John Bates slowly walked out of the library leaning on his cane, immediately heading for the green baize doors leading down into the servants' hall, with Miss Baxter following him closely. They descended the stairs closely together while he tried to talk to his colleague, despite the narrow stairwell. He incidentally liked Miss Baxter a whole lot more than her rather nasty and bitter predecessor.
"Are you going to talk to Mr Molesley straight away? He is still down at the school, after all, isn't he?"
"Oh no, he told me he would finish early today and come to the abbey as soon as possible. It seems Mr Barber has already sent him a book that he wants to turn into his next big film project, and Joseph enjoys the bustle of the servant's hall around him while he works on that," Phyllis smiled in reply, looking rather sheepishly down at the floor beneath their feet.
It was clear to anyone with eyes in their heads that she truly was quite in love with her fiancé. She always had that subtle smile and a twinkle in her dark eyes whenever he was mentioned in a conversation, and that only intensified after his impromptu, accidentally quite public, proposal.
"That's even better then. I was thinking that maybe we could ask Anna and Mr Molesley together. It might be nice to go on a nice afternoon walk together, just the four of us. The family will not ask for any of us in the next few hours either way."
"That is a good idea, Mr Bates. I feel like I could really do with a nice walk today, seeing as I do not have to walk down to the school."
John looked at her with a slight smile on his already wrinkled face. He had to lean heavily on his cane as they further descended the stairs into the servant's hall together.
And sure enough, Joseph Molesley was already sitting at the table, a typewriter sitting in front of him as he was busily typing away on it with a smile on his otherwise concentrated face. The book Mr Barber had sent him was lying open right next to the typewriter, multiple bookmarks placed inside and sheets with handwritten notes – written by both, him and Mr Barber – were strewn all around him across the big wooden table.
Anna and Mrs Hughes had joined him at the table, both with a steaming cup of tea in front of them, trying to give him as much space at the table as they could while still getting their jobs done.
Mrs Hughes was going over some sort of list, furrowing her brows occasionally, while Anna was mending the hem on one of Lady Mary's favourite dresses.
"Anna, do you think you can accompany Miss Baxter and me on a walk and still get that dress finished for Lady Mary on time?"
Anna looked up at her husband, stopping her sewing just for a second. It was rare that her husband asked to go on walks, most certainly during their work hours, but she knew that there must be some ulterior motive if Miss Baxter was to join them.
"I am almost finished, and I would love to join you – if I can, Mrs Hughes?"
She looked questioningly at the elderly woman sitting next to her, who then looked up from the list in her hands.
"Yes, quite. Lady Mary won't need your immediate assistance, and I do not have anything else to do for you for the time being. Just please make sure to get back on time for the dressing gong. I do not particularly fancy having to defend you all from Mr Carson."
"Mr Molesley, why don't you take a break from your big project and get some fresh air on a walk with us?" John Bates asked, throwing his former colleague a warm smile as he looked at the hunched figure eagerly typing the next hit for the silver screen.
Sure enough, just a few minutes later, the four of them had left the house through the kitchen courtyard in their thick coats and started walking along the gravel paths on the estate at a leisurely pace.
Winter was approaching fast, the harsh wind biting at their faces and they were all glad for their warm winter coats, hats, and gloves.
Pleasant smalltalk accompanied them for a few minutes while they enjoyed the lovely scenery of the surrounding nature. Once they had reached the end of the driveway leading to the abbey, they stopped and admired the view ahead of them.
"Now, is there a particular reason you wanted to go on a walk out in the cold this afternoon? This is most unusual," asked Mr Molesley as soon as he knew they were out of earshot from anyone else.
"Actually, yes, there is. You see, his Lordship has just asked a favour from the two of us and we already agreed. But he was insisting we discuss this with you, even though he seemed relieved that we did agree to his plan."
"Well, what did his Lordship want from both of you?" Anna asked, certainly intrigued what the Earl could possibly want from not only his valet but also his wife's maid.
"He has, very suddenly, arranged for him and her Ladyship to go to America on short notice and has asked us to accompany them. He knows that this is asking a lot after we have already spent weeks away on the trip to France," Bates said, smiling unsure at his wife who had her hand in the crook of his left arm, huddling closer for at least some warmth on this particularly cold day.
"I think it has to do with Dr Clarkson's visit today. I saw the doctor leave and he looked not at all pleased, whatever it was that he had to discuss with them in the library must have been quite unpleasant," added Baxter, her hand firmly secured in her fiancé's as they strolled along the gravel paths.
Anna replied, turning her head in the direction of the slightly older woman walking next to them: "But surely you know more than that, Miss Baxter? You know her ladyship more and better than any of us combined. And I am quite sure that the doctor's visit had nothing to do with his Lordship."
The countess' lady's maid hesitated, thinking of what and especially how to reply to that question. She did know some things and she had drawn her own conclusions over time, but she also knew it was not her place to say anything. She could not betray her Ladyship's trust like that. Nevertheless, she said: "I would not go that far as to say that I know much more than you do. I am only there to help her dress and do her hair, nothing more. I merely know that whatever it is has been going on for quite some time, I had to fetch her powders quite regularly over the last few months and I noticed that she slept a lot less and worse, but that is all I know."
"Well, it is not our place to question Lord Grantham's decision anyway. And it is also not for us to speculate about her Ladyship's health. His Lordship must have his reasons for requesting this on such short notice, and I know that he only has her best interests at heart. The only question we have that can be answered today is this. Are you truly okay with us being gone again for a few weeks on another trip this year?" John Bates said, trying to get back to the matter at hand.
Anna looked at the gravel path ahead, obviously not thrilled by the prospect of her husband gone on another trip for a few weeks, but she knew that this was part of their job and she also acknowledged that this was truly not like anything that had happened before. The sense of urgency that the Earl's actions evoked made her cautious and also quite worried, what about she was not sure.
However, it was Mister Molesley who answered before Anna could properly articulate her thoughts.
"If his Lordship is arranging this trip on such short notice, he must have ample reasons, and surely Doctor Clarkson's visit was the source. This seems quite acute and urgent, so I have nothing against it. They are your employers, and as such they have always been kind and fair. And they have never asked for anything like this before, so I am fine with it. I will miss having you near, but I will manage," he said, looking at his fiancée with a gentle and shy smile while lightly squeezing her hand reassuringly.
"I completely agree with Mister Molesley. This is an unprecedented situation, and I admire Lord Grantham for even thinking about asking you instead of simply ordering it. I will surely be able to manage, especially with Johnny being allowed in the nursery here at the abbey. It will not be as pleasant as having you here, but it will be okay."
"Right then, Mister Bates. I believe we should better get going. There is a lot of packing to do for the two of us after all," Miss Baxter said, smiling at her colleague. Bates then began guiding them back to the house and down into the servants' hall, where Mrs Patmore had very likely just made fresh tea to warm them all up from the harsh weather outside.
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When they returned, Bates found his old friend and employer already down in the kitchens talking to Mrs Patmore, Mr Carson and Mrs Hughes. He also saw Andrew loitering behind the four elder people, following the discussion with a concerned look on his face. Apparently, though, they had just finished their conversation because the Earl nodded his head and turned to the staircase leading back upstairs when they walked in.
"Ah, Bates. You did as I asked then?" he asked when he spied them down the narrow corridor walking towards him.
"Certainly, your Lordship. We all talked it over and everything was just like Miss Baxter and I expected. We will go upstairs now to pack your belongings."
"Quite right, and thank you," Robert Crawley replied. Nodding at the four of them with a grateful expression on his aged and drawn-out-looking face, he turned to the stairwell. Quickly, the Earl ascended the draughty and well-worn stairs to join his family back in the library of Downton Abbey.
Meanwhile, his servants started to scramble upstairs in order to get everything ready on time for their departure early in the morning.