In 1912 a man named Evelyn Napier came to Downton Abbey, bringing along a handsome man named Kemal Pamuk. Kemal was a hit with the ladies, being so beautiful. He took a shining to Lady Mary Crawley, the daughter of Robert Crawley, 7th Earl of Grantham.

On his arrival, he persuaded Mary to take a ride with him in the forest. She sent away her protector.

After dinner, Kemal motions her to leave the room to show her a painting. He kisses her, Mary is shocked. She says that she will act like it had never happened. Later that night, Kemal's act-in-valet, Thomas Barrow, feels attracted towards him and tries to kiss him. Kemal rejects his advances and tells him if he doesn't tell him where Lady Mary's room is, he'll tell Lord Grantham of his advances. He shows him her room and he walks in.

Lady Mary was reading her book and Kemal walks in. She jumped and pulled up her duvet. They kiss and she says that it will ruin her. He only wishes one night with Mary, who is scared and attracted to him at the same time. She tells Kemal that "she has never done anything with a man," and Kemal replies back that she can have sex with him, he'll keep it a secret, and she can still be a "virgin" for her future husband. Whilst he is in bed with Mary, Kemal dies. Mary, in a state of shock and panic, goes to wake Anna Bates, one of the maids, and pleads for her help. Anna realizes that Kemal's corpse is too heavy to carry back to his room in the bachelor's corridor, on the other side of the house. Anna then asks Cora Crawley, Countess of Granthamto help as well. Just before they enter the bedroom, Daisy Mason, already up very early to light the fires, witnesses Mary, Anna and Cora carrying Kemal's corpse. Later on in the morning, Thomas arrives with tea and to dress Kemal, but discovers the deceased Kemal, with his eyes still open, in his bed. The local Downton doctor believes that Kemal had a heart attack in his own bed.

The affair pays an important part in season one and two. Daisy told Lady Edith Crawley about the affair and she tells it to the Turkish Embassy. Mary realises this and is very upset with her sister, but not surprised.

Vera Bates, Mr. Bates' wife, finds out of this story and threatens to sell it to the newspapers if either her husband doesn't return to her or pay her some "hush" money. He does return to her and later gives her the money. She still goes to the newspapers, luckily to the one owned by Mary's suitor Sir Richard Carlisle. He makes her sign a binding contract, so she cannot sell the story to anyone else, and he doesn't publish it.