A Lady and her Footman (a Downton Abbey Fanfiction/Thomas Barrow)

Chapter 22

"And we all heard the both of you arguing that night, 7 years ago. But recently we finally learned what it was about" I played with the fabric of my skirt.

"What I'm really getting at is,
I don't like Thomas" I let out a dry laugh. "But if he is what makes you truly happy, then you should be with him" I shook my head.

"You heard what I said to him, he won't forgive me" he grabbed my hand and patted it with his. "I have never been married, but I have been in love once. And I waited far too long to tell her how I felt.

And every day I think about her and what we could have been, if I hadn't have waited as long as I had. Don't do that with him, make thing right. You never k ow unless you try" I smiled at him as I hugged him.

"Thank you, Mr. Carson" I whispered into his ear. It took him a moment, but he soon put his arms around me and hugged me. "You're welcome, my dear Lilly flower" I smiled into his shoulder.

~~~~

"He is their only grandchild. There can never be another" Mary said as I walked in. "Even if Ethel is telling the truth..." "I believe she is" I spoke up as everyone's heads turned to me.

Cora got up and came to me. "My poor dear, are you alright?" She cooed as she robbed my arms softly. "I'm perfectly fine" I assured. "He had no right to say what he did, absolutely no right" Mary commented angrily as I walked towards the sofa.

"Neither did I" I said as I sat down. "I shouldn't have said what I said about his son. I have a problem with my tongue, it's gotten me into worse situations then this" Cora and Sybil gave me sympathetic look., knowing who I was referring too.

"But even so, there's no legal reality to it if she is telling the truth about the boy. The child if her bastard and has no claim on them" argued Sir Richard. We all looked shocked to him.

"Steady on, sir. The ladies have had enough shock for one day" Robert glared at him as he walked in and went to get a cup of tea. "I just don't see the point in pretending something can be done when it can't" he argued again, I rolled my eyes.

"What about you, Mother? Can't of of your refugee charities help?" Matthew asked her. "But she's not a refugee, and we have more claimed on out funding than we can possible meet" she explained. Mary rolled her eyes.

"The truth is, Ethel's made her choice and now she's stuck with it" Mary said rather rudely. We all looked to her S we did Sir Richard.

"That's sounds rather hard" Lavinia spoke honestly, Mary looked up from her tea to see everyone staring at her. "Does it? Aren't all of us stuck with the choices we make?" She stated dryly as she sipped her tea. Everyone looked to one another.

~~~~

I was leaned against Mrs. Patmore's desk as her and Daisy inspected the pile of groceries Thomas gathered. He was leaned against the counter beside the sink, smoking a cigarette as Mrs. O'Brien stood watching Mrs. Patmore.

"Candied peel?" Mrs. Patmore looked into the bag. "Well, well. I never thought you'd find that" she stated as she closed the bad and put it down on the counter.

"I hope you're pleased, Mrs. Patmore?" He asked as he blew out some smoke. "Course she is, aren't you? There's stuff here we haven't seen since before the war. I can't wait to get started" Daisy said excitedly, I smiled at her.

"I won't ask where you got it from because I don't want to know" said Mrs. Patmore as she looked through another bag. "I keep saying there's nothing wrong, so what I'd like to know is..."