You walked through the corridors of Downton Abbey with ease, knowing the underground passages like the back of your hand, and managed to find Mr Carson sat with Mrs Hughes in the main room. You plopped down in a chair with a sigh and Carson let out a tut.
"Please Y/n, don't look so glum, you still have half the day left of your shift before we can go huffing about." Carson said in his deep sigh. You simply rolled your eyes with a smile in response and stood up again onto aching feet. Rushing to the door to finish all the jobs and get an early night you stumbled into someone's chest.
"Oh! Sorry," glancing upwards you saw it was William, his face tinged pink, "William, I'm very sorry." You felt your own face heat up as you rushed off to clear the table upstairs after lunch.
"It's o...kay?" He finished confused as you ran off without another word. 'Must be a busy day,' he thought to himself with a small frown. Daisy, who had just entered the room, scoffed as she started wiping down work surfaces.
"Y/n fancies you, y'know. You'd be blind not to see it, blind as a butcher's dog." Daisy's words only made the footman blush harder, shaking his head and stuttered something quietly before leaving the room.
~~~
"Y/n hurry! The lords and ladies are almost back and the knives seem to be missing from the table!" Mrs Hughes shrilled, but William was by your side in an instant with a handful of knives.
"I noticed you hadn't brought knives up and didn't want Carson hounding on you." He murmured close to your ear, making you aware of his breath on your rosy cheek and his sudden closeness. You giggled and smiled gratefully at him, before running back upstairs to place the knives down. William watched you go with sad eyes, he was sure he loved you, but wasn't sure you felt the same as you kept avoiding him. Little did he know you loved him as well, very much, and couldn't wait until you brought up the courage to tell him, as you thought that he didn't love you in return.
As you were placing knives down the long table with Anna, she started a small conversation about William with you.
"So, this Will thing...He's a sweet boy, I can see why you like him, but-"
"-I don't like him, what gave you that idea. Why? Did he, um, say something to you? Oh, does he like me?" You blushed and babbled, standing fixed and fiddling with the napkins in your hands.
"Look at yourself, of course you like him! I don't need anyone to tell me when you start to have a fancy for someone, or have you forgot that we're basically sisters." Anna laughed, smiling at the adorable state the mention of William had put you in.
"Alright, fine," you finally admitted it to yourself outloud, "I love him, alot, and nothing will become of it because he doesn't like me back. He likes Daisy, did you see this morning? He-" You suddenly felt tear prick your eyes and Anna rushed over, letting you sit on a very expensive looking sofa. "Whenever he's with her he starts to blush and I don't get a second thought. I know it's selfish but I just...wanted someone who loved me back for a change." You finished with a small sob and glancing at the clock you could see that the the family would be back any minute so, drying your eyes, you scurried back downstairs, with Anna looking on, muttering,
"you truly have no clue Y/n." With a small, pitiful smile, then getting herself downstairs.
~~~
Finally the heavy working day was over, and all the servants were eating dinner merrily and thinking about the day that had gone on. Lady Mary, the eldest daughter, seemed to be the general talk around the dinner table and whether she should take the proposal of marriage given to her.
Daisy spoke up, "if she loves him, then I don't see anything wrong with it. Why can't she marry him for love if he's going to get the inheritance anyway?"
