A/N: I admit I found this final chapter really hard to write, hence the length of time it's taken for me to update! I hope you enjoy it! Thank you as always for the reviews and alerts! xxx

Chapter 4:

The announcement of war affected everyone. The ripples of shock spread out across the perfectly manicured lawns of Downton Abbey like ripples of water across a pond. No-one was left untouched.

For Matthew, it was just another blow to his already fragile life. Things just never seemed to go right for him for long; he always seemed to be pulling himself through another awkward chapter of his life.

Life had changed so rapidly in the last few months, he couldn't keep up. One minute he was the heir, destined to marry Lady Mary, the next his chance of being Lord Grantham seemed in jeopardy and Mary was stalling on answering his proposal. Now, things had shifted once more, he was still the heir and things with Mary had never been direr. It was more than he could take.

His decision had been made long before war was announced, he was going to leave Downton, return to the world he knew – Manchester. It was the only way. Leave the whole damn lot of them to get on with things, he could be the silent heir and stay well out of the politics and mind games of living anywhere near Lady Mary and her family.

War…now that changed everything again. Was Manchester far enough away? Why settle for the same country when you could go further afield and try to forget her entirely? War….where men made their name. It actually appealed to Matthew.

Sitting alone on the bench beneath a tree, he worked through his options, stay and feel the shame of Mary's refusal or go to war and find glory amid the mud. The answer was actually rather simple.

He was disturbed from his reverie by the sound of rapidly approaching feet and looking up saw an extremely happy Gwen bounding towards him, skirts tussling about her ankles as she ran. She came to a halt before him, panting hard, her cheeks pink with happiness.

"Have yer heard?" she asked breathlessly, any usual formality thrown entirely to the wind by whatever her news was.

He sat up a little straighter and despite himself, offered her a bemused smile, "Heard what? The war?"

"No! Not the war….," Gwen gasped and then sobered a little at the mention of that dreadful word. "I mean, that's awful, but I were meaning have yer heard about me job?"

"What job?"

Gwen's face erupted into an excited smile once more, "I've got a job! I did it! Finally, I got a job!"

Matthew got to his feet and not caring who saw, wrapped his arms around Gwen for a brief hug, "Congratulations! Where? How?"

"Wi' Mr Bromidge, I'm goin' t' be 'is secretary! He interviewed me the other day, he just rang not long ago and I got it!"

Matthew sat back down, grinning from ear to ear at Gwen's happiness. "I couldn't be happier for you, Gwen. You deserve it."

"Thank you, sir," she replied, her cheeks glowing happily.

"It's about time something went right." Matthew glanced down at the ground briefly before fixing his gaze on a point in the distance. His mind slowly began to wander, wander through darkened thoughts of Mary and his current life.

"Are you alright, sir?" Gwen's voice cut through his thoughts, bringing Matthew back to the present, her happiness faltering on her flushed face.

He studied Gwen carefully, her face still glowed with happiness one finds when things start to go your way, though her expression showed concern, concern for him. It was actually a cheering thought, that someone truly cared. "Just thinking about the future," he answered, offering her a weak smile. It didn't seem right to spoil her happy mood.

"I'm sure you'll be 'appy together."

"What do you mean?" Matthew frowned lightly, wondering what she was referring to.

"When you and Lady Mary marry," Gwen explained. He couldn't miss the awkward blush that spread up Gwen's neck and into her cheeks.

"We're not getting married," he replied, also flushing at the direction the conversation was taking.

"But…" Gwen's frown was genuine.

"Lady Mary prefers to keep her options open," Matthew explained, his tone hinting at bitterness.

"Well…I'm sorry to 'ear that….I suppose it aint proper o' me to say it, but…well, I'll be leavin' soon, so I'll say it anyway. She's a fool for turnin' you down," Gwen said, indignant on his behalf.

"Perhaps I'm the fool for asking her in the first place!" Matthew suggested wryly.

"No, sir! You only did what were right and proper. She'd have been lucky to 'ave you." Her tone becoming more and more indignant.

"Shame she didn't think so." There was an awkward silence following that statement, many words lingering between them, yet remaining unspoken.

"I really shouldn't say this….and don't think I'm not sorry about that poor baby…but, I am happy it means you're still the heir. It wouldn't feel right, you not bein' the heir, not now anyway." She spoke the words carefully, knowing that to the wrong ears, her words would be scandalous.

"Really?" Matthew raised an eyebrow at Gwen, if it had been anyone else he would assume they were either joking or just trying to be polite, but Gwen was different. She only ever spoke the truth she felt to him.

"O' course."

"Well, it's irrelevant now," Matthew sighed, turning his attention back to a distant point. It began to dawn on him that this may be one of the last few times he gazed on this view. As much as he hated to admit it, he would miss the house he'd slowly grown to love. He'd even started to believe it would one day be his, even looked forward to sharing it, sharing it with Mary.

"Why d'yer say that?" Again Gwen disturbed him from his thoughts, her happy expression all but gone now and replaced with deep concern.

"I'll be going back to Manchester, and then I'll probably sign up for war." He didn't dare look at her as he spoke, of everyone, he actually feared her reaction. She didn't disappoint.

"What? No! Oh, sir, no! You can't, why d' yer want to leave?" She took a step closer and for the first time, he truly looked up at her, taken aback by the anguish in her tone, the anguish that was now flickering across her face.

"I can't stay…you must see that…I can't stay." He was almost pleading with her, pleading for her to understand.

"Because o' Lady Mary? What about his Lordship? What about Downton? What about the staff? Your mum? Me?"

Matthew looked up at that and Gwen flushed furiously, but she didn't back down. She lifted her chin in defiance and stared at him, tears glistening in her eyes.

"You can't sign up for war, you just can't!" she cried, her anguish deepening.

"But, I can't stay here," he said, clenching his fists tightly against the whirl of emotions Gwen's distress was eliciting.

"Why? Why can't you stay?" she practically begged.

"Because….because my whole life is destroyed!"

"No, no it isn't! Why say that? Lady Mary is a fool; she'll see that eventually and if she doesn't….well, more fool her! Don't…just don't do somethin' daft, like signin' up to get yerself killed."

"At least I'll have done something right for once." It was a poor attempt at humour, but even he heard how poor it actually was.

"Stop talkin' like that!" Gwen cried, horrified by such talk. The thought of anyone she knew going to war terrified her, the thought of them not coming home…

"Well it's true! I'm nothing here, I'm not the son Lord Grantham wants, I'm not the husband Mary wants…..I'm not even the heir that everyone wants! I'm nothing….at least fighting in this war…at least then I'm actually fighting a worthy cause."

"No! What's worthwhile about bein' senselessly blown up? Who will benefit from that? And, who's to say this war'll last long? Mr Branson says it'll be over by Christmas, why sign up so soon?" Gwen tried to reason.

"Patriotism?" Matthew suggested, raising an eyebrow.

"Don't joke 'bout things like this!" Gwen scolded angrily.

"Sorry," Matthew replied sincerely. The last thing he wanted was for Gwen to be upset by his decisions, of everyone, he'd hate to see her upset.

"Please…..please, promise me something….," Gwen pleaded, stepping closer again.

"I'll try….," Matthew responded, worried by what she was about to request from him. He hoped it wasn't something he could never agree to, hoped she wouldn't want him to make an impossible promise.

"Promise me you won't sign up….not yet anyway," Gwen's voice wobbled a little and she bit her lip to stop it from quivering.

"Gwen…" Matthew reached out and lightly touched her arm, moved by her emotional plea.

"Please? Not yet…give it time…..please don't sign up," she begged him again.

"I-"

"Please?"

"I-"

"Please?" her voice shook with the force of her feelings and she stared at him, willing him to promise.

"Alright…if it will make you happy. But only for you!" Matthew touched her arm again and smiled, hoping to reassure the girl.

"Thank you." Gwen met his gaze and nodded, expressing her gratitude that he would promise her that.

"You've always been a good friend, Gwen, I wish there was some way I could thank you." Matthew released her arm and settled back against the bench.

"I could say the same 'bout you. You always believed in me," Gwen said, offering him a warm smile.

"Because I knew you could do it. You will make a fine secretary," Matthew replied, grinning back with warmth and affection at the only true friend he'd ever had at Downton.

"And you will make a fine lord," Gwen said simply, meeting his eyes to prove her sincerity.

"I'm not sur-" Matthew began but was interrupted by quickly approaching feet.

"Gwen! There you a-… Oh, beggin' yer pardon, sir." Branson came to an abrupt halt and stood up straight in an act of respect for Matthew.

"No, not at all, thank you, Gwen, I've got everything I need now," Matthew said, meeting Gwen's eyes one last time, silently telling her everything would be alright and that she should go now.

"Thank you, sir," Gwen replied, her words laced with many different meanings, meanings that Matthew understood and he gave an indiscernible nod.

Gwen curtseyed and stepped back, offering him one last look before she turned to join Branson. Branson was smiling and he took hold of Gwen's hand the moment they were a respectable distance from Matthew.

"Lady Sybil's arranging a little party tonight, in the garage, to celebrate your new job!"

"But…what 'bout the war?"

"Shove the war! It's exactly why we should celebrate! No war is going to spoil your good news!"

Matthew watched them disappearing back across the lawn and couldn't help but smile, at least for one person, life was going right and he was truly happy for Gwen, after waiting for so long, she was finally getting her new beginning. Despite promising Gwen differently, Matthew knew it was time he made a fresh start, whether that fresh start was in Manchester or the battle fields of war remained to be seen. But, of one thing he was certain; it was time he took control of his own life.