Author's Note: I can't believe it's taken me this long to finish. I originally put up the first chapter on a whim, not knowing if I'd ever continue it, but this has grown into a story I'm very proud of and just wanted to get right. So, apologies over and over for the long wait, here it is, the final chapter.

Back at the house, Cora watched as her husband continued his relentless pacing up and down the library.

"Robert, really you must stop fidgeting you're making me nervous," she finally complained.

"Why haven't they telephoned?" he wondered aloud. "What the devil is going on down there?"

Cora sighed. "As they say in America, no news is good news."

"They may well say that in America but I fail to see how that is of any comfort here!"

Cora couldn't help but grin a little at her husband's impatience. "Tom walked into a very tense situation," she said thoughtfully. "Knowing Mary they're probably having a very long and complicated conversation." She smiled, trying to picture the situation.

"You're assuming everything went according to plan," he huffed. "Tom left on the first train this morning – he must have arrived in London by 9 o'clock. With Bertie there to meet him at the station…" Robert looked at the clock on the mantle, "he must have arrived at Rosamund's before luncheon!"

Cora didn't answer but smiled again to herself and looked down at her magazine.

"And how in blazes can you be so calm about this?" he suddenly asked in frustration. "After everything that's happened, the future of the estate – the future of our daughter – our grandchildren – hangs in the balance and you –"

"Robert, your complaining about it won't make the time pass any faster."

The Earl stopped for a moment. "You're right," he admitted and sat down across from his wife.

"You're so anxious," she observed.

"I can't help it. This whole situation has been going on for months now and if Mary doesn't finally just face reality and accept –"

"Please quiet down and be patient," his wife advised. A moment passed with neither of them speaking. Suddenly they were interrupted by Carson.

"Mrs. Crawley," Carson announced her arrival as the lady herself entered the room.

"Cora," she warmly greeted her in-law, "Robert," she acknowledged as he stood up. "What news? Has Mary accepted at last?"

"We don't know yet. There's been no news," Cora sighed and looked at Robert. "And Lord Grantham over there is positively agitated over not knowing."

"No news still?" Isobel was surprised. "Tom must have arrived hours ago!"

"Thank you, Isobel. You see?" Robert said to Cora.

Cora sighed but didn't answer.

"Well, we're all a bit impatient now, I suppose. It's only natural," Isobel said.

"This is ridiculous…" Robert observed the situation. "The three of us, sitting here, holding vigil, waiting to find out if my eldest daughter will marry her brother-in-law!"

Isobel smiled. "Oh really Robert, you're not going to pretend you disapprove. I won't believe that for a moment."

"Robert gave Tom his consent this morning," Cora reported with a wicked smile.

Isobel gleamed in triumph. "I suspected as much."

Robert thought for a moment before speaking again. "Does the idea not bother you," he quietly asked his in-law, "if Tom is successful and Mary agrees to remarry?"

Isobel paused before answering. "That's a fair question," she admitted. "And I might have thought otherwise one year ago… but no. Somehow it does not bother me. I've seen what Mary's been like these past few months and that's not what Matthew would have wanted." She paused at her son's name. "He would have wanted Mary to be happy and loved. And Tom clearly loves her," she said with a stout conviction and even a little pride.

"Oh, I daresay we can all agree on that," Robert rubbed his head. "Mary will never find another man who would go to such lengths…" he thought to himself. "Managing to upset the entire household, most of the village, and she was even starting in on London before Lord Hexham finally had to intervene," he smiled at the memory of the telephone call from the previous evening.

"Yes, what did Lord Hexham say? I didn't quite get the whole story," Isobel asked.

"It was quite sweet actually," Cora answered. "He asked Tom to go to London on the first train to try and reason with Mary. At first Tom was hesitant, then Bertie said Mary was so upset that she was disturbing everyone in London. He said he was appealing on behalf of the entire city!"

"Well, bravo Lord Hexham!" Isobel nodded in approval.

"Then Tom asked Robert for permission," she nodded towards her husband. "Tom wouldn't go until he received it."

"Well really, how could I refuse when Mary was about to upset the entire capital? We discussed it and thought it best that he go and resolve the situation before we received any calls from His Majesty."

The women both smiled at him, but they were all suddenly interrupted by Carson. "Telephone for you, my lord," he informed the Earl.

Isobel and Cora both looked up at him with hopeful expressions. Robert excused himself and went to answer it.

"That will be good news, I'll wager," Isobel said with a smug smile.

"You think so?" Cora asked.

"I'm certain of it," she declared.

Both women waited in hushed silence before Robert returned to the room. It seemed like ten years passed before he did at last return.

"And?" Cora sat on the edge of her seat, "What news?"

"Was that Tom?" Isobel added. "Has Mary finally said yes?"

Mary hung up the receiver and looked at her new fiancé. He smiled impishly at her. "Well?" he asked.

"You were right," she conceded. "Papa was not surprised at all. Nor was Mama or even Isobel."

"I told you so," he smiled in satisfaction. Mary eyed him with suspicion.

"Out of curiosity, exactly how big was this conspiracy?"

"I haven't the faintest idea what you're talking about," he answered with a smirk.

Mary tried to look annoyed, but didn't succeed very well. It turned into a laugh. "Oh go on, then, shall I even bother telephoning Granny or does she already know as well?"

"I am not saying that your grandmother knows or doesn't know. I'm not saying that both of your grandmothers know or don't know."

Mary's eyes widened. "Tom, you didn't… There's no way you could have possibly reached Newport, Rhode Island…" she looked at him and he just grinned back at her. She shook her head in pretended exasperation. "So I'm supposing Rose and Atticus know as well then."

"News travels fast in America, as I recall."

She looked at the telephone and handed it to him. "Alright, I surrender. Apparently you've already told everyone in my family. Is there anyone you would like to call?"

Tom smiled and picked up the phone. "I should telephone my brother, I suppose."

Mary couldn't quite conceal a shudder. "Your brother?"

"Of course. He's going to be my best man, after all. And he'll soon be your brother too."

"Naturally," she tried to hide her annoyance. "Your brother Kieran. He is Sybbie's godfather, of course."

"As you are her godmother," Tom reminded her. "And soon to be stepmother," he touched her chin and lightly kissed her.

"Well, of course then," she said as Tom picked up the receiver, "My own godfather will be at the wedding too. Along with his son, Larry Grey –"

"Oh," Tom shuddered in response. "Y- yes, I remember him. Vividly."

Mary grinned in triumph. "It will be an interesting wedding."

Tom thought for a second and smiled at her. "It will be an interesting life," he answered. He leaned over and kissed her.

THE END