Chapter two

"Lady Matilda." Jack greets as he takes a seat in the armchair beside Matilda. She looks up from where she had been swirling her drink around in the glass, making eye contact with Jack with a smile.

"Doctor Lawerence." She replies, teasing evident in her tone and the twinkle in her eyes.

"Had I known you were..." Jack starts, only to be cut off by Matilda.

"But you didn't." She cuts in, laying a gentle hand on his arm. "And you treated me like a normal person. Which I liked. I hate all this fuss and fancy." Jack nods slowly, a smile breaking across his face. "So...just call me Matilda." Jack cuts his eyes across the room, glancing around at Matilda's family.

"Matilda seems...awfully improper...inappropriate even."

"Up to you." She replies with a shrug

"Well then Matilda. I'm just Jack." Matilda nods this time, removing her hand from his arm, realising she had left it to sit there.

"How lovely to meet you properly, Jack." She states. "Shall we get some air?"

"Lead the way." Jack quickly replies, sticking a finger in his collar, tugging it away from his neck.

"I'm taking doctor Lawerence to see the gardens." Matilda announces as the pair head for the door.

"But it's pitch black outside." Mary replies

"Well forgive us Mary for wanting some fresh air!" Matilda quips back, rolling her eyes at her oldest sister as she heads out the door.

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"It's lovely out here." Jack comments, copying Matilda as she leans against the stone wall separating the garden from the house.

"You should come back when it's light," she replies, looking over at him, watching him rake his eyes across the gardens. "Take a walk around."

"Maybe I will." He says, his eyes meeting hers.

"Just maybe?" She questions, turning to perch on the wall, Jack still stood beside her.

"Depends if a certain Lady Crawley would give me a tour." He replies, glancing over at Matilda.

"Sorry to disappoint you, but I think the Lady Crawleys of this house are awfully busy." Matilda teases in response.

"Is that so?" Jack replies, matching her teasing tone as she nods.

"However, I do happen to know someone who knows all the best hiding spots and hidden gems of the Downton gardens." She says with a grin, Jack's face breaking into a smile

"And who might that be?"

"Take a guess."

"Hmm...a young Crawley girl that may need time away from fuss and fancy?"

"How did you know?" Matilda gasps, acting shocked as Jack lets out a laugh.

"So, you'll give me a tour if I come back?"

"When you come back," she corrects him. "I would be delighted to give you a tour of the house and gardens." Jack smiles at this, taking Matilda's hand and lifting it to his lips, pressing a light kiss there. "I may be a Lady, but you can kiss me on the cheek if you wanted to." She jokes, Jack hiding his smile as he steps closer to her, pressing a lingering kiss on her cheek, her hand still tucked in his.

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That evening, after everyone had left, Sybil knocks on Matilda's door, slipping into her sister's bed to keep warm.

"So? What happened with Mr Handsome?" She asks, resting on her side, facing Matilda.

"Not much." Matilda replies with a shrug, eyes on the book in her hands that she had just taken from the side table. "He just kissed me on the cheek is all."

"Matilda!" Sybil exclaims with a laugh, swotting at her sister's arm, pulling the book down with her other hand to see Matilda's face properly.

"Oh, I know! How very improper of me! But he's so lovely Sybil..." Matilda replies, dropping her head back on to the head rest, placing the book back onto the side table.

"Lovely to look at too..." Sybil comments with a smirk.

"Hey! You've got Tom. Leave this one for me!" Matilda jokes, giving her sister a shove.

"I'm only joking Tilda. He does seem very lovely." Sybil replies with a laugh.

"He's going to come back, have a look around the gardens." Matilda replies, pulling her knees up to her chest.

"Hmm, just have a look around the gardens?" Sybil teases, tugging on Matilda's braid, her younger sister shaking her off.

"Maybe...there'll be a picnic set up somewhere...completely coincidentally of course!" Matilda says, dropping her head to her shoulder to look over at Sybil, a twinkle in her eye.

"Oh of course!" Sybil laughs, curling up on to her side. "You really like him Tilda, don't you?"

"I barely know him." Matilda protests, looking away from her sister who raises her eyebrows.

"But you feel something. Something different. Don't you?" Sybil continues, lifting her hand to gently turn Matilda's head to look at her. "It's ok to admit it Tilda. You want to get to know him."

"He's different to other men I've met before." Matilda replies, sliding down on the bed to copy Sybil's position. "He doesn't get all the fancy stuff. You could see that. And I like that. It's refreshing Sybil." Sybil nods in agreement, eyes darting up to the door as it opens revealing Tom in the doorway.

"Sorry-" he starts, only to be cut off by Matilda.

"No! Don't worry!" She says, sliding off the bed and moving towards the door. "I'm going into town tomorrow Sybil, if you wanted to come with me? Have a look around?" Sybil let's out a laugh as Matilda winks at her, nodding in reply. "Sleep well." She blows kisses to her older sister as she backs out of the room, slipping past Tom.