Barrow's Boy - A Downton Abbey Fanfiction

Jumping Into the Unknown

      Teddy walked up to Dower House with the note from Isobel Crawley clenched in his hand. It was likely crumpled beyond repair now, but he couldn't help it. He had never been asked to come to the home of the Dowager Countess, and he was too nervous about it to keep the note in pristine condition. 

      He walked up to the front door and knocked, looking down at his feet until it was opened. 

     Spratt eyed the boy, a single eyebrow raised. 

     "Yes?" He looked Teddy up and down. Theodore swallowed, then responded. 

     "Mrs. Crawley asked me to come by. She and Lady Grantham should be expecting me."

     Spratt hummed condescendingly in a way that Teddy was starting to think was used by all butlers - at least the ones in England - then moved aside so that he could walk into the house. 

     "Wipe off your shoes before you go any farther. And do remove that hat." Teddy followed both instructions, then went with Spratt through the hall. "Your name?"

     "Theodore Barrow." Spratt looked at him and hummed again, then opened the door. 

     "Theodore Barrow, milady," he spoke to the woman inside, then motioned with a nod of his head for Teddy to go into the room. He went through the door, wringing his hat in his hands. He paused as he faced the Dowager Countess, then bowed his head. 

     "Lady Grantham," he greeted her, then turned to her companion. "Mrs. Crawley."

     "Ah, so you're Barrow's boy," the Dowager observed. "You can leave us now, Spratt." 

      "Of course, milady." The butler eyed Teddy one last time before leaving the room, closing the door behind him. 

     "Come, Teddy. Why don't you sit?" Mrs. Crawley offered, patting the spot beside her. 

     "Oh, we're just letting anyone sit in my home, are we?" The Dowager answered. Teddy looked between the two of them but stayed where he was standing.

     "Don't be ridiculous; let the boy have a seat. He's already greeted your highness." 

      "Well, considering the two of you are already so well acquainted, perhaps I should just give him room and board as well?"

      "I don't need that, your ladyship," Teddy responded, feeling rather like he was caught in the middle of a tennis match. Violet turned back to him.

     "Well, don't stand there like a fool, boy. Sit down!" Teddy blinked, then moved to join Mrs. Crawley.

     "I've heard quite a bit about you from Mrs. Crawley. Specifically that you'd like to be a doctor. And yet my granddaughter says that you're a journalist."

     "Yes, ma'am."

      "Yes, what?"

     "Yes to both of those. I would like to be a doctor, but for the time, I am writing a biweekly column for Lady Edith's newspaper. Mostly based on my generation's views. Most recently, I've been commenting on how our lives have been affected by the women's suffrage."

      "And do you support women having the right to vote?" Mrs. Crawley asked, clearly interested in the topic.

     "Oh, yes ma'am. Very much so. I believe women have every right to do everything that men can, especially voting." He answered. At her nod, he continued. "My dad was looking over my article before I submitted it. He says my mum used to attend protests for it, and if she believed them to be safe, she would bring me along. So I'm happy to think that my opinions on the matter come from her."