"I never fall for men older than me."

"Well, looks like there is an exception this time."

Mandy and Anna were in the shoe-polishing room, polishing Mary's and Edith's shoes. It had been a few days since that heated kiss against the blue wall, and Mandy informed Anna of the instance the night after it happened. Anna was not too surprised to hear about it, given she noticed that Thomas had feelings for Mandy beforehand.

"I mean, it just doesn't happen with me," Mandy continued. "I drew the limit at five years, but I guess I broke that, too."

Anna smirked. "We can't help who we fall in love with. The heart works faster than ourselves most of the time, and chooses someone before we do ourselves."

"I know. Tell me about it." She set the shoe down on the table and looked at it, fiddling with the buckle. "Anna... do you think it would work out? With me and..." She glanced at the doorway to make sure no one was at there to hear her. "Thomas?" she whispered.

"You can never know. You just have to keep on going."

"Yeah..." She smiled. "Were you around earlier when Mr. Carson was talking with Mrs. Hughes in the hallway about an hour ago? I heard Mr. Carson was saying how he noticed that Thomas seemed cheerful today, and he couldn't figure out why since he rarely is cheerful."

"It's because of you."

The two women smiled at each other, both having the common trait of being in love with someone older than them.

Mandy finished the shoes. "Well, done with this pair. Do you need any help?"

"No, I've got it. You can go and ask Mrs. Hughes what you can do next."

"No need," said the very woman as she walked into the room. "Mandy, could you do me a huge favor?

Mandy straightened out her dress apron. "Yes, I can, Mrs. Hughes. What is it?"

"Well, we need some ingredients for the dinner tonight, and the delivery man who usually brings them has fallen ill, and there are no other workers there at the store. Would you mind running down to the village and picking those up? It shouldn't be a lot, but we can have a car pulled around if you need it."

Mandy smiled at the idea of leaving the house for a while. "Oh, no, that's fine. It shouldn't be a lot of trouble if it's only a few things. Plus, it's a sunny day, so I'll enjoy the walk. I'll try to be fast."

"Alright. Well, thank you." She eyed Mandy's wide smile. "Goodness, you look bright and cheerful today."

"Do I?" She eyed Anna and she smirked.

"Is there something going on that I don't know about?" Mrs. Hughes asked slyly.

"Can I tell her?" Anna asked.

Mandy nodded. She could trust Mrs. Hughes with the secret.

"Mandy has found herself a boyfriend," Anna said, and Mrs. Hughes's eyebrows lifted.

"Well, I can't say I'm surprised, considering you are a lovely little thing. Congratulations, Mandy. Just remember to focus on your chores if you can." The woman winked.

"I will. Thank you, Mrs. Hughes. I'll just get going now."

She left the room, smiling away. Thomas happened to be in the hallway heading to the stairs that led up to the main part of the house. She stopped for a moment, not holding in the smile. "Thomas," she greeted.

"Mandy," he greeted back with a head nod.

"I'm off on an errand to fetch some ingredients for dinner tonight. Should be a nice walk to the village."

He looked around a moment, then asked in a low tone, "Shall I come along? To be an extra hand?"

She said in a low tone as well, "As much as I would love that, you have work you have to do here. It's going to be a busy dinner tonight."

"That's true."

"Alright."

She quickly kissed him on the cheek, which he beamed at, and she walked on passed him and prepared to go. Ten minutes later, she left Downton and walked down the country road. The walk to the village seemed like pure bliss—the sun was shining, the birds were chirping, and everything just seemed wonderful. Of course, it had everything to do with her new relationship with Thomas. When she eventually made it to the village and went inside the small market in the center of town that was a vendor for Downton, the middle-aged man putting produce and other ingredients into a wooden box eyed her.

"Well, hello there, miss. What can I do for you?"

"I was sent from Downton to pick up the ingredients for tonight."

The man's bushy brows rose. "You? You're just a slight thing. Are you sure you'll manage?" His eyes roamed over her body, and heat encumbered her cheeks at the man's suggestive stare.

"Yes, I'll manage, thank you. Now, is that the box I have to bring back?"

"Yes, it sure is." He picked up the box and handed to her. She about dropped it when he let go so she could hold onto it. He laughed.

"I told you. I hope you have a car."

"I don't, but I'll be fine."

There were other people in the small marketplace and she noticed a tall man with blonde hair and in a gray suit with his back to her. Her attention was brought back to the vendor when he took hold of the box, but his hands slid over hers intentionally, and his hazel eyes twinkled. "Are you sure I cannot lend a hand?"

She moved away from him, slightly irritated that he tried to flirt with her. The man was old enough to be her own father. "Yes, thank you. Now, I will be on my way. Was there anything else I needed to bring back to Downton?"

"No, that is all that was requested. You got lucky—usually a few of you lot come by and take back five crates full of food."

"I suppose I'm grateful that we needed only a few things." She nodded. "Alright, thank you."

"No, thank you, miss."

She left the building as he stared after her with an eyebrow twerked up. Are all the men here into young red-heads? She shook her head and started on her journey back to Downton. She passed people and buildings, and eventually made it to the country road that led back to Downton, one with little farms and gates holding in cows and sheep. After a few minutes, her arms began to ache. The crate was heavier than she expected. Maybe she should've taken the car—had Tom Branson drive her.

"Oh, geez," she breathed trying to keep hold of the wooden box full of various vegetables, fruits, bottles of spices, and packs of other things. "Why'd I do this again?"

She walked along the lane, green trees and grass passing her very slowly. It was lovely, but her arms felt like they would fall off at any moment. Good thing she left her hat and jacket at Downton, or she would be sweltering.

She needed to put the box down. She did so on the dirt road, stretched her arms, waited a couple of minutes, and then picked up the box and kept on walking with it. She heard one of those motor carriages coming her way, and of course, her arms started to give out again. Before she could hold it any longer, the box slipped out of her arms and the contents of the box spilled out all over the dirt road, the box toppling over everything.

"Oh, dang it!" she let out, frustrated. She noticed the car drive by, but stop several feet in front of her. "This is embarrassing..." she whined. She noticed in the corner of her eye a man getting out of the car. She winced when he came up to her.

"Do you need some help, Miss?" asked the man.

"Yes, thank you."

The man knelt down and the two put the ingredients back in the box. Once that was done, Mandy looked up at the man. "Thank you for..."

She stopped mid-sentence when she saw who this man was, and her mouth dropped opened in shock. Their gazes locked, and she stared at his intense blue eyes and all-too familiar face.

"Not a problem," said Matthew Crawley in a soft tone, his gaze not leaving hers. "Happy to help."

They both stood, not leaving eye contact still. "Matthew Crawley," she muttered, her limbs weak from carrying that box, and from the shock of meeting her favorite character from the show, as well as one of her major celebrity crushes: Dan Stevens.

He smiled. "Oh, you seem to know me."

She attempted to shake off her shock. "Um, I do. I started working at Downton about three weeks ago, and I've heard about you. You're engaged to Lady Mary."

"Oh, no, not yet. She still hasn't answered."

How could she forget that? Her cheeks heated up in embarrassment. "Oh, I apologize, then."

"No matter. So, you're from America? I noticed you have an accent."

"Yes. Washington state."

"My, that's a long ways to travel."

"Yes, it is."

Mandy couldn't believe it. After working at Downton for three weeks, she met Matthew Crawley on an old country road of all places! He was just as handsome as she expected, and his eyes were just as brilliant and blue as she expected as well. His blonde hair shined gold in the sunlight.. She held her breath. Gosh, this man is beautiful!

"May I help you with these?" he asked, referring to the box of ingredients.

Her heart threatened to pound out of her. "Oh, no, it's okay. Don't exert yourself."

"I insist. If you are heading back to Downton..."

She nodded. Her fingers started to numb from excitement and nervousness, and they fiddled with the material of her blue skirt. "Y-yes, I am."

"Well, then, allow me to take you."

"That's very kind of you."

He bent down and picked up the box with ease and carried it to his car. She followed the handsome man in the gray suit. After placing the box in the car, he looked back at her and stared at her for a moment. Her cheeks began to heat up again as that stare lingered.

"If you don't mind my asking," he began, "is that your natural hair color?"

"Yes, it is."

"Astonishing. It's like fire in the sunlight."

She gulped, touching her hair, which was pulled back with that pin. Her nerves tickled her. Matthew Crawley gave her a complement! "Thank you. I get that a lot. And thank you again for offering me a ride, but... would it be okay? I mean, when you arrive, and I—a maid—come out of the motor with you..."

"Well, let me do the explaining. I'm sure you'll be fine when I say you're bringing back dinner."

She chuckled, as did he. He gestured inside the car. "After you."

She got into the old car—old to her—and he came in after and sat in the seat in front of her, facing her. He told the driver to go on to Downton. She noticed that Mrs. Crawley wasn't there. "Is your mother coming? I mean, I have heard about her as well."

"No, she is not. She has business at the hospital, so she'll be a bit late."

"I see."

The box of ingredients rattled a bit as they sat next to Mandy as the car drove on. Her hands stayed in her lap, sweaty, and she eyed Matthew as he gazed out the window at the passing scenery. He was not Dan Stevens, but Matthew Crawley. She had to remember that. She was obsessed with him when she watched the show and other movies he was in. Thomas was a minor crush, and she never really looked into his actor Rob James-Collier.

Matthew suddenly turned his head to face her. She blinked several times and looked away, embarrassed that he noticed her staring at him. He smirked. "How do you like work at Downton?" he asked.

She met his blue eyes. "It's really nice. Everyone's friendly with me, even though I'm American."

"Isn't Lady Grantham American?"

"Yes. Then I guess that's why people are friendly with me."

He smiled, which caused Mandy's cheeks to warm up against her will again. Being in this reality was like meeting a lot of her favorite actors. This occasion was no different, only she couldn't gush over how well Dan played Matthew because he was only Matthew, not Dan.

"Almost there," she heard him say.

She looked out the window and saw Downton in all its glory. Then she looked at back at Matthew.

"I'm terribly sorry," he said. "I'm such a numbskull. I didn't even ask your name when you knew mine."

"Oh." She didn't realize it, either. She was too absorbed with meeting him. "It's Mandy. Mandy DeMont."

"A pleasure, Miss DeMont."

He held out his hand and she took it, and immediately noticed how soft and warm it was. At the touch of his hand, her heart sped into overdrive and she felt tingles where his hand touched hers. He held her hand in his, not shaking it. She stared at their hands, and then up at him. Their eyes met and didn't leave one another until the driver said that they arrived. Mandy quickly took her hand back, the tingles still there.

The car stopped and—Mandy held in a gasp—Thomas stood waiting to open the door! What would he think when he would see her in there with Matthew? Her heart pounded at her ribs in alarm. She grabbed the box, ready to face her new boyfriend as the Crawley family waited, along with Mr. Carson. This wouldn't be pretty.

Thomas opened the door and Matthew got out. Mandy could already see the looks on the family's faces, especially Mary's. Mandy stayed in the car for a moment, then Matthew beckoned her out. As she slid out with the box, Thomas's eyes widened.

"Hi," she whispered to him. His mouth turned into a flat line.

"Why is the American maid with you, Matthew?" Mary asked.

Matthew looked back at Mandy, then at Mary again. "Oh. I saw her on the road struggling with the box of ingredients for dinner tonight. I asked her if she needed a lift back."

"That was very kind of you, Matthew," Lady Grantham said. She looked at Mandy, her fellow American. "You can go through the man entryway and on to the servants' hall, Mandy."

Mandy made a little curtsy. "Thank you, Your Ladyship."

"Thomas, help her with the box, please," Lady Grantham said.

"Yes, M'Lady," he said and took the box from Mandy.

Mandy passed Sybil and Edith on the way in, Edith giving her a questionable look, and Sybil smiling at her. Mr. Carson gave her a look as well, and a raised eyebrow.

"Awkward," she muttered.

She looked back briefly at the family and saw Matthew looking right at her with those enchanting blue eyes of his. Her heart jumped and she looked back. Once inside and no one around, Thomas leaned near Mandy and said, "Should've let me go with you. Mr. Crawley wouldn't have had to pick you up."

"Yes, but he would've stopped anyway if he saw us. He's nice like that. Plus, I was fine, and he just helped me. It's just as he said."

Thomas huffed through his nose in jealousy. He should have nothing to worry about, though. Matthew would get engaged to Mary soon.