Downton Abbey - The Story of Emma Barrow

Merry Christmas (December 1919)

Thomas feigned a mock gasp. "Ah, but Miss Emma, a valet's reputation is at stake! I must insist that I maintain my air of sophistication."

"Of course, Daddy," Emma replied with an exaggerated curtsy, playing along with their banter. "Wouldn't want your reputation to crumble because of a seven year old."

"There you are, Thomas. We have to go upstairs now," Carson said.

The gift-giving ceremony. She had never been allowed to participate; instead, she had to wait in the servants' hall. The family stood across from them. Mrs. Hughes, as well as the Crawleys, insisted on Emma's presence during the gift exchange, much to the dismay of Mr. Carson (and Sir Richard), who deemed it improper to allow an orphaned child like Emma to live at Downton, let alone be present at such grand occasions.

"I'd like to change the order a bit," Lady Grantham explained, "I think it would be only fair for Emma, being the youngest in the room, to receive her gift first."

"Come to us, Emma," Lady Mary beckoned.

Emma, standing beside her father at the end of the line, beamed.

"This is a gift from Lord Grantham and me," Lady Grantham smiled, handing her a gift. Lady Mary and Lady Edith also had a joint gift for her. Similarly, Mr. Matthew Crawley and his mother had prepared another gift for her.

She received a total of three gifts, two more than anyone else. From Lord and Lady Grantham, she received the book 'Nils Holgersson'. The daughters also gifted her a dress, and Mr. Matthew and his mother gave her a wooden horse-play set.

In the servants' hall, she immersed herself in her gift while the adults played a board game. Over a significant portion of the floor, she built her horse farm. With building blocks, she constructed a stable and fenced in a pasture where the four horse figures stood.

"What's that?" Daisy asked curiously.

"We're talking to the dead," Barrow answered eerily.

Emma paused in her play. The conversation of the adults took an interesting turn for her. Curiously, she listened to their discussions. She wished she could talk to her mother.

"But how? They can't answer us," Daisy said.

"But they can. That's exactly the point," O'Brien's annoyed voice echoed through the hall.

But when Mrs. Hughes arrived and expressed doubts about the game, they put it away. Emma sighed and turned back to her horse game. Suddenly, there was a loud crash. Mr. Carson was lying on the hard floor, obviously slipping on one of the round building blocks.

"Emma. Grace. Barrow!" Carson yelled angrily. "This is not a playroom!" His head was redder than a tomato could ever be. She heard every one of his heavy breaths. The adults gathered around them. Anna rushed to Carson's side, helping the butler back onto his feet. His finger pointed menacingly at the girl. "You!" he hissed, "You will clean up immediately! And then you will go to your room and not show your face down here for the rest of the day!"

Emma swallowed hard, unable to nod her head. Carson then turned to Thomas, "I was against that ill-mannered child from the beginning! She has no place here! She only brings trouble and problems! She disrupts our entire routine and tradition! Look at her! A servant can't raise a child - it's against the promise to dedicate their life to service!"

The butler hurriedly left the room, followed by concerned looks from those present. Emma stood there, hit by Carson's words, tears welling up in her eyes. She felt small and unloved, as if she were a foreign body in this world. Thomas couldn't believe that Carson would speak so heartlessly about his daughter.