Early May 1913

These dinners were starting to become a little more familiar. A little more comfortable. Nearly every great house in Yorkshire had invited the Baron and Baroness Bolton to dine with them. Most, in Lucien's mind, were more interested in showing off their own finery to new people than actually welcoming newcomers to the county.

Lucien knew that Jean wanted to entertain at Bolton Hall. They'd wait until they got a housekeeper and she settled in. There had been a few interviews so far, and one seemed promising. And really, it would be nice to invite friends over. They had some now, in fact.

And it was at the home of friends where they dined tonight. Jean had sung the praises of Lady Grantham. And the sweet Lady Sybil had brought them another friend in Matthew Crawley, heir to the Grantham estate. Matthew had been a godsend, really. He'd spent the last year acclimating to the English peerage after coming from a middle-class professional background. Lucien felt that he himself had a similar background, and knowing Matthew understood where he was coming from, Lucien had felt comfortable enough to ask questions and learn all the things he knew he'd been stumbling through over the last month.

As Lucien sat at the dinner table at Downton Abbey, gazing at the Crawley family, he felt like a newcomer, still, and something of an outsider. But it wasn't so bad anymore. He knew these people and was starting to feel comfortable among them. He wasn't quite sure he was truly one of them just yet, but perhaps that would come in time.

Lord Grantham was talking with Lady Edith. Matthew spoke with Lady Mary—and there was certainly something going on between the two of them. Lady Sybil was engaged in a spirited debate with Isobel Crawley, Matthew's mother, and the Dowager Countess, Lord Grantham's mother. Jean sat speaking with Lady Grantham.

Ah, Jean. He never would have come to this place if it weren't for her encouragement. He'd have written letters to sell everything off and never bothered to leave Ballarat. But Jean, as usual, had been right. And she had always longed for adventure and to explore something new. Neither of them anticipated that their adventure would take them into the English nobility, but Lucien was glad he could provide her the new experiences she had never been able to contemplate before.

Looking at her now across the table, Lucien was in awe of how resplendent she was. She had gotten beautiful gowns made for these fancy dinners, and Adams had done a wonderful job fixing Jean's hair. Jean truly looked like she belonged here. And she sat up straight and spoke in her calm, clear voice. Really, she wouldn't be out of place anywhere. She possessed a dignity that commanded respect. Even as a housekeeper, she had exuded integrity and competence. That elegant way about her, that unwavering strength. That was what made him fall in love with her. And he could feel himself falling in love with her again now.

"Shall we go through?" Lady Grantham suggested, interrupting Lucien's thoughts.

He had hardly noticed that the meal was over. The men would now stay in the dining room for cigars and brandy while the women went to the drawing room for tea and brandy and cards. That had been a strange tradition for Lucien to wrap his head around. The first time he and Lord Grantham had shared after dinner drinks together, Lucien had asked for a tour and stumbled upon the piano. The evening ended in a singsong with the whole Crawley family. Jean had worried that he'd behaved badly, which was perhaps a proper worry for her to have, but they'd been invited back twice since then, so it must not have left such a bad impression.

Jean caught Lucien's eye and shared a smile with him as she got up from the table to go to the drawing room with the rest of the ladies. She had been having a wonderful time with the Crawleys, and she hoped Lucien was as well. Neither of them had much patience for aristocratic nonsense, and the Crawleys certainly possessed some of that, but they were kind and welcoming, and Jean found them much nicer than many of the other lords and ladies they'd met since moving here.

"Lady Bolton, I'm afraid we have not been able to get to know each other much this evening."

Lady Grantham—the elder Lady Grantham, Jean reminded herself—appeared at Jean's side as they all walked to the drawing room. "Yes, that's right," Jean answered politely. "You seemed quite engaged with Lady Sybil and Mrs. Crawley. I didn't want to interrupt."

"Those two are always trying to outnumber me with their…their liberal sensibilities. All their talk of women having the vote. It hardly seems something women need be concerned about," she said with an air of conspiracy about her.

Jean was quite taken aback. "Oh I don't think I would know. I haven't had the opportunity to become involved in political matters here. But women have had the vote in Australia for more than a decade. I've voted in every election since 1902."

The Dowager Countess looked at her, stunned. "They allow such things in Australia?"

"Yes," Jean answered simply.

Isobel Crawley overheard part of their conversation and joined in. "Is Cousin Violet trying to bully you into agreeing with her about how women don't need to concern themselves with politics?"

"Oh no we were only discussing," Jean said, hoping to avoid any more of those not-so-subtle undercuts between the two older women. "I merely informed Lady Grantham that I've always voted in Australia since women were given the vote."

"Don't let Sybil hear you say that or she'll be threatening to run away to the bush," came Lady Mary's slightly sarcastic addition.

Soon enough, all of the women except for Jean and Cora were debating the issue. "I am sorry you got dragged into all that," Cora said quietly, sitting down beside Jean.

"I probably shouldn't have said anything at all," Jean thought aloud. "Your mother-in-law is quite a force."

Cora chuckled. "She's mellowed over the years, if you can believe such a thing."

"Well, she taught you well, even if it was difficult," Jean reasoned.

"I quite agree," Cora said. "But I will warn you not to mention that I've brought you down to the servant's hall to speak with Mrs. Hughes. We'll all get in trouble if Mama finds out about that."

"She'll not hear it from me," Jean assured her.

Meanwhile, the three men enjoyed puffing on their cigars in relative peace. Lucien always liked spending time with the ladies, but being away from the constant chatter of three young women and two strong-willed older women was a bit of a relief. Lucien wasn't entirely sure about Lord Grantham just yet, but he did enjoy Matthew's company at least.

"You're settling into life here, then, Lucien?" Lord Grantham asked.

"I think so," Lucien replied. "Still a lot to learn. But Matthew has been very helpful, actually."

Matthew gave a smile at that. "Lucien had asked what to do with a valet," he told Lord Grantham.

"And did Matthew tell you what I told him when he showed resistance to such a thing?"

"I was told that the role of the estate-holders is to provide good livelihoods to those who live and work on our lands. I wasn't aware of the training and qualifications that are needed to become a valet and the prestige of such a position. I would never dare to belittle a man's profession, particularly one of such skill and stature. And with that perspective, I think things are going very well between Swift and I now." Lucien took a sip of his brandy. It was true, everything he'd said. He hadn't thought what it meant to Swift, Lucien doing so many things for himself. The man's dignity did not deserve to be trampled just because Lucien was from a different background. And thanks to Matthew's advice, Lucien was getting on much better with all the staff.

Lord Grantham gave an approving nod. "And is Jean adjusting? I know this has been quite a big change for her."

Lucien smiled at that. Any thought of Jean made him smile. "She can do anything she sets her mind to. I think she's adjusted far better than I have, actually. She's very aware of things and endeavors to know her role and perform it properly. I'm afraid I'm a bit more haphazard in my approach to things. I had worried about her here, but I do think she's happy."

"I'll admit I do not know your wife well, but she does seem happy to me," Lord Grantham said.

Matthew interjected, "I must say, I do envy you both in your marriages. I've not given much thought to marriage, I'll confess, but I cannot imagine any marriage could possibly live up to what each of you have."

Lord Grantham just hummed, taking a sip of his brandy. That made Lucien quite curious.

"Is it impertinent to ask why Matthew's comment elicited that response, Lord Grantham?" Lucien asked.

The Earl regarded Lucien curiously for a moment before responding. "Well, I suppose if everyone is to call you Lucien, then you ought to call me Robert. And I suppose it is an impertinent question to ask but I'm not too bothered about answering it in the present company."

That was certainly quite intriguing to Lucien.

Robert continued, "I've told Matthew parts of the story, and I'll not go into a long explanation now, but about twenty-five years ago, Downton was in trouble. In quite desperate need of money. And it was decided by my father that the best way to get the money we needed was for me to marry a woman with money."

"Lady Grantham fit the bill?" Lucien surmised.

"She did. Though she was American and Mama was appalled at the very idea of an American becoming the next Countess of Grantham. But I did not want to shirk my duty to the estate, so I pursued her and married her. Cora saved us. And I felt terribly guilty for it. I suppose I still do, in many ways."

"Guilty?"

"It soon became clear that she had fallen in love with me during our courtship. And I had gone after her solely for her money. Now, of course, I found her to be very beautiful and kind, and I did not dislike her. But it took me far too long to fall in love with the woman I had married. And I do feel guilty for how I treated her before I truly understood what true joy marriage can bring with a wonderful woman to love."

Lucien couldn't help but grin. "Here, here," he cheered, holding up his glass in honor of that sentiment. "I lost my first wife many years ago, and I never imagined I'd marry again. But then I met Jean, and I had fallen very deeply in love with her before I fully realized it, I think."

"Yes," Robert agreed. "Cora teases me sometimes that it took me a year of marriage to fall in love with her, and it is true that I did not tell her I loved her until that time, but I think I must have fallen in love with her before that. I just didn't realize it."

"So you see, Matthew," Lucien said, turning to the younger man, "You might already be madly in love with a woman and not even know it. But I think Robert and I can agree that marrying a woman you love is the sweetest gift that life can give." Lucien could have sworn that Matthew's cheeks went a bit pink.

"I shall raise my glass to that," Robert said. "And speaking of our lovely wives, I think it's high time we joined them."

The men put out their cigars and carried their glasses of brandy through to the drawing room to spend the rest of the evening with the ladies.

Lucien couldn't recall a nicer evening in a very long time.