know you say you don't care for age, but one day you will want children. And I dare say I am not as agile as I was, in the practical sense and the reproductive."
Matthew grimaced.
"I could go no further in romance then holding hands and embracing you with my one arm.
You can do better than me, I hope you see I just want you to be happy.
Knowing you, I can see that you will take this harshly and you won't want to accept it. But I have made up my mind, and that is why I have told my butler not to let you in if you arrive at my house. I am doing this for you, my dear. You must see that.
I have loved knowing you.
Sir Anthony."
"She is quite relentless, can't she see you don't want to be with her? Maybe you're right. Maybe you're a notch too polite about it? Perhaps try being a touch more truthful about how you feel." Matthew suggested.
"That settles it." Anthony's expression firmed.
"Hm?"
"You'll have to write it for me, man."
Matthew opened his mouth to protest, "...You're sure about this?"
"Quite. It's my only option now, I'd appreciate it. I dare say everyone would."
"I don't know how I feel about this."
"Oh, come on. Maybe try Mary for help, I'm sure she'll have something, haven't they been at each other for years?"
"Oh... alright. But only as you seem to need it... I'll get it to you by Thursday, what time would be best?"
"The same time would be fine. Thank you, Matthew."
"I daren't say 'you're welcome'."
