Houseguests forced upon one are never pleasant. Rosamund had learned long ago, however, that it was important to entertain whoever Mama foisted upon her. The estate had business dealings with a variety of persons who should not be seen in public with members of the Crawley family. Better they stay at Grantham House or else with the Painswicks so their business could be conducted away from prying eyes and ears. So if Mama were not in London to entertain at Grantham House, she would inform Rosamund and Marmaduke that someone was going to be staying with them.

Oftentimes it worked out just fine, since Marmaduke handled the estate's finances and was intimately involved with what Mama was busy with. Marmaduke knew everything about everyone as a result. Rosamund herself was less concerned with the business of everything, but she did so like the gossip her husband brought to their marital bed each night.

But this newest houseguest was a curious one. One of the footmen from Grantham House had brought a note from Mama informing them that Cora Levinson, daughter of Isidore Levinson of New York, would be staying with them. Daughters of men involved in illegal organized crime were not usual houseguests of the Crawleys. Rosamund herself had never visited any of Mama's associates. And she certainly never would think to travel alone.

Well, even though Mama had not said Miss Levinson was travelling with anyone, Rosamund assumed she would have a maid at the very least. What respectable young woman travelled alone!? It was unthinkable.

Sure enough, though, Miss Cora Levinson showed up on the doorstep of their house in Eaton Square with a single case in her hand and no one else around her. That was the first surprise.

The second surprise was that Miss Levinson was immediately charming and gentle and very pretty. It was incongruent to see a perfectly proper-looking girl all on her own like that. And she was wearing severe black clothing that, while finely made and quite attractive, made her look more like she was in mourning than arriving to be a houseguest.

Rosamund hardly knew what to make of her. But her immediate instinct was to dislike the girl. Why, she could not say. There was just something about Cora Levinson that Rosamund did not trust. She did not know what the girl was doing here or why she should have to entertain this lonely American or what she had to do with the estate's business. Rosamund hardly cared. But she wanted Cora out.

The Painswick house was beautiful. Far nicer than the little room she'd rented above the pub in Whitechapel and nearly as wonderful as the Levinson house back in New York. Well, perhaps she was biased because she missed her home. The Painswick house at Eaton Square was probably much nicer than their New York mansion. Cora gazed around in awe and delight as she was shown inside by the butler and greeted by Lady Rosamund.

"It's a pleasure to meet you, Lady Rosamund," Cora greeted politely. "Thank you very much for hosting me in your home."

"We do whatever needs to be done on behalf of the estate," Lady Rosamund answered coldly.

Cora was a bit taken aback by the tone, but she tried not to let it faze her. "I do appreciate it," she replied sincerely.

"Has your maid gone through to the servant's hall?" It was a perfectly reasonable question, but the way Lady Rosamund asked it, Cora felt as though the words were hurled rather than spoken.

"Oh I'm afraid I haven't travelled with a maid," Cora informed her.

"So you'll be needing a maid," Lady Rosamund surmised.

Cora certainly did not want to be any further burden on the Painswick house. "No, I won't be any bother. I've managed this long without one. I'll be perfectly alright on my own."

"Well Mama would be displeased if she found that you were not properly taken care of. I'll speak with the housekeeper. Someone will be found for you." Once again, the words were kind but the grumbling tone distracted from any good feeling Cora might have searched to find.

"That is incredibly gracious, thank you."

And with that, Cora was shown up to the room where she'd be staying. Everything was so beautiful, she could hardly blink for trying not to miss a single inch. Soon enough, a maid appeared to assist Cora. It was nearly time for luncheon. Apparently Mr. Painswick would be arriving home to dine with the household.

Marmaduke Painswick was nothing like Cora expected when she was introduced to him at the dining table. He was incredibly tall and thin, an elegant man with very well-groomed sideburns and mustache matching his neatly coifed dark hair. But what surprised Cora was the brightness of Mr. Painswick's golden-brown eyes. He was easy with a smile in a way she had not experienced in England thus far. There was a warmth about him that clashed curiously with Lady Rosamund's coldness.

Luncheon was a somewhat subdued affair, however. Cora did not want to spark Lady Rosamund's ire any further, so she did her best to converse with Mr. Painswick in a polite and friendly manner but subdue her usual enthusiasm. He asked her innocuous questions about New York and how she was finding London. It was pleasant but quite measured.

After the meal concluded, however, Mr. Painswick asked Cora to join him in the library. She followed him. When he closed the door behind her, her right hand instinctively went to her left wrist. She kept a blade hidden in her sleeve. Just in case.

"You'll have to excuse Lady Rosamund," Mr. Painswick began. "I'm afraid she's inherited much of her mother's prejudices. You being on your own and so pleasant and American is a dastardly combination for the Dowager Countess and her daughter."

Cora allowed herself to chuckle lightly at that. "I did get the sense that neither of them likes me much. I hope to not bother the family for too long."

"Yes, that's what I wanted to talk to you about," he said. "I received a note from the Dowager Countess that I needed to provide payment for the contractor she had been recommended."

The extent to which Cora could or even should reveal herself was not clear. Obviously if Mr. Painswick handled the estate's finances, he knew the true nature of its business. But did she know of Cora's?

"I know you're Isidore Levinson's daughter. I've done many dealings with his businesses on behalf of the estate. And there are rumors that you're a bit more…involved…than a daughter of someone like Mr. Levinson really ought to be," Mr. Painswick said delicately.

"You know why I'm here," Cora translated.

He nodded. "You're the contractor, aren't you?"

Cora nodded in return. She did not dare say anything else.

"I think it's best for everyone if only the Dowager Countess and I know that. The rest of the family isn't as much a part of the business as she and I are. I don't think we need to bother them with anything like this," he recommended.

"I see." She did not see. Not really. But she understood the need for discretion nevertheless. She was quite good at keeping her secrets and putting on the façade of a proper young lady.

A small smile appeared on Mr. Painswick's face. "I was also instructed to negotiate your price."

"I was instructed to discuss it with Lady Grantham. You may be the one giving me my fee, but I think it's important she be the one to negotiate precisely what it is."

"You have your father's skills in business, it seems," he praised.

Cora nodded once more. "I have skills he doesn't possess, too."

"Such as?"

"I found Jack the Ripper last night. He'll not be a problem anymore," she answered coolly.

"There wasn't anything in the papers!"

"What help would that be? Another body for the police to investigate? The murders will cease, and no one will ever know what happened."

Mr. Painswick narrowed his shining gold eyes. "What did happen?"

"I dismembered his body and burned most of it and intermingled the remaining parts with the girl he was in the process of hacking to bits. I imagine someone found her body sometime this morning and it will be all over the evening edition," Cora informed him calmly.

Not having the words to respond, Mr. Painswick just stared in shock. Cora did her best not to grin with pride.

For two days after he'd seen her talking to Mama at Grantham House, Robert thought about Cora Levinson. She fascinated him. He needed to find a wife, he knew. Preferably a rich one. But this last season in London, Robert found himself bored to tears by each of the eligible young women he'd danced with at all the various balls and things. He'd not found a single girl whose company he could stand for more than ten minutes at a time. And while he had no interest in any American woman, they did have a lot of money in America. Miss Cora Levinson at least was not boring.

He needed to discuss it with Mama. After all, if she had business dealings with Cora's father, she would certainly know the financial circumstances of the Levinson family and have some opinion as to Cora's suitability for marriage.

Robert really needed to get out of the habit of thinking of her as 'Cora' and not as 'Miss Levinson' as was the proper way of things. He'd met her that first night wandering around Whitechapel—and he still had no idea what she was doing there—and known her only by her first name. It was a nice name, actually. He should like to use it. Perhaps he would get the opportunity.

It was decided, then. Robert would inquire into Cora—Miss Levinson—and her prospects. Perhaps that was the thing to do before discussing with Mama. After all, Mama did not seem to like her much when he witnessed them together in the drawing room, but perhaps that was just he same general dislike of Americans that Robert shared. Yes, he'd find out for himself if her dowry was at all worth going after before he brought any of this to Mama's attention.

Violet,

Miss Levinson has accepted your counteroffer and has been paid for her successful contract. I can have the arrangements made to send her back to New York, but I think we should keep her here for a little while. We are having those difficulties with the factory in York. Perhaps Miss Levinson might still be of some use. Please advise.

—Marmaduke

Violet read over Marmaduke's note three times, thinking of what to do. Once she had satisfied herself that Miss Levinson had indeed killed Jack the Ripper, she paid handsomely for the job well done. Marmaduke had been her go-between, since she was back at Downton Abbey and had no intention of returning to London to negotiate prices with an assassin. And this particular assassin had been given the highest payment Violet had ever allowed for a contract before. But the job had been done extremely well, and in spite of herself, Violet found herself impressed with Miss Levinson.

The fact remained, however, that Miss Levinson was an American and quite expensive. Keeping her around would be costly. Violet Crawley did not build the Grantham empire by paying through the nose like this.

On the other hand, having such a skilled contract killer at her disposal might make things much simpler. The Crawleys were not known for being particularly brutal, but that reputation would not hurt business. It might improve things. And Marmaduke was right, they were having trouble with the factory in York. That needed to be seen to, sooner rather than later. It might be for the best to send Miss Levinson up to take care of the rabblerousers.

"Mama?"

She looked up to see Robert enter the library. His Labrador dog followed at his heel. Violet thought having a dog in the house was undignified, but as she had been the one to gift a puppy to her son when he returned home from Eton to find his father dead, Violet could not be too surprised at this development. She sighed. "Yes?"

"I've been looking into some things," he began.

"Oh?" she responded warily.

"As we know the estate needs an influx of money."

Violet hummed. They were doing extremely well, but investments were such that the liquid assets were quite tight. The idea of selling things off to raise cash was distasteful to say the least. An influx of money was certainly what they needed.

"We spoke before the London season that I ought to find a woman with sufficient dowry."

"We did," Violet confirmed. Robert was taking his time getting to the point, which annoyed her. He was nervous about something. Likely thanks to the fact that he had made absolutely no progress over the season. For a charming and handsome young man, he'd had abysmal luck in finding anyone to woo.

"I think I've found one worth pursuing," Robert announced.

"And?"

"Cora Levinson."

Violet nearly choked in surprise. "Absolutely not," she scolded, the words falling from her lips almost involuntarily.

"Mama, her dowry is unlike any I've ever even heard of before. It's almost double what Rosamund's was."

"You've looked into this?" The fact that Isidore Levinson would offer a fortune like that for his daughter did not surprise her. The fact that Robert knew it surprised her very much.

"I have. And I am going to pursue her. I am going to court her, and if she does nothing to dissuade my interest, I shall ask for her hand in marriage," Robert informed her stubbornly.

"Robert, I forbid it! She is entirely unsuitable to become Countess of Grantham!"

"Why? Because she is American? Carnarvon just married an American, Mama. It isn't as unusual or distasteful as you want to believe."

Violet could hardly tell him the truth about Miss Levinson. She could hardly find the words as the blood pounded in her ears. God in heaven, how had this happened!?