A/N: I have decided to begin including the dates of the episodes in the titles as best I can from the Downton wiki timeline page. In this chapter, I put April to May as I was not fully sure when it happened but the page strongly argues that it happened at some point during these months. Let me know if you think the dates should be different.

—

The days get repetitive so it's nice when something new comes along. For example, when Gwen's big secret is revealed.

Emma is trying to help Anna on her quest of cleaning the top of the cupboard, which is next to the door of her and Gwen's room, by holding the chair she is standing on and just being there to catch her if she tips over.

Anna is trying to move a large case on top of the cupboard, but it won't budge when Gwen enters from coming back from the Village causing to Anna almost fall. Emma stabilises the chair and Anna grabs onto the cupboard.

"Christ Gwen, you could've caused some real hurt there," Emma says.

"Sorry," Gwen mutters before turning to Anna. "What are you doing?"

"If you must know, I'm trying to find some space on top of the cupboard to make life easier. Emma is helping." Gwen closes the door and Anna gets off the chair.

"So, what's in it, then?" Anna demands in a soft but commanding voice.

"What?"

"That huge thing up there!" Emma says pointing at the large case. "It's a bit heavy!"

Gwen looks anxious. "Can't you just leave it?"

"No, we can't. And you'll tell us right now." Anna orders.

Cut to Anna, Gwen and Emma staring down at a typewriter that they had pulled out of the packing case on top of the cupboard and now sitting on a table.

"How much did it cost?" Emma questions gaping at the massive thing. Can't believe that this used to be the 'modern' thing.

"Every penny I'd saved. Al-almost."

"And... I-is this the mystery lover?" Anna asks in shock.

Emma raises an eyebrow. "Mystery lover?"

Gwen huffs. "Well, I've been taking a correspondence course in typing and shorthand. That's what was in the envelopes."

"Are you any good?" Anna asks.

"Yes. I am, actually." Gwen says confidently. Good for her.

Suddenly the door behind them opens. They quickly move to block the typewriter from view and see that it is Miss O'Brien. Great just what they need.

"Eh, Her Ladyship wants the full skirt Lady Mary never wears. A seamstress is going to fit it to Lady Sybil, but I can't find it." She speaks.

"I'll come in a minute," Anna says not moving from where she is standing.

Neither does Miss O'Brien. "They're waiting now."

"One minute. I'm just changing my cap and apron."

Miss O'Brien looks at them suspiciously and leaves. Anna closes the door.

"Have you told anyone?" Emma questions. Gwen shakes her head.

"What did your parents say?" Anna asks concerned.

"Well, I can't tell them till I've got a job. Dad will think I'm a fool to leave a good place and Mum will say I'm getting above myself, but... but I don't believe that." Gwen argues.

"Well, I think I talk for the both of us when I say we agree," Emma says, getting a nod from Anna.

—

Emma should have known that Miss O'Brien was not going to leave it alone. She, Gwen and Anna come downstairs after doing the Dining room and walk into the Servants' Hall to find the other servants gathered around Gwen's typewriter.

"What's that doing here?" Gwen questions as soon as she sees it sounding hurt by the invasion into her privacy.

"Ah, Gwen. Come in." Mrs Hughes says.

"Why is that down here? Who's been in my room? They had no right!" Gwen continues.

"See here!" Mrs Hughes raises her voice. "In the first place, none of the rooms in this house belong to you. And in the second, I am in charge of your welfare and that gives me every right."

Anna turns accusingly to Miss O'Brien. "This is you, isn't it?"

"All we want is to know what Gwen wants with a typewriter and why she feels the need to keep it secret." Mr Carson placates.

"She was not keeping it secret! Just private!" Emma defends. Honestly, people being judgmental does not change in the next century.

Anna nods. "There's a difference."

"Amen." Mr Bates utters in agreement.

Gwen speaks up, "I've done nothing to be ashamed of. I've bought a typewriter and I've taken a postal course in shorthand. I'm not aware that either of these actions is illegal."

"Will you tell us why, preferably without any more cheek?" Mrs Hughes asks.

Gwen hesitates. "Because I want to leave service. I want to be a secretary."

Mr Carson and Mrs Hughes exchange a shocked look. Was it that difficult that people do not always want to serve others?

"You want to leave service?" Mrs Hughes asks, looking aghast.

Miss O'Brien takes offence. "What's wrong with being in service?"

"Nothing's wrong with it," Gwen argues, "and there's nothing wrong with mending roads neither, but it's not what I want to do."

"I should remind you that there are plenty of young girls who will be glad of a position in this house." Mr Carson says angrily. Sometimes Emma feels that her colleagues had a superiority complex over people of the same class that were not in service.

"And when I hand in my notice, I shall be happy to think one of them will be taking my place."

"What makes you think we'll wait till then?" Miss O'Brien lovingly says.

"Are you hiring and sacking now, Miss O'Brien?" Anna snaps. "I thought that lay with Mr Carson and Mrs Hughes."

"Enough of this." Mr Carson interrupts. "I'm going to ring the dressing gong and we'll have no more talk of this tonight."

"Can I have my machine back now?" Gwen asks.

"Very well. But I wish I was sure you know what you're doing." Mr Carson concedes.

Mrs Patmore then bursts in. "Daisy! What's happened to you? I said you could go for a drink of water, not a trip up the Nile." Once again Daisy darts back to the Kitchen.

Emma turns to Gwen. "Here I'll help you get it back to your room."

"Thank you," Gwen says smiling gratefully as they both get to work.

—

Since Lady Mary is not interested in marrying Mr Crawley, Lady Edith decided it is her go. The poor man.

Anna is lacing Lady Mary into her corset while Lady Edith sits at the vanity as Emma puts a pin in her hair where it seems to slip.

"Which Churches will you show him?" Anna asks as Emma moves on to the tidying and laying out.

Lady Edith cheerfully responds, clearly happy to be at the centre of something. "I can't decide. Kirby, possibly, or perhaps Easingwold."

Lady Edith had decided to begin her art of seduction by taking Mr Crawley to a bunch of local Churches. How romantic.

Lady Mary can't help but comment. "You don't think you're being a bit obvious?"

Lady Edith snarks back. "Coming from you, that's rich."

Lady Grantham enters but stays by the door. "There was a letter from Mr Napier in the evening post."

"Mm. Did he accept?" Lady Mary asks. Emma hands Anna Lady Mary's dress, which she begins to slip onto said woman.

"Not yet."

Lady Edith cannot help but make a comment back. "Perhaps he thought it was too obvious."

"Apparently, he's bringing a friend with him, an attaché at the Turkish embassy. A Mr..." Lady Grantham pulls out the letter to read the name. "Kemal Pamuk. He's a son of one of the sultan's ministers and he's here for the Albanian talks."

"What's that?" Lady Mary asks as Anna continues fitting the dress onto her.

"To create an independent Albania. Don't you read the papers?" Lady Edith asks in disbelief.

"I'm too busy living a life." Lady Mary remarks. You mean a sheltered one.

"Since Turkey's signature is vital," Lady Grantham continues reading from the letter. "Mr Napier's been given the job of keeping him happy until the conference begins and he's eager to try an English hunt. I shall invite this Mr Pamuk to stay here as well. Who knows? A little hospitality in an English house may make all the difference to the outcome." Don't know how that will help. "And Mary, you will ride out with him."

Lady Mary complains, "Oh, Mama, must I? My boots are at the menders and I haven't ridden for weeks."

"Emma," She turns to the countess, "please see that Lady Mary is fully equipped to go hunting."

"Yes, Your Ladyship," Emma replies. She can tell Lady Mary isn't pleased.

—

"Ugh, can you open the door for me?" Emma asks Gwen as they reach one of the guest bedrooms. She does so quietly.

Emma walks in and begins hanging and laying out the various pieces of clothing she's carrying onto the wardrobe and bed.

"I couldn't find her britches, which can I say such a weird word, anywhere, so I asked Mr Bates and he looked among His Lordship's riding clothes. There they were, of course, they were, I mean where else? I only hope I've got everything."

Emma picks up the hat she had laid on the bed and moves to place it on the table by the window. "Hat, I'll do here. Gloves and crop are in the Hall."

Emma then hears weeping and she looks up to see Gwen starting to cry. "Gwen? What's the matter?" Emma walks up behind her trying to give some comfort to her by rubbing her arms. "Let's sit down. Yeah?" Gwen follows her and sits on the bed next to her, Emma continues rubbing her back as she covers her mouth crying.

"What's happened?" Emma looks up to see Mr Bates at the door.

"Oh... oh, I'm just being silly. You should get that brushed." Gwen nods to the clothes on Bates' arm. Mr Bates instead enters and closes the door.

"He won't be up for another half an hour. Now, what is it?" Mr Bates says sternly but kindly.

"Well, I suppose I've just realised that it's not going to happen." Gwen's voice is raspier than before and her voice hitches.

"What isn't?" Mr Bates asks.

"None of it. I'm not going to be a secretary. I'm not going to leave service. I doubt I'll leave here before I'm sixty." Gwen belittles.

"Woah where's this come from?" Emma asks rubbing her back.

"Oh, you saw their faces. And they're right. Oh, look at me! I'm the daughter of a farmhand, I'm lucky to be a maid. I was born with nothing and I'll die with nothing." Gwen replies.

"Don't talk like that." Mr Bates says. "You can change your life if you want to. Sometimes you have to be hard on yourself, but you can change it completely, I know." Mr Bates then cringes seemingly in pain.

"Mr Bates? Are you all right?" Emma asks.

"Take her upstairs. Dry her off." Mr Bates smiles and turns to open the door.

"Come on, Gwen. Hey?" Emma pulls her out the door and they walk down the corridor.

—

It is the day of Mr Evelyn Napier and his mystery guest's visit and downstairs is in organised chaos preparing for the hunt that is happening. As a maid, Emma does not see any of it and will not see either of the male guests until after the hunt.

When they returned, she could hear loud laughter coming from the entryway. It is Anna that steps out to assist Lady Mary while Emma stands with Miss O'Brien, Gwen and Gemma behind the servants' door that is off to the side in the Great Hall peeking out in hopes of catching sight of the mystery guest.

They listen as introductions and reunions are made between Lord and Lady Grantham, Lady Mary, Mr Napier and Mr Pamuk not being to see the guests as the pillars block the view. It is only when Anna enters the servants' corridor to join them, that they catch a glimpse of him as Thomas brings him past the pillars as he takes him to his guest room, giving them an eye.

"Ooh hello…" Gemma mutters, Emma nudges her at her comment but she simply rolls her eyes. They quickly close the door and the five of them form a circle.

"He doesn't look Turkish at all," Gwen observes.

"Well, what are they supposed to look like then?" Emma asks her cheekily.

"Well, he doesn't look like any Englishman I've ever met. Worse luck. I think he's beautiful." Anna remarks causing Gemma to let out a snort. Emma doesn't seem to find this man as attractive as everyone else thought, maybe he seemed more exotic to them and their more sheltered lives.

The door opens then to reveal Mr Carson, who enters to find them standing just inside the servants' door; they quickly cease conversation.

"Is there some crisis of which I am unaware?"

"No, Mr Carson." Miss O'Brien replies.

"I cannot think of another reason why you should congregate here."

"No, Mr Carson," Anna says and they go their separate ways as Thomas and William enter.

—

According to William and Thomas, mostly Thomas, a large portion of the conversation at dinner is about Gwen's ambition to leave service. Emma couldn't help but feel sorry for poor Gwen for having her private life aired out like this to everyone.

Though in other news, it seemed Lady Mary had taken her sights away from Mr Napier towards Mr Pamuk, not sure how that would work out for her. Poor Mr Napier

That night Emma is awoken by scuffling and a quiet conversation happening in the corridor. She quietly gets up so as not to wake Gemma or alert those talking as she walks to the door.

Emma presses her ear to the door and listens.

"We were together and... he's dead." Lady Mary?!

"In your room?" That's Anna. There is silence and Emma assumes Lady Mary is nodding.

When realising what she just said, Emma connects the dots about who they are talking about, Pamuk. Lady Mary had earlier voiced as she got her ready for bed that he was being a bit too forward. Him being foreign also may have led him to misinterpret her flirting and not understand that does not mean an invitation to her room; it couldn't be anyone else. Also, did she just say dead?!

"We've got to get him back to his own bed," Anna says.

"But how? It's in the bachelor's corridor miles from my room."

"Well, could we manage it between us?"

Lady Mary disagrees. "He weighs a ton. I can hardly shift him at all. We'll need at least one other. What about Bates?"

"He couldn't lift him. William can't keep a secret, and Thomas wouldn't try to."

"We've got to do something!" Lady Mary exclaims quietly.

"Then who else has as much to lose as you if it ever gets out?"

"Not Papa. Please don't say Papa, I couldn't bear the way he'd look at me." Lady Mary practically sobs.

"No, not His Lordship."

Emma then decides it is probably best to open the door. At the sound, Lady Mary and Anna quickly turn around in alarm.

"Sorry," She mumbles. "But what about Her Ladyship?"

"Did you hear?!" Anna whisper yells. Lady Mary just continues to stare wide eyed.

"Um. Maybe?" Emma says. "But don't worry I will not say anything. In fact, I was going to offer my help. An extra pair of hands can't hurt."

Lady Mary reluctantly nods. "Very well. I will go and wake Mama." She walks out of the corridor. Anna raises an eyebrow at me.

"What?" Emma asks. "I cannot let this man ruin Lady Mary; it would be unfair. Now we must go before we wake anyone else."

—

A short while later, Lady Mary, Her Ladyship, Anna and Emma are standing in Lady Mary's room staring at the dead body that is lying on their front covered partially by the sheets.

Lady Grantham looks at the body and Lady Mary in shock before speaking in whispers. "What happened?"

"I don't know. A heart attack, I suppose, or a stroke or... he was alive and suddenly he cried out and then he was dead!" Thought of what exactly he was crying out about crossed Emma's mind but she quickly shakes her head, this is a really inappropriate time to joke about it.

"But... why was he here at all? Did he force himself on you?" Lady Grantham asks.

Lady Mary hesitates, then shakes her head. Emma frowns at this, he could have easily coerced her into agreeing.

"Well..." Lady Grantham pauses trying to cope with that shock. "We can talk about that later. Now, we must decide what to do for the best."

"There's only one thing we can do," Anna says.

"I couldn't. It's not possible." Her Ladyship says aghast.

"If you don't, we will figure in a scandal of such magnitude it will never be forgotten until long after we're both dead. I'll be ruined, Mama! Ruined and notorious, a laughingstock, a social pariah. Is that what you want for your eldest daughter? Is it what you want for the family?" Lady Mary cries.

"We need to do this for Lady Mary," Emma says quietly trying to convince the countess.

Lady Grantham nods. "We must cover him up."

—

Emma thought travelling in time was weird but carrying a dead body across the house? Well, that is certainly up there.

Lady Mary and Emma carry him from his legs as they walk backwards while Anna and Lady Grantham carry him from the top. Thankfully the body is covered in a sheet around the middle.

"Hurry, the servants will be up soon." Her Ladyship whispers.

"We've got time," Anna whispers back.

Lady Mary stumbles and drops one of Pamuk's legs causing Emma to almost drop hers.

Lady Mary quickly picks the foot back up. "Mama!"

"Sorry!"

They shift positions as they reach the guest bedroom door with Lady Grantham and Anna backing into it. Lady Mary drops Pamuk's leg again before picking it back up as they walk into the room.

They situate Pamuk under his bed covers and Her Ladyship takes the sheet they carry him in. Emma watches as Lady Mary reaches over to try to close his eyes, which have been open the entire time and kept making it difficult for her to even look at him, but they keep popping open.

Lady Mary weeps, "I can't make his eyes stay shut."

"Leave that and come away." Lady Grantham calls. Anna turns the light out.

"He was so beautiful." Lady Mary sobs.

"Her Ladyship's right," Anna says. "We must get back to our rooms."

Anna and Emma gently guide Lady Mary towards her mother at the door.

"I feel now that I can never forgive what you have put me through this night. I hope in time I will come to be more merciful, but I doubt it." Her Ladyship says harshly. Emma couldn't help but think how this kind of attitude was not right for the current circumstance.

Lady Mary nods. "You won't tell Papa?"

"Since it would probably kill him, and certainly ruin his life, I will not. But I keep this secret for his sake, not for yours."

"Yes, Mama." Lady Mary looks down in acceptance and shame. Her Ladyship hands the bed sheet to Emma.

"Anna, Emma, I will not insult the two of you by asking that you also conceal Lady Mary's shame. Let us go." Her Ladyship says before exiting with Lady Mary following. Emma stays with Anna as she blows out the candle before she closes the door.

Emma looks to see that mother and daughter had walked far enough up the corridor before turning to Anna. "How far did you think they went?"

"I do not know but it is none of our business," Anna replies decidedly.

What Emma hates the most about the situation is that Lady Mary seemed to be blaming herself.

But it is difficult to change what people of this period think and society's judgement.

—

It was odd how the next morning everything seemed perfectly fine as if last night, or should she say this morning, never happened. Emma was tense all through the usual morning routine, waiting for Thomas to go to Mr Pamuk's room and find him dead. Gemma keeps on sending her odd looks as they go through the different rooms cleaning.

Thundering footsteps coming from the bachelors' corridor and frantic voices as she approaches Lady Mary's room with her tray, alerts her to the fact that they have found it.

Emma quickly steps into her room before anyone looks at her and somehow thinks she's guilty. She finds Lady Mary sitting on her bed staring off it to the distance with glassy eyes.

"They found him then." She says quietly in a scratchy voice as if she had been crying the whole night.

"Yes, it seems so. Shall we get you dressed, My Lady?" Emma says gently. "I believe your family will be getting up and about sooner considering the circumstances."

Lady Mary nods quietly and the two of them go through the motions of dressing for the day without another word; the two of them are lost in their own thoughts.

—

"Are you all right Emma?" A voice, Gwen's, cuts through the fog in Emma's mind causing her to look up at the others in the Kitchen staring at her. She tries to go back to the task of tidying the trays brought down from upstairs.

"Wonder what you have been doing all night Emma," Gemma says. "You look done in."

"Oh no, I'm fine." She lies. "The girls are a bit shaken up about it all and I suppose it's getting to me."

"I had an uncle who went like that." Emma hears William say as he and Thomas enter with more trays. "Finished his cocoa, closed his book and fell back dead on the pillow."

"I don't think Mr Pamuk bothered with cocoa much, or books. He had other interests." Thomas remarked causing Emma to tense. Did he know something?

"I meant, you can go just like that." William snaps his fingers. "With no reason."

"Well, that's why you should treat every day as if it were your last." Gwen pipes up. Emma can see that Anna also looks uncomfortable by the turn in the conversation.

"Well, we couldn't criticise Mr Pamuk where that's concerned," Thomas says.

Daisy then speaks, breaking from a similar daze that Emma had been in. "What do you mean?"

"Nothing. Careful with that." Daisy absentmindedly stirs a bowl.

After cleaning and tidying the trays, Anna walks upstairs with Gwen and Emma following when Lady Sybil appears around the corner of the Servants' Hall with a newspaper in her hands.

"Gwen, are you busy?"

"Your Ladyship?" Gwen turns to Emma.

"Don't worry," Emma says. "I will cover for however long you need."

Gwen nods gratefully before stepping into the Servants' Hall where Lady Sybil had gone.

—

Later that day in the servants' corridor Mrs Hughes and Emma come across Mr Bates cringing over his leg again.

"Mr Bates?" Mrs Hughes calls. Mr Bates quickly straightens and pretends nothing is wrong.

"I am going to have to insist that you tell me what is the matter." Clearly, Mrs Hughes had also seen him like this.

"I thought it was for Mr Carson to give me orders." Mr Bates deflects.

"You forget Mr Bates," Emma says. "Mr Carson is a man. They are useless when it comes to illness."

"I would say the same but with less cheek," Mr Hughes replies. "Now, tell me what it is and I'll see what I can do."

"It's nothing, truly. I've twisted my bad leg and walked on it too soon. It'll be fine in a day or two." Mr Bates remarks.

Mrs Hughes still looks as doubtful as Emma feels. "Well, if it isn't, I'm sending for the doctor."

—

"What did you mean, "Mr Pamuk lived each day as if it were his last"?" Oh god Gwen why do you have to bring it up again?

"What I said," Thomas says as he waits for Daisy to fill up a watering can in the Kitchen.

"But, well, how did you know?" Yeah, how did he know? Did he direct Pamuk to Lady Mary's room?

"Can't keep William waiting. Gangway." Thomas says instead picking up the can and walking out of the Kitchen but not before Miss O'Brien mutters something to him and he leaves with a smirk, which again makes Emma tense up.

—

Mrs Hughes and Emma are walking down the corridor, with Emma carrying some linen, when they come across Lord Grantham.

"Good morning, Mrs Hughes, Emma."

"Good morning, milord."

"Your Lordship," Emma says.

"I wonder if you..." He looks back at his room. "I wonder if the two of you can get whatever is going on out of Bates? Something seems to be going on and he is not telling me."

"Of course, milord," Emma says and Mrs Hughes and her step into his dressing room to find Bates leaning on the bed frame, doubled over in pain but when they enter, he straightens.

"Now, will you kindly explain what in heaven is going on?" Mrs Hughes demands.

"I'm perfectly well, Mrs Hughes. A bit stiff, that's all. You and Emma need not concern yourselves." Mr Bates begins to limp towards the door, but Mrs Hughes closes it.

"Well, we don't care. We are not leaving until you tell us." Emma says.

Mr Bates sits in a chair heavily and Mrs Hughes and Emma turn to him expectantly. "I hope you have a strong stomach." Mr Bates pulls up his pant leg, revealing severe bruising, bleeding, and swelling around where a brace is attached to his leg. Oh god, he was going through all this pain just trying to correct his limp.

"Oh, my God." Mrs Hughes voices her thoughts, putting a hand to her mouth in horror.

—

Mrs Hughes and Emma precede Mr Bates down the dock to the lake. Mrs Hughes uncovers the limp corrector she's carrying and hands it to Mr Bates.

"Well, here goes." He speaks.

But before he can chuck it in, Mrs Hughes stops him. "Do you not think we ought to say a few words?"

"What? Good riddance?"

"Yes that," Emma says to him. "And your promise."

"Very well. I promise I will never again try to cure myself. I will spend my life happily as the butt of other's jokes, and I will never mind them." He says somewhat sarcastically. Emma raises an eyebrow at him.

"We all carry scars, Mr Bates, inside or out. You're no different to the rest of us, remember that." Mrs Hughes tells him.

"I will try to. That I do promise."

Mrs Hughes nods and Mr Bates throws the "limp corrector" into the lake.

"Good riddance!" Mrs Hughes cries while Emma lets out her own whoop feeling happier than she had in hours.