Previously:

Apartment of Matthew Crawley, Downtown Toronto, Canada, September 12, 2019

"Eww, that sounds horrid," he grimaced. "All I'm saying is that you don't have to worry. This isn't years ago when you had to go to Paris because you had no other options. If something appeals to you, then pursue it. If not, we can make do. You don't have to feel as if you're beholden to anyone, that's all."

"Ah, but I will be, won't I?" she teased. "I'll owe my husband."

"Technically, yes, in a small way. But that's better than some idiot at a studio, isn't it?" he replied.

"I don't know. You can be more demanding than most men," she joked.

"Very funny," he retorted sarcastically.

She laughed and hugged him. "Thank you, darling. I used to think that I had to do all this on my own, but now I can't imagine surviving without you on my side."

"Lucky that I am on your side, then," he smiled, rubbing her back. "Now, shall we get dressed?"

"Oh, I don't know. I think I'm ready for bed," she answered.

"Don't you want to put on a shirt, at least?" he asked, following her out of the bathroom.

"Maybe later," she drawled, tossing away her towel and leading him by the hand to bed. "I'm not too worried about keeping warm."

Chapter 25:

FRANK Restaurant, Art Gallery of Ontario, Downtown Toronto, Canada, October 19, 2019

"If you want to leave early, you can," Matthew advised, pulling Sybil closer to whisper in her ear. "Dinner was the highlight, really."

She frowned and nudged him in the ribs. "No fucking way! I came up for the party. Besides, I'm not tired, and you don't have to feel so protective. I'm barely three months along."

"Well, I just don't want you getting nauseous all over this nice floor, that's all," he joked, keeping his arm around her shoulders.

"I'll be sure to aim for your shirt if I do," she shot back. "See how well Armani stands up to that."

He grimaced and kissed her on the top of the head before taking another sip of water.

"Darling, come on!" Mary called, coming over and taking his free hand. "You have to make a speech!"

He rolled his eyes and shook his head.

"Oh, most definitely!" Sybil chimed in, giving him a shove. "You're the man of the hour and everyone is waiting with bated breath to hear from you."

He shot her a glare, which didn't faze her at all. Turning to his wife, he kissed her hand and gave her his most adorable pout. "Must I?"

"You must," Mary nodded, patting his cheek. "You're the director and star. Go on, everyone wants to hear some stirring words."

"I don't think I'm the first name on the title, actually," he pointed out, leaning in towards her. "Come up with me?"

"No," she laughed. "It's all you."

He huffed and gave her a quick kiss. "I was afraid you would say that."

She smiled and sent him off towards the staircase that separated the two levels of the restaurant. They had rented out the entire place for the wrap party for Damocles and after a sumptuous meal, the cast and crew were now milling about over drinks on the main floor, with a DJ playing upbeat dance music on the second level. On a motion from Matthew, the music quieted down, and everyone automatically looked up at him standing above them.

"Erm, hi everyone," he waved nervously.

"Speech! Speech!" they all shouted, laughing, clapping and raising their drinks in the air.

"Right, well, apparently this is the part where I, your fearless leader, gives you some words of wisdom," he began. "I haven't won anything and this isn't an awards show so I'll try and be brief."

Oohs and aahs mixed in with the laughter before everyone went silent.

"I just want to say thank you more than anything," he continued. "I think I've talked to each one of you already tonight, but if I haven't, it's an open bar and we've got the place all night so come and see me."

Cheers went up from the crowd. Mary shared a knowing smirk with Anna as they stood by and watched Matthew laughing and holding his hand up to quell the crowd.

"It's been quite a summer for all of us," he smiled. "For those you of you who were with me on 10 Days, you remember how we filmed that one in just over a month. We filmed through the rain, overnight, with cars honking at us in the background and people yelling and whatever. We did anything and everything we could to finish on time. This production wasn't as urgent, and therefore went a lot more smoothly, and that's thanks to all of you, so thank you."

Polite applause rang out before they stopped to let him go on.

"It's always a funny thing when you wrap on a project. We spend months together being like a family and now we're all going off on our separate ways. Nature of the business and all that. I wish all of you the very best in your next projects. I do hope that someday we'll work together again. Who knows? If I do a shit job of editing this movie, I may be begging one of you for a job next year," he shrugged.

Mary shared a wry smirk with Sybil and Anna while everyone else laughed.

"So, again thank you to all of you for being a part of Damocles. Seriously, I'm really looking forward to finishing it up. I know we've got some really incredible stuff that we've shot, and it's going to be great, I think. We're looking at a March release so watch out for that next year. Hopefully, we'll see everyone at the premiere."

His eyes found Mary across the room.

"Umm, and one last thing. Our incredible lead actor, Mr Denzel Washington over here, once said something in a speech that has stuck with me ever since, something that everyone should hear and know," Matthew noted, raising his glass to Denzel.

"Oh, no! What did I say now?" Denzel laughed, shaking his head.

Matthew chuckled. "He said about this business, 'never give up. Fall down seven times, get up eight.'"

A smile crossed Denzel's lips as he nodded in recognition. The rest of the room became eerily quiet, all eyes locked on Matthew, who's gaze stayed on his wife.

Mary swallowed, not taking her eyes off of him.

"He said 'ease is a greater threat to progress than hardship'" Matthew stated, pausing to let the words sink in. "I was someone who struggled for a very long time. I wondered if I was ever going to get a decent paying job. I never even dreamed I would ever get a lead role or direct. I did commercials and musicals, considered dabbling in the porn industry when I was really desperate…"

Mary and Sybil both howled at that one, along with everyone else.

"I know what hardship is all about, and now that I'm where I am today, I'm most glad that it wasn't easy, that it still isn't easy," Matthew nodded. "So, keep going, everyone, and if it seems hard, you must be on the right track. Have a great night."

The room exploded in cheers and applause as Matthew sheepishly went back down the stairs. He accepted hugs, high-fives and slaps on the back on his way to Mary, Sybil and the others. Denzel came over and gave him a long hug, whispering in his ear before letting him go. Finally, he returned to his wife, who greeted him with a warm kiss.

"Goodness. That was quite moving," she teased.

"That was good, mate," Tom agreed, shaking Matthew's hand. "I can't believe you can come up with that stuff off the top of your head."

"He probably had someone write it for him," Alex joked, standing next to Anna. "Did anyone see if there were cue cards or a teleprompter anywhere?"

Matthew scoffed.

"I thought it was brilliant," Mary smiled, kissing him again. "Easily the best wrap party speech I've ever heard."

"That's a rather low standard to beat, but I'll take it," Matthew smiled.

With Matthew's speech out of the way, the party moved on to dancing and more drinks. There was a steady train between the bar and the small dance floor, with the rest of the guests huddled together in groups on the banquettes to gossip and laugh. Near midnight, Matthew had the restaurant staff distribute the wrap presents to everyone, small tokens for the cast and crew to take with them as keepsakes of the production.

"That's so cute!" Sybil noted, examining the Canada Goose vest with the movie logo, filming dates and location stitched on the front. "You got everyone's size?"

"We guessed mostly," Matthew shrugged. "They can exchange them if it doesn't fit. Most productions give out t-shirts, hoodies, stuff like that. I wanted to do something a bit different. It helps remind people that we filmed here, and isn't just a knickknack to be forgotten in a drawer somewhere."

The room grew increasingly louder as everyone laughed and tried on their vests.

"Well, that's it for me, I think," Sybil declared, coming over and kissing Matthew. "Congratulations, darling."

"Thanks for coming," Matthew smiled. "We'll come up and grab you for lunch tomorrow."

"Just don't make it too early," Sybil warned.

Matthew gave Tom a hug before letting him take his pregnant wife away and back to Anna and Alex's place.

"Where's Anna?" Matthew asked, looking over at Alex. "I thought she'd be ready to turn in as well."

"No, she's good for another hour or two," Alex shook his head. "We put the twins to bed at the same time that Emily went down. The night nurse can handle the feedings so she's not leaving yet. This is the first time she's been out with Mary in a while."

"Right," Matthew nodded.

He looked out across the floor and spotted his wife. She was laughing and taking selfies with cast and crew members, all of them wearing their new vests. Her face was lit up, her smile bright. There seemed to be a procession of people wanting to give her a hug, share a drink, and take a photo. She accommodated them all, Anna poised at the ready to serve as photographer or to jump into the shot when called upon.

"Mary's really in her element at these things, eh?" Alex noted, sipping his Coke.

"When it comes to parties, she's not shy," Matthew agreed. "She's more well-known among this lot than I am because of Paladin, and she's not as intimidating as Denzel, so everyone is at ease talking to her."

"I don't know about that first part. You're pretty popular," Alex replied.

"Yes, but in a different way. Anyway, I'm their boss. She's not," Matthew explained.

"So they get to live out their little Empress Jade fantasies by cosying up to her?" Alex questioned.

"Basically," Matthew nodded. "It's still the role she's most well known for. How many times do you see her described in reviews or articles as 'Paladin's Mary Crawley'? Even today it happens more often than not."

"And it doesn't bother you," Alex remarked, watching as a burly looking crewman picked a laughing Mary up off the floor and held her in his arms while taking a selfie.

"It's all harmless. They all know she's married and a fair number of the lads here are gay," Matthew shook his head. "She's just humouring them for the most part. You know Mary. It's all for show."

"And what if it wasn't all harmless?" Alex probed. "From their side I mean."

"I had to put up with Henry and Tony, remember? When it's more of an obsession than just admiration, it does bother me to a degree," Matthew conceded. "But there's no point getting angry about it. What do you do about all the gardeners who stare at Anna when she's lounging in her bikini by the pool?"

"Fire them," Alex shrugged.

Matthew rolled his eyes. "Unfortunately, I can't fire everyone who thinks my wife is attractive. There'd be no one left to work on my movies, not to mention I'd have a beef with most of the industry and hundreds of thousands online."

"Yeah, and most of France, apparently," Alex nodded.

Matthew frowned at him before taking a sip of his drink.

"Do you think it will ever change?" Alex asked, watching Mary again. "Will there come a time when she doesn't have so many admirers?"

"I highly doubt it," Matthew replied. "That's like asking me if I think there will come a time when Mary isn't beautiful and talented. I think you can figure out what my answer will be to that one."

Alex smiled and nodded. "True."

"It's not as if she asks for it," Matthew noted. "She doesn't invite these men to leer at her. She has it far worse off than I do. She's the one who has to put up with them."

"I didn't say she brought it on herself, just like I don't think Anna invites it either," Alex clarified. "I just remember what I felt, what I still feel, when I think about that motherfucker and what he planned for my wife. I don't know if I could stand it if there were legions of him."

"Mary doesn't have anyone nearly as fucked up as…him…after her," Matthew replied. "The business we're in puts us in situations where we work closely with people. Every project we do has a new love interest and thousands of new fans that could come out of it. I have to trust her, just as she trusts me."

"You could always take a break and follow her to her next project," Alex suggested.

"I could," Matthew agreed. "But I can't do that forever. I have to be secure enough to let her out of my sight, otherwise what kind of marriage will we really have?"

"Just like I did when Anna used to go away on business trips with Mary all the time," Alex nodded. "I suppose this is the price of having such incredible wives, accepting how beautiful they are – inside and out – and not getting insecure about it."

Matthew laughed. "Being controlling isn't the answer. Besides, we must keep calm so that they'll keep us around, as well."

The best friends looked at each other knowingly and tapped fists before taking another drink. They watched on as the revelry continued all around them, showing no signs of abating.

Home of Alex and Anna Lewis, Rosedale, Toronto, Canada, October 29, 2019

"Mmm, that's lovely," Mary sighed, leaning back and resting her head on the cushioned edge of the hot tub. "I don't know how you resist the urge to just sit in here all day."

"It's tempting, but I tend to prune after a while," Anna replied, stretching her arms out as the bubble jets stirred up a froth around her. "I do like it better than a soak in the bath, though."

"So much better," Mary agreed, smiling and closing her eyes. "Matthew wants to put an infinity tub in the master bathroom whenever we get a house. I've been objecting to it, but I could be convinced."

Anna laughed. "What's going on with that? Are you house hunting again?"

Mary nodded. "We're back to wondering where we're going to live. I think I'm leaning towards London. I had such a great time filming there and just getting to live there again for a few months. It sort of reminded me of how it's still home."

"Well, I hate to see you go, but I can understand what you're saying," Anna nodded.

Mary opened her eyes and smiled at her best friend. "You'll be back to visit. Besides, I expect to work more often in North America going forward, so we'll be here a fair bit."

"Have you decided on your next project yet?" Anna asked.

Mary shook her head, her eyes dropping to stare at the water vacantly. "I promised myself I would take the rest of the year off, which is why I have time to think about things like house hunting. I haven't seen anything that's grabbed me thus far."

"What have you seen?" Anna prompted.

Mary sighed. "Paul's period film, mainly. It's quite interesting, but I don't know if I'm up for it. I can't see it doing better than Duplicity, and doing two war movies so close together seems strange."

"And the Paladin film?" Anna continued.

"Still just a rumour, thank God," Mary grumbled. "I did hear from the studio. They asked me to hold some dates just in case the thing goes ahead. I had Aunt Rosamund give them a vague answer for now. Technically, my next year is wide open at the moment, so it isn't as if I'm lying."

"But you won't do it," Anna noted.

"Not if I can help it," Mary replied. "I've come up with a solution, though. I'm going to ask to be paid the same as Henry and Tony and we'll see what the answer is."

"That's clever," Anna agreed.

Mary nodded. "It'll give me a defence against the backlash from fans if I don't end up being in it. If they capitulate and meet my demands, well, I suppose I'll have to do it then, but at least I won't be completely taken advantage of."

Anna smiled sympathetically.

"You know, I never used to be much of a crusader for things like that. I was always paid less than the men, but I was invariably richer than all of them anyway, so I didn't particularly care. Even when I worked in France, I wasn't paid more than Vincent, for example, though I did make more than Jimmy. On Duplicity, I was paid a bit less than the others, even though it was essentially my film,"

"The scale was lower as well," Anna added. "The French pay less than here."

"Exactly," Mary nodded. "Sam made sure we were all paid the same, but it was a mostly female ensemble, so not really comparable."

"Matthew didn't pay you less than he paid himself though, surely?" Anna questioned.

Mary smiled. "He paid me more than Denzel."

Anna laughed incredulously. "He didn't!"

Mary nodded. "He paid me more upfront and our percentages on the back end are the same. Matthew's only taking a cut of the profit, so really he's paying himself last."

"Shit," Anna shook her head. "That's progressive of him."

"It is," Mary acknowledged. "And it's not just because I'm his wife. Rooney took a pay cut to be in 10 Days, but he didn't take a salary at all, so technically she made more than him. He got most of the back end, of course, but she still got a cut of that as well."

"He should have promoted that more. I never heard anything about it," Anna commented.

"You know him. He doesn't like to draw attention to himself. I think he learned from when he and Rick made more than Natalie and me on Shattered. Anyway, it's only recently that he's been in a position to actually do something about equal pay."

Anna nodded.

"So that's where I got the idea to demand equal pay on Paladin. With Henry winning all the awards in the beginning, I never felt I had the leverage to demand parity with him, and when they brought Tony in, I was still on my previous contract. Now, though, I can honestly say that they need me more than I need them."

Anna smiled. "How novel."

"Isn't it just?" Mary laughed. "A part of me almost hopes they say no."

"I wonder if you can put a price on having to work with Henry and Tony again, though," Anna mused.

Mary rolled her eyes. "It'll be ghastly, to be certain. It's not as if the money will make up for anything, but it's something."

"How will Matthew react, do you think?" Anna asked.

"If I end up doing the movie? He'll be livid, of course," Mary shook her head. "He understands the position I'm in, though. I'm going to ask him to come with me. Hopefully, he won't be filming something else and we can at least live together during the production."

"Odds are good it will be filmed here, since the series was," Anna remarked.

"True. Anyway, it's all rumours for now. Hopefully, it sits on the shelf for a while and all I have to do is smile during interviews and say how I'm crossing my fingers that it works out or something similarly vapid," Mary smirked.

Anna laughed and reached for her water bottle.

"Anna, I wanted to ask you," Mary began. "Are you quite sure that you want to come back to work?"

Anna blinked. "Yes, of course. Why would you think otherwise?"

Mary smiled. "Well, we aren't twentysomethings anymore, leaving home to head out on a grand adventure. You've got a home here and a husband and a family. I would certainly understand if you wanted to devote yourself to them rather than follow me around to God knows where."

"You think you'll survive with Ivy, do you?" Anna smiled.

"Most likely not," Mary rolled her eyes. "She means well, but she's not you obviously. Still, I don't want you to feel as if you owe me anything because you most certainly do not. You're my best friend and always will be. You don't need to be my assistant if you don't want to be."

"If Alex was here he'd be screaming for me to gracefully step aside," Anna laughed.

"Yes, I can literally hear his voice in my head," Mary nodded.

"I don't think I'm meant to be a stay-at-home mum honestly," Anna smiled. "I'm lucky that I have that choice, but I've been working since I was a teenager, and I can't see myself stopping now. Besides, this is an exciting time for you in your career and in your life and I want to be a part of it. I sort of miss all the awards ceremonies and parties."

Mary laughed. "Well, we'll be going to more of those for Matthew than for me, I expect."

"Don't be so sure. I heard a rumour that you're being mentioned for Cannes next year," Anna replied.

"If only half of these rumours were true," Mary sighed. "All right. I won't pretend that I don't miss you desperately as it is. Let's at least wait until the New Year, or even when I have my next project sorted. I know Alex was set on you taking the entire year off after the twins were born so let's not cut it that short if we can help it."

"Deal," Anna smiled. "I do want to wait until after their birthday, to be honest. It's amazing how much more they can do now. They're almost crawling, well, more like scooting and rolling. I sort of can't wait for them to walk, and am dreading it at the same time."

"I can't get over how grown up Emily is," Mary shook her head. "To have her actually able to say entire words now, and her attitude! It's like she's a little Sybil, honestly."

"No wonder Tom wants a boy so badly," Anna laughed.

Mary smiled and leaned back. The sun shone overhead, and though it wasn't particularly warm out, the water more than made up for it.

Cumberland Terrace, Regent's Park, London, England, December 2, 2019

"Three of the bedrooms have ensuite baths, including the Master, of course. There's no infinity tub yet, but we can have one installed," Mary smiled, leading the way through the house. "What I really like are the views of the park – they're just gorgeous – and we'd have our own garage."

"Are you getting a commission from the agent or something?" Matthew joked, squeezing her hand as they went. "It's a gorgeous home, and it should be for 16 million quid."

"I think we can knock that down a bit. The home's been vacant for a year and we're giving them a quick closing so we can get settled before we leave for California," she smirked. "Here's our bedroom. It takes up the entire second floor."

He glanced around, walking through the immense space and through to the dressing room.

"This will be all yours, I assume?" he smiled.

"You can have a corner if you like," she replied.

He shook his head and went into the ensuite. Double vanities were on one side before a large mirror, with the spacious shower taking up the opposite wall. A large tub dominated the far side.

"There are three bedrooms upstairs," she continued, coming up and hugging him from behind. "So the children would have their own space, and we'd keep our privacy."

He looked over his shoulder at her. "You always bring up children when you want me to agree to something."

"I do not," she protested, kissing him quickly. "I'm just being practical, and thinking of the future."

"If you're thinking of the future, shouldn't we have more bedrooms?" he asked.

She arched her eyebrow at him. "And how many children do you expect me to give you, may I ask?"

"Well, no more than three, apparently," he shrugged. "Although I suppose they could share if we have more."

"Let's stick to one or two to start," she suggested. "I'm surprised you're so enthusiastic after Kingsley's little tantrum yesterday."

"It wasn't little," he grumbled. "Anyway, we're speaking in hypotheticals, so I'm envisioning a house full of children."

"Well, so long as it's hypothetical, and so long as it's this house," she retorted.

He smiled and turned around, wrapping his arms around her and pulling her close. "You want this house, do you?"

"I really do," she nodded.

"I suppose I can't object. If I did, you could just buy it without me," he chuckled.

"Who's to say I haven't?" she teased. "I'm just putting on a show to make you feel like you had some input."

He laughed and kissed her softly. "Can we at least pretend that I put up some resistance?"

She hummed as he moved to her neck. "Mmm, and I had to convince you, did I?"

"You most certainly did," he whispered against her skin, inhaling her perfume. "I was quite difficult."

She laughed sultrily and circled her hips slowly against him. "Well, how about this? You agree to buy this house and I will agree to christen the rooms with you?"

His head snapped up and he looked at her carefully. "Even the kitchen?"

She grinned. "Even the kitchen."

"All five bedrooms?" he continued, kissing her again.

"Of course," she answered.

"The wine cellar…" he added, his tongue slipping past her lips. "The dining room…the plant room…the terrace…"

"Not the terrace…we have neighbours…" she sighed, reaching between them to fondle him.

"Fine, not the terrace," he confirmed. "Very well, darling. Have Brandon put in an offer."

"I love it when we make decisions together," she drawled, kissing him fiercely.

They eventually disentangled and made their way back downstairs to the ground floor. Mary grinned with delight. Coming back to London appealed to her the more she thought about it. This house was a fair bit away from Painswick House in Eaton Square, and she liked that. It felt as though it was a proper beginning for them here, establishing themselves separate and apart from her family and standing alone. As much as she was intrigued to live in New York, Los Angeles or Toronto, London was home, and it felt right to return here, to the city where they first lived together as a couple so long ago, and go forward.

"I do actually like this house, you know," he smiled when they reached the front door. "I'd live anywhere as long as it was with you, but this is a very nice place for us."

"I know, and thank you," she replied, taking his hand. "And this isn't just some place for us to live in between jobs. I'm going to make it our home, truly. You're going to love it."

"I already do," he nodded before escorting her outside.

ODEON Leicester Square, Leicester Square, London, England, December 11, 2019

"And you must be so very proud!"

Matthew smiled at Mary before turning to answer the breathless reporter.

"I'm always proud of everything she does," he nodded. "This film is quite incredible, and she's incredible in it. I really enjoyed it and I'm looking forward to seeing it again."

The reporter nodded and turned back to Mary. "This is a bit of a celebration for both of you, isn't it? Your premiere, of course, and Matthew with another Golden Globe nomination announced just this week."

Mary leaned into Matthew slightly and nodded. "Yes, it's been a wonderful week. I think that this year especially it means so much because 10 Days is his directorial debut, so there's that added personal side of it as well. That's how I felt about working with Sam and so many talented women. It was more than just another project for me, and to be here, at home, with all these people. It's wonderful."

Ivy nudged Mary to move her along. They said their goodbyes to the reporter and continued down the red carpet, pausing to pose for photographers and do more interviews. Compared to the understated screening in Toronto, this was altogether different. It wasn't as big a turnout as she received for Duplicity, but the crowd was sizeable and vocal.

"Mary! Matthew! This way! To your left! Left, please!"

Smiling, they turned together, ignoring the bright flashes as best they could.

"Kiss! Kiss! Could we have a kiss please?"

Matthew smirked. He wasn't bothered by such requests, as bizarre as it was for the paparazzi to demand that he kiss his wife. Still, he knew Mary was in professional mode at these things, so he didn't bother acknowledging it.

"Darling, they want us to kiss," she whispered, turning to smile at him.

He smiled at her in surprise. "Yes, but I just thought that you wouldn't want to."

"Well I do," she smirked mischievously. "Go on and give them something to talk about."

Matthew grinned before reaching up and caressing her cheek. He drew her in, then closed the remaining distance and pressed a light kiss to her lips, holding her touch for a few seconds before releasing her.

"How was that?" he joked.

"Worked for me," she arched her eyebrow at him before they turned back for more photos.

Downton Abbey, Yorkshire, England, December 25, 2019

"Look! It's another present for Emma!" Robert exclaimed, looking at his granddaughter with wide eyes as he bestowed yet more gifts before her. The child laughed and began tearing into the wrapping paper.

"We really don't even need to be here, do we?" Sybil noted, shaking her head.

"Just be happy that she's sitting still for once," Tom noted, relaxing next to his wife on the sofa.

"Next year we can just drop the children off and pick them up after New Year's," Edith joked, smiling at Bertie while they watched Kingsley sitting on the floor with Isobel. Their son stared at his cousin with great interest while she opened her Christmas gifts, his own haul of new clothes, toys and books scattered all around him.

"Well I still believe in having a proper family Christmas," Mary declared. "I put quite a bit of thought into all of your presents, thank you."

"It never ceases to amaze me how you can make generosity sound so competitive," Matthew noted, giving her a wry smile.

"Careful, you," Mary warned. "There's still presents waiting back at home that I can always rescind."

"How? Santa knows what a nice boy I've been this year, surely?" Matthew joked, pulling her back against him.

"You may have fooled him, but not me," Mary replied archly before allowing him a quick kiss.

Sybil and Edith shared a knowing smile.

"Will you be able to come back for the housewarming, Sybil?" Mary asked, smiling at her sister.

"Actually, we will be," Sybil nodded, smiling at Tom. "We're going on a bit of a trip in March and we're dropping off Emma here so the timing is great. Tom's taking me to Italy for my push present."

"We're also stopping in to see my family in Ireland," Tom replied, looking at Sybil pointedly. "It isn't all about you. I want to show Aedan his homeland while he's still in the womb."

"And I want to make sure that Audrey experiences a country with some actual culture and edible food," Sybil countered.

Mary and Edith looked at each other and laughed.

"I think we'll all be relieved when you have your ultrasound next month," Bertie smiled. "The suspense is killing us."

"Literally," Edith added. "You two bicker about whether you're having a boy or girl more than any other couple we know."

"We'll see if I let him find out the results or not," Sybil shrugged.

Tom frowned.

"Muh…muh…"

"Hello, Kingsley," Mary beamed, sitting forward and holding her arms out as Isobel brought the infant waddling over. "What have you got there?"

"Muh…muh…" Kingsley squealed, dropping a stuffed horse onto Mary's lap.

"A horse! How lovely!" Mary smiled, taking the toy and waving it in front of her nephew's face. Kingsley laughed and reached out his pudgy hands in response.

"We show him photos of Auntie Mary all the time," Edith explained, smiling at her son. "He's even seen the both of you on the telly."

"He happened to be playing nearby when a rerun of Paladin came on," Bertie added. "We had to change the channel before he noticed Auntie Mary gutting a man with her sword."

"Better he see that than some of the other antics Auntie Mary gets up to in that show," Sybil pointed out, smirking at her sister.

"Auntie Sybil is about to get herself uninvited from the housewarming, Kingsley, isn't she? Yes, she is!" Mary cooed to the baby.

Sybil rolled her eyes. "Fine. I'll have Matthew invite me instead."

"Don't get me in trouble," Matthew scoffed. He looked up at his mother. "Mother, sit down, please. You've been running around with the children all morning."

"Oh, I'm fine. Well, all right," Isobel nodded, taking her son's seat next to Mary.

Mary picked up Kingsley and placed him on her lap. "Sweetheart, your horse needs a name. What shall we call him? What about Diamond? That's a wonderful name for a horse."

"Diamond was Mary's horse when she was growing up," Edith advised Bertie. "She loved that animal."

"She loved him more than me," Matthew deadpanned, looking over at Bertie knowingly.

"She still does," Mary interjected, giving her husband a pointed look before going back to playing with her nephew.

"Let's go and get some tea. Mother?" Matthew offered, glancing over at Tom.

"Thank you, Matthew," Isobel nodded, smiling as she watched her daughter-in-law entertain Kingsley.

Tom rose from his seat and accompanied Matthew over to the bar where an electric kettle was always available. Taking out a tray and enough cups, Matthew went about preparing the pot.

"Italy, eh?" Matthew smiled, looking over at Tom. "Didn't you make do with a set of earrings when Sybil was pregnant with Emma?"

"That was then. This is now," Tom shrugged, shaking his head glumly. "It's costing us a fortune, but what are you going to do? At least I get off work for two weeks."

"Yes, such a burden, having to take your wife on a European vacation while your daughter is being taken care of by the grandparents," Matthew joked. "The struggle, man, the struggle."

"Hey. Fuck off, yeah?" Tom frowned. "We can't all take our wives to the Golden Globes and all that fancy shit you toffs do."

Matthew laughed and filled the pot.

"I give you credit for getting Mary back to London, though," Tom smiled. "I thought you'd be living in the Hollywood Hills or somewhere like that."

"So did I, to be honest," Matthew smirked. "The house is absurdly overpriced, but so is all of London. I'm chuffed that we're back, actually. It sort of feels like our own space finally, you know? I don't have to share her. L.A., New York, even Toronto, they're all industry cities. London is different. It feels like it's just ours."

"Well, I was holding out hope that you'd come to New York, or at least settle close by in Toronto," Tom nodded. "But I hear you. It was the same when I convinced Sybil to move to Brooklyn and got her away from here."

Matthew smiled and nodded, arranging everything on the tray.

"I was ordered to come and see what was taking you so long," Bertie admitted, holding his hands up when he approached. "Either that or I was sent away so they could talk about us."

"Highly unlikely," Matthew smirked. "They don't care enough about us to gossip behind our backs."

"Truer words were never spoken," Tom nodded. "Sybil just says it to my face."

Bertie smiled and fetched two bottles of water from the fridge for him and Edith.

"How is Mary's film doing?" Bertie asked. "I haven't asked Edith about it since the premiere."

"It crossed $50 million worldwide this past week," Matthew nodded. "It might break 100 by the time it's finished its run in a few months. I think it has an outside chance at a BAFTA nomination, but it's impossible to predict these things."

"So that would make it two good showings in a row for her including that last one, yeah?" Tom noted.

Matthew nodded. "It would. Just in time for my movie to let her down when it comes out in March."

Bertie chuckled. "I think you're a pretty decent bet. How is that coming along? The trailer last week was fantastic."

"Thanks," Matthew replied. "I'm pretty much done. I'm at the point now where if I keep looking at it, I'll just tweak small things over and over again forever. I'm probably going to tell the studio that it's ready when we get to Los Angeles. We're doing press in February and it'll all finally be done."

"Matthew, is the tea ready?" Isobel called from across the room.

Matthew shared a knowing glance with Tom before picking up the tray and turning back towards the ladies. "Coming, Mother."

"Come in," Mary called, rubbing lotion into her hands.

The bedroom door opened and Cora came in, smiling at her eldest daughter before closing the door and taking a seat nearby on the bed.

"Hello, Mummy," Mary smiled. "Today was lovely, wasn't it?"

"It was," Cora nodded. "Emma and Kingsley are so precious."

"They are," Mary agreed, putting her cream away.

"Kingsley seems to have taken to you," Cora remarked. "He was attached to you all afternoon."

"Clearly, he has exceptional taste," Mary smirked. "Besides, anything to get a respite from his mother, I'm sure."

Cora shook her head. "Edith is a wonderful mother, and so is Sybil."

"Yes, yes, they are," Mary huffed. "Is this going to be another lecture?"

"No, I promised your father that I wouldn't nag you during your stay," Cora confessed.

Mary arched her eyebrow and looked at her pointedly.

"Well, I promised him that I wouldn't nag you about babies," Cora clarified.

Mary smiled ruefully.

"Darling, I do want you to know that I, well, your father and I, we're very proud of you," Cora began.

"Oh, God, please don't act all American on me now," Mary whinged.

"You're half American," Cora retorted. "Honestly, darling, we are so very proud of you. I thought you were quite good in Duplicity and you're brilliant in the new movie. It's honestly some of the strongest work you've ever done."

Mary smiled and looked down at her lap. "Thank you."

"Matthew tells me that you're incredible in his new film also," Cora noted.

"Oh, he's rather biased, isn't he?" Mary grinned. "I did have a great time, though. Denzel is incredible to work with, and Matthew's grown so much since we did Shattered together."

"How was he as a director?" Cora asked.

"Don't tell him I said so, but he was fantastic," Mary nodded. "He's very hands-off, sort of lets you go wherever you want with a scene, but still keeps everything moving forward. He had this remarkable ability to gauge the mood of the set, knowing when to lighten things up, when to be more firm with everyone. I literally felt completely free to try anything."

Cora smiled. "I never would have envisioned him being a director all those years ago."

"None of us did, including him," Mary laughed. "I always knew he was clever, but this is an entirely different level altogether."

"Good for him, and good for you. The future is so bright for the both of you. I honestly think that your Granny would be so proud of you, and not only for your career. She loved Matthew," Cora said warmly.

"She did," Mary nodded. "I always used to think she was so old-fashioned when she pushed me to marry him, but I think she saw something in him. I think she knew it would be good for me professionally and personally if we were together."

"She knew you were strong enough to make it on your own," Cora added. "But she also knew it so much more incredible to be able to share it all with someone you love."

"I just wish she were here to see it," Mary sniffled. "Goodness, now you're making me all sentimental."

Cora smiled knowingly and rose from the bed. She reached over and patted her daughter's shoulder.

Mary reached up and squeezed her hand.

"Good night, darling," Cora beamed.

"Good night, Mum," Mary nodded.

"I thought you'd be in here."

Isobel looked away from Violet's portrait and smiled as Matthew came into the drawing room. He joined her on the sofa and gave her a kiss.

"You should be upstairs with your wife," she scolded him lightly.

"She understood," he replied. "It's a difficult time for her also."

"It's only been two years, and yet it feels like much longer," Isobel sighed, looking back up at the Dowager Countess' painting on the wall. "I still wake up and wonder why her side of the bed is empty."

He put his arm around her shoulders. "I know."

"It's quite ridiculous of me considering how much more comfortable it is to have the extra room," she shook her head. "She always took up far more than her share, you know."

He smiled.

"I had a bit of a moment today. I was forced to tell her that she was right yet again," she sniffed. "She told me that Mary would make a wonderful mother, and I always disagreed. Seeing her with Kingsley today, and with Emily, well, I had to concede the point, which thrilled her to no end I am quite sure."

He chuckled. "She always did believe in Mary, more than anyone, including Mary herself sometimes."

"I don't know if it was that she saw more of herself in Mary than any of the other girls, or she was able to see through the tough exterior to her true spirit. Regardless, she was right. Mary is outstanding with children. They gravitate to her, which is remarkable since they don't get to spend very much time with her at all," she explained.

"She can be remarkably soft when she wants to be. They probably pick up on that," he suggested.

"Mmm," she agreed.

They sat together for several moments, looking up at Violet's image, the painting somehow capturing the precise combination of intimidation and sophistication that she exuded in life.

"Would you ever consider coming to stay with us in London?" he asked softly. "The house is quite big, you know, and you love Regent's Park."

"I do," she sighed. "You have a lovely home, but my place is here."

"I just worry about you, Mother. This place is so big and it's just you, Cora and Robert," he mumbled.

"We've actually become quite close, Cora and I," she stated, shaking her head. "We walk every day, and she involves me in her various charities and such. I even spend a fair amount of time with Robert now. Cora doesn't have the patience to play chess with him, so that's my job."

"I hear that he hates losing to you," he smiled.

"He does," she laughed. "But he keeps at it. He's like his mother that way. He never just gives up and leaves in a huff."

She closed her eyes and wiped a tear from her cheek.

He hugged her closer.

"This is home," she declared. "I love it here. Every room has memories of her, even the trees and fields remind me of her. I'm keeping busy and I actually enjoy what I'm doing."

"Isobel Crawley, Lady of Downton Abbey," he joked.

She laughed. "Who would have imagined? Your father is aghast, surely."

"Oh, I think he's having a good laugh over it, but he would approve," he nodded. "Whatever makes you happy."

She patted his knee. "Thank you, my dear boy. Now, go on up and be with your wife. She needs you more than I do."

"Just a little while longer," he whispered, looking up at Violet's fierce eyes. "I'd like some time with Violet, too."

Isobel smiled and relaxed against him.

HBO Party, Circa 55 Restaurant, The Beverly Hilton, Beverly Hills, California, USA, January 5, 2020

"I'm just going to go and grab another drink," Mary said, tugging on Matthew's arm to get his attention.

"I'll come with you," he answered.

She smirked, nodding towards the crowd of people gathered around him and Rooney. "No, that's fine. Stay here. I think I saw Gwen around so I'll just go and say hi."

He nodded and was pulled back into the fray before he could say anything more. She turned and weaved her way past the tables and around the dance floor to reach one of the bars.

Tonight had started out brilliantly. She and Matthew received loud cheers when they arrived on the red carpet dressed in matching Armani. Though most of the questions were about his nominations for Best Actor and Best Director, she did get a few thrown her way about how her coming year was shaping up after two well-received films in the past few months. It gave her the chance to not only talk about Ungentlemanly Behaviour again, but also to mention Damocles a little bit. There was already a buzz about their film, both because it was Matthew's next release after 10 Days and because there was naturally always interest when a real-life couple worked together on screen.

Most of the night was spent catching up with friends, laughing, drinking and celebrating the award winners. She truly appreciated getting to attend these shows now, particularly since she wasn't nominated herself. Other actresses were having to get dressed up to go to a watch party somewhere across the city and pretend that they were enjoying themselves just so they could be seen and have their photos hopefully splashed across the entertainment websites. She was one of the privileged few who were invited to the ceremony and all of the after-parties and was guaranteed valuable airtime on the red carpet shows and online. For one night at least, she was among the industry elite, and she savoured every moment.

Anna texted her through the evening to let her know when she had made it on television. Of course, when Matthew was shown on screen, so was she, but there were other moments where the camera panned over to them, to show them laughing at one of the host's jokes, or to see their reaction when a fellow Brit won an award. It was as though, after several years, she finally figured out how to play the game at these things, and she was loving every second.

Until it all changed.

10 Days enjoyed 3 nominations – Rooney and Matthew for acting and Matthew for directing. For a small budget film from a first-time director, being nominated was already an incredible accomplishment. Matthew downplayed his chances, as usual, and Mary didn't hold any expectations either. Between the sterling box office returns and the nominations, his film was a smashing success already.

Then Rooney shocked everyone and went and won the gong for Best Actress in a Motion Picture – Drama.

They were all sitting at the same table and it was as though time stood still when Rooney's name was called out. Her eyes bulged out of her head and her mouth fell open. She turned to Matthew and the two of them just looked at each other absolutely dumbfounded. Mary couldn't believe it was happening herself, and didn't even remember rising to her feet with the rest of the table to applaud. Rooney got up and hugged Matthew before walking up on stage, a look of disbelief on her face as she accepted the trophy and turned to the audience.

"Umm, hi…" she mumbled, still dumbstruck.

Mary smiled during Rooney's speech. It was her automatic response whenever anyone won. Smile and act like you're happy for them. She did it for Henry numerous times. She did it for other actresses when she lost. She did it now to hide the screaming in her head. Seeing another actress up on stage accepting an award for a role that Matthew had written specifically for her, a role that she had turned down, it defied comprehension.

It didn't matter that she respected Rooney and thought her performance was brilliant. It didn't matter that the unexpected win reflected well on Matthew and his ability as a director to draw out an award-winning performance from his lead actress. All she could think of was the sheer audacity, the supreme unfairness of it all.

Things did not improve thereafter. Matthew lost in both of his categories, but he didn't particularly mind. Everyone knew that being nominated under the circumstances was already his triumph. In addition, normally quiet and reserved Rooney spent most of her acceptance speech singing Matthew's praises, and now at the after-party, they were essentially inseparable. Previously when Matthew won, Mary remained at his side and enjoyed the status of being a proud and supportive partner. Tonight, she felt strangely uncomfortable standing next to him, as if she was imposing somehow on the enjoyment of Rooney's win and his role in it.

"Vodka neat. Make it a double," Mary said tightly when she caught the attention of the bartender. When her drink was ready, she took the cocktail glass and left the crowded bar, wandering around until she found a quiet corner underneath the stars. The party was hosted on the vast patio of the hotel restaurant. The floor itself seemed to glow, and the HBO logo was ever present on the huge screen mounted along one wall. The setting was gorgeous, but she wasn't in the mood to appreciate the décor at the moment.

"Damn," she muttered, taking a long sip of her drink. She knew she was being petulant, which only made her feel even more annoyed.

"Mary."

She closed her eyes briefly, her mood going from annoyance to outright aggravation. The night seemed to be deliberately making her suffer now.

"Henry," she replied, not even bothering to turn around fully, just glancing at him over her shoulder.

"I was just congratulating Matthew and Rooney. I was surprised to see you weren't with them," Henry stated, flashing her that arrogant smile that she knew all too well.

"I was just getting a drink and some air," she answered, raising her glass.

"Oh, of course," Henry nodded. "Isn't it funny how things go? I mean, it could have been you up on that stage tonight instead of Rooney. Funny how that turned out, isn't it?"

"Hilarious," she spat, turning away from him.

He laughed with just enough mockery to make her grit her teeth. "Now, you did do a decent job on that French film. What was it called again? You've done so many that I've lost track. Ah, yes, Duplicity, wasn't it?"

She didn't even bother replying.

"Yes, well, having a successful film or winning a Golden Globe. The two are rather comparable. I'm sure you're pleased with how your decision turned out, aren't you?" he pressed.

"Of course," she said coldly.

"Well," he continued, leaning in to whisper in her ear. "Enjoy your evening, Mary. I'm sure we'll be seeing a lot of each other soon. I've been talking to the studio and they agree with me that there should be an epic love scene in the Paladin film when you welcome me back from the dead. I expect it will be put in the script and be sufficiently steamy to give the people what they want. I hope they get all the details sorted soon because I really can't wait to get started. You're available whenever aren't you? What am I saying? Surely you are."

His kiss to her cheek felt like poison touching her skin. She clenched her fist tightly, refusing to give him the satisfaction of even acknowledging his harsh words. His laughter echoed in her ears as he departed, and she took another sip of her drink.

"Fuck," she snarled bitterly, fighting to hold back tears.

Matthew searched around one of the bars for some sign of Mary and found nothing. It was difficult for him to get a clear view as he kept getting stopped by another person who wanted to congratulate him on the success of 10 Days. While it was really Rooney who deserved the praise tonight, he gracefully accepted the well wishes, trying his best to move people along, only to be waylaid moments later. Some of the people he was genuinely glad to see, as this was a rare chance to catch up with industry friends. Most, though, were somewhere between drunk and high, and wanted to add him to the list of people they had hugged, talked to, or gotten to follow them on social media.

Normally he was good at putting up with all of this, and he was genuinely happy for Rooney. Seeing her still in shock over her win was endearing, and every few minutes she would turn to him and just shake her head and ask him if this was all real. Still, he was able to get through parties like this because Mary helped him through them, and now he couldn't find her.

He couldn't help but feel a bit wistful over the entire situation. If Mary had signed on to the movie when he asked her to, who knows what would have happened? He had no doubt that she would have been brilliant in the role of Josephine. It was written for her, after all. While he had no way of knowing if they would have been nominated for awards or not, the last time he acted opposite her, he won an Oscar, so their track record was quite good.

Frowning, he still couldn't make her out in the crowd. Her red and black dress stood out amongst all the people here, but try as he might, she didn't appear to him. Shaking his head, he was forced to give up when Rooney tracked him down to go and talk to Harvey Weinstein. He smiled and went along to accept the congratulations from the famous studio executive, and hoped Mary would return shortly.

"There you are."

Mary swallowed and turned around, instantly putting on a brave smile at the sound of his voice. "Hello."

"Beautiful evening, isn't it?" Xavier noted, glancing up at the dark sky before smiling at her. "That's one thing that I do enjoy about California. The weather is always outstanding."

She nodded. "In this part of the state, yes. They get more rain in the North."

"Congratulations on all of Matthew's success," he continued. "It's quite the accomplishment to have such an acclaimed film as one's first directorial effort."

She smiled tightly. "Thank you. He worked very hard on it. It's wonderful to see him recognized, even if he didn't win."

"I expect he'll be nominated for an Oscar now, maybe two," he mused. "That alone is impressive, whether he wins or not."

"I hope so," she agreed. "It would continue this tremendous run he's been on for a few years now."

"Indeed," he replied.

She took another sip of her drink, the alcohol sinking in, though her mind was already too jumbled to notice. "How was your week otherwise?"

"Quite good, actually. I met up with several distributors who are interested in doing business in France. I also may have found someone to star in Paul's next film," he stated.

She blinked. "Is that so?"

"Possibly. We've been looking at alternative plans in case you decide to pass on the project. You know that you're the first choice, but we can't wait forever, as you can appreciate," he smiled.

"No, of course not," she said slowly. "And you're merely being prudent. After all, I do have much to consider myself."

"You're in an enviable position," he said. "With Matthew's recent track record, there's every likelihood that he'll be back here next year nominated for the film you made together."

She arched her eyebrow in thought, the idea having not occurred to her until he mentioned it. "Well, that would certainly be an honour."

"Excuse me for a moment," he said, reaching into his pocket and taking out his phone. "I have to take this."

She nodded and sipped the last of her drink, watching him as he spoke quickly in French to whoever had called him.

Her eyes wandered over his perfectly tailored suit, the lines of his tall frame well-proportioned beneath the charcoal fabric. She recalled the way he looked when she was at his home in Paris, his broad shoulders and firm chest, arms that were strong and fit. He was in far better shape than most politicians, she expected, or even most men his age. When she danced with him, he was confident and smooth, guiding her the way he wanted. He had a way about him, as though he was used to getting what he wanted and knew he would. His dark skin seemed to take on a caramel hue in the bright lights all around them, contrasting against the night sky, making him seem even more exotic.

Her addled brain pondered what was so alluring about this man, why she continued her association with him, and in turn, to Paul and Jean-Paul and the rest of them. He had asked for, no, demanded sex in return for his support. It wasn't any different from Henry and his promises to elevate her career if they took their showmance to the next level, or Tony and his fantasies of her. Why did she shun those two, abhor them even, while still playing the game with Xavier?

He gave her an apologetic smile before turning away and continuing his call, his posture straight and rigid. The long fingers of his one hand were poised on his hip, his gold ring shining in the lights. Was it the money? He was willing to pay 30 million euros for a liaison with her. The very idea was disgusting, so why had she gotten over it so easily?

Her eyes narrowed, a series of thoughts crossing her mind. When she was a child, she was drawn to acting because that's what Granny and Mum did, but she found she enjoyed it because it was an escape. She got to pretend to be someone else. As she grew older and took her craft more seriously, she threw herself into each project, learning the nuances and subtle shifts that separated someone who was just reciting lines from someone who could become any character. To this day, she loved that part of her job the most – researching and breaking down a role and making it her own.

Change into someone else, someone completely different.

In her tipsy and self-pitying state, her imagination ran rampant with ideas. Unlike Henry and Tony, Xavier was new. He didn't know the real her, hadn't known her growing up and had no insight into her beyond what she was willing to let him see. She could be anyone she wanted to be with him.

He didn't know her as an actress desperately trying to live up to the family legacy. He wasn't aware of just how crushed she was to lose out on awards time and again, or be passed over for lead parts. He had no idea of the pain she felt at being surpassed by Matthew, shoved aside in the wake of his meteoric rise.

She could forget herself with him.

Giving in to Henry or Tony would feel shameful, a horrible defeat after all the time and effort she spent trying to stand on her own while rejecting their advances. Allowing herself to be seduced by either of them was to surrender, to admit they were better, that she needed them to fulfil some dark desire in herself, if only for a night. They would have that over her forever after that, knowing they managed to snare her. It was entirely unacceptable.

Her mind wandered back to Xavier's home in Paris, being alone with him in his gallery, sitting on the sofa and looking at the art, dancing with him at the private parties, drinking and enjoying his company during the masquerade. She enjoyed her time with him because to him, she was still a star. Henry wanted a conquest. Tony wanted a trophy. Xavier wanted a mistress, but also someone to work with, to show off as an icon of French cinema.

He was a convenient outlet, someone she could use to get what she wanted. Before, it was his support, his pledge to help Jean-Paul finance her movies. Tonight, as she wallowed in the state of her career and her mistake of choosing Duplicity over 10 Days, she needed something else.

She needed to be someone other than Lady Mary Crawley. She needed to be someone so completely the opposite of who she was, do something so outrageous and lose herself in it. The lure of leaving that woman behind, the actress who had so much talent and potential but always seemed to be just shy of getting what she wanted, was drawing her in. Wouldn't it be glorious to be bound to nothing and no one? To do anything she wanted with anyone she wanted?

She licked her lips, a jolt of arousal warming her and quickening her pulse.

"Forgive me, Marie," Xavier apologized, putting his phone away. "I promised some of the people that I met this week that we would have drinks tonight and trying to coordinate with them all is a challenge."

"You're always about business, aren't you?" she smiled.

"Not always," he smirked. "But I always am thinking of many plans. It is important not to be caught out so that I can take advantage of every opportunity."

"Such as?" she asked.

"Such as you need another drink," he nodded, reaching over and taking her empty cocktail glass from her hands.

She laughed and nodded.

"My business contacts are at the NBC party just on the other side of the hotel," he explained. "Would you like to come and meet them? They already know you from Duplicity. It would do both of us well to meet with them just to have a few drinks and charm them a bit."

"Business contacts," she repeated.

"They're big fans of yours, also," he nodded.

She laughed at that. "That's very sweet. I'm afraid I have to decline. I need to get back to Matthew."

He frowned. "I expect he's still busy with Rooney and his adoring fans? He can spare you for one drink, can't he? You're already over here on your own."

"Which is why I need to get back," she shrugged. "He's rather clueless at these things without me there to guide him. I expect he'll need rescuing right about now."

She leaned towards him and traded cheek kisses before drawing back.

"I'm sorry to hear that, Marie," he said tightly.

"Perhaps another time," she smiled. "For now, duty calls."

He nodded.

"Have a wonderful evening and a safe flight back. We'll talk soon," she assured him, patting his hand before she left him and disappeared into the crowd.

Rented Home of Mary Crawley and Matthew Crawley, Hollywood Hills, Los Angeles, California, USA, January 6, 2020

"God, please get me out of this dress," Mary begged. She dragged herself into the ensuite bathroom and leaned over the vanity. Groaning in protest, she wiped off her makeup and splashed her face, all while her husband stood in the doorway watching on in bemusement.

"This should be shown as a cautionary tale to everyone who gushes over the red carpet fashions," he joked, coming over and sliding the hidden zipper of her dress down her back. Opening it up, he pressed a light kiss to the back of her neck before he eased the dress off her shoulders and down to her hips.

"It's just like a man to make fun of the plight of women in this business," she grumbled. She removed the double-sided tape from her breasts and tossed them in the bin. "I'd like to see you wear a thong all night and try and be chipper by the end of it."

"The thong I could probably manage, barely," he mused. "It's the heels that would do me in."

"Clearly," she scoffed, shimmying her hips to slide the dress down to the floor. She stepped out of it and bent over to pick it up. "Don't wrinkle it, please."

He chuckled and took the garment from her, hanging it up for safekeeping until it was returned tomorrow. Coming back to Mary, he helped her remove her diamond jewellery and stow it away in the lockbox provided to them. Her dress and diamonds cost nearly $500,000 and were loaned to her for free. Thankfully the security guards would not be coming by tonight to retrieve it all. In Mary's current mood, the last thing he needed was to deal with that.

"What a night," she sighed, walking away from him and going back out into the bedroom wearing just her thong. "You had fun, I trust?"

"You didn't?" he asked, smiling as he followed her out.

She groaned and got into bed, pulling the duvet over her.

"Of course, I did," she nodded. "It's just that tonight was all about you and Rooney, and given how popular you were, I would expect you had a good time, is all."

He stripped down to his underwear and joined her. She automatically turned so he could spoon behind her, his arm resting across her front. He kissed her shoulder and chuckled.

"What's so funny?" she frowned.

"You," he answered, smoothing the hair away from her face before kissing her cheek. "You can't stand that she won, can you?"

She blinked in confusion and turned her head to look at him. The past couple of hours had sobered her up a bit but she was still quite drunk.

"What are you talking about? I'm glad she won! I'm glad for both of you," she objected.

"Yes, I know you are, but that could have been you up there, and understandably that would bother you," he replied.

She turned in his hold, facing him and arching her eyebrow. "What are you saying? You think I'm petty, do you?"

He smirked. "You're human."

She rolled her eyes. "So this is your time to gloat, is it? Fine, have a go then. Tell me what an idiot I was for turning down the role and how tonight I got my comeuppance. Go on!"

He took hold of her head, forcing her to look at him. Her eyes were fiery and defiant, but he knew better.

"You are not an idiot," he said firmly. "I was angry tonight when I didn't win, too."

She scoffed. "You were not! You were gracious and said all the right things. Everything is all a bonus for you. You're the nice one of us two, obviously. Everyone knows that."

He smirked. "Darling, I may be nice, but that doesn't mean I don't think I'm ten times the director that stupid idiot who won is."

Her mouth fell open in shock. "What did you just say? Did Matthew Crawley, friend to all, just call another director an idiot?"

"Well, he may not be an idiot, but his movie was quite idiotic," he huffed. "I don't understand how pointing the camera at Jennifer Lawrence qualifies as outstanding directing."

She laughed incredulously. "My word, darling. Who is this scoundrel who I've brought into my bed?"

"You of all people ought to know that I can be just as petty as anyone," he scoffed.

"I don't believe that, but thank you for the effort," she grinned, kissing him lightly. "You don't need to act like a rogue, darling. One of us has to be upstanding after all. Besides, I like that you're a good man. There's not enough of them around, believe me."

"What about Xavier? Is he a good man?" he asked.

She blinked in surprise.

"I saw you with him tonight," he continued.

She pursed her lips. "He found me."

"And what did he want?" he asked.

"Just made small talk, and invited me to meet some of his colleagues for a drink," she admitted.

He nodded. "And what did you think of that?"

"I always enjoy his company," she nodded, her breath catching.

"He enjoys yours, surely," he replied. "You do know his offer wasn't so innocent, don't you?"

"Yes," she said quietly.

"And what did you think about it?" he asked.

She swallowed.

"You liked it, didn't you?" he pressed. "You liked the attention."

She nodded slowly.

"I like it too, you know," he said, his eyes holding hers captive. "All these pretty young things swarming around me, telling me how great I am, it's quite addictive."

Her eyes widened in shock. "What?"

"Women were throwing themselves at me at the parties tonight," he smirked. "I haven't even checked my Instagram yet. There must be countless DMs. Some probably sent nudes."

She growled and pushed him on to his back. Throwing her leg across him, she straddled his thighs and pushed his arms down.

"Don't you dare think about even looking at one of those sluts or I'll cut your bollocks off," she snarled, glaring down at him.

He chuckled and smiled up at her. "Why did you turn down Xavier's offer tonight?"

"Because I don't want him!" she snapped. "I'm not Mabel. I'm not some bitch that he can pay for and do whatever he wants. I'm Lady Mary Crawley!"

He nodded, rubbing his hips against hers playfully. "And?"

"And…and…" she sputtered, the alcohol and his teasing obliterating all inhibitions. "And I'm far too good for him! I'm a better actress than Rooney, than everyone there tonight! I'm worth more than 30 million euros and a starring role in another French film. I'm better than that!"

He grinned. "Says who?"

"I say so!" she sneered. "Fuck the Hollywood Foreign Press and anyone else who doesn't think I'm worthy of some stupid trophy!"

He laughed. "I love you."

"You better!" she leaned down and kissed him hard. "You're the only man I want. You're mine."

"Till death do us part, my darling," he smiled against her lips.

She pushed his arms into the mattress and shoved her tongue into his mouth. Moaning as she writhed against him, she kissed him frantically, grinding her hips against his.

He resisted taking control despite his arousal urging him to put her on her back. When she finally released his mouth and kissed her way down his body, he raised up to watch, a smug smile on his face.

"I don't know how you get me to say such things," she wondered, closing her eyes and leaning back against his chest as the hot water poured down over them. "It must be the alcohol."

"Say what things?" he joked, soaping her stomach and moving up to her breasts.

"You're well aware," she retorted, sighing from his warm touch. "You make me behave so depraved sometimes."

"Do you regret it?" he asked, kissing the top of her head.

"No," she shook her head. "I just don't want you to think poorly of me."

"Hey," he said gently, turning her around to look at him. "I would never think poorly of you. You believe in yourself. You think you're the best in the business. There's nothing wrong with that. I want you to feel that way."

"You don't want to be married to a stuck-up bitch who's full of herself, surely?" she frowned.

"I'm not married to any such woman," he smiled. "And for the record, I think you're better than Rooney, too."

She hummed and hugged him, closing her eyes and kissing his chest. "Don't you want me to be nicer, though?"

"We can all be nicer, but you're nice enough when it matters," he assured her.

"Do you think I'll ever be satisfied?" she whispered. "Do you think I'll ever be able to just appreciate what I've got, what I've done?"

"Yes," he answered. "And you'll turn to the next goal because that's who you are. You're driven, and there's nothing wrong with that."

She breathed in his scent, relaxing as he ran his hands up and down her back.

"Let's go to sleep, yes?" he suggested.

Waldorf Astoria Beverly Hills, Beverly Hills, California, USA, February 6, 2020

"So great to see you two!"

Mary smiled and nodded. "Great to see you again, too. Thanks so much for coming."

"Oh no worries! No worries! This space is incredible! I just love it here. It seemed most of the junkets were at the Four Seasons for a while, but more and more are coming here and it's great. The food is so good!"

Matthew grinned. "Well, they treat us well here, though the other places are just as good. Whatever makes people comfortable."

"I am more than comfortable," the reporter laughed. "Now, I'm sure you've answered this a million times already, but what was it like to work together again?"

Mary glanced at Matthew. That was always the opening question in these interviews. Having been at it for hours already, they were well prepared.

"You know, everyone does ask us that, but it really wasn't particularly different from working with anyone else," she began. "The thing about Matthew is that I don't see him as my husband on set. He's another actor, and on this film he was my director, but I think what helps us work so well together is that he knows me better than anyone else. I'm very comfortable working with him because we've known each other for so long in a professional context. We've been acting together since we were children. So that's what makes it special."

"We're very clear about setting boundaries between our lives at work and our lives at home," Matthew continued. "We know that we can say anything to each other on set and that we're both committed to doing our best work. That's what counts."

"Right, right. That's cool. Now, you filmed Damocles while all this other stuff was going on, if I have it correctly. Mary, you had a great year last year, and Matthew you were just nominated for two Oscars. Does that ever enter into your minds when you're working? Because obviously as spouses, you know all about what's going on with each other."

"I don't think about it, no," Matthew shook his head. "I know she's great already, so anything that kind of comes up is just confirming what I already know."

Mary smiled. "Well, I always expect him to come up with something brilliant since he's an Oscar winner and all."

The reporter cackled.

"You can't allow yourself to get too distracted with all of that," she elaborated. "It was the same with working with Denzel. You can't be in awe of anyone. We're all actors trying to do our best, and Matthew was great about having a relaxed atmosphere on set. No one stepped out line or anything like that."

"Speaking of Denzel, Matthew, you've often said he's one of your acting role models. What was it like not only working with him but directing him also?"

"Denzel was great. I had to get used to giving him instructions and all that, but he was great to work with. I think he's going to surprise a lot of people with this role, because he plays a very powerful man, but also more emotional and insecure than what people are used to seeing from him," Matthew replied.

"It's a very un-Denzel like character," Mary smiled.

"From the materials that I've read, it seems all the characters are kind of unconventional. Like, Damocles is the hero, but he's not really a hero, and so on. Is that accurate, Mary? How would you describe your character?"

"She's a piece of work, yes," Mary laughed. "Astrid is very much a villainess, yes, but she has her moments where I think the audience will feel sorry for her a little bit, or at least understand why she does what she does. She's also the love interest in the story, so that's interesting, because usually the woman is this damsel who needs to be rescued or whatever, and that's not the case with her. She is who she is and Damocles loves her anyway, which is a refreshing take, I find."

"So he ends up with her in the end, you're saying?"

Mary shared a smile with Matthew. "We can't tell you that."

"Oh, come on! Matthew, the two of them have to be together, right? You wouldn't write a script where you and Mary's characters don't end up as a couple, would you?"

Matthew glanced at Mary. "We get to go home together afterwards, so that's more than enough. What happens on set is for the story, so anything can happen."

"That's right. Anything is possible in the movie. When we leave, that's when we go back to being ourselves," Mary echoed.

Home of Mary and Matthew Crawley, Cumberland Terrace, Regent's Park, London, England, March 19, 2020

"Aunt Rosamund is worried that you might be late, and so am I," Matthew called, coming into the bedroom.

"Oh, we've got loads of time, darling," Mary rolled her eyes, glancing at his reflection in the mirror. "It isn't as if they'll start without us."

"I just don't want to keep people waiting too long. Denzel is already on his way," he grumbled.

"Yes, mustn't keep Denzel waiting," Mary teased, smiling at Sybil and Anna. "He may not return your calls if you aren't careful."

He rolled his eyes.

"We're almost done, darling," Sybil assured him. "Go on downstairs and show Tom your SAG Award or something."

"Why would Tom be interested in that?" Mary questioned. "The only Best Director awards that count are the Golden Globe and the Oscar. Everyone knows that."

"Just hurry up, please," he implored her, turning for the door.

"We'll get her finished up right away, promise," Anna called, winding the curling iron through Mary's hair.

They all laughed when Matthew stomped off, his footsteps echoing in the hallway as he headed for the stairs.

"That was a bit mean," Sybil whinged.

"He's fine," Mary replied. "I can't let him have it too easy. He's going to have an entire mob chanting his name when we get to the theatre."

"I'm sure you'll have your fair share of fans, too," Anna reminded her. "The advance reviews have been gushing over you."

"Not just me," Mary arched her eyebrow. "Some people are already giving Matthew all the awards for next year."

"Denzel, too," Sybil noted. "I haven't read a bad word yet."

"Well, we'll see. Critical acclaim is all well and good, but seeing as Matthew financed the entire thing, I'd at least like to see him make his money back," Mary said.

"Obviously. Someone has to pay for this house," Sybil joked.

Mary rolled her eyes.

"All right, I'm going to go grab Tom and get going. We'll see you over there. Good luck," Sybil smiled, leaning in and kissing her sister on the cheek.

"Thank you, darling. Do try and keep Edith from accosting anyone this time, please," Mary requested.

"No promises. If Jonathan Rhys Meyers shows up, I might go into early labour," Sybil joked.

"He is showing up. I told Edith to keep you away from him," Mary called.

Sybil scoffed and headed out.

"There, what do you think?" Anna asked, pulling the curling iron away.

"Perfect, Anna, thank you," Mary smiled, turning her head to admire the waves in her hair. "You're a life saver."

"Well, it's not Ivy's fault that the hair people got sick," Anna shrugged.

"No, it's not, but all the same, I'll be glad when July gets here," Mary smirked, getting up from her chair and checking over her dress in the mirror.

"I just wish I was coming with you to Cannes. I bet it'll be fantastic," Anna nodded.

"It can be, yes," Mary nodded. "Matthew and I haven't been there together before so that'll be new for us."

"All the better considering that Xavier and that lot will be around as well," Anna said.

Mary smiled. "I can handle them, although I must say that jealous Matthew can be quite exciting to be with."

They both laughed.

"Lady Rosamund was filling me in earlier. I can't believe that you'll have to put up with Henry and Tony come September," Anna sighed.

"Don't forget lovely Mabel," Mary shook her head. "I'm sure she'll be around at least for a little while. The most important thing is that Tony has a new assistant."

"True, although I'm sure Alex wouldn't mind having that one arrested if he were to ever set foot in Toronto again," Anna said.

"Better that we do not have to deal with that possibility at all," Mary shook her head. "Anyway, it's all preliminary still. Aunt Rosamund gave the studio my list of demands and so far they haven't said no. Anything can happen between now and September. Until I'm actually on set and the slate says Paladin – The Movie, I'm not counting on anything."

They went downstairs to the first floor, where Mary had converted the large space into a drawing room and sitting room. She brought a few pieces from Downton to give the rooms a unique touch, including a gorgeous armoire that Granny used when she was younger. All of their trophies were on display in a towering vintage cabinet that she had refurbished with glass doors and hidden pot lights. Alex and Matthew were standing over by the large bay window.

"Well? Chop, chop! We can't be late, you know!" Mary called.

Matthew shared a knowing look with Alex before slapping hands and tapping fists with his friend.

"See you there," Alex nodded, taking Anna's hand and guiding her down the stairs to the foyer.

"You can be horrid when you want to be, you know that?" Matthew asked, coming over and taking his wife in his arms.

"I know, but you love me, don't you?" she smirked.

"Madly," he nodded, kissing her softly. "But we do need to get moving."

"All right, lead on, Mr Director," she teased, taking his arm and following him towards the stairs.

As they went down to the ground floor, she looked over to the dining room thoughtfully.

"What is it?" he asked, looking at her curiously.

"Oh, nothing," she shook her head, smiling at him as they made their way out the door to the waiting limo.

"Mary? What?" he frowned.

She looked up at him and smiled. "I was just thinking that we still haven't christened the dining room, have we?"

He blinked. "Erm…no, not that I can recall."

"Hmm. I suppose we ought to get to that at some point," she remarked lightly.

He swallowed, lowering his voice as he nodded to the driver standing patiently at the kerb holding the door open. "Yes. Yes, we should."

Placing her hand on the top of the limo, she looked over her shoulder at him and gave him a sultry glance. "Maybe tonight, if you're a good boy."

He watched her elegantly slide into the car and take her seat at the far window.

"Right, then," he mumbled, scrambling in after her. "To tonight."

fin

Author's Note: Many thanks to all my readers, particularly those who began the trilogy from the first chapter of Six Months of Summer. Your reviews, favourites and follows are always a joy to receive. This saga is now complete, with Mary and Matthew going forward together, Alex and Anna happy with children and just enough left unanswered for there to be endless possibilities, which is really what life is all about, isn't it? While this story is done, for those who are wondering, and for those who care, I'm not finished with Mary and Matthew yet.