"Last June saw Emily Davison crushed to death beneath the hooves of the King's horse!" "Will the summer of 1914 prove as fatal for the hopes of women?" "It cannot!" "This historic by-election had been a first step of the journey to women's equality." "If you're so keen on women's rights, let a woman speak!" "Why stop there?" "Let's get the dogs up and listen to them bark!" " Are you all right, my lady?" " Isn't it exciting?" "You're an idiot!" "Sybil, I think it's time for Branson to take you home." " Not yet." " I think so." "I applaud your spirit in coming, and I will applaud your discretion when you leave." " But you agree with everything he says?" " I do, my dear." "But I also know if anything happens to you, Branson will lose his place." "Better safe than sorry, my lady." "...is an act of mercy?" "I disagree!" "The car's just here." "Women must get the vote, mustn't they, Branson?" "Why does the Prime Minister resist the inevitable?" "Politicians can't often recognise the changes that are inevitable." "I hope you do go into politics." "It's a fine ambition." "Ambition or dream?" "If I do, it's not all about women and the vote for me, nor even freedom for Ireland." "It's the gap between the aristocracy and the poor, and..." "And what?" "I'm sorry." "I don't mean to speak against his lordship." "Why not?" "You obviously don't approve of him." "Not as a representative of an oppressive class." "But he's a good man and a decent employer." "Spoken like a true politician." "What do I look like?" "Could you sneak me round the back?" "I should hate for Papa to see me like this." "Where?" "I'm not a mind-reader." "Mrs Patmore is very cruel to that poor girl." "Mrs Patmore is frightened." "Is she right to be?" "Well, Doctor Clarkson has confirmed she has cataracts." "What can be done about it?" "There are treatments, but even the best are uncertain." "And she doesn't want to risk losing what sight she still has." "I don't blame her." "But it can't go on forever." "No." "Oh, dear." "Have you had bad news?" " I shouldn't have bothered you." " No." "You weren't to know." "Blimey!" "Excuse me, my lady." "William, will you find Anna and tell her I've gone upstairs?" "Very good, my lady." " You clumsy clodhopper." " Sorry." "You will be sorry when I've finished with you." "Look at this!" " Leave him alone." " Anna, Lady Sybil's back from Ripon." " She's gone up to her room." " Thank you." "Why does she waste her precious time on politics?" "Hear, hear." "Oh, don't you believe in rights for women, Thomas?" "What's it to you?" "Well, I know you don't believe in rights of property." "I think some people might find that interesting." "Who's going to tell them?" "You?" "Mr Carson, are you all right?" "Why shouldn't I be?" "You've never rung the dressing gong, and Mrs Patmore's doing a souffle for the first course." "Oh, my God." "Rather unlike Carson." "We'd better go straight in to dinner." "I shall tell Miss O'Brien and Anna." "Any more news of the by-election?" "Mr Crawley was here earlier." "He said his mother had gone to the Liberal rally in Ripon." "I heard it was quite lively." "I dare say the townies will make the usual stink when the Tory candidate's returned." "I'm not sure." "I heard the Liberal was given a hard time today." "Mr Branson said it was getting out of hand when they left." "Typical Branson to be there." "I hope he squared it with Carson." "Who went with him?" "Uh..." "I'm not sure anyone went with him, my lord." "You just said "they"." "Who was with him?" "I'd rather not say." "Bates, who was with him?" "Lady Sybil." "Lady Sybil?" "Why?" "I should never have mentioned it, my lord." "I thought you knew." "No, I did not know." "I gather you went to hear the Liberal candidate today." "There were several speakers, actually." "He was the last." "Did he speak well?" "I thought so." "But there was quite a brouhaha." "You know what these things can be like." "I do." "Which is why I am astonished you should not feel it necessary to ask my permission to attend." " I assume this was Branson's scheme." " No." "I confess I was amused at the idea of an Irish radical for a chauffeur, but I see now I've been naive." "I told Branson to take Sybil." "What are you saying?" "Sybil needed to go to Ripon." "I asked Branson to drive her." "I thought it would be sensible." "In case there was trouble." "I want to do some canvassing." "The by-election isn't far off..." "Canvassing?" "Oh, it's quite safe." "You're in a group and you knock on doors." "Yes, I know what canvassing is." " I think that Sybil is..." " What?" "Are you canvassing, too?" "Or would you rather take in washing?" "I was only going to say that Sybil is entitled to her opinions." "No, she isn't until she is married, then her husband will tell her what her opinions are." " Oh, Granny." " I knew you wouldn't approve." "Which, presumably, is why you all hid your plans from me." "Her ladyship will have a smacked bottom if she's not careful." "Hurry up." "I don't want anything else to go wrong tonight." "Where's the sauce?" "Doesn't this have Hollandaise?" " I'll get it." "I won't be ajiffy." " Would you do that for me?" "I'd do anything for you." "Does this mean you won't be presented next month?" "Certainly not." "Why should it?" "Well, I doubt I'd expect to curtsy to Their Majesties in June when I'd been arrested at a riot in May." "But then I'm old." "Things may be different now." "She hasn't been arrested and it wasn't a riot." " But it might be next time." " There will not be a next time." "Her ladyship's not best pleased at being told off in public." "William said she was looking daggers." " I'm sorry I started all this." " Oh, it's not your fault." "Anyway, he ought to be glad he's got a daughter who cares." "Her ladyship's ready to leave." "I'll bring the car around." "Are you pleased with yourself?" "Silly chump." "He's nervous." "He thinks I'm planning to tell Mr Carson about the wine." "Well, he shouldn't have stolen it then, should he?" "No." "But I don't want anyone to lose theirjob because of me." "Even Thomas?" "Even after what they tried to do to you?" "Even then." " Your ladyship, do you have a moment?" " Of course." "I've received a letter, my lady, from a friend of mine." "He's valet to the Marquess of Flintshire." "I don't envy him." "Lord Flintshire is a minister at the Foreign Office." "As you know, Lady Flintshire is his lordship's cousin." "Oh, of course, of course." "The point is, he has dealings with the Turkish Ambassador." "It seems His Excellency has made him privy to a scurrilous story concerning Lady Mary and the late Mr Pamuk." "May I read this letter?" "Is there anything you want me to do about it?" "No, thank you." "Sometimes, even to deny these things is only to throw paraffin onto the flames." " I did try to inform his lordship..." " What?" "But I couldn't seem to find the right moment." "Quite right." "Please leave his lordship to me." "I'm sorry." "The only sure way to get rid of a servant is to have him or her suspected of stealing." "Aren't you forgetting we've tried that and it didn't work?" "But last time we invented a theft." "What we need to do is to make him a suspect when something's really been stolen." "How do we know anything's been stolen?" "Because you stole it, you noodle." " Oh." "You mean the wine." " Yeah, the wine." "But that's the whole point." "Bates knows I took it." "He was threatening to tell Mr Carson." "Well, he can't, can he?" "Not if we get to him first." "Are you telling me you saw him take the cellar key?" "Not exactly." "But I saw him in here and I thought the key was swinging on its hook." "I just wondered if you'd noticed if any of the wine was missing?" "I think I owe you an apology after the way I spoke at dinner." "Next time you want to treat me like a naughty schoolgirl you might do it in private, not in front of the servants." "You're right." "I'm sorry." "Of course, it gave your mother her best evening since Christmas." "Even so, we must try to keep control of Sybil." "Robert, believe me, Sybil is not your problem." "We've got to support Mary this year, when we get to London." "But it's Sybil's first season." "We can't have Mary stealing her thunder." "Sybil will do well enough." "It's time Mary was settled." "High time." "Poor old Edith." "We never seem to talk about her." "I'm afraid Edith will be the one to care for us in our old age." "What a ghastly prospect." "Mama?" "Anna said you wanted me." "Look who's paid us a visit." "Sir Anthony." "How nice." "We all thought we'd driven you away with that horrible salty pudding." "No, indeed." "But I have been away." "He's been in Austria and Germany." " How interesting." " Interesting." "And worrying." "Sir Anthony is here to show you his new car." " Oh." " I've rather taken to driving myself, and I have to keep finding destinations to justify it." "What kind of car is it?" "It's an open Rolls-Royce and I wondered if you might like a spin in it." "Oh, how kind." "But alas, not today." "I've had Diamond saddled and he's waiting for me." "You could ride this afternoon." "But it's arranged now." "But thank you, Sir Anthony." "Do ask me again." "I don't suppose you'd take me." "Of course." "I should be delighted." "What is it that I am accused of?" "Oh." "Nobody is accusing you of anything." "But there has been a suggestion that you were handling the cellar key, and before I take it any further" "I want to find if there's a simple explanation." "Because some wine is missing." "How do you know that?" "Right." "Well, we'll leave it there for now." "The Kaiser is such a mercurial figure, one minute the warlord, the next a lovelorn poet." "But a poet in need of an empire." "That's very good." ""A poet in need of an empire. " Yes." "My late wife used to say that..." " What did Lady Strallan used to say?" " Oh, never mind." " But I should like to hear it." " Really?" "Would you, really?" "She used to say that Kaiser Bill loved uniforms and medals but he never really connected them with fighting." " What was she like?" " Maud?" "Oh, she was awfully funny." "Some people couldn't see it, but she was." " Is Lynch anywhere about?" " Oh, I haven't seen him, my lady." " My horse is lame." " I could have a look at him." "Do you know about horses?" "I looked after the horses on me father's farm." " It was the bestjob in the world." " Then why did you leave it?" "Me mother wanted me to have a chance of bettering myself." "As a second footman?" "It's a good place for me, my lady." "Of course it is." "I'm sorry." "She hopes, one day, that I might be first footman," " or even get to be..." " Carson had better watch out." "Stranger things happen at sea." "I've seen Mr Bates with a bottle from time to time." "I must have thought he was helping you." "Why would I order a valet to help with the wine?" "Well, when you put it like that, of course you wouldn't." "So, Mr Bates is taking wine." "And why would this be?" "To drink it?" "It's not to clean his boots." "Thank you, Thomas." "Daisy?" "Thomas says you have something to add to this." " Well..." " You are not in any trouble, or any danger of trouble." "You remember what you saw." "I may have seen him coming out of the cellar." ""May"." "Did you or didn't you?" "It's very hard for the girl, Mr Carson." "You're frightening her." "I'm sorry." "Thank you." "You may go." "Thank you, O'Brien." "How is everything downstairs?" "All right, I think, my lady." "Though Mr Carson's a bit cast down." "Oh?" "Why?" "What's the matter with him?" "He's found out something about..." "Well, a person he admires, and it isn't very nice." "Has he said who this person is?" "Who's proved a disappointment." "I don't like to say, my lady." " Please do, if you know." " Oh, I know." "It's Mr Bates." "Oh, Bates." "Why?" "What's he done?" "You should ask Mr Carson, my lady." "It's not my place to tell." "Papa?" "Can Branson drive me into Ripon on Friday evening?" "I don't think so, no." "Not after the last time." "Oh, please." "There's a meeting of my borstal charity." "I've missed two and I simply must be there." "You'd have to take Mary or Edith with you." "Don't make me." "Those meetings are deadly at the best of times, and you know what they're like when they're bored." "Why are all your causes so steeped in gloom?" "Because it's the gloomy things that need our help." "If everything in the garden's sunny, why meddle?" "Well, I agree with that." "Talking of sunny, are you looking forward to your coming season?" "I am, rather." "Hello." "What are you doing here?" "I'm in search of your father." "Carson thought he was outside." " He's in the library." " Oh." "What is it?" "Nothing much." "I've had an enquiry about one of the farms." "Oh." "So, what's new at the big house?" "Sybil, mainly." "She's discovered politics, which of course makes Papa see red." "I admire Sybil's passion, though." "Of course." "But then I like a good argument." "Papa does not." "If you really like an argument..." " Yes?" " We should see more of each other." "So, it's all right?" "I can go?" " Will you be late?" " I think I'll miss dinner." "Well, remember to tell Branson to take a sandwich for himself." "But who's it from?" "Susan Flintshire." " What does she say?" " Well, prepare for the worst." "Not the first page." "My poor niece never uses one word when 20 will do." "Start there. "I'm sorry... "" ""I'm sorry to have to tell you that Hugh has heard a vile story" ""about your granddaughter Mary... "" "Sorry?" "She's thrilled." "Now, first I must ask, and I want you to think carefully before you answer." "Is any of this true?" "I see." "Some of it is true." "How much?" "Oh, dear." "She didn't drag him." "I wondered about that." "I mean, obviously Susan's forgotten the distance between the girls' rooms and the bachelors' corridor." "She couldn't manage it alone." "So how did she do it?" "I helped her." "She woke me up and I helped her." "Well." "I always thought this family might be approaching dissolution." "I didn't know dissolution was already upon us." "Does Robert know?" "No." "And he isn't going to." "Oh." "Of course it was terribly wrong." "It was all terribly wrong." "But I didn't see what else..." "Please!" "I can't listen to your attempts to try and justify yourself." "I know this is hard for you to hear." "God knows it was hard for me to live through." "But if you expect me to disown my daughter," "I'm afraid you will be disappointed." "Good day." "I thought you must be out here." "And you'd be right." " I know you're upset." " Yes." "I'm upset." "I have been working here two years, and yet Mr Carson has no difficulty believing the worst of me." "I think he has a great deal of difficulty, which is why he hasn't told his lordship yet." " Can't you just explain about Thomas?" " Not now." "It would sound like a false accusation." "You can't take it lying down." "Because you're not guilty of any wrong, and before it's over I'm going to tell the world." "Are you?" "I'm not sure the world is listening." "Sorry." "I'm a bit late tonight." "Not to worry." "How are you?" "Bearing up." "This isn't the end." "You mustn't give up." "We'll get there." "Forgive me, my lady, but, well, you don't get it." "You're brought up to think it's all within your grasp, that if you want something enough, it will come to you." "But we're not like that." "We don't think our dreams are bound to come true because..." "Because they almost never do." "Then that's why we must stick together." "Your dream is my dream now." "And I'll make it come true." "Why hasn't he done anything?" "He's had the story and the witnesses." ""The witnesses"?" "What do you think this is, a murder mystery?" "Well, Mr Bates can't accuse me now." "It'll sound as if he's trying to get his own back." "If I lose my job over this, I swear to God I'll swing for you." "Is there any stale bread you're throwing out, and some salt?" "Why?" "Well, I thought I'd make a last hot poultice for Diamond." "It'll give him a better night." "You big softie." "What'll Mr Lynch say?" "Why, he doesn't mind." "He says I've got the touch." "He thinks I should pack this in and be a groom." "Why don't you?" "My mum." "She was so excited when I came here." "They're proud of me and I'd hate to spoil that." "Do you miss them?" "I never had that in my childhood, someone you could always trust." "I trust them." "They trust me." "There are no lies in our house." "Thanks." "That's enough." "I'm glad to catch you." "We have a conundrum at the hospital, and I would value your opinion." "Of course." "We've been treating the mother of your footman, William Mason." "What's the matter with her?" "Heart, I'm afraid." "She's forbidden us to say anything to her son." "That's ridiculous." "She's gone home now, but she's still very ill." "Clearly the boy should go and see her." "And I assume you would have no objections?" "Of course not." "So, do we break a patient's confidence and disobey her orders?" "Or not?" "We can't." "If she's forbidden it." " I must say I agree with you." " Well, I'll tell him." "No, you will not." "She has rights, too." "And there are rules." "I don't care a fig about rules." " Where to from here, my lady?" "What do you mean?" "We've arrived." "The meeting's in one of these buildings here?" "This is the meeting." "We're here for the counting of the votes." "I don't understand." "I thought that..." "Don't be silly, Branson." "You didn't think I'd miss my very first by-election?" " I don't think his lordship would approve." " Let me worry about him." "I have to park the car!" "Don't move." "Stay where you are!" "Really, Branson." "I thought I gave the orders." "Well, I said to..." "Sir Anthony Strallan." " Sir Anthony?" " Don't worry, Lady Grantham." "I haven't got the date wrong." "What a relief." "I could hear Cora wondering if the dinner would stretch." "No." "I'm not really here at all." "But I was driving past your gates on the way to the Callender-Becketts, and I thought I'd take a chance." "See, the thing is, I've got two tickets for a concert in York next Friday..." "How nice." "Although, I can't..." "No." "I was hoping that Lady Edith might like to accompany me." "But I'd love to." "Shouldn't you ask what sort of concert it is?" "Just Hungry Hundreds stuff, mostly, you know." "Bellini, Puccini, Rossini." "I'm not up to anything complicated." "I'd like that very much." "Excellent." "Well, it's quite a hike, so I'll pick you up around 6:00." "Lady Jervas has asked us for a bite to eat afterwards." " If that's all right with your mother?" " By all means." "Well, I must run." "I hope I haven't spoiled your dinner." "We may have to hire a nurse, after all." "Oh, for heaven's sake, hold it steady if you don't want to start again from the beginning." "Do these biscuits go up?" " No, I put them out for the fairies." " Oh." "Of course they're going up." "What's wrong with you?" "You're always dozy, but tonight you'd make Sleeping Beauty look alert." "I was just thinking." "Oh, blimey!" "Batten down the hatches." " I think I've let myself down." " It can't be a new sensation." "The Honourable Joseph Gerald Ansty, for the Conservative and Unionist Party, 6,363 votes." "Martin James Dillon, the Socialist Party, 2,741 votes." "Can we call it a day, my lady?" "Don't be silly." "This is the moment we've come for." "Trevor Andrew Morgan, the Liberal Party..." "This lot aren't interested in politics." "They're spoiling for a fight." "...5,894 votes." "I hereby declare that the Honourable Joseph Ansty..." "Out you get, lads!" "We'll soon wipe the smile off their Tory, bloody faces." "...is duly elected..." "Is duly elected to serve as a member of Parliament..." "A member of Parliament..." " Sybil!" "... for the Ripon constituency." " What on earth are you doing here?" " I couldn't miss this." "Couldn't you?" "I could." "I don't like the look of this, my lady." "Look, I'm on your side." "Don't cause any trouble." "You have to believe me!" "What's your problem then, Mr La-di-da?" " My problem is you." " Oh, aye?" "Oh, no." "Oh, please God, no!" "This way." "I've fetched a coat." " Why?" "What do I need a coat for?" " I've come to fetch you, my lady." "We've taken Lady Sybil to Crawley House in the village." "What's happened?" "I took her to Ripon for the count." "She got injured in a fight." "Take me there at once." "My God!" "Oh, my darling..." "I didn't know what to do, so I had Branson bring her here." "Quite right." "Mama would have fainted if she'd seen her like this." "As for Papa..." "This will sting a bit." "But it's stopped bleeding." "Did you know she was planning this?" " Of course not." " Well, what were you doing there?" "I was working late." "I'd forgotten it was election night or I wouldn't have stayed." "I'm so grateful you did." "Oh, I could wring Branson's neck." "What was he thinking?" "I'm afraid it'll cost him his job." "No." "I told him he was taking me to a committee meeting." "When he realised what it was, he wanted to come straight back." "You'll have to stick up for him, because Papa will skin him alive." "Are you feeling strong enough to go home?" "I think so." "If you'll take me." "Here, wear my coat to cover the blood." "You'll look more normal." "Lean on me." "Thank you so much for this." "By the way, what happened to William's mother?" "Not good, I'm afraid." "She's home but she's still very weak." "Another attack should finish her." "And he still doesn't know?" "She's adamant." "I've tried to explain how hard it'll be on him, but she won't have him disturbed." "To hear her talk, you'd think he was a cabinet minister." "He's made her proud." "There are plenty of children in grander circumstances who'd love to say the same." "I wish you'd tell me what's troubling you." "If it's this business with Mr Bates..." "Oh, it's not that." "I'll get to the bottom of that." "Well, I hope you'll do it soon." "If there's one thing I hate, it's an atmosphere." "And we've got a real atmosphere going now." "It's an unfair rumour which needs to be scotched." "It's very hard to hear the names of people you love dragged in the mud." "You feel so powerless." "Well, I respect Mr Bates, but I'm not sure that I love him." "I wasn't thinking of Mr Bates." "Mr Carson, have you got a minute?" "What is it, Daisy?" "Mr Carson's a very busy man." "I know he is." "But I think he'll want to hear this." "I told you something that wasn't true." "Why would you do that?" "I did it as a favour for a friend." "But I know now he was wrong to ask it of me." "She's not badly hurt, is she?" "I don't think so, no." "Thank God." "Better be prepared." "I'm afraid Lord Grantham will hit the roof." "I never would have taken her there." "I may be a Socialist but I'm not a lunatic." "I'm not sure Papa knows the difference." "You'll let me know how she gets on?" "Please." "If you wish." "How dare you?" "How dare you disobey me in this way?" "Robert, I'm sure..." "Are you so knowledgeable about the great world that my instructions are to be set as nothing?" "Papa, I'm sorry I disobeyed you." "But I'm interested!" "I'm political!" "I have opinions!" " Of course, I blame Branson." " I don't think that's fair." "We had none of this, none of it, until he set foot in our house!" "I suppose I should give thanks he hasn't burnt the place down over our heads!" "Branson didn't know anything about it until we arrived there." "He leaves tonight!" "If you punish Branson, I'll never speak to you again." "Never!" "I don't believe this is Branson's fault." "Truly, Papa." " Blame me." " I do blame you!" "Robert, can we do this in the morning?" "Sybil needs rest." "If I find tomorrow that Branson is missing, I'll run away." "I warn you." "Oh?" "And where would you go?" "Well, I can't think now." "But I will go, and you'll be sorry." "I should be sorry." "Very sorry, indeed." "How is she?" "She'll be perfectly fine." "I gather you're the shining knight in all this." "Not really." "But I'm glad I was there." "So am I, by heaven." "If it had been left to that bloody fool Branson..." "You should see what he reads." "It's all Marx and Ruskin and John Stuart Mill, I ask you." "Papa prefers the servants to read the Bible and letters from home." "There are sandwiches for Mr Crawley in the dining room, Lady Mary." "Thank you, Mrs Hughes." " We couldn't let you starve." " You really didn't have to." "Mary, look after Matthew, I'll go up and revive your mother." "Do you stand by your story?" "I don't have a story." "You saw Mr Bates in here alone, hanging up the cellar key." "To me, that is a story." "I only said I might have seen him." "I suppose I was wrong." "And Miss O'Brien, were you then wrong when you thought you saw Mr Bates carrying a bottle?" " You wicked creature..." " Anna." "You are here to watch, not to participate." "I don't think I was wrong, no." "What do you say to that, Mr Bates?" "I know this to be untrue because I have no need of it." "Since I arrived at Downton, you have never seen me drink one drop of alcohol." "Let us say, then, that Miss O'Brien was mistaken." "Mistaken, my eye." "And, Daisy, we all know the value of your contribution." "Yes, Mr Carson." "But I must ask one thing, Mr Bates, how did you know the wine had been taken?" "I'm afraid I cannot answer that." "We can drink to Sybil's safe return." "Why not?" " I'll ring for a glass." " Never mind that." "Here." "You're not very fastidious about doing things properly, are you?" "Are you?" "Less than you might think." "Are you at all political?" "Yes." "But with a hung Parliament, it's hard to get excited about a by-election." "You know nothing will change, whoever gets in." "If I might keep you for a minute more, Mr Carson." "If you'd like me to leave..." "No." "I would like you to stay, please, Mrs Hughes." "And you, Anna." "You have decided not to take action over the allegations" "Thomas has made against me because you believe them to be untrue?" " That is correct." " And you are right." "There's no truth in them." "But if you were to proceed with the matter, you would find them to be proven." "Thomas has tried to convince you that I'm a drunkard and a thief." "Which we never believed." "Because you know no different." "Until a couple of years ago, I was a drunkard." "And I was imprisoned as a thief." "I have repaid your kindness very poorly." "I masqueraded as a man of honour and integrity, but by any moral code, I am disgraced." "That can't be the whole story." "Perhaps not." "But it's enough of it to demand my resignation." "Do you want to leave, Mr Bates?" "No." "But I feel I have no choice." "You owe me a say in the matter, surely?" "If you wish." "Then I will consider the case and give you my decision when I have discussed it with his lordship." "Until then, I hope you will remain in your post." "Thank you for coming to Sybil's rescue." "You were very brave." "She told me you knocked a man down." "I hope did my duty." "Are you a creature of duty?" "Not entirely." "When you laugh with me, or flirt with me, is that a duty?" "Are you conforming to the fitness of things?" "Doing what's expected?" "Don't play with me." "I don't deserve it." "Not from you." "You must be careful not to break Sybil's heart." "I think she has a crush on you." "That's something no one could accuse you of." "Oh, I don't know." "I assume you speak in a spirit of mockery." "You should have more faith." "Shall I remind you of some of the choicest remarks you made about me when I arrived here?" "Because they live in my memory as fresh as the day they were spoken." "Oh, Matthew." "What am I always telling you?" "You must pay no attention to the things I say." " Mr Bates." " Anna." "Will you really leave?" "I doubt his lordship wants a thief in the house." " Now go to sleep and dream of a better man." " I can't." "Because there isn't one." "Has Matthew gone?" " Yes." " Thank the Lord he was there." "I hope you thanked Matthew properly." "I got them to make him some sandwiches." "It's not quite what I meant." "And he asked me to marry him." "Heavens." "What did they put in them?" "I'm serious." "He proposed to me." "Oh, my dear." "Have you given him an answer?" "Only that I'd think about it." "Well, that's an advance on what it would have been a year ago." " Do you want to marry him?" " I know you want me to marry him." "What we want doesn't matter." "At least, it's not all that matters." "Do you love Matthew?" "Yes." "I think perhaps I do." "I think I may have loved him for much longer than I knew." "Oh, my darling." "Let's not pretend this isn't the answer to every one of our prayers." "I'd have to tell him." "Oh..." "Is it absolutely necessary?" "If I didn't, I'd feel as if I'd caught him with a lie." "I hope you know that really smart people sleep in separate rooms." "I always keep the bed made up in the dressing room, so at least I pretend we sleep apart." "Isn't that enough?" "No." "Never mind." "Good night." "Mmm." "Haven't you gone up yet?" "Blow this out." "You're the last." " Good night." " Good night." "Good night." "I'm going to bloody get him." "I don't care what you say." "What would I say?" "Everything comes to him who waits." "Well, I've waited long enough." "Does Carson know you're here?" "I heard you were going out and I wanted to see how he was walking." "Lynch is happy for me to ride him." "Oh, yes." "He's better." "But I'll wait and see what he's like when you're up." "William, are you planning to go home soon?" "Well, it's a bit far for my halfday, but I can maybe get the time to go in July when the family's in London." "That's if I don't go with you, of course." "I think you should take a few days off and go now." "I'll fix it." "I'll speak to father and to Carson." "No one will mind." "But why, my lady?" "Your mother's not been well." "How do you know?" "I heard someone mention it in the village." "I forget who." " I had a letter and she never said." " Oh, I'm sure it's nothing." "But I know it would cheer her to see you." "Well, if it wouldn't be a bother." "It won't." "I'll arrange it as soon as I get back." "Thank you very much, my lady." "She ought to spend some time with the people she loves." "The Dowager Countess, my lady." "Good afternoon, my dear." "Good afternoon." "There's no need to be so prim." "I come in peace." "Shall I sit here?" "Now, I've been thinking..." "I confess I do not know if I would have had the strength, mentally or physically, to carry a corpse the length of this house." "But I hope I would have done." "You were quite right." "When something bad happens, there's no point in wishing it had not happened." "The only option is to minimise the damage." "Or try to." "But if the Flintshires have got hold of it..." "I've written to Susan." "I said it was a story made up by Mr Pamuk's enemies to discredit him." "Even if she doesn't believe me, she won't tell, in case it reflects badly on her." "The Ambassador is dangerous." "But then, how many people really go to the Turkish Embassy?" "It only takes one." "Well..." "I mean, thatjust can't be helped." "We can't have him assassinated," "I suppose." "Robert still doesn't suspect." "Oh, I should hope not." "No, our only way forward is to get Mary settled as soon as possible." "I have news on that score." "Matthew has proposed." "My, my." "Has she said yes?" "She hasn't said anything yet, except that she's going to have to tell him about Pamuk." "For heaven's sake, why?" "She thinks to keep it secret would be dishonourable." "She reads too many novels." "I mean, one way or another, everyone goes down the aisle with half the story hidden." "The question is, will she accept Matthew?" "I'm not sure." "Well, if she doesn't, we'll just have to take her abroad." "In these moments, you can normally find an Italian who isn't too picky." "We'll give her till the start of the grouse." "Very well." "If she turns Matthew down, we'll take her to Rome in the autumn." "It's official." "Thank you for not turning against her." "I know that you have rules, and when people break them you find it hard to forgive." "I understand that and I respect it." "In this case Mary has the trump card." "What?" "Mary is family."