Matthew

When he walks into the library and sees Mary there by herself he can hardly contain his joy. "Mary", he says and watches her face transform as she turns to him and sees him. She looks as if she has cried a lot that day, but she smiles at him in a way he can only describe as lovingly. "Matthew, what a pleasure to see you. I was afraid we wouldn't be able to spend any more time together before you left tomorrow morning."

"I've got news on that. I changed my plans. I'll stay here for a little while longer. Get to know the family. And I like it here. It's so quiet here."

Mary almost chokes on her tea.

"You like it here because it is quiet?" she asks him incredulously. "You are a city boy, my dear."

"I am. Maybe there is another incentive." He smiles at her and raises his eyebrows. He hasn't overheard the 'my dear'

"And what would that be?" Mary has gotten up now and walked towards him. He isn't going to back away. If she wants to play this game, he'll play it with her.

"I don't know", he says. "Maybe it's the view." He is now so close to her that he can look at her very closely and he does. He wants her to know what he means.

Mary

They are playing with fire again. Matthew is staying here because of her. He is very obvious about it. She is almost sure he does this on purpose. They are playing a game. She puts the index finger of right hand under his chin and moves it up. "Matthew", she says. "I hope it is not only the view that keeps you here." "No."

Matthew

He can't help himself. He moves his head forward and kisses her. In broad daylight in her parents library. He puts his arms around her waist and pulls her close. She gasps but he keeps on kissing her. He wants to kiss her until she is dizzy, until she is putty in his hands. He doesn't hear the door open, but hears an "oh, I am so sorry." The door closes again. He stops to kiss Mary and turns around worriedly. "Sybil. Don't worry, she won't say a thing", Mary says before she reignites their kiss. He wants to go on and he wants to go further but he knows he shouldn't. So he pulls away.

"Mary, I want to go on. God knows I want to so much. But we can't. Not here, not now."

"When?"

"When we are ready."

"I am ready now."

"No. You are not. And neither am I."

"What are we waiting for?"

"Mary, I like you. Very much."

"But we've known each other for only two months," she finishes his sentence for him.

"Yes. It's too short a time for something that big."

"We are not just talking about kissing anymore, are we Matthew?"

"Has this ever been about just kissing?"

He looks into her eyes and this is the moment that it becomes clear to him what she feels.

Mary

Oh dear God. I love him. Irrevocably. His eyes are the deepest of blue and they are full of emotions. Maybe he has realized what exactly he feels in that moment too. She has to know.

"No. This has never been just about kissing. Will you ever be ready?"

"Yes." Her heart skips a beat.

"Will you?"

"Yes."

She kisses him on the lips one more time and then moves a few steps away from him.

Cora

"Mama, can I talk to you?" She really doesn't have any time because Robert and her have been invited to dinner by some friends and they have to leave in a few minutes, but Mary looks so confused that she can't say no. "A little."

"Mama, is it true that your father and Granny didn't want you and Papa to get married?"

She is surprised by the question but she thinks she knows what's behind it.

"Yes. That is true. Your granny did not want an American in this house, no matter how much money I brought with me. And my father thought my money should buy me more than just the title of a countess."

"So both you and Papa went against your parents' wishes by getting married to each other."

"Yes." She can hear Robert in the other room and she wants to get this over with. "Mary, now that Edith will marry Patrick, you are almost free in your choice of husband. As long as you don't want to marry the chauffeur, we'll be fine with it."

"Even with someone who has a job?"

"You mean a doctor or a lawyer?"

"For example."

"If that what will make you happy then we will be happy. Especially if it is a lawyer." She hopes her daughter has understood what she wants to tell her. The look of relief on Mary's face tells her that she has.

Patrick

"Edith, I'd like to ask you something."

"Go ahead." She has such an easy manner with him and he hopes that she won't take this wrong way. He doesn't want their first fight to be about Mary.

"I'd like to ask you to be a little nicer to Mary." She looks at him confusedly. "Why should I be nice to her?"

"Because she is your sister. No matter how much you two might have fought, you have got what you wanted. You made me fall in love with you. You'll be Countess of Grantham one day. You and not Mary. Would you stop talking to her about that? Please? For me?" Edith' expression turns soft.

"If it is important to you, then yes. I won't taunt her anymore. Or Sybil. I promise."

"Thank you darling." He wishes she was as nice to her sisters as she is to him. Not exactly the same way of course, but they are her sisters. And once they are Earl and Countess of Grantham she might need every support she can get. It was Mary who had been groomed for this position for years, not Edith. And while he hopes that it will be many years before they actually have to take on their new roles, he thinks that one can never be careful.

Cora

"So you think that there is a good chance that Mary will marry Matthew?" her husband asks her in the car.

"Yes. I am sure that whole conversation was about Matthew. I tried to tell her we were fine with it if it made her happy. I did not tell her that we actually want her to marry Matthew." Her husband sighs at this. "What is it, Robert?"

"You may not have told Mary, but I told Matthew. Or rather, he guessed it. He knows where he stands considering the succession. And he asked me whether that was the reason I was allowing him to pursue Mary. I couldn't very well lie to him."

"No. But I think he is smart enough not to tell her."

There is something else that she needs to talk to him about.

"Robert, Edith isn't being very kind to Mary or Sybil. We have to talk to her because she is really hurting their feelings."

"Why? What has she said?"

"She told both of them that she'd throw them out of the house as soon as she was the countess. Regardless of their marital status. Apparently Sybil flung a cookie jar at her." Her husband's face tells her that he is shocked by this.

"If she really said that, she can't blame Sybil for throwing the cookie jar. But she can't throw them out of the house."

"That's why we have to talk to her."

"We do have to talk to her but that is not what I mean. She can't because she isn't allowed to. I've written that into my will. It says that neither our girls nor you can be made to leave the house if you don't want to."

"Really Robert?" She can hardly believe it.

"Yes. I added it before I left for South Africa because I wasn't sure whether James would let you stay in case I didn't return. I've never taken it out and I certainly won't do so now." She takes her husband's face between her hands and pours all her emotions into kissing him. "I love you, Robert."