The lady and the lawyer. {ON HOLD}

ROME!

Mary woke up completely exhilarated! It was not just the fact that her 'eyes had been opened' last night but they were finally nearing the end of their voyage! At 11 o'clock they were due to delve into the beauties of Rome and go adventuring! What a romantic and exciting thought! She got up eagerly to look outside of the small circle window to see if she could see anything other than a sparkling ocean. However she had totally forgot she was wearing literally nothing and she quickly got her robe on the way to the window. Staring out of it and over at the horizon she saw the ghost figure of an island, presumably the islands surrounding Italy. She was like an excitable puppy looking for tropical shores and plants! She'd heard so many stories about it! They are strange foods aswell apparently, all coloured and spicy usually served with a beautiful wine. She had heard of ancient ruins and beautiful roman gardens! It felt like she was about to go back in time and dine with the Roman Empire. Everything had a thrilling aspect to it, after all how could being escorted through the wonders of Rome by a charming prince not be thrilling?
Matthew was behind Mary whilst her mind was active with fantasies and thoughts, he hugged her from behind and they both laughed when he tickled her.
"Excited for Rome?" He asked, still holding her fragile figure in his arms in a bear hug.
"Thrilled!" She almost buzzed in his arms as she beamed thinking about all the exciting surprised ahead.
"I hope your wearing clothes by the way. Or at least a robe." She added now not wanting to turn around incase he was stark naked.
Matthew laughed.
"Well your not wearing clothes."
"How do you know?"
"I just do."
"At least I'm wearing a robe! Are you?"
"Turn around and you'll see."
Mary gritted her teeth, she would definitely punish him If he was trying to shock her. She closed her eyes and turned around. Matthew opened her eyes and she looked down quickly at him. Thank god! He had a robe on.
"You should tie your robe you know. Mosley will have a heart attack."
"Well then Anna will also have a fit when she sees you then." Matthew laughed and looked mary up and down. Mary looked down and realised she had not tied her dressing gown! She blushed deep scarlet and tied her robe, after she pounced on Matthew playfully hitting him whilst he tried to kiss her.

Below decks a strange maid had begun a new job here on board. She had promised to be a good worker and try her best. Her name was Maybell lane fox. It was peculiar; half of the servants could have sworn they had seen this new maid walking along a promenade somewhere in England wearing the grandest of the grand only a few months ago when they were docking. Nevertheless she was here now and no one knew why or how.
"Room service." Called a maid from outside the Crawley's door. Matthew stopped kissing Mary and looked at her quizzically.
"Did you order room service?" He asked with one brow raised, Mary shook her head replying with an equally puzzled expression. They both wrapped their gowns tighter around them and went to answer the door.
The maid scuttled in with a trolley which had breakfast and letters on. She stood there with her head bowed as if waiting for something.
Mary studied this strange lady carefully. She could have sworn she'd seen the exact same figure at one of the grand events at Downton the previous summer. She tried picturing the girl with a white umbrella and frock. The shoe fitted perfectly.. Miss maybel lane fox.. Surely not?
Then the maid scuttled off into Mary's dressing room. Mary and Matthew were completely and utterly confused.
"Is that miss may-" started Matthew and Mary shrugged in reply to cut him off. If maybell was up to something she must not know that they knew. Mary cautiously traced the maid into the dressing room and almost died of shock when a hand covered her mouth from behind and locked the door she'd just come through. Mary tried to scream and kick and hit but it seemed she was captured. This was absurd! Why would anyone try and capture her with her husband only outside the door.
"Mary!" Matthew ran to the door and tried to shake it open. He could here things being knocked over from inside and someone struggling. That must be mary.
"Mary darling don't worry I will get help." He said and without hesitation the lawyer ran out onto the corridor.
As soon as maybell heard the door to the suite shut she let go of Mary.
"WHAT IN GODS NAME DO YOU THINK YOUR DOING?!" Mary screamed at the maid. For the first time maybell lifted up her face. Her crimson red lips were fashioned into a nasty smile and her eyes looked sharp and alert.
"Maybell? What?!" Mary stuttered completely caught off guard, she automatically started to back away from the devilish woman before her.
"What's wrong mary? Scared of the lower class?" Maybell asked, moving one step closer as Mary slipped one further away.
"Scared of a demon dressed in a maids outfit more like." She replied wrapping her shawl tighter around her shoulders.
"Why have you tracked me down? Why have you kidnapped me on my honey moon when I have done NOTHING to you?" Mary demanded now pressed against the wall; she had cornered herself. "Done nothing to me?! Ever since we came out together you've managed to steal men from me. And now finally you've been stopped. Your tied down to this one now aren't you?" Maybell smiled moving closer to Mary, so close that Mary could feel maybell's breath upon her flushed cheeks.
"It's hardly my fault that no man in his right man would want to court you." Mary spat back, turning her head to the side so she didn't have to look maybell in the face. Maybell cupped her hand around Mary's face and turned it to face her.
"Now now. Don't you know it's rude to ignore me when I'm talking?" She was enjoying taunting this upper class brat.
Suddenly maybell was forcing Mary to kiss her again and again. Mary was trying to push her off,This was assault! She could scarcely breathe and she was practically trapped against the wall. Suddenly there was a bang and maybell was pulled back. Mary gasped, breathing in the fresh seawater air. She was crying having being traumatised and trapped. Looking up she saw the police holding maybell's hands behind her back and Still maybell was smiling maliciously.
"Until next time, dearest mary. I look forward to it."
Matthew rushed to Mary eager to check she was okay, he realised when he suddenly moved towards Mary, she flinched. He looked at her cautiously, not wanting to scare her; she was clearly still in shock.
"My darling let me-" Matthew started fussing over her and she didn't like it. She put her hands against his chest to stop him moving closer.
"I'm fine honestly darling." She said, not looking 'fine' at all.
"Your not."
"I am."
She smiled at him reassuringly to hide the trauma inside threatening to ruin her pretty complexion. Tears were like tsunamis threatening to flood her fake expression and her eyelids didn't seem to be an efficient barrier. As she gazed at the lawyer so loved so much, a single tear escaped down her cheek and splashed silently on Matthew's silk gown. Matthew looked at her sympathetically and immediately embraced her as she burst into a flood of tears and crumbled under the stress and shock she'd just gone through.
"I love you so much. That's not going to change. I'm so sorry. " Matthew poured out his apologies as Maybell was silently guided away, even though she was absent from the room she seemed to leave a ghost presence which haunted the young couple's fears and questions. Mary hated it when Matthew apologised for something he didn't do.
"M'lady?" The small ladies maid mary so loved, slipped in through the door having heard the whole story.
"Oh Anna."
After everyone had 'recovered' it was time to enter the world of Rome! Mosley proceeded with moving the suitcases outside as Anna packed up lady Mary's clothes. The young couple stood on the gangway looking around them at the harbour. It was ever so beautiful and you could see many things which looked peculiar and foreign. Of course they would; they weren't in england!
Matthew looked a Mary hesitatingly, wondering what he could say. She wouldn't let him kiss her or anything since the incident and all he could do at the moment was hold her hand.
Mary looked at the floor feeling guilty that already their honey moon had been ruined. Suppose Matthew thought she had led maybell on? Suppose Matthew was wishing they were back home and had never started any of this?
"Mary." Mary grimaced. He was going to say something or try as make her feel better. Again.
"I know your still in shock."
Yes, she was.
"But can we not leave this mishap on board and forget about it all?" Mosley scurried past with a suitcase and Mary's eyes followed him.
"You make it sound so easy, when really ,I doubt one could ever forget such a thing. It will haunt my nightmares matthew. I can't forget it." She felt like she was being so mean to him; when really all he had done was try to save her. The young couple walked in silence back along the gangway and into a carridge.as their journey to the hotel progressed, Mary's hand stayed in Matthews, resting on the seat between them. They both directed their eyes outside and watched the scenery of Rome pass by before their eyes, a dribble of rain gradually turned into a shower and reminded mary of her home. It was her favourite weather in the hottest of countries. Matthew turned to look at Mary and after admiring her beauty he commented quietly "my darling it's your favourite weather." Mary smiled but didn't avert her gaze from the racing raindrops on the window.

It was a few nights after the incident and it was their last night on honey moon. They were both back to normal around each other now and grateful of that. Mary was sitting on the balcony in her black and silver dress, the one from the voyage, looking at the starlit sky which was displayed in grandeur before her. Matthew was leaning against the doorframe of the balcony doors smoking his cigar, sending spirals of smoke up in the air to join the stars, he quickly checked his wristwatch and nodded as if remembering something. Slowly, Matthew migrated over to Mary and put his hands on her shoulders, massaging them in a way.
"Mhmm?" Mary asked dreamily, knowing her husband must have something planned for their last night. She felt soothed by the strong hands on her shoulders and allowed herself to slouch for the first time in the whole honey moon. Matthew smiled and then came round to face her.
"I've got somewhere to take you." He said and then put out his hand. Mary placed her hand gracefully on top and stood up, slightly tired as it was about 10 pm now. She quickly drank the rest of her white wine and put the glass clumsily back on the table. Matthew linked her arm and waltzed through the hotel room, last the paintings and the ornate furniture, into the reception and out of the revolving glass doors.
"Where are you talking me?" Mary asked in a curious but mischievous tone as she tagged along with Matthew around the hotel.
"I do believe we explored most of the hotel when we got here, and most of Rome might I add." Matthew laughed remembering their time here fondly as he walked backwards leading Mary further behind the hotel.
"Yes we have?" Mary said questioningly seeing a hint of excitement in her cheeky husband's eyes as he spoke.
"Well there's one place we haven't seen." As he said this he swept Mary around the corner and immediately they had stepped through the looking glass into a haven of wild flowers a trickling water features. Mary gasped at the beauty and Matthew laughed at how amazing this place was. He spun mary around in the silent Italian gardens, amongst the colour and the vines, listening to her melodious giggle. When they stopped spinning her drew her in for a kiss and then took her to walk around the gardens. They came to a water feature and stood behind a wall of flowing water, only seeing blurred colour in front of them. Matthew smiled holding Mary's hand and gazing at her angelic face.
"My darling. I want to love you like this forever. And I want to be with you forever. And I want us to be like this forever." He kissed her hand charmingly and set a dozen butterflies off in her stomach.
"Well I'm not a genii. But your certainly a Prince Charming and so I suppose it will work." Mary replied giggling when Matthew kissed her neck again.
"Matthew may I remind you were in public?" She asked even though she wouldn't stop him for the world.
"Yes, in the company of," kiss. "All the exotic flowers," kiss. "And the water features. We can't have them spying on us can we?" Mary laughed at her husbands sarcastic behaviour and then blushed when he kissed her properly.
The flowers and roses bloomed beautifully in the garden under the moonlight as the lady and lawyer danced away the night as if 'time' was mercy a word and not a restriction. What a perfect couple beneath the stars, what a splendid sight to see! The lady and the lawyer spinning in the secluded garden once again.