Breakfast was pretty much silent that morning. Mary still wasn't talking to Tom for some reason no one could understand! The others could feel the tension between them, so had run out of things to keep off the subject. The sound of slurping and crockery meeting plates and bowls were the only sounds in the room.

Carson stood at the front of the room. Robert had called him up after he had told the servants to go and help Drew with the tree. Carson kept his eyes mainly focused on Mary. He had always cared for Mary the most and now was no different. He hated when it was quiet. Normally the house was full of chatter. He didn't have to wait long however, before someone came to break this silence.

"Sorry I'm late everyone. My hair would just not stay still this morning." Rose came bursting in.

There were mutters of good morning from the family. She shook her head, got some breakfast and took her seat next to Tom.

"Huh." Mary muttered loud enough for everyone to hear.

"Mary, what is it?" Rose asked, seeing Mary obviously saw something wrong.

"Oh nothing. Just you're sitting next to the person who started all of this." Mary revealed gaining a few cups cluttering against saucers.

"It's not Tom's fault Mary." Blake spoke up in Tom's defence.

"You don't know that. Maybe he planned all of this."

"No one knew Strallan was going to be here apart from me. How could Tom have known and planned his murder?!" Blake said getting more and more annoyed at Mary.

"Still." Mary shrugged but went quiet once again.

Tom stared down at his breakfast. Rose held out her hand and rubbed the back of Tom's. He didn't take any notice though.

"So until the police arrive, what is everyone going to be up to?" Robert asked before Mary could accuse anyone else.

"Me and Edith have a few things for the paper to look through." Gregson answered winking at Edith.

"I was going to have a walk around the grounds, see what got damaged in the storm last night." Tom's voice wavered, a little scared of what Mary was going to say.

"I'll give you a hand." Blake nodded showing his support for Tom.

"Tony?" Robert hoped he might also go around the grounds, knowing how close Mary and him were.

"Tony and I are going to be busy looking over the accounts of the state." Mary answered for him trying to show off.

The room then went silent again. Mary and Tom nearly always went through the accounts together. Tom put his cup down and got up from the table. Blake and Edward followed him.

—-

"Tom, wait!" Blake called after Tom as they made their way through the house.

Tom stopped just before he got to the steps. Edward could see the hurt in his eyes which Mary had inflicted. He didn't know Tom that well, but could tell Tom and Mary usually got along.

"Thanks for sticking up for me." Tom mumbled seeing Edward and Blake standing there.

"Don't worry about it. Mary was being unkind and I wasn't going to let that happen." Blake smiled trying to cheer Tom up.

"Well I deserve some of it."

"Don't say that Tom." Edward piped up.

"I'm right though. If I hadn't invited you all here then none of this would have happened."

Blake shuffled where he stood when Tom said this. Tom and Edward both soon noticed this. There was obviously something he wasn't telling them. Before they could ask what that was, the breakfast room came spilling out.

"Tom, are you coming?" Robert asked, getting his coat to go outside.

Tom and Blake followed Robert outside, leaving Edward to go over everything that had just happened. What was Blake hiding?

—-

Barrow, Jimmy and Alfred were the first to arrive at the tree that morning. The hall boys said they had been told by Mr Carson that they had too much to attend to. Anna and Mosley were still looking after the family and Bates wouldn't be able to help. Jimmy still felt a little awkward around Barrow and since Alfred hadn't been getting on with him since he started, it didn't bode well to how the morning was going to go. They found Drew already at the tree. He looked relieved to see them as they neared him.

"Thank goodness you're here. I was beginning to think I'd have to do this myself!" Drew sighed seeing only three of them.

"I'm afraid this is it for the moment." Barrow said, waving his hands at the three of them.

"Oh well, better then nothing. Come round this side and I'll show you what to do." Drew waved his hand over the tree.

Barrow went first with Alfred just behind him. Jimmy, who had always given an air of courage, stopped before getting over the tree. Alfred stared back at him, waiting for him to help.

"What are you standing around there for?" Alfred smirked seeing Jimmy jump when he spoke.

"Nothing. Just being careful." Jimmy hopped over the tree.

Alfred stifled a chuckle as Jimmy winced as he stepped on what appeared to be a slug. Barrow was quick to turn around when Jimmy yelled seeing the slug on the underside of his shoe. Barrow folded his arms and gave them both his usual stare.

"It's only a slug, Jimmy! Get over it!" Barrow moaned.

"I should have stayed at the house." Jimmy whispered to Alfred showing his disgust.

Alfred ignored him and went to help Thomas move the tree. Jimmy could see he wasn't going to get any sympathy so made his way over to them, carefully.

"Right, listen carefully. If we don't get this right, then I'll be sending for an ambulance." Drew warned after Jimmy's outburst.

Jimmy knew that was mainly aimed at him. It wasn't his fault that the ground out here was so horrible. He just hoped the tree wasn't full of wildlife!

—-

Mrs Patmore looked around the kitchen. Daisy had been avoiding her eye contact since they had started. She could tell it was from her outburst last night. The other kitchen maids were talking amongst themselves which didn't help. The work had mostly dried up so they had some time before they needed to be working again. Mrs Patmore had had enough so dragged Daisy away to the pantry.

"Right you, I'm sorry for shouting at you last night but that's no reason for ignoring me today." Mrs Patmore stuck her finger in Daisy's face.

"Yes Mrs Patmore." Daisy nodded out of worry.

"Good. Now tell me what's nibbling at you."

"Me?!"

"Yes. You've been away with the fairies since the body was found. Maybe even before that."

"I just don't like having a dead body in the house." Daisy said, reaching for the doorknob.

Mrs Patmore let her go seeing that she wasn't going to say anything else on the matter. Daisy got back to work before Mrs Patmore thought of any other questions.

"Is Mrs Patmore about?" Molsley called from the hall.

"Yes I am Mr Molsley. What did you want?" Mrs Patmore shouted back in her booming voice.

"Nanny asked for some more milk. Apparently Miss Sybbie isn't going to eat her breakfast without it." Molsley still didn't appear and sounded in a rush.

There was then a sound of rapid footsteps and a slam of the back door. Mrs Patmore tutted and shook her head knowing that was probably Molsley rushing off to do another task!

—-

Edith put down the piece of paper she was reading. Normally going through the next editions pieces kept her very interested. Today on the other hand seemed to be the last thing on her mind. Gregson looked up as she sighed and rubbed her eyes.

"Something wrong?" Gregson asked, putting down his piece.

"Not unless boredom is some sort of illness." Edith smiled sweetly.

"Bored?! You're usually itching to read all of these."

"I know! I don't know what's wrong with me, it's just I don't want to do anything."

"You're tired by the sounds of it."

"Maybe. Rose came in quite early this morning and she's always full of life so that probably made me tired." Edith chuckled thinking back.

"I suggest putting a lock on your door then!" Gregson also chuckled.

Edith turned her eyes back to the piece of paper. Gregson could tell her mind was miles away. He put the pieces back into a file he had brought along, much to Edith's frustration.

"It's not the right time to look through these for either of us." Gregson told her, batting her hand away from the file.

"I suppose you're right. I just feel sorry for Tom. Mary can be so wicked sometimes." Edith leant back in her seat.

"You're not the only one. I saw the look in his eyes at breakfast, he looked almost lost when Mary had a go at him."

"All of us were shocked. Tom is always the one to support Mary."

"It was nice of Blake to speak up."

"I'm not too sure. Blake is the sort of person to support someone and then turn it back on them whenever he wants." Edith huffed.

Gregson didn't really know how to take that bit of information. Blake so far had seemed nice to him and Edward. Maybe looks could be deceiving.

"I think this calls for a walk don't you?" Gregson didn't wait for Edith's answer.

Edith found herself being taken outside by her hand by Gregson. Maybe the paper could wait after all. The main lawn hadn't been very badly damaged from the storm. Just a few branches here and there and the odd birds nest which had fallen foul of the wind. Edith had always liked sitting or walking out there for some fresh air. Now that the rain had come, the air was nice and fresh making it a nicer walk then usual.

"I can't stop thinking about the body." Edith admitted as they walked along.

"Why? It'll be gone soon and then we won't have to think about it." Gregson muttered back.

"What about the investigation? Surely they'll need to investigate us and what we were doing at the time."

"Well yes but we were all asleep."

"We don't know that. The murderer could be one of the guests and we could be next." Edith certainly knew how to see the worst in situations.

"We'll think about that when it comes to it. Right now we don't have to worry." Gregson refused to think about the body or the investigation right now.

Edith was about to say more but could see Gregson wasn't going to enjoy the conversation. She stopped herself and just leaned her head against his chest as they walked along. He was right. The investigation would happen soon as soon as the police got there. Until they got there, then there was no use in going over and over it.