A couple of days had passed since Sir Richard had threatened Mary and she was now well enough to get up and about. Tonight, Mary would be joining everyone for dinner and she stood now in her room, trembling with fear as Anna placed her in a deep red evening dress.

'Anna, may I confide in you.' Mary asked quietly.

'Of course my lady,' Anna smiled as she finished doing the buttons up on Mary's dress. Mary sat down, ready for her hair to be put into place. Anna began to comb her soft locks and Mary sighed and began to speak quietly. 'What should I do about my feelings for Matthew?' she exhaled deeply and Anna sighed.

'There is not much you can do my lady,' she said and Mary nodded.

'You're right, but I must suppress them. Richard has forced me to move up the wedding so I shall be announcing my choice tonight.'

'Lady Mary, is it a good idea that you marry Sir Richard?' Anna asked and Mary looked at her in the mirror, 'sorry my lady, it was not my place to say such things.'

'No, it was not Anna. But in answer your question, you and I both know that I must. In order to preserve the family honour I must wed Richard, but I have told Matthew of my transgression and that is enough for me.' Mary sighed as Anna finished her hair. 'And now Anna, I believe I must make an entrance at dinner.' She stood up and exited her room, putting up her walls. Richard had told her to hardly talk to Matthew, so to protect her family she would. When she entered the room, everyone surrounded her with hugs and congratulations on her speedy recovery, but her eyes immediately were drawn to Matthew who was smiling at her. A couple of moments passed and she tore her eyes away and thanked her family for their concerns. Suddenly Richard came up to her and kissed her cheeks.

'Darling, so very glad to see you are better.' He said, his eyes shining brightly.

'Why yes thank you.'

Suddenly Robert clapped his hands, 'Shall we all head into the dining room for dinner?' he smiled and everyone made their way to their seats. Mary was about to sit down in her seat, which had been placed next to Matthew's when Richard stopped her.

'Mary darling, do come and sit by me, I have missed your company so, I'm sure Edith will not mind.' He said and Mary nodded.

'Of course,' she said, with a resigned tone and Matthew frowned as he watched Edith and Mary switch places. Dinner was quiet and the whole time Mary felt Matthews eyes on her and she felt a ball of knots develop in her stomach as she realised that she had to announce that she was moving the wedding up, 'So I have some news, everyone.' Mary said and everyone looked at her.

'Well whatever is it Mary?' Violet asked and Mary forced herself to smile.

'I've decided that I would like to move Richard's and my wedding forwards. You see I am quite eager to travel and Richard has promised to take me places I can only dream of and I don't think I can hold back any longer.' Mary said with false happiness. Everyone seemed to buy her story except for Matthew, Edith and Sybil, who could immediately sense Mary's discomfort.

'Why Mary, when are you planning on marrying?' Cora questioned and Mary chuckled.

'Well I was hoping we could book the church for say in two weeks' time?'

'TWO WEEKS!' Matthew and Cora cried together and Matthew blushed and looked at his feet.

'Yes, two weeks. I think that's enough time for preparations.' Mary said her attitude defeatist.

'And then we shall be as happy as can be.' Richard grinned, taking Mary's hands in his own, 'won't we Mary.'

'Of course Richard.' She smiled at him.

'Well I guess this calls for a toast.' Lord Grantham said, 'To Lady Mary and Sir Richard,' he said, raising his claret glass and everyone raised their glasses.

'To Lady Mary and Sir Richard,' they all chanted and everyone drank to them. As Matthew drank his wine, he watched Mary. Her face looked sad and she looked very uncomfortable in Sir Richard's hold.

'Well, shall we all retire to the drawing room,' Robert smiled and everyone got up, 'Matthew, I would like to speak to you first though, in private please.' He said and the two men walked to Lord Grantham's library, 'Matthew, how are you?' he smiled gently and Matthew sighed.

'I've been better.' Matthew smiled at Robert, 'and how are you Sir?'

'I'm concerned if anything.' Robert said and he sighed and sat down, 'I'm concerned that Mary is going to enter a life of misery with Sir Richard, I'm worried that she's going to be unhappy when I'm gone,' Robert sighed, 'promise me you'll look out for her.'

'I promise Sir, but you won't be leaving us for quite some time.' Matthew smiled.

'I don't know Matthew, as one gets older they start to feel when they are deteriorating and I feel like I am deteriorating and I'm worried that I will not live much longer. I need you to promise me that when I'm gone, you will look after everyone.'

Matthew was in shock at what he was hearing from Robert, 'I promise Sir,' he whispered.

'Good,' Robert exhaled a large breath and tapped his knees and nodded, 'good. You're a noble chap Matthew, and I'm proud to name you my successor. You've been like the son I've never had and you deserve Downton.'

'Thank you Sir.' Matthew smiled, 'I guess we'd best go and join the ladies.'

'Yes, yes we must.' Robert said and before they left the library, he rested a hand on Matthew shoulder, 'you mustn't speak a word of this to anyone, especially Cora or Mary… I don't want them worrying about my health, particularly when Mary's marriage is now closer than ever.'

'Of course sir,' Matthew said, his heart aching at the thought of Mary marrying another man.

'I don't know what made Mary change the date of the wedding because now I think about it, Mary was adamant on waiting until the mourning of Lavinia was over.'

'Really,' Matthew asked, shocked, 'she said that.'

'Yes, I mean Mary was incredibly fond of Lavinia,' Robert smiled, 'she was determined to make sure that her wedding would not draw people's minds away from mourning Lavinia and she felt it highly disrespectful,' Robert explained and Matthew was quite shocked. He knew that he should be mourning Lavinia more rather than pining after Mary, but he could not live in the past and Lavinia had made it her dying wish for him to be happy. The more he thought about the situation, the more suspicious he became of the whole situation, 'my idea is that Carlisle is behind it, for some reason he is desperate to make Mary his wife.' Robert shook his head and walked out. Matthew decided that he needed to talk to Mary about her decision and he needed to do it quickly.

Matthew soon noticed when sitting in the drawing room that Mary paid no attention to him and just sat next to Richard. She did not start conversations but only nodded in acknowledgement and spoke when she was addressed.

'So Mary, where are you planning on going for your honeymoon?' Matthew asked her and she looked at him.

'We haven't decided yet.' Mary said softly and she turned away but Matthew was determined to make her speak to him.

'Surely you cannot have a wedding and not have a honeymoon planned?'

'Maybe, then again, maybe not,' Mary said before standing up, 'I'm tired so I shall bid you all goodnight.' And with that she left the room.

'I think we should all go to bed,' Violet said and all parties nodded in agreement. Matthew stood up and bid goodnight to the ladies and started to walk towards his room when he was stopped by the sight of Mary standing on the balcony. Quietly he entered the room as the clock chimed eleven and shut the door, locking it so that they would receive as much privacy as possible. He sat down in the chair and waited for Mary to walk back in. When she did, she closed the dorr curtains and didn't notice Matthew sitting by the fire place.

'Do you think you can ignore me so easily?' he said, making her jump.

'Matthew!' she cried in shock, 'what are you doing here?'

'We need to talk Mary, there so much we need to talk about,' he said softly and she looked at him and decided that Sir Richard's threat was the last thing on her mind so she sat down.

'Well, let's talk then.'

'First off I want you to know that you are not damaged goods.' Matthew said softly and he was entranced how the glow of the fire illuminated her skin, 'I want to know why you moved the wedding.'

'I already told you why at dinner… I want to travel.' She said and Matthew shook his head.

'We both know that that is not the truth Mary.' Matthew said softly. Suddenly Mary stood up.

'I should go,' she said making a swift exit for the door but Matthew stopped her in his stride.

'Its locked anyway and I have the key.'

'I will not be hold hostage in my own home!' Mary stomped her foot like a child and Matthew chuckled, walking over to her and taking her hands in his own.

'Looks like you already have, now tell me the truth.'

'Matthew…' Mary pleaded but one look into his eyes and she had melted, 'Richard has threatened me again, he told me that I had to move up the wedding, and that I had to stop speaking to you.' Her eyes welled up in tears and he shook his head.

'Mary…. That dream you told me about, where Richard is the wave, your marriage is the dark and the abyss is your life…'

'What about it…. It only haunts me every night.'

'Well you said there was a light, let me be that light…. Turn towards me, let me be there for you.' He pleaded with her and she shook her head.

'I wish it were that simple Matthew but I just can't let the family suffer because of me.'

'They won't, we all love you too much to let you do this!' Mary shook her head.

'Matthew, you mustn't say things like that…. You should be mourning Lavinia; she has only been dead just over a week!'

'I have mourned Lavinia! It is hard for me to speak her name but she will never be you!' Matthew said in a hushed whisper, trying to be as quiet as possible in case someone should hear them. Mary looked at him with wide eyes, 'I love you Mary Crawley, I have never stopped loving you and I know you love me too!'

Matthew smiled at her and she returned it immediately, 'And you love me, despite I am not virtuous,' Mary asked.

'Mary, we all make mistakes, we wouldn't be human if we didn't make them. The best results that come from mistakes are that we learn from them… I assume there has been no one else.' Mary shook her head, 'well there you go Mary, I understand why you refused my proposal now…. But in hindsight, I'm now glad you did because it gave me the chance to fall in love with you all over again and it has made us stronger and I intend to marry you my love… if you'll have me.' Mary's heart soared with happiness and she embraced Matthew, taking in his scent, 'you are my stick Mary and I will always need you and love you.' He whispered in her ear before kissing her passionately.