Barrow's Boy - A Downton Abbey Fanfiction

Wandering Eyes

     The drill class at school had gotten harder as the years went on, but, Teddy had done his best to keep up with it all. Unfortunately, physical education was not his strong suit, which lied more towards writing, arithmetic, and science. However, the boy at school who was truly great at sports was Percy.

     Everett liked to joke that the boys' drill class was when Percy's American side showed. He was no longer the quiet boy who made careful decisions, scared of stepping out of place. No, Percy dominated the cricket field, ruled over football, and left the other boys in his dust when running. 

     So, when their teacher announced that they, as 11 and 12-year-olds, were now old enough to join the school's cricket teams, Percy was naturally excited. Teddy knew that he'd face some problems with the other members of the team, he faced problems with many, but if anyone deserved a spot on that team, it was Percy.

     Teddy was still facing his own problems as well, the news of his origin still fresh in everyone's mind, but he found that some of the students at his school were much more open to it than he'd expected. For example, Simon had been quick to say that he didn't mind, and that, since Teddy had a father anyway, he wasn't sure why his real one mattered. Teddy had been quite happy about this, and it was clear that, after 6 years of the school placing them together, they had formed some sort of bond. 

     Teddy was actually with Simon now, the students having been put into their alphabetical pairs to practice kicking a ball back and forth, as the current lesson was football skills. 

     "I don't see the point of learning this," Teddy admitted, planting one foot on the ground and using the other to kick the ball towards Simon. Simon caught it with his foot before responding.

     "It gets us out of class for a bit, at least." He replied, kicking the ball back. Teddy found class much more interesting than this, but decided to let Simon have his own opinion. 

     "Surely there's a subject you like," Teddy said, looking down so that he didn't miss the ball before looking up at Simon again.

     "I do like history, I suppose." He replied. "I wish there were something like a mechanics class. I'd be great at that." 

     "Do you have a car?" Teddy asked, tilting his head as he watched Simon, waiting for the ball to be passed back.

     "No, but I'd love to have one. Although, I suppose it's rather useless to hope until I'm old enough to drive it." Both boys laughed, but their conversation was cut short by a single look from their teacher. They'd get in trouble if they kept talking, and neither of them wanted to get hit today.

     "You guys have got to join with me!" Percy begged. School had ended and Teddy was walking home with Everett, Percy and Abi.

     "I'm in," Everett said with a shrug, then looked at Teddy, who was clearly not as open to the idea. "Come on, Ted, you know you want to."

     "Not really," Teddy replied with a frown. "I'm no good at cricket anyways."

     "I'd join if I could," Abigail said, walking along one of the cracks in the road. "But men are terrible and won't let us girls play." This comment received a few words of complaint from the boys around her, but Abi just sighed and rolled her eyes. 

     "Not you boys. But, other men. The ones who only care about their own gender." Teddy sighed at both Abigail's words and at the thought of the cricket team. His eyes wandered to the tailor's shop, where Katherine was sitting outside with Harriet. He gave her a wave and received a smile in response. Wishing he'd gotten more of a response, Teddy turned back to his friends.

     "I'll join."

     "Dad, I've made a terrible mistake." It didn't take Teddy long to realize that joining the team would be a terrible decision and just a way for him to humiliate himself. He was currently with his father in the boot room, Thomas cleaning off one of Lord Grantham's shoes, while Teddy worked on untying the knots in the laces of another.

     "Another one?" Thomas asked and, although Teddy knew he was joking, he couldn't help but feel his heart drop.

     "Everett, Percy and Abi talked me into joining the school cricket team." Thomas looked up at his son, a smile on his face.

     "Teddy, that's great! How is this a mistake?" Of course, Teddy had forgotten that his father was practically the house's cricket star.

     "I'm terrible at cricket!" Teddy said, his defeat in his voice. "I can't even catch the ball, let alone hit it."

     "Well, I'll work with you on it, if you'd like." Teddy couldn't help but smile.

     With that conversation out of the way, Teddy followed his father out of the boot room and to the servant's hall, where they are quite surprised to find a new face. 

     "Can we help you?" Teddy overhears Anna ask as they approach.

     "I'm here to see Mr. Carson." Was the man's response. 

     Thomas walked from behind the man into the room, so that he can see his face. Teddy stayed behind by the stairs, just listening.

     "Who's this?" Thomas asked after looking from the man to the rest of the staff in the room.

     "Jimmy Kent." The man, who Teddy can now label as Jimmy, replied. "At your service."

     "I'm Mr. Barrow, his Lordship's valet." Teddy almost wanted to roll his eyes. He hadn't expected the cricket help tonight but had been thinking that perhaps he could get a few tips at least.

     "And I'm hoping to be his Lordship's footman." That explained why Jimmy was here. Teddy continued listening, knowing that almost everyone, apart from Jimmy, could see he was there. "Which is why I'm looking for Mr. Carson."

     "What's the matter? Have you all been turned into pillars of salt?" Mrs. Hughes entered the room from the kitchen and didn't notice Jimmy until her sentence was complete. "May I help?"

    "Theodore," Thomas said, looking around Jimmy to see his son. Teddy, who had been leaning on the rail of the stairs, stood up straight at the sound of his name. Jimmy turned around to see him as well. "Show him to Mr. Carson, please." Teddy nods, motioning for Jimmy to follow him. The man does so after a thank you to the rest of the staff who'd been there, although Teddy didn't think they'd done much.

     "So, what's a kid like you doing here?" Jimmy asked as they walked. 

     "My father works here," Teddy replied simply, turning a corner to the hall that led to Mr. Carson's office. "Mr. Carson should be in the second room on the left." 

     "Thank you," Jimmy said, and made his way down the hall, following Teddy's instructions.

     It was about an hour later that Katherine came by, asking for help with her arithmetic. Teddy was quite happy to give it to her, in fact, he was quite happy to spend any time with Katherine, especially recently.

     He couldn't help smiling to himself as he watched Katherine work on her equations, concentration covering her face. He wouldn't dare say it aloud, especially not to any of his friends at school or Downton, but he found Katherine to be rather pretty. 

     Katherine looked away as Teddy was studying her work and, wanting to make her happy, he quickly changed her mistake and fixed the equation. Looking back up, he smiled and told her;

     "You got it."