A/N: Just a little drabble after watching Series 6. Just a little idea that came to me.
And of course - I own nothing.
Something About Mary
The gritty smell of Brooklands Race Track was a relief after a week of luncheons and dinner parties which seemed to have included overly perfumed hot house flowers and richly flavoured foods. Tony stood alongside his friend and one-time rival, Charles Blake, as they eagerly watched the drivers and mechanics prepare the cars for the race.
"I needed this," Tony stated as he watched a tall driver walk across the track towards the pit area.
"Is the lovely Mabel wearing you out?" Charles teased.
"There's no need to be crude," Tony answered before conceding "I am a little fed up with perpetual luncheons and dinners with London's brightest. Mabel loves entertaining and being entertained. I guess it's something I'll grow to like."
Charles looked at him sympathetically. "You need to find something to keep you busy."
"I do," Tony agreed. "And this is a very good start."
"Good," Charles answered. "I'm pleased I can be of some service."
Tony looked back out over the track. "Which one is the winner, do you think?"
Charles shrugged. "I'm not too sure, honestly. I've heard good things about Charlie Rogers though."
Tony nodded. "Which one is he?"
Charles consulted his programme of events before replying. "Number ten."
"Is that him there?" Tony asked motioning towards a tall driver walking down the pit lane with someone following closely.
"Where?"
Just as Tony was about to reply he saw who the person was following the driver.
"Is that…" he managed to say, rather shocked.
"What are you going on about?" Charles replied.
"Down there," Tony said, pointing.
Charles took a moment to look. "That's Mary."
"It is," Tony agreed. "I wonder what…"
Tony couldn't finish his sentence as the unknown driver had leant down and kissed his former lover.
"Oh!" both men exclaimed.
They both watched the driver walk away from Lady Mary Crawley and over to his car. Charles was quickly searching through the programme to put a name to the mysterious driver.
"Henry Talbot," Charles read.
"Who is he?" Tony asked.
Before Charles could formulate any answer, another voice entered the conversation.
"Who is whom?"
Both Tony and Charles turned to see Evelyn Napier standing behind them. They greeted the man affably and then answered his question.
"Who is Henry Talbot?" Tony asked pointing towards the driver as he was getting ready to race.
"Oh, Henry. I had dinner with him and a few others not so long ago," he answered. "I believe he is the nephew of Lady Shackleton. He hasn't got a title, money, land, or anything like that. Though…he has managed to catch the eye of one Lady Mary Crawley."
"We'd noticed," Charles said. "They were in a bit of a clinch just before."
Evelyn Napier smiled and shrugged. "It's actually somewhat surprising that she's interested considering how her husband died."
"I was thinking that as well," Tony said.
"Plus the fact that he has no title and no money," Charles added.
"That's a little snobbish," Tony replied. "Especially considering how you present yourself."
"Plus, it's not totally true," Evelyn added. "He's not a pauper. He just doesn't have family money."
The three men stood quietly for a while watching the drivers prepare themselves to race. After the drivers had run to their cars and driven away, they turned to look at each other.
"I guess we should be ready to help her when something goes wrong," Tony eventually said.
"Mabel would love that," Charles said with a wry smile. "You might want to leave that job for someone else."
"You're that sure something will go wrong?" Evelyn questioned. "From what I saw the other evening they were extremely interested in each other. Who says something will go wrong?"
"It's Mary," Charles said. "It won't be that easy."
They watched as the cars came past to complete their first lap and saw that Henry Talbot was not in the lead.
"Remind me," Tony said. "What does Henry Talbot have that none of us do?"
"Lady Mary Crawley," both Charles and Evelyn answered.