'Do you think it was wise? Coming with me now, I mean,' Tom asked as he and Mary walked through the Abbey grounds to go and pick up the car Edith had abandoned at the station in her headlong flight from the family home.

'What do you mean? We walk the estate together all the time. I doubt Papa will assume we're heading out for an illicit assignation because I offered to walk to the station with you. You're being paranoid, Tom.'

'Perhaps you're right. I just don't want to set any alarm bells ringing.'

'I believe Papa would have to catch us in flagrante before he would suspect a thing. He is not by nature a suspicious man nor – much as I love him – a very imaginative man. I think it's quite beyond him to even suspect you and I may be anything more to each other than friends.'

'Hmm, I suppose so.'

'Besides, even I feel like we've hardly seen each other in the last few days, let alone had a minute to ourselves to take care of any other business.'

'Well, that's because you've been gallivanting around at the York and Ainsty Hunt with Tony and Charles.'

Mary looked over at Tom, a small glow warming her. 'Why, Tom, you almost sound jealous.'

'Of course, I'm not jealous. It's simply an observation.'

It didn't escape Mary's notice that he didn't look at her as he said that. She glanced up and down the lane and caught hold of his hand, tugging him off the path.

Tom looked at her in surprise. 'What are you doing?'

'It's been far too long since our last encounter and there are too many people in the house tonight for us to risk sneaking between rooms in the middle of the night. I need a little reminder to keep my itch at bay, but I don't intend to kiss you in full view of anyone who happens to come strolling down this lane.'

Tom let her pull him into the wood and push him against the broad trunk of a tree that hid them from any casual passersby. 'So, this is why you decided to come with me.'

'Well, naturally. Like you hadn't already guessed that. I'm certainly not trekking into the village for Edith's sake. Now shut up and kiss me.'

Tom obliged, sliding one hand around her waist and cupping her face with the other. Mary leaned into him, her hands resting on his chest, as she opened her mouth under his.

'I missed this,' she murmured as they paused to catch their breath.

'It's only been a couple of days, Mary.'

'Didn't you miss it?'

'Maybe,' he said with a small, embarrassed smile, pulling her back in. Mary felt her butterflies flutter at his confession, secretly pleased that he'd missed her too.

Eventually, much to Mary's dismay, Tom put a stop to all the kissing. 'We have to go and get the car. If we're not careful, they'll send out a search party for us.'

'Spoilsport.'

He grinned, pecking her on the lips once more, before taking her hand and leading her back towards the lane. 'I didn't have a chance to tell you properly before, but I like your hair.'

Mary beamed at him. 'It's rather divine, isn't it? And so much easier to deal with. It takes Anna barely any time to do it now. I should have chopped it off ages ago.'

Tom dropped her hand as they turned back onto the lane. 'I'll confess, it gave me all kinds of improper thoughts when you first waltzed into the drawing room with your hair bobbed.'

'Really?' Mary turned her head to look at him, intrigued to know more. She could have sworn Tom was blushing. 'Like what?'

'Your neck. It looked so… naked. Almost indecent. And very kissable.'

'Kissable! Really? Tell me more.' Yes, he was definitely blushing.

'I wanted to come up behind you and lick all that exposed skin.'

Mary felt a grin splitting her face. 'Goodness. That would certainly have caused a stir in the drawing room. Even Matthew wouldn't have been able to do that outside the bedroom. It's rather naughty. Perhaps we could incorporate it into a little fantasy I had the other night at dinner.'

'Oh?'

'That night you told me off for looking at you, Granny caught me out just as I was imagining you kissing me from the nape of my neck to the base of my spine.'

Tom screwed his face up. 'Well, I can definitely do that, but can you leave out any mention of the Dowager? It's something of a passion killer.'

Mary laughed. 'Oh, absolutely. The last thing I want to do is to put a spanner in the works. You know, Tom, I rather adore the idea of you being all hot and bothered by my indecent neck with the family all around you. It's rather thrilling. If you want to indulge yourself when we're alone, I shan't mind a bit.'

Tom grinned. 'I'll bear that in mind.'

The conversation turned to more mundane matters as they walked on to the village, eventually spying the car outside the station. Mary waited outside while Tom went to retrieve the keys from the stationmaster.

'I simply don't understand why everyone is in such a tizzy about Edith going away for a few days,' Mary said as they got into the car.

Tom put the car in gear and drove off. 'They're worried about her. She's had a shock, finding out Gregson is dead like that.'

Mary rolled her eyes. 'A shock. Please. She hasn't clapped eyes on the man for years. She must have known he's been dead all this time.'

'Don't be unkind, Mary. You and I both know how it feels to lose the person you love the most.'

'Both of those situations were entirely different to Edith's. You and I were married to the loves of our lives. Edith and Michael Gregson weren't even engaged.'

'That doesn't mean she didn't love him. Quite obviously, she did.'

'Edith doesn't know what true love is. She thought she loved old Anthony Strallen not so long ago! She simply enjoys moping about and playing the martyr.'

'Mary! That's enough. I think Edith did love Gregson, and if she's hurting, I feel sorry for her.'

Mary was silent, slightly ashamed that Tom had felt the need to scold her.

'I'm sorry, Tom. Don't be cross with me. I won't say another word about Edith.'

'I just think you could be a little kinder to her. She is your sister.'

'I'm not as nice as Sybil was.'

Tom stiffened, his hands clenching tighter on the steering wheel at the mention of his late wife.

Mary sneaked a sideways glance at him. 'I know you're thinking Sybil wouldn't have been horrible about Edith.'

'I wasn't.'

'I know I fall short of Sybil's standards. I always did.'

Tom paused before answering her. 'I don't compare the two of you.'

Mary turned to look at him in disbelief. 'But how can you not? You've gone from being married to the good sister to secretly sleeping with the wicked sister.'

Keeping his eyes firmly on the road, Tom was silent for a while before answering her. 'I don't think of Sybil when I'm with you. And I don't think of you when I'm thinking of Sybil. At least, I try not to.'

'Why? Because you feel you've let her down by taking up with me?'

Tom tensed again. 'Drop it, Mary.'

'No.' Mary knew she should stop pushing, but she couldn't. Something perverse inside her made her keep needling him for an answer. 'Tell me. Do you feel you've let her down?'

'No.'

'Is that a lie?'

'No.'

'But you feel something, don't you?'

Tom stopped the car, folding his arms over the steering wheel and dropping his head down. 'Don't do this, Mary. Please.'

Mary glared at him, unable to stop even when everything inside her was screaming at her to do just that. 'Tell me.'

He sat up straight, blowing out his cheeks. 'I feel guilty, all right? I feel guilty. Not when we're doing what we're doing, and not all the time. Just sometimes, late at night, I feel guilty that she might think I'm replacing her with her sister.'

Mary stared at him, her chest tight. 'And are you?'

He finally turned to look at her. 'No, I'm not.'

Mary met his gaze, barely able to breathe.

'You're so different to her, Mary. Sometimes, I can hardly believe that you were sisters, that you came from the same parents. But then I see how different you and Edith are too. So, no, I'm not replacing her with you. But I do wonder what she would think if she could see what we're doing. And sometimes I feel guilty that I'm trying to move on with my life when she's gone.'

They sat in silence for a moment before he spoke again. 'Don't you feel guilty? Even a little bit?'

Mary took a deep breath, knowing she had to be honest. 'Yes, I do, but not because Matthew might think I'm replacing him with his friend and not because I'm trying to live my life without him and not because I'm sleeping with my dead sister's husband.'

'Then why?'

Mary met Tom's eyes, refusing to look away even though she desperately wanted to. 'I feel guilty because I want this so badly. You. I want you so badly.'

Tom regarded her silently, and Mary couldn't quite believe what she'd confessed out loud, terrified she might just have ruined this thing between them and jeopardised one of the most important relationships in her life. Then he surged towards her and kissed her fiercely. She kissed him back, giddy with relief.

Tom pulled back, belatedly looking around to see if anyone was close enough to the car to see them, but there wasn't a soul about.

'Let's go home,' he said, gruffly, putting the car in gear again. They didn't say anything for the rest of the drive back.