Barrow's Boy - A Downton Abbey Fanfiction

Our Little Secrets

There had been exactly one photograph of Eliza in the box. Theodore wasn't sure when it was taken, or why, but he didn't care. He finally got to see her face.

She had long hair with soft curls, not as curly as his, and a smile on her face. That wasn't very common in photographs, especially not at the time this was taken, but Teddy was glad that she'd decided to smile. It made him smile as well.

He couldn't help but wish that he could see this picture in colour. He would do anything to see her exactly as she was when this was taken. But, he knew that he was lucky to have this, so the photograph was carefully placed on top of the dresser, where he could see it. Thomas bought a frame for it not much later.

There were two infants upstairs who would eventually be in the same place that Teddy was in now. Wishing they could know their parent who died when they were young.

Should he consider himself lucky? Both of those children lost a parent on the day they were born, at least he had had three years. Even if he couldn't remember his mother, at least he had memories somewhere in his mind. If he could ever locate them from wherever they were hiding and finally recall his mother.

"Percy's not coming. He said that he had to help his dad on the farm today." Abi sat down on the ground, putting his legs out in front of her and crossing them at the ankle. Teddy looked up from the book in his lap and nodded.

"So with him doing that, Katherine helping in their shop, and Eleanor needing to watch her brother, that makes it just us." He smiled at her, closing the book and placing it on the ground next to himself.

"It does!" Abi said, grinning at Teddy. "It's been too long."

"I agree," Teddy said, smiling at his friend. "So, what has had the honour of occupying Miss Abigail Bennett recently?" Abi laughed, toying with the ribbon around her waist.

"Some art, I suppose. Lots of dinners with Papa's business partners," Abi scrunched up her nose, her eye focused somewhere behind Theodore, "and their sons."

"Please don't tell me that you mean what I think you mean," Teddy replied, his brow furrowed at the thought of Abi's last words.

"I'm afraid to tell you otherwise would be a lie." Abi shook her head, looking at Theodore again. "He's making plans for my future, apparently."

"But he's already planning to send you off to finishing school. Isn't that enough?"

Abi simply shrugged, eyes on the ground now. Teddy frowned, reaching out and gently taking her hand.

"You're strong, Abi. You'll get through it," he said, hoping that his words were reassuring in some way. "And if you need anything, I'm here." Abi gave him a small smile.

"Aye aye, Captain Barrow." Teddy quietly laughed letting go of Abi's hand. Abi stared at the book sitting at Teddy's side for a moment, then looked at him.

"Alright, new topic. What's that?" She motioned to it, caused Teddy to pause for a moment.

"Promise you won't tell anyone?" He wasn't ready for everyone to know about this yet.

"As long as you don't tell anyone what I just told you," Abi responded, tilting her head to the side. "I'm not sure they'd understand it." Teddy nodded, holding out his hand. Abi shook it and they each nodded in unison.

"Alright," he said, flipping open the book, "this was my Mum's."

Abi's eyes widened, and she quickly moved so that she could read what was on the page.

"How much time does this cover?"

"From when she was about 11 to not long before she died."

"Teddy." Abi reached out and traced a gentle finger along the edge of the journal. "This is incredible. You can learn about your mother!" Teddy smiled, nodding, although his eyes stayed on the page.

"Dad's told me a little bit about her, but this is just-" He stopped talking, unable to come up with the right word for it.

"It's her," Abi finished for him, to which Teddy nodded.

Teddy and Abi walked down the street, the former with his mother's journal tucked safely under his arm. They had been walking in content quiet for a little while when Abi gave a quiet gasp.

"Don't look now, but Satan and the devil are engaging in conversation." Teddy was a mix of amused and confused, and he couldn't help but laugh.

"What do you-" His eyes had scanned the area, and he could see it now. Lewis Saffer leaning against the wall of his family's store, with Nellie Peterson standing next to him. They were discussing something, probably some evil plot to take over the world, and luckily hadn't seemed to see him and Abi yet. "Ew."

"Come on, let's get out of here," Abi said, taking Teddy's arm and letting him lead her down the road. They did their best to keep their heads down, but, unfortunately, Saffer seemed to have good eyesight.

"Hey, look at that! Knighton and Bennett!" The two friends paused, both slowly turning their heads to look over at Saffer as he and Nellie approached them.

"Actually, he's Barrow now," Abi said, taking her hand off of Teddy's arm and, in the process, carefully taking his mother's journal from him. She put it behind her back before the two tormentors reached them. Teddy glanced at her, then back at Saffer.

"Is he really? And what does his mother say about that? Oh, wait, I'm sorry, I forgot that she died. Probably out of disappointment from how her son turned out."

"If people could die from disappointment, your mother would be long gone," Teddy replied, sticking out his chin and puffing out his chest. Perhaps this was an attempt to appear larger, or braver than he really was. Although, in reality, he was one of the shortest and weakest boys in his class.

"You take that back, you little bastard." Teddy simply shrugged. It was a harsh truth that he was starting to get used to people using that word and, although he still didn't like it, he knew that he couldn't let it affect him.

"I could take it back, but then again, you've never taken back anything you've ever said."

"Don't let him get to you, Lewie. He's just jealous that you have a mother," Nellie said, sneering from where she was standing behind Saffer's shoulder. Abi laughed.

"Yes, Lewie, surely you can take this. Since you're so good at giving it out, after all."

"You stay out of this, you bearcat," Lewis said, glaring at Abi, followed by a terrible impression of a growl. Teddy was speaking before he'd had a moment to thinking.

"Don't call her that." He a finger at Saffer, his jaw clenched. "You apologize to her, right now."

"What if I don't wanna?"

"This is not a matter of whether or not you want to. You will never use that word when talking to her, or any other woman. Now apologize."

"How about she apologizes for trying to insult me? And you too."

"How about no?" Teddy replied, crossing his arms. Saffer seemed about ready to punch him, which Abi also seemed to take notice of.

"Well, we have more important things to do than listen to this," she said, looking at Teddy, then back at the other two. "This was a lovely conversation. Let's not do it again." She gave them a bitter smile, then began to walk away.

Teddy smirked, giving Saffer and Nellie a wave, which he hoped came across in the way he wanted it to, then followed Abi. He took the book from her as they walked, quietly thanking her.

Once they were far enough away, the two friends looked at each other and started laughing. Theodore wasn't entirely sure why he was laughing, but it just seemed right. As things with Abi often did.