When Darrel returned to Downton Abbey, she entered the house and found that everyone was in the main hall. The family sat in chairs that someone set up, while the servants stood behind them. Even Violet, Isobel, and Dickie were there; and they did not even live at Downton Abbey. Robert was in front of everyone, pacing back and forth (followed by Teo). He looked up as Darrel entered but she avoided his gaze.

"Ah, good. You are back in one piece," Robert nodded. "Please, sit down."

Darrel took a seat in between Edith and Tom, as Robert continued to walk up and down the hall, with everyone watching him.

"Do you know what this is about?" Edith whispered to her younger sister.

Darrel shrugged; she had an idea, but she did not want to say it aloud in case she was wrong.

"I am sure that you are all curious as to why Lady Darrel had to go up to Buckingham Palace this afternoon," Robert announced to the hall, finally ceasing his pacing. "Since I do not want you all gossiping, I will explain everything to you."

"Robert, how could you possibly know why Darrel went up to London?" Cora inquired. "She just came back!"

"I know very well why Darrel went to London. Don't I, Darrel?"

His youngest daughter nodded, not quite able to look him in the eyes. Darrel felt as if she would never see Robert the same way again; she was so disappointed in him.

"Well," Robert sighed, "fourteen years ago, I was not as devoted to Cora as I should have been. So, I had an affair; and Darrel is the result."

The room filled with gasps, and some of the servants began to whisper amongst themselves.

"Robert!" Cora exclaimed. "They did not need to know that! We discussed it before. I forgave you, and Darrel grew up as my daughter."

"But, I never told you who I had the affair with."

"So? I hardly see how that is important. Especially fourteen years later."

"Mama, will you just let him finish his story?" Mary said, exasperated. She wanted to hear what Robert had to say, and Cora kept interrupting. "I am sure he has an explanation for this."

"Thank you, Mary," Robert nodded. "As I was trying to say; fourteen years ago I had an affair, and Darrel is the result. My affair was with Her Majesty, Queen Mary of Teck. And since the Prince of Wales cannot produce an heir, Darrel is next in line for the throne."

"What?" Edith cried. "That cannot be possible! It must be a mistake!"

"Do you think I would say it if it were not true? Do you think that I am proud of this? I am not!"

"Why would you not tell me this?" Cora asked.

"I thought it was bad enough that I cheated on you," Robert shrugged. "I didn't want you to know with whom. Besides, when Darrel was born, I agreed to raise her on the condition that I never bring her back to the palace."

"Unless Her Majesty needed me. Which she does now because she needs an heiress," Darrel added softly.

Edith reached over and held her sister's hand, as a tear rolled down the younger sister's face.

"How could you do this, Robert? How could you not tell me how important she was to society?" Cora gasped, "Did anyone know and not tell me?"

"I knew," Violet announced, looking around the hall with an innocent look on her face.

"And you did not think to tell me?"

"Robert came asking for advice when he realized he was the father, and I agreed it'd be best if you never knew."

Cora had a shocked look on her face, feeling betrayed by her husband and mother-in-law, and embarrassed to have to learn this information in front of her family and servants.

"Was anyone else hiding this from me?" Cora demanded.

"I knew, your ladyship," Bates replied.

"And you did not think to tell your employer?"

"It is not Bates' fault. He fought with me during the war, so I trusted him with the information. And I made him swear not to tell anyone. Besides, I am the only one Bates needs to answer to," Robert defended.

"I have had enough of this," Cora announced as she got to her feet. "I am going to bed. And Robert, you are sleeping in your dressing room for the foreseeable future."

Cora stormed upstairs, followed by Baxter. Robert went up as soon after, followed by Bates. The rest of the servants headed down to the servants' hall. Violet, Isobel, and Dickie went home. Tom, Rose, and Henry decided to go up as well, to leave the Crawley sisters to talk.

Darrel had tears running down her face, so Edith pulled her into a hug, trying to comfort her.

"I promise you I will not think any differently of you, my darling," Mary assured, moving to sit next to her sisters.

"Thank you," Darrel said with a weak smile, "but it will be impossible not to. You know I am not your sister."

"We still share fathers, dear. We are still the Crawley sister, and that will never change."

"And we will always be there for you," Edith promised.

Darrel nodded gratefully, although she did not find it very reassuring.

Meanwhile, all servants, except for Bates and Baxter were in the servants' hall.

"I cannot believe it!" Mrs Hughes gasped. "Why would Lord Grantham do such a thing?"

"I am sure that His Lordship had honourable reasons for doing what he did," Carson defended, always coming to the defence of their employers.

"Mr Carson, he had an affair with the Queen of England, then kept that poor girl from her family."

"Affair or no affair, he is still our employer. He's been good to us and he deserves our respect, not scorn."

"Deep down Mr Carson, you know it was wrong."

"Oh very well! I give in! I can't defend him this time."

Carson shook his head in disappointment, sad that for once, he could not support Lord Grantham's decision.

"Do we call Lady Darrel 'Your Highness' now?" Daisy asked.

"We can ask her in the morning but I guess she doesn't want to be reminded more than she needs to," Carson replied.

"It must be so hard for her," Anna sighed, "to be someone one day and another person the next."

In a few minutes, Bates and Miss Baxter returned to the servants' hall, where everyone was still gossiping about what they just heard.

"His Lordship's taken care of," Bates announced, sitting next to Anna, "he's not in the best of moods."

"Neither is Her Ladyship," Baxter added, "she's upset."

"How are we supposed to react to this?" Molesley wondered, "Do we treat Lady Darrel any differently than we did before? She is the future Queen."

"I say we just continue treating her with respect and if she asks for anything else, we'll give it to her," Mrs Hughes advised.

"Now, that is enough gossip," Carson announced, getting to his feet. "There will be no more of this talk. Everyone get on with your duties, please."

The servants nodded and scattered.

Back upstairs, Edith, Mary and Darrel were in the library, watching the fire in silence. None of them knew what to say. They hardly knew what to think.

"What am I going to do?" Darrel sobbed, breaking the silence.

Mary went over and embraced her, "It'll be all right, darling. I promise."

"You don't know that."

"I am married, I know everything."

Mary gave her a soft smile and went upstairs, followed by Edith. Darrel sat in front of the fire for a few minutes, tears still trickling down her face. After a while, she finally tired herself out from all the crying then headed upstairs and went to sleep without bothering to change.