Some of that good-ol' Downton Abbey drama plays into this chapter a little. I was always a fan of that drama.

~ ~ ~

What was with that look on his face? He at least smirked when she entered the room, but when she walked in the following morning... he didn't even look up at her. What's going on?

She sat down across and a few people down the table from Thomas, and Daisy leaned over on her right and poured her some water. She lingered there for a moment. Mandy turned her head when the girl had not moved for a good ten seconds.

"I'm sorry," Daisy said. "I'm just admiring that hairpin in your hair. It's beautiful."

Mandy noticed Thomas look up from his porridge and glance at her with that same expression he greeted her with when she walked into the room. Something was up, and it had to do with the hairpin. After he saw it in her hair when she arrived back from the village, he didn't speak to her and didn't say goodnight when everyone was off to bed.

"Thank you, Daisy. I got it in the village."

The look on Thomas's face turned grim. Why?

Breakfast commenced, and the first bell soon rang. Thomas bolted up and was the first one out of the room. Mandy maneuvered through the maids and hall boys leaving the room as well, and she made it out to the hallway only to see that Thomas practically ran up the stairs leading to the main entry corridor to the house. She let out a sigh in defeat. Something definitely wasn't right.

Anna appeared next to Mandy in the hallway as their co-workers bustled about. Mandy never told Anna about who she got the pin from. She shouldn't tell her—or anyone for that matter—but she needed to get it off her chest at some point.

"Is everything alright?" Anna asked. "Thomas seems to be in one of his moods, which he hasn't been in since he and you started a relationship."

"I know."

"Do you know what's the matter with him?"

Mandy pursed her lips as she stared at the stairs. "I... think so."

"What?"

"Ladies, off to work."

Mrs. Hughes passed them and gave them a look. "Yes, Mrs. Hughes," Anna said, then whispered to Mandy, "Let's talk later, alright?"

"Alright."

The two separated and went about their chores. As Mandy folded the clean sheets that needed to be put back on the maids' beds, she thought about what on Earth she would do if people found out that Matthew bought her that hairpin. Should she even tell Anna, even if she was trust-worthy? She groaned. She ached to tell someone. This was huge for her—her celebrity crush giving her a present. Even though he really wasn't Dan Stevens, it shouldn't matter. He looked like him, and she liked Matthew as a character.

An hour passed, and Mandy hustled to find Anna. She was done with the folding, and it felt as if she would burst. She opened the door to the shoe polishing room and found Anna in there, polishing a ladies' shoe. Anna saw her and smiled, and about said something but noticed Mandy's expression. Mandy knew her face was red since her heart pounded a hundred miles a minute, pumping blood into her cheeks.

"Mandy, my, you look rather flustered," she commented.

"Um... Anna, there's something I need to say, and promise to tell no one. If you do, then all heck will break loose, and I'm as good as gone."

Anna put down the shoe she polished. "Golly, must be something pretty big." A look of realization hit her face. "Oh, this is about why Thomas is suddenly so grim."

"Yeah... Geez, if anyone finds this out... especially Lady Mary..."

"Lady Mary? Why?"

Mandy came up close to her and said in a low tone so no one outside of the room could hear, "You know that pin I showed you? The one with the pearl? This one?" She turned and showed her.

"Yes, the one you bought in the village."

She turned back around to face her. "Well..." She fiddled with her apron anxiously. "I didn't exactly buy it. Someone else did for me. As a gift. And... I think Thomas suspects something. I don't know how, but he most likely does. He's never in a foul mood without a reason."

Anna stood there and thought for a moment. "Does he think another man bought it for you?"

"I think so, I don't know. But like I said... I don't know how he could've found out. Maybe I'm just being paranoid." She leaned in a bit more, close to Anna, and whispered, "Anna, if Lady Mary finds out who gave it to me, I'm done for, and if Thomas finds out, his heart will break, and he'll be meaner than he ever was before."

Anna gave her a confused look. "Who bought it for you, then?"

Mandy's sweaty hands bunched up her apron in nervousness. She revealed, "Mr. Crawley."

"Mr. Crawley?" she gasped, shocked. "Mr. Matthew Crawley?"

"Yes. I met him in the village and he pointed me to the jewelry store since I was an idiot and forgot to ask which store to go to before I left. He came in the shop with me, saw the pin, and insisted that I get it, only I didn't have the money. So he bought it for me."

Anna stared at her, her brown eyes wide. "Are you serious?"

Mandy nodded solemnly. "Yes, and I wish I wasn't. Thomas may suspect something, and if Lady Mary finds out that the man who she's in love with, and possibly might marry, gave a piece of jewelry to another woman—a maid, no less—she'll speak it to the whole family. I'll get thrown out, and her future with Matthew will be ka-put."

Anna's mouth moved, but nothing came out. Then, "Um... Okay." She took hold of Mandy's arms and looked her dead in the eyes. "I won't say a word of this, and neither will you. Do you understand?"

"I wouldn't say a word if it meant I could keep my job and Thomas happy. But that's going down the drain, too, since he vacated the room at lightning speed after breakfast today."

"The man can hold a grudge, can't he?" She patted her arms. "Go talk to him. Reassure him of your feelings."

Mandy nodded again, knowing she had to do it. "Okay."

~ ~ ~

The next time Mandy caught sight of Thomas was when they passed each other on the second floor near the bedrooms a little before dinnertime. She was asked to retrieve a vase of flowers up there that would be used for dinner. As she was about to pick up the vase full of the colorful flower arrangement from the small table in the hallway, she saw Thomas walk down the hall from the other direction. He saw her, but he put his head up in the proper manner, which meant he wasn't going to say a thing. When he passed her, she whirled around, forgetting about the flowers.

"Thomas." He stopped. She imagined him purse his lips. She walked up to him, determined. "Thomas, can I talk to you for a minute?"

He turned to face her and she remembered how captivating his faint blue eyes were. "We have work to do, Mandy."

"I know. Just for a minute."

"Alright. Go on."

He stood dignified, and somewhat impatiently. She said, fiddling with her apron again, which was wrinkled from the last time she fiddled with it, "Well... to start off, why have you been avoiding me?"

He stared a her for a moment as her eyes pleaded with him. He huffed through his nose. "Fine, if you must know, I'm jealous out of my mind."

"Jealous?"

He stood closer, his gaze glaring and serious. "Who did you get the pin from?"

She knew it. She knew that he suspected something. "I told you that I bought it myself."

"I know for a fact that you don't have any money. There's no way you could've afforded it."

"It was second-hand, so I could."

He stared at her for a moment, his brows pushing together. She prayed that he believed her. He suddenly turned and started walking down the hallway. "We have to get back to work."

"I love you, Thomas."

He stopped. She had never told a guy that before, and she certainly didn't plan to confess her love for Thomas that quickly, but her pounding heart and her shear desire for him to be happy overcame her. She noticed his hands ball into fists against his sides.

"Thomas..." she began in a pleading tone, "do you really think I would go off with another man when I have you? Do you think I would let another man flirt with me, let alone buy me something? No. You're the only man I see, and have since the moment I came here. Heck, you were the first man I saw when I came to Downton Abbey." He still stood there, silent. "Thomas, say something."

He turned and took a few steps up to her. "You serious?"

"Yes. It killed me that you didn't want to talk to me since yesterday."

"You really love me?"

She stared at his hopeful blue eyes, the whites of which turned red. She said softly, "I do. I love everything about you. I..."

He suddenly took her by the shoulders and kissed her. She had to take a step back because of the force of him leaning into her, but her mouth didn't leave his. Her legs nearly gave out because of the emotions that ran a muck through her. His kisses seemed to make her lose herself completely and go off into another world. He drew away after moving his mouth on hers once more, and he smirked. Mandy let off an inner sigh of relief, glad that he wasn't angry with her anymore.

"I've never said this to anyone," he began in a low tone "and it goes against my nature, but... I love you, too. A woman. I never knew it was possible for me."

She tried to process that for a moment. A man never confessed his love for her before, and she dreamed about what it would be like. She certainly wasn't expecting this.

"So... there's nothing going on between you and Mr. Crawley?"

Her heart jumped to her throat, and her pulse rose in fear. What could she say to him that would sound convincing? "Mr. Crawley? No way possible. He took me home that day, but nothing after that. You know he'll most likely marry Lady Mary."

He nodded. "Yes. What a relief."

Footsteps were heard down the hallway, and the two immediately separated. They turned and saw Mary herself walk up, dressed in an elegant plum-purple evening dress. Mandy looked at Thomas once, then went on down the hallway, wanting to avoid an awkward situation.

"My Lady," she said with a small head bow as she passed Mary.

"Hold on a moment," Mary said and Mandy stopped. Panic seized her. Did she just see what happened with her and Thomas? Did she hear anything?

She turned and noticed that Thomas was gone. "Yes, My Lady?"

"I wonder if you could help me with a little something. Could you come with me to my room?"

To her room? Mary had never asked her anything before, or even talked to her for that matter.

"Yes, My Lady." She followed Mary to her elegant bedroom with a four-poser bed. "What can I do for you, My Lady?" she asked, her hands clasped in front of her as stood near the bed.

Mary sat down at her vanity desk and gazed at herself in the mirror attached to the back of it. "Since Anna is busy at the moment, and I can't get another lady's maid in here, I was wondering if you might help me to get ready for dinner."

Mandy's mouth opened, surprised. "Me, My Lady?"

"Yes, you." She turned around to face her and smiled. "All you need to do is help me with this hair of mine. I understand from Anna that you are good at placing hairpins."

"Um, yes, I've had practice since I've been here."

"Well, then. This will be more practice."

Mary beckoned her over with a gracious smile and Mandy did as she asked and wove her fingers in Mary's hair. Mandy noticed her beautiful jewelry, and her hair pins in her open jewelry box. Some of them had pearls on them like hers. It made her wonder where hers came from. She picked up one hairpin that had a single diamond on the end of it, and slid it in Mary's hair. She fixed the bun and let a few strands of dark hair dangle near Mary's neck for an elegant look. Mary turned her head back and forth a couple of times, assessing Mandy's work.

"Not bad." She turned and smiled up at Mandy. "Thank you, Mandy. You really are quite talented. Maybe I will ask you to do my hair again."

"Thank you, May Lady," she said with a little curtsy.

"You may go now. No doubt Mrs. Hughes and Mr. Carson are wondering where you ran off to."

"Yes."

Mandy did another foot curtsy and left the room. "That was strange..." she muttered as she went to retrieve that vase full of flowers, and then headed downstairs to the dining room to place it on the elegantly decorated table.

~ ~ ~

The next morning after the family had breakfast, Mr. Carson came in and everyone who was in the servant's hall stood.

"Before I get to today's events," he began, "Miss DeMont, you are wanted in the drawing room. Lady Mary has asked for you."

Everyone looked at her with wide eyes, Anna with a look of concern, and Thomas with a look of alarm. What could Mary want this time?

"Why do you suppose you were called?" Daisy asked.

"I have no idea," Mandy said. She had kept her mouth shut regarding the odd occurrence of doing Lady Mary's hair the evening before.

"Well, let's not let Lady Mary wait," Mrs. Hughes said. "Off you go now."

"Lady Mary has requested that you come as well," Mr. Carson said to her as Mandy stood up.

People in the room started to talk. They knew it was serious when Mrs. Hughes was involved.

"Well, let's go then," Mrs. Hughes said, and she and Mandy left the room, Mandy making a quick glance at Thomas. He read her thoughts. Mary did see them in the hallway last night! But why would she want to talk to just Mandy about it and not Thomas? Why would she even bud in in the first place?

Heart pounding in anticipation, Mandy followed Mrs. Hughes up the stairs, and they eventually entered the drawing room and saw Mary, Edith, Sybil, and Lady Grantham there sitting on sofas. What was going on? Mandy felt her hands numb up in nervousness.

"You asked for us, M'Lady," Mrs. Hughes said to Mary, and Mary, dressed in a light-blue day dress, stood up prim and properly.

"Yes, I did. I want to report a theft."

"A theft, M'Lady?" Mrs. Hughes said, a little shocked.

"Yes."

"Mary, do you really think this is necessary?" Lady Grantham asked.

"Of course, Mamma. When someone steals something from me, justice needs to be served."

"What do you mean, Mary?" Sybil asked. "Surly you don't think..."

"I do." She looked at Mandy in her stuffy way. "Our new American housemaid stole from me last night. A hairpin."

Mandy stared at her in shock, as did the other three women in the room. Her stomach rolled over and she felt like she would be sick. Mary blamed her for what? Theft? She surely touched her hairpins because she helped put one in for her, but she didn't take any of them!

"Surely you are mistaken, M'Lady," Mrs. Hughes said cautiously. "Mandy is one of our most trustworthy maids, next to Anna. She wouldn't do such a thing."

"Really?" Mary asked haughtily. "Then how do you explain my missing hairpin? It was a favorite of mine. I don't mean to be cross, but it was very important to me, you understand."

Mrs. Hughes looked at a very nervous, yet annoyed, Mandy. "Mandy, is this true?"

Mandy, her heart hammering and her cheeks hot, took a deep breath through her nose and let it out, trying her hardest not to let her irritation with Mary slip. "I can assure you all that I didn't take anything. Lady Mary simply asked me to help her fix her hair with a hairpin last night. I only touched the one that I put in her hair."

"And you stole another pin from me when I wasn't looking," Mary said. "One with a pearl on the end."

Sybil stood up and went over to her sister. "Mary, don't you think you're going too far? You probably just misplaced it." She gestured a hand towards Mandy. "Look at how shaken up she is. A girl in that state wouldn't have stolen anything."

Mandy let a small smile appear, despite what she felt at the moment. Sybil had always been her favorite of the Crawley sisters. She was so nice and sympathetic.

"Some people can be great actors," Mary quipped.

"Mary," Lady Grantham chided, "don't be so harsh."

"Check her, then, Mamma. Check the hairpin that she's wearing now, even."

Mandy's heart pounded with fear. My pin has a pearl on it! What am I going to do? Everyone's going to think I'm a thief! And worse, it was from Matthew, Mary's future husband!

"Give it up, Mary," Sybil said. "Please. This isn't like you at all."

"There's only one way to resolve this," Lady Grantham said, then looked at Mandy and said kindly, "Mandy, will you please show us your hairpin?"

Mandy gulped and put a shaky hand up to her bun and felt the pin. She slowly pulled it out and her curly orange hair fell down to her elbows, out of the maid's hairpiece. She held out the pin and everyone in the room gasped. Aside from Mary.

"Mandy," Mrs. Hughes gasped, shocked.

"What did I tell you?" Mary said with a hint of snobbery. "That is my pin."

Mandy wanted to lash out at Mary, but knew that would get her into more trouble than she was already in, so she said instead, with difficulty and with tears stinging her eyes, "I got this in the village when I went to get hairpins for Mrs. Hughes. I swear it."

"She's right," Mrs. Hughes said. "I have the pins to prove that she was in the village."

"But do you have proof that she bought that one as well?" Mary asked.

"I got it in the village, I promise," Mandy said, her voice cracking on the last word. "I would never steal from you, My Lady. Why would I do that when everyone has treated me so well here? Why would I risk being kicked out?"

"This is quite enough," Lady Grantham said in a firm voice. "Mrs. Hughes, you and Mandy may go. We are sorry for the trouble."

Mrs. Hughes led Mandy out of the room and they walked on through the front sitting room to the door leading down to the servants' hall. "Now you know to wear the normal hair pins, instead of fancy ones you buy in the village," she said.

"Yes, I know that now." She looked at the housekeeper, eyes wide and hopeful. "So, you don't think I'm guilty?"

"I don't know what I think, but I'll tell you that this will be looked into farther because Lady Mary isn't one to let things go."

Mary, that conniving witch. Why did she blame Mandy for stealing? When did she even notice Mandy's pin close enough to see that it had a pearl on it? This was something worthy of Thomas before he met Mandy and stopped with the bullying and scheming. He even left Mr. Bates alone. What was Mary doing? There was something in that evil look she gave her for sure.

There had to be.