A few days after Mr Carlton's startling revelation to Lily, she was still pondering what to do with the information. Mr Carlton had now left, as had the other guests, leaving Lily alone with only some of the story and not enough to do anything with. If she planned to go through with blackmailing the Crawleys and getting her life together to be long a fruitful, she would need the whole story, which would mean talking to people who knew. It would be too risky to discuss it with anyone at Downton, as most of the servants had been moved on several times within twenty years and those who had remained throughout that time were too loyal to divulge anything.

So her first step was going to have to be to talk to Mrs Briars at Cragalton House. If she could get more information from her she might be able to meet with her niece and find out what happened to the maid. She couldn't wait almost a week for her next day off, she would need to ask for some time, which would mean lying and a cover story.

'Ah Mrs Hughes, I was wondering if I might have a word.' She asked quickly as the housekeeper passed, not yet knowing what story she was going to give her.

'I was hoping you might be able to give me tomorrow off. I wouldn't normally ask but my mother has taken ill and I would really like to see her.' She lied.

Mrs Hughes looked at the young woman sternly but relented.

'Alright you may have tomorrow off but you will need to make it up as we're short staffed enough as it is.' She replied before walking upstairs into the large entrance hall.

Aurelia, Sybil, Mary, Edith and Robert were sat eating breakfast when Mrs Hughes entered the dining room.

'I beg your pardon Milord but there is a telephone call for Lady Aurelia.' She said before exiting.

'Excuse me a moment.' Aurelia said as she stood up from her place, followed by Robert, and she gave her twin a furtive look.

'I wonder what all that is about.' Mary said snootily.

Out in the entrance hall Aurelia snatched up the phone and answered, as her heart raced beneath her ribs.

'Hello?' She asked.

'Aurelia it's Henry I do hope you don't mind me calling.' The male voice on the other end answered.

'No not at all, it's nice to hear a friendly voice for a change.' She replied with a smile.

'I do wish we could see each other. I know what you said in your last letter about your family and I do respect that; but it's killing me to be apart from you, I can't get you out of my mind!'

'I know Henry. I do love you but you have to let me prepare my father for it otherwise we will never be able to be happy together.' Aurelia replied before stopping sharply as she saw one of the maids walk through the hallway.

'Look I can't really talk right now. Maybe we can meet for a short while this afternoon. We can go to Ripon, no one really knows me there.' She whispered.

'Alright I'll see you there. My clinic finishes at 2 o'clock this afternoon.'

And with that their conversation was ended with hope in the air for both of them. But what Aurelia hadn't realised was that O'Brian had been hovering in the background listening to her conversation, something which she intended to use to her advantage.

Aurelia re-joined her sisters, her father had already left, and she tried to act as casually as possible.

'Who was that on the phone?' Edith asked.

'It was Ms Alcott the seamstress calling about the dresses for Sybil and me. She wants us to go into Ripon this afternoon to finalise a few details before our ball.' She lied, hoping Sybil wouldn't give her away, which thankfully she didn't.

Sybil waited until after breakfast, when she and Aurelia were alone to ask her about it.

'I take it that was Doctor Forbes on the phone.' She asked.

'Yes it was. He wants me to meet with him in Ripon to "talk about our future". I do hope you will come with me, I would love for you to meet him properly.'

'Of course I'll come. But promise me that this will be the last time you meet in secret. I think it is marvellous that you have met someone you want to be with and I think it is time our family knew that too.' Sybil replied happily.

'So how are we going to get there? Are you going to take the governess cart?'

'No, I thought we would ask Branson to take us. That way you also get to spend some time with him.' Aurelia replied mischievously.

Although Sybil felt a little uncomfortable going behind her father's back, she couldn't deny that she was glad of her sister's reasoning and the fact that she could spend some time deciding on what to do next with Tom. Difficult times were ahead of the two sisters, but at least, for now, they could revel in their little bit of happiness.

Later that afternoon, Mrs Hughes was sat crouched over her ledgers as she tried to do her calculations to balance the books, when she was gladly interrupted by Mr Carson.

'I gather you have given Lily the day off tomorrow Mrs Hughes.' He said casually as he entered the small room.

'Yes I have. Apparently her mother has taken ill and she asked if she could go to visit her. I said she could but on the proviso she works the day she should have had off. It'll just mean that I'll be required to help Anna tomorrow in the bedrooms.' Mrs Hughes said to him as she swivelled round to face him.

'And what, may I ask, are you doing with that?' She asked, indicating the candle stick holder in his hand.

'It has a scratch on it and a dent!' He replied indignantly.

'Let me see it.' She said impatiently as she approached him. 'Och it's barely even noticeable!' She chastised.

'Yes but I notice it. I wouldn't feel comfortable having this out in front of the family with such an imperfection.' He replied hastily.

Mrs Hughes just rolled her eyes at him and said nothing more about it. He was making more work for himself than was necessary, but he wouldn't be told and she knew better than to argue with him.

'I'm going into the village later for a few things. Is there anything you would like me to get you whilst I am there?' She asked, changing the subject.

Elsewhere, in Ripon, Aurelia was sat having tea and cake in one of the little tea shops off the main street. She liked it there as no one she knew ever went there so she could blend in perfectly. Here she wasn't called Milady, or bowed and curtsied to; here she was just another customer like anyone else and it meant that she could be with Henry with very little interruption.

They sat across from each other at a little table in the corner of the white, clean tea room. They held hands and chatted freely about their life together.

'I have some good news for us for a change.' Henry started with a broad smile, showing off a warm toothy smile that would melt the coldest of hearts. His amber coloured eyes shone only for the woman in front of him and he was oblivious to anything else around him.

'Oh yes; and what is this good news may I ask?' She replied coyly.

'Doctor Clarkson has asked me to stay on at the hospital as a permanent physician. It would seem that I am to stay in the village for good.' He explained and Aurelia was overcome with great joy.

Henry had only been asked to stay on at the hospital on a temporary basis to assist Doctor Clarkson with his clinic. The older man didn't always see eye to eye with the younger man, who liked to utilise new practices and kept up to date on new research. But she was delighted that his future was now permanent in Downton.

'So now we can marry and I can provide for our future Aurelia.' He enthused.

'Yes, but there is still the slight snag of my family. I'm not saying that I don't want to marry you, because I do, more than anything in the world; but I need some more time to prepare my father for our union. I'll tell them about us tonight, after dinner and then I'll arrange for you to come to tea at the house later in the week.' She explained, but little did she know that her news was going to be broken to her mother long before she had the chance.

Back home at Downton Abbey, Miss O'Brian was helping Cora to get ready for afternoon tea with the Dowager Countess and Isobel at the Dower house. She was revelling in telling her ladyship all about Lady Aurelia's telephone call.

'And what exactly did she say to this caller?' Cora said as she glanced at O'Brian's reflection in the mirror.

'Only that he had to give her time to sort things out with his Lordship and yourself Milady, otherwise you would never permit her to be happy with him.'

'And you never heard her use his name?' Cora pressed, trying to think whom her daughter could be meeting in a tryst.

'Henry Milady; that's all she said, Henry. She never gave his surname, but perhaps he gave his name to Mrs Hughes. She was the one who answered the call in the first place.' O'Brian replied.

'Thank you O'Brian that'll be all for now.' Cora said in a despondent and distracted tone, just as Robert entered the room.

'My dear are you quite alright?' He asked her with concern.

She gave him a weak smile and joined him at his side.

'Nothing that you need to concern yourself with my darling. But you might ask Aurelia to see me before dinner this evening if you see her before I do.' She replied before heading out of the room, making his concern grow further as he noted that his wife used their daughter's full name.

As it happened, Robert did see Aurelia before her mother. It was later in the evening, just as everyone else was getting ready for dinner, Sybil and Aurelia returned from Ripon, panicked at their lateness. Sybil disappeared straight upstairs when her father called Aurelia back.

'How was your dress fitting in Ripon?' He asked.

'It went well Papa. Only it took a little longer than we thought so I am ever so sorry we are late.' She replied.

'No, it's fine my darling. But you will need to be quick if you are to be ready on time for dinner, your mother wanted to speak to you beforehand so you had better see her first.' He said.

'What is it that she wants with me?' She asked as she felt her stomach tighten a little.

'She wouldn't say but she sounded quite concerned. You would tell me if you were in any kind of trouble, wouldn't you my little one?' He said and his use of his affectionate term for her made her inwardly cringe.

They had always been very close and even though a father never had a favourite, he felt more protective of Aurelia than the other three. He greatly admired her strength, her courage and even her rebellious streak; but ill health as a young girl had often caused her father to worry greatly about her. There were many occasions when he and Cora used to sit up with her hour after hour in the night as Doctor Clarkson dealt with her laboured breathing, each of them preparing themselves for the worst; but she always managed to pull through. She was feisty and a fighter, but it didn't stop Robert from wanting to wrap her up and keep her safe.

'Of course Papa.' She replied simply and placed a light kiss on his cheek before retiring upstairs.

She hated lying to him and prayed that he would be accepting of the man that she wanted to marry, but she feared she may disappoint him and she feared his disappointment more than his anger. However, for now she would have to tackle her mother and on walking into her mother's bedroom she knew that she was in trouble.

'Papa said you wanted to speak to me Mama.' She said calmly and watched as Cora dismissed O'Brian, who looked like Christmas had just been cancelled.

'Yes I did Ella. Won't you have a seat for a moment?' Cora said as she tried to hide the worry in her voice.

Aurelia did as she was asked and sat tentatively in one of the armchairs beside her mother.

'I need to ask you something about your trip to Ripon Ella and I need you to be honest.' Cora said and received a curt nod from her daughter. 'Who were you meeting in Ripon this afternoon?'

It was as Aurelia had feared, but she could never lie to her mother; and maybe breaking the news to her mother first wasn't such a bad idea. Cora had always been a little more liberal with these things than her father, but still…

'I went to Ripon to meet with Doctor Henry Forbes Mama.' She replied slowly and watched as fear entered her mother's eyes.

'A doctor? Why were you meeting a doctor? Are you ill?' She asked with panic.

'No Mama I'm not ill. I wasn't meeting him as a patient; I was meeting with him because…well…I wish to marry him.' She explained and saw as relief washed over Cora.

'Oh thank God. For a moment I thought you were going to tell me you were unwell or that you were in some sort of trouble.' She said with genuine relief and Aurelia detected no anger in her voice.

'I am sorry Mama for giving you such concern. It was never my intensions to cause you worry or to deceive you,' Aurelia explained.

'But why all the secrecy?'

'Because, although Henry is a very kind, compassionate and caring man, he has no title to his name or vast fortune. I fear that my union with him is a great disappointment to you and Papa.' She said quietly and solemnly.

'Do you love him?' Cora asked kindly, taking her daughter's hand.

'Yes Mama, more than anyone else in the world. We met whilst I was a nurse and he was taking care of the men at the hospital. I have tried for such a long time to resist him, but I cannot deny my feelings for him any longer.'

'Well then that's all that matters. A doctor is a good and respective position, whilst he may not have a vast fortune to his name, he will still be able to take care of you. Let me speak to your father about it first. I think he was rather hoping you would marry Lord Edward but he will be pleased for you I promise. Just give me a little time to prepare him first.' Cora explained and placed her hand against her daughter's cheek, who was visibly shaking with delight and nerves.

'I'd better get ready for dinner or they will think I'm not coming at all.' Aurelia said, giving her mother a peck on the cheek, as she headed out of the room and into her own.

Cora watched her daughter disappeared and felt tears springing to her eyes. She had to remind herself that her daughter was no longer a child but a young woman with a strong mind of her own.

When Aurelia got to her own room, Sybil was already there waiting for her along with Mrs Hughes who was helping her to get ready.

'What did Mama want to talk to you about Aurie?' Sybil asked.

'Some how she had found out that I didn't go to Ripon about our dresses.' Aurelia explained.

'Oh no, I'm so sorry. Did she take the news badly?'

'No she actually took it very well. She said that a doctor is very respectable and that although he may not have a title or vast fortune, he would take care of me at least. She is planning on telling Papa about him tonight though.' Aurelia explained as she perched herself on the edge of her bed.

'And thank you for not giving me away this morning Mrs Hughes. I know you don't approve when we deceive our family, but I do love him and they will too when they get to know him.' She added to the housekeeper.

'It's none of my concern Milady whether you tell your family or not; but I am glad that you have told her Ladyship at least. Doctor Forbes is a good man and I am sure he will make you very happy Milady.' Mrs Hughes replied as she pinned the last of Sybil's hair into place and then turned her attentions to Aurelia.

'Thank you Mrs Hughes.' Aurelia replied with a large smile and feeling so happy she thought her heart would burst. Now all she had to do was tell her father.