Work continued busily and Kitty soon got into the routine, just as everyone had assured her. It didn't mean she was any more agreeable at breakfast and it certainly didn't mean that she was any less tired when her head hit the pillow at night. But she forgot less things each day and found ways of coping with her tiredness.

Kitty was also much happier since she had made-up with Thomas. As far as she could tell, he kept his promise and the cutting words and dark plots ceased. Instead of avoiding him at mealtimes, Kitty sat next to him and chatted away happily. They usually spent their tea breaks together in the courtyard; Kitty sometimes smoking instead of having tea; Thomas sometimes having tea instead of smoking.

She was still angry at Mrs Hughes and Mr Carson for using Miss O'Brien's relationship with Thomas to get information and insinuating so many negative things at the same time. But after a good night's sleep, it seemed Thomas had gotten over it, so Kitty elected not to bring it up.

At one luncheon, she hadn't noticed that she had sat down next to Thomas as she wearily sank into a chair. When she did notice, she found immediately that some energy had returned and she smiled up at him brightly.

"Hello," she said pleasantly.

"Hello. You look worn out."

Suddenly, Kitty felt very self-conscious and raised a hand to her face. She deflated a little when she felt the bags under her eyes. Much to her surprise, Thomas reached out and grabbed her hand, pulling it gently away from her face to hold in his lap.

"No, I didn't mean it like that. You look fine, just a little flustered," he assured her with a winning smile. It amazed Kitty that he knew exactly what to say to her in the right moments. Realising she was blushing, she looked down at their hands.

Thomas had taken her left hand from her face with his right. It wasn't until she looked down that she noticed he was wearing a skin-coloured glove on his other hand, the one that wasn't holding hers. She frowned slightly in confusion.

Kitty was very restrained about touching, for reasons she hadn't shared. Thomas seemed to know that and respected them, even though he didn't know what they were. So when she frowned, Thomas took it to mean that she was uncomfortable with him holding her hand and started to let go, apologising.

"No," she said, grabbing both his hands. She linked her fingers with the one without the glove. She smiled, blushing shyly, "It's not that, I like holding your hand." She held up the gloved hand, inspecting it slightly, "I just never noticed the glove before...why do you wear it?"

Thomas had looked pleased when she said she liked holding his hand but the mention of the glove made him look uncomfortable. "Oh. That. Well I got...injured. When I went to war."

"Oh, I'm sorry." Kitty lowered the gloved hand slowly, rubbing the palm gently with her thumb. Anna had said he was in the war, but never that he had been injured. "How did it happen?"

Thomas hesitated and Kitty suddenly realised that she had asked quite an insensitive question.

"Oh God, how stupid am I?" She let go of his hands and turned herself in her seat so she was facing the table straight on again, "You shouldn't have to talk about it, of course. I'm sorry I asked. Wasn't my place."

"Kitty, I want to tell you but..." he sighed, shaking his head, "I want to tell you the truth and I'm afraid that you won't like me for it..." he grabbed her hand again and used it to turn her back to face him. "Maybe...maybe just another time?"

"Like I said, you don't have tell me about it at all if you don't want to," she hesitated, then decided to ask, "Can...can I see it?"

"Again, another time. It's not very nice to look at and I shouldn't really bring it out just as we're about to eat. Sorry, but can we talk about something else, please?"

Kitty smiled. "Of course."

The conversation moved on to more pleasant things; the history of Downton, Kitty's friends in London, the time Kitty fell into the river trying to catch one of the dogs that belonged to her previous employer. Somehow, they each managed to skirt the topics that the other didn't want to talk about without knowing what they were. For Kitty, the luncheon ended far too soon and she was disappointed when they both had to get back work.

Neither of them had noticed that they were being watched throughout the meal. Miss O'Brien was looking on suspiciously; she still didn't know whether to believe Thomas, but she was beginning to be inclined that way.

Mrs Hughes and Anna shared a significant look across the table. The rest of the staff had finally begun to notice what was stirring but, while they were amazed by it, none of them were particularly concerned. Mrs Hughes, however, had known about it before anyone else and was still trying to get to the bottom of it. Anna had figured it out not long after and was equally concerned. Not for the first time did Mrs Hughes think that Anna would make such a fantastic housekeeper one day. When they met in the corridor later on that day, Anna brought it up.

"Mrs Hughes, I'm worried about where things are going between Kitty and Thomas," she began. Mrs Hughes hesitated, looking up and down the corridor.

"Have you got a moment? Would you like to come into my sitting room?" Anna nodded and followed the older woman in. When Mrs Hughes shut the door, she turned to Anna with much the same expression as she had been wearing at luncheon. She began by telling Anna the events of the other day.

"I know we shouldn't really interfere but I can't help it. What is Thomas doing? I have never, in all my time of knowing him, seen him act like this!" Mrs Hughes blurted out.

"Yes, I know what you mean. But it seems genuine enough on his part," Anna replied. Mrs Hughes shook her head and walked over to sit down at her desk.

"It's a sad thing to be suspicious of someone who is behaving agreeably, but I am. Very suspicious."

"Me too. I understand your concern, even if Kitty was too angry to see you meant well," Anna frowned, "But at the same time, I can't help but think she's a worldly woman. She knows exactly what she's doing but...does Thomas, I wonder?"

Both women were quiet for a moment, lost in their own thoughts. Then the dressing gong sounded and they were roused from their musings. Mrs Hughes was about to open the door when she turned to Anna.

"I wonder if you could maybe talk to her? I don't think she'd talk to me anymore and I just to make sure she does know what she's doing – and that we are here if she needs us." Anna agreed and they both left to do their bit for upstairs dinner.

That night, as they were preparing for bed, Anna decided to broach the topic with Kitty. Once again, Thomas and Kitty had sat together at dinner and their conversation had almost reached the point that Anna might call flirting. Yet, somehow, Kitty had simultaneously maintained conversation with just about everyone else at the table, leaving no-one feeling as though she were treating Thomas exclusively to her time. Thomas seemed to hang on her every word, no matter who it was spoken to. All this behaviour was unfathomable to Anna but she decided to try and decipher the young woman first. Thomas would need more time to figure out.

Anna watched Kitty as she brushed her hair in front of the mirror, trying to decide how to bring it up.

"How do you do it?" she began cheerily, "Everyone likes you so much; upstairs and down. Even Miss O'Brien." Kitty paused for a moment in her brushing and Anna could tell she knew where this was going. Then she continued her brushing and smiled at Anna in the mirror.

"I don't think everyone likes me. Everyone likes you – I couldn't even begin to make a scratch on 's not hard to see why, though," Kitty turned from the mirror to smile at Anna properly, "You're just such a lovely person. It's hard not to like you."

"Thank you, that's very kind. But it's hard not to like you, either." Now or never, Anna thought. She spoke her next words very slowly and deliberately, "I mean, even Thomas likes you...especially Thomas..."

Kitty looked down at her hands where they lay in her lap for a moment. Looking back up at Anna determinedly, Kitty decided to get straight to the point.

"Just say whatever it is you want to say, Anna," she sighed wearily. It occurred to her that she should be angry but right now she just didn't have the energy for it.

"Please, don't be upset. We're just concerned for you, is all-"

"We? Oh, I suppose you mean Mrs Hughes," Kitty interrupted. "Well what do you want to know?"

"We just want to know that you know what you're doing, and that you know what you're getting into."

Kitty laughed without humour. "Oh I know what I'm doing, for sure. But what I'm getting into? I have no idea! I can't read him, Anna. I don't know what any of this means to him," she looked sad for a moment and Anna suddenly realised just how Kitty must be feeling. Anna herself had gone through much uncertainty before she knew how things were between herself and her now-husband. For a moment, she contemplated telling her what Thomas had said to Miss O'Brien, but she decided against it. It wasn't for her to tell. She stood up from where she was sat on the bed and walked over.

"Maybe you should just talk to him, ask him?" she said kindly, putting a hand on the other woman's shoulder.

"I'm not sure if I want to, though Anna," Kitty mumbled.

"Surely it'd be better to know where you stand with him?"

Kitty looked up at her with an almost desperate look in her eyes and Anna saw tears brimming.

"Thing is, Anna, I've been here before..."

"Oh, Kitty," Anna responded, recognising a broken heart when she saw one, "What happened?"

Kitty hesitated. Contemplating, she stood up and walked to her bed, putting her cold feet under the covers. She looked up at Anna once more.

"You'd better sit down," she gestured to the foot of her bed, "I'm going to tell you exactly what happened..."

A/N: So, we're about to learn about Kitty's history...mystery no.1 revealed.