Downton Abbey - The Story of Emma Barrow

Emma's Phase of Defiance (February 1918)

"Mrs. Hughes," Emma spoke softly, "I have a letter for William."

"I see," she smiled affectionately, "I can take it to the post office later."

"No. I want to bring it myself," she insisted.

And so, Mrs. Hughes accompanied the excited Emma to the village post office. Emma proudly held the letter to William in her hands, which she had written with love and effort the day before. She could hardly wait for him to receive her letter and know how much she missed him.

As they entered the post office, they were greeted by a friendly postal clerk. Emma held the letter tightly against her chest and then carefully handed it to the postman. She felt a little sad letting go of the letter, but she knew it was the only way to ensure that it reached William.

Emma was fed up with the adults not respecting her independence, and so she had entered the notorious phase of defiance. Emma had decided that it was time to assert her own will, and she was already showing it passionately during lunch. She stubbornly refused to accept the balanced meal that Mrs. Patmore had prepared. Instead, she insisted on having only chocolate biscuits.

"What's gotten into you today?" Thomas sighed in frustration.

Emma folded her arms defiantly across her chest and shook her head. "I'm a big girl now and I want to eat chocolate!"

Mister Carson grumbled to himself. The defiant behavior of the young child was driving him insane. Therefore, he tried to reason with Emma using stern authority. "Emma Grace, I will not tolerate disobedience. You will eat what's on the table and not make any special requests. There are rules here that you must also abide by."

Emma defiantly looked up at Mister Carson and blurted out, "I don't like vegetables, and I will never eat them!"

Mrs. Patmore couldn't understand the whims of the little girl. "But yesterday you said you liked vegetable casserole. And now you don't? Why don't you like it anymore?"

Emma frowned and shrugged. "I just don't like it anymore. I'd rather have chocolate biscuits or pancakes."

"But Emma, the food tastes delicious and you used to enjoy the vegetable casserole," Anna tried unsuccessfully to convince the child.

Emma shook her head vigorously. "No, I don't want to! If you like gross food, then you can eat it," she whined and pushed her plate to the center of the table with her hand.

"My food is not gross! Such impertinence," Mrs. Patmore crumpled the dishcloth, threw it on the table, and stomped off in a huff.

Thomas let out a frustrated sigh as he leaned back in his chair. Whatever was going on with the child today, he didn't understand. Emma had never been so difficult before. But today, even the smallest things led to endless discussions and conflicts.

"Emma, I understand that you have certain preferences, but we can't eat whatever we want every day. We eat what Mrs. Patmore manages to cook for us, taking into account the preferences of all the staff and not just yours," Mrs. Hughes explained. "And Mrs. Patmore goes to great lengths to conjure up excellent meals for us."

Reluctantly, she took a few bites of the vegetable casserole.

It seemed as if Emma had made it her mission to fight against every instruction and rule of the day. She contradicted anyone who tried to guide her, whether it was in daily activities or the simplest instructions. It was a phase where her independence and desire to make her own decisions were expressed with all her might. The struggle continued even with the simplest tasks. And so, two whole weeks passed. Two whole weeks in which Emma also eagerly hoped for a response from William. Every time the postman came, she would excitedly run to the door, hoping that he had a letter for her. But the days went by, and no letter arrived.