Mary was coming out of the nursery when she saw Gregson walking towards her. She wondered where Edith was but relieved that she wasn't anywhere in sight.

"Hello Lady Mary," Gregson greeted amicably.

"Hello," she acknowledged. "Is there something I can help you with?"

"Actually I wondered if I might have a private word with you."

Mary could guess what it was about so she nodded and led him to the sitting room.

"Edith told me that you've given us your support," he began. "I wanted to thank you for that. I must admit I'm surprised." He saw Mary raise her brow which made him nervous she would withdraw it because of what he just said. He swallowed hard as he waited for her to speak.

Mary studied him closely before speaking. "May I know what your intentions for Edith are?"

"I do love her and I wish I could marry her," he said sincerely. "But until changes are made to the existing divorce law, I'm bound to my wife. I know it is unfair to Edith to wait but I can't imagine my life without her. Just being near her is enough to make me happy."

"Then let me be clear that my support is for Edith to find her happiness. Until you are able to give her that, I expect you to treat her with respect and absolutely above reproach whether here or not."

"Of course," he promised. "I would never dream of tarnishing her reputation."

Mary saw his honesty and true feelings that she was reassured that she had made the right decision.

"Mary," Edith started to say when she suddenly noticed Gregson was with her in her sitting room.

"I think I'll go find Matthew and chat with him for a while about his doctor," Gregson made up the excuse to leave the sisters to themselves.

"You haven't scared him away have you?" Edith asked, still afraid of the possibility.

"If he's so easily frightened, I think he doesn't deserve you," Mary said. "But it appears that he is in it for the long haul." She tried to soften the impact of her first statement which obviously gave Edith pause.

"So am I," Edith said with conviction.

"Well then, there's nothing to worry about then," she said. "Was there something you needed from me?" She remembered Edith came looking for her.

"Yes, granny wants to play bridge and we're short one player."

"Where is Rose?"

"She went with Tom and they drove the doctor back to the train station. I suspect she's asking Tom to teach her how to drive."

"Heavens, does mama know?"

"I don't think so but I'm sure Tom can manage; he taught me how to drive you know."

Mary rolled her eyes before leading the way out.

...

Matthew and Tom joined the ladies in the sitting room late in the afternoon. They were parched and went straight to get drinks.

"Where have you two been?" Cora asked the men.

Tom hesitated and looked to Matthew for help with an answer.

"We were just enjoying the day outside that we lost track of time," Matthew said. "Are we late for something?"

"Of course not darling," Mary said and walked towards him. "Mama just misses you as much as I do."

Cora shook her head at Mary's claim but didn't oppose her. "Was Rose with the two of you?" Before they could answer, she came running into the room.

Matthew poured a drink for Mary and was handing the glass to her when Rose intercepted it and drank it all. He looked at Mary with an apologetic expression before pouring her another drink.

"You'll keep my secret won't you?" Rose asked Matthew in a whisper that only he and Mary heard. She was pleased when he nodded.

"What was that about?" Mary asked when Rose went to join the others.

"She asked Tom to teach her how to drive the car," he whispered as he handed her a drink. "She may have scratched the car when she was making a turn into the garage."

"Why are you encouraging her then?" she wondered and took a sip of her drink.

"I think it's a wonderful skill to learn," he said. "You should try it again, too."

Mary gave him a look of disbelief that made him chuckle. "Why would I need to?"

"It might come in handy someday," he said before quickly kissing her on the lips to silence any further objection from her.

...

"Matthew, I think you should meet Harold," Martha suggested at the dinner table.

"Is Uncle Harold coming to England?" Edith asked in surprise.

"When will he be coming?" Robert asked and turned to look at Violet.

"I suggest we start bracing against the influx of Americans to Downton," Violet whispered.

"No, he's much too busy for a long trip," Martha assured them. "I thought maybe Matthew might find the time to go to America."

"Mama, I think it's much too soon still," Cora cautioned. "He's still recovering and quite busy with the estate."

Martha thought about it a moment before continuing. "It's just a suggestion since I think they share a lot in common."

"Like what?" Mary finally spoke up. She avoided looking at Matthew although she could feel his eyes on her.

"Interest in new technologies like automobiles, airplanes, and things like that," Martha replied. "You two might invest in something together."

"That sounds risky," Gregson opined. "Shouldn't you wait until it's more established before investing? I've heard of so many family fortunes disappear from risky investments."

Both Mary and Matthew subtly looked at Robert who polished his glass of wine but remained silent.

"I think you should get in from the ground up because by the time it's established, you're too late to the party," Martha explained. "At least that's what Harold always tells me."

"Thank you for the suggestion but I think there is much investing to be done here first," Matthew said, hoping that would put an end to the discussion without antagonizing Martha too much.

Martha studied Matthew a moment before shrugging her shoulder and continued to eat dinner.

...

Mary was playing with William when his attention was drawn towards the door. She turned to look at what he was pointing at and smiled at Matthew standing by the door.

"Shouldn't he be asleep by now?" he asked as he approached them. He picked up the boy when he extended both arms to him.

"Maybe you can get him to sleep," she said handing him William's teddy bear.

"You were pretty quiet at dinner tonight," he started, taking a seat next to her. "I so wanted to hear your thoughts on the matter."

"About investing or about travelling to America?" she asked. "I think you know how I feel about the latter. William is much too young to travel that far and I'm not going to leave him behind."

"What if I went on my own?" he asked jokingly. "Would you let me go?"

"If you want to," she sadly agreed. "Just promise to come back as soon as you can because I will miss you terribly."

Matthew was completely surprised because he was sure she would exercise her veto power. "I didn't expect that," he admitted softly. "If I had known, I probably wouldn't have firmly but respectfully declined your grandmother's invitation."

It was Mary's turn to be surprised because she thought he was eager to go.

"I told her that I would miss you terribly if you didn't come with me so I had to wait until you can," he revealed. He kissed Mary on the cheek and almost woke William who had somehow fallen asleep in his arms. He stood up and gently placed his son in his crib.

Mary gently touched the top of his head so as not to wake him. "He looks so peaceful and content."

"I wonder what he dreams of," he mused.

"All he thinks about right now is eating and sleeping," she joked and was glad he tried to suppress his laughter.

"Well, I'm fed so I think it's time for me to go to bed as well," he invited her. "I wonder who will tuck me in tonight." He gave her his best impression of William he could.

"You're much too old for that but I suppose Isobel wouldn't mind tucking you in," she teased and got her intended reaction from him.

"I had someone else in mind," he countered before following her out of the room. He briefly caught her smile playfully back at him.

...

"There, are you comfortable?" Mary asked as she tucked the comforter around Matthew before taking her spot next to him.

"You should do this more often," he said with a satisfied grin.

"If you like but what will Isobel say?" she cautioned him.

"I won't tell if you won't," he said. "But even if she did find out, I think she'd be happy for me."

Mary smiled and gave him a kiss before settling in for the night. "By the way, what did you tell granny? She's not cross with us is she?"

"I made sure she's not cross with you," he said. "I told her that I couldn't bear to be apart from you for too long anymore since Geneva. I think I would have come running home if Molesley had given me any reason."

"So what did she say?" she asked, curious how her grandmother took not getting her way.

"She wasn't too disappointed but she made me promise that we will go to America when William is a little older."

"You do know she'll hold you to that," she told him. "She never forgets a promise from anyone."

Matthew chuckled. "I imagine that's how she secured your regular visits to America from Robert."

"I think she'll have to rethink the activities now that there's a little boy visiting. Maybe Uncle Harold can help with that."

"What's he like?" he finally asked.

"He's very different from papa," she revealed. "He believes in making one's own fortune and not depend on an inheritance. He doesn't even need it."

"In other words, very American," he joked and they both chuckled.

"I think he'll like you," she said, resting her chin on her arm over his chest to be able to look at his face. "Like him, you like to modernize things. He used to show me and my sisters all the new gadgets he had purchased and how they worked."

"I look forward to meeting him," he said. "Who knows what I could learn from him."

"Just remember to gradually introduce changes that you learn from him," she reminded him.

"Speaking of changes, can you help me with Carson tomorrow? He has such exacting standards that he insists on getting far too many servants for Locksley House than I think is necessary."

"We'll have to speak with him right after breakfast because mama wants us to go on a picnic by the lake right after," she told him.

"A family picnic, how nice," he said. "Will the children come with us?"

"Yes, along with Edmund and Gregson," she added. "It will be an interesting outing and William's first that far away from home."

"His first look at the extent of the estate," he said.

...

"Ah Carson, just the person for the job," Mary greeted when he entered the library.

"How can I be of service milady?" Carson replied in usual form.

"Mr. Crawley needs your help to hire servants for Locksley House," she explained.

"Yes, I've offered it for lease to Mr. Danforth but he would certainly need some servants to live in it," Matthew added. "I hoped we can find a few as soon as possible and hopefully people who can do double duty."

"Double duty, sir?" Carson asked for clarification, not hiding his disapproval.

"I think what Mr. Crawley means is that a butler who can be a valet or a housekeeper who can be a cook," Mary tried to sell the idea to Carson.

"It will just be Edmund at the house most of the time so it could work," Matthew reasoned.

"Locksley House is much larger than Crawley House," Carson reminded them. "But I will do my best to find double-duty servants necessary to maintain it. Will that be all?"

"I hope it's not too inconvenient," Matthew said apologetically.

"I was just joking sir," Carson said uncharacteristically and had to smile to put Matthew at ease.

"Thank you, Carson," Mary said gratefully and watched him leave the library. He was closing the door when he overheard the private conversation between the couple inside.

"I can never tell when he's joking," Matthew said. "I wish I knew him better."

"That's why you need me," Mary said. "I've known him long enough to know he just wants to make sure you are successful."

Carson smiled and quietly closed the door before walking away.

...

Matthew waited at the bottom of the stairs for his family to go to the picnic Cora arranged. He saw Mary carrying William in her arms and relieved her of the load by reaching for the little boy and taking him.

"Are we the last to come down? Mary wondered, looking around for the rest of the family.

"No," he assured her. "Robert and Cora are fashionably late. Tom and Edmund had gone ahead with Rose, Sybie and the nanny."

"So Edith and Gregson will ride with us?" she guessed correctly. "Where are they?"

Matthew tilted his head towards the door where they were waiting outside.

"Well, I suppose we should go then," she said and placed a cap on William's head which he promptly pushed off.

"I don't think he likes it," he noted with a smile.

"I can't imagine why since it's like yours," she said, picking the cap up and trying to place it back on unsuccessfully. "William, don't you want to look like your papa?" She knew he was too young to understand but tried to reason with him anyway.

"Let me try," he offered and tried to place the cap on his son's head with the same result. "Maybe we'll try another time." He caught the cap and passed it back to Mary.

Mary held the cap and followed them out to the car. They got in just as Robert and Cora came out to get into the car behind them.

"He's a handsome chap," Gregson said pleasantly about William when he and Edith settled inside the car.

"Would you like to hold him?" Matthew offered. He passed his son to Gregson.

"He likes you," Edith gushed, pleased that her nephew took to Gregson. She tickled him to make him giggle.

"I'm glad he does," Gregson said happily. "I must admit I've never held a child before."

"How does it feel?" Edith asked innocently.

"I just realized what I'm missing and hope to someday hold one of my own," Gregson admitted.

There was an awkward moment between them and they rode mostly in silence the rest of the way.

...

"Look at them," Cora said to Robert to draw his attention to Matthew, Mary and William who were standing near the lake. "Don't they look absolutely wonderful?"

"Yes, they look very happy," Robert agreed. "It reminds me of us when we had the girls."

"A child can be such a joy," she noted.

"What do you think of Gregson and Edith?" he asked as he watched his other daughter who was sitting with Gregson, Edmund and Rose.

"What about them?" she asked, trying to remain neutral on that subject.

"I suspect Gregson is visiting not just to meet your mother," he said.

"I think you should just let it play out on its own," she advised him. "Edith will tell us when she's ready."

"I find myself impatient about this matter," he insisted.

"Robert, just be glad for what we have," she reminded him. She gave Robert a gentle warning look to ensure his compliance.

...

Martha was soaking up the rays of sunshine while Violet used her parasol to shade herself.

"You must try enjoying the sun," Martha teased. "The flowers seem to love and celebrate it."

"But they wither much too soon," Violet countered. "I think evergreen trees fare much better because they know how much sun to take."

Martha studied Violet before responding. "Sometimes you must take a risk to have a colorful life or you might end up with an unrewarding one. I wonder if Matthew will have a colorful one; he has such potential."

"Mama," Robert addressed Violet. "Are you two getting along?" He had a sense they were about to get into a disagreement.

"We are getting along just fine," Violet replied.

"We were discussing trees and flowers," Martha added. "You'll be surprised at how much you learn from them."

Robert turned a puzzled look at Violet hoping to get some idea how to respond.

...

"This is a picturesque location," Edmund noted as he approached Mary and Matthew. "I would love to take a photograph of your family."

"You can do that?" Mary asked with surprise.

"That's why I have this," Edmund replied, revealing a small camera. "It's an American made Tourist Multiple and quite popular these days."

"Have you actually used it before?" Matthew asked.

"No time like the present," Edmund said and positioned it to snap a photo of them.

"What's this?" Robert asked when he joined them.

"One of Edmund's new gadgets," Mary told him. She took William from Matthew as he went to inspect the camera.

"How about a picture of the three of you?" Matthew suggested as he got instructions from Edmund on how to operate the camera.

After a few more shots, the picnic party disbanded and started to head home.

"Matthew," Violet called out to him when he passed by her car. "Will you come for tea tomorrow?"

"Certainly," Matthew replied. "I'm sure Mary would love for us to come for tea; should we bring William with us?"

"No, just you if you don't mind," she clarified. "It's a business matter and I don't want to bother Mary with it."

Matthew was baffled but chose to wait until he saw her to learn what she meant.

Author's note: Searching for a camera of the period, I found an American one that was commercially produced. If you want to see what it looked like google "American Tourist Multiple camera." I don't know how it works so let's just leave that alone. I was hoping to refer to a Leica as a friend suggested but the timeline didn't work.