Emma swallowed hard as she looked at the school building. Katherine and her friends were standing at the entrance, eagerly awaiting for her arrival.
"Your Dad said we should fetch him if we need help," Ruby tried to improve the situation, casting a concerned glance at Emma.
"It wouldn't be a bad idea to get him now," Simon chimed in. His gaze was full of sympathy, but Emma shook her head firmly. Her father had taught her to stand up for herself. She had to go through this alone.
Impatiently, Katherine reached out her hand to demand her homework. Emma reluctantly handed her the torn remnants of the notebook.
"What's this? Don't tell me that mutt ate my homework!" Katherine snapped, and Emma could hear the mockery in her voice.
"No. It was my Dad," Emma explained.
"Then just give me your homework!" demanded Katherine, and her two friends each held one of Emma's arms tightly, allowing Katherine to rummage through Emma's school bag unhindered. In the process, she dumped the books into the slush without a trace of remorse.
The 9-year-old bit her lip lightly, close to tears. "My Dad had a suspicion. That's why he personally delivered my homework to Mr. Dawes."
"You know what I'm going to do later, don't you?" Katherine grinned mischievously. "I'm going to throw your watch in the fire." Emma froze. The watch was a gift from her father. It belonged to her grandmother and was one of the few valuable family heirlooms. Emma knew her father's plan had a weakness.
"Why are you always so mean to me? I never did anything to you, did I?" whispered Emma, her voice breaking with emotion. She couldn't understand why Katherine harbored so much hatred towards her.
Katherine laughed scornfully. "Why should I be nice to you? You're a poor girl, soon to be a maid in a few years. And besides, you're too boring to do anything interesting."
"If you really think I'm so boring, why bother harassing me at all?" retorted Emma.
"You're a nobody," shrugged Katherine. "Who cares if I harass you?"
"Me," a figure suddenly appeared beside Emma.
It was Brian Griffiths, a boy from the 5th grade who now stood between Emma and Katherine. Brian had already repeated a year and, at nearly 13 years old, was the oldest student in the 5th grade. He was considered a school troublemaker. No fight, bullying, or other nastiness occurred without his influence.
"Do you want to join in?" Katherine asked, wearing a broad grin.
"Of course," replied Brian. "Shall I share my lunch with you?" After all, he was the son of the owner of the Downton grocery store. Brian pulled out his lunch. Before anyone could react, he smeared the sticky substance of jam all over Arthur's light-coloured shirt, who stood beside Katherine and her friends. A loud cry followed, and Arthur swung a punch that landed directly on Brian's face.
Emma, watching the scene, found Brian's idea brilliant. Unnoticed, she now took out her lunch – mashed potatoes with peas and carrots – and smeared it over Katherine's dress. With a skillful throw, Ruby's lunch landed on Katherine's shoulders and spread into an unsightly stain.
Loud laughter erupted among the students as Katherine stared incredulously at her ruined dress. Her friends tried in vain to wipe off the mess, while Katherine boiled with anger.
"No one gets bullied here without my permission. So, if you don't want to be the next victim, Katherine Prudence, you'd better leave Emma alone," said Brian.
With an angry cry, Katherine charged at Brian, ready to punish him for his interference. And suddenly, a food and snowball fight erupted in the schoolyard. Alongside toast, pastries, and snow, flew also bitter words and fists.
"That was brilliant, Brian," said Ruby, and Simon nodded enthusiastically as the four of them hid behind a tree to avoid getting too many food remnants.
"Thanks for helping me," Emma said quietly.
Brian waved it off. "No problem. Someone had to show her she doesn't run the show."
Soon after, the entire fourth grade, along with Brian, sat in Mr. Dawes's school office. "I do not tolerate bad behaviour. Neither foul language, food fights nor fights on the schoolyard," he began his lengthy speech on society's good manners, which ended with a written punishment for homework. An annoyed murmur spread through the room.
"Blimley, what happened to you?" Jimmy asked in shock, and the other servants looked up from their afternoon tea as well.
"Katherine looks worse," Emma defended herself. She had made great efforts to clean up on her way home, but the dirty food residue still clung to her.
"All this because I tore her notebook into three pieces?" Thomas asked amusedly. Emma nodded.
"What have you done, Mister Barrow?" Mrs. Hughes looked at him with wide eyes.
"If you knew what that girl did to my kid..."
"Just there's still the issue with the watch. Katherine will..."
Thomas waved off the conversation. "Do you mean this one?" and he pulled the wristwatch out of his livery pocket.
"How did you...?" speechless, she stared at her father. Immediately, she ran around the table, but before it turned into a hug, Thomas held out his hand for the necessary distance. "Don't you dare hug me. You not only have sauce on your dress, but also in your hair, you know?"
"How about you go take a bath?" Anna suggested.
"That's a good idea," agreed Thomas. "Plus, you need to thank Jimmy. He knows the Sheppard family's maid."
Before Jimmy could react, Emma wrapped her arms around him. "Thank you so much, Jimmy!" and she even gave the servant a kiss on the cheek. She could have sworn her father was jealous.
"I'm always happy to help my favorite Barrow girl," he grinned.
Emma reappeared late in the afternoon. She peeked over her dad's shoulder as he inspected the watch.
"It's not working at all," Emma noted sadly.
"Come here," Thomas said, taking Emma onto his lap. "Look, this is the mechanism," he showed her with his fingers. He had disassembled the watch to better search for the cause. "Mechanical watches need care, then they'll last a lifetime."
Emma swallowed hard. She had a suspicion of where Thomas was heading, but had hoped he wouldn't dwell on it, that he would skip the subject altogether. But Thomas didn't do her that favor. "How long was the watch gone?"
Emma didn't answer, instead chewing on her lip.
"Not feeling talkative, I see..." Thomas sighed, running his hand through her soft hair. "The watch was stored incorrectly for weeks... probably in a cold and very dirty place."
"Five months."
Thomas thought he misheard, but Emma's face didn't look like she was joking. He gently pressed his child against his chest. "It's over, my little dwarf. Katherine won't do anything to you anymore. Plus, we have the watch back. I'll repair and clean it, and then you can wear it again, alright?"
Emma nodded silently, and so he explained to his daughter exactly how the repair and cleaning process worked. She listened intently and also helped diligently.
"Penny for your thoughts?"
"Someone took the watch from me. I don't think I should have it back. I don't deserve it. After all, it's Grandma's watch."
"Are you kidding? Of course, you deserve the watch, and I'm sure my mom would have wanted you to wear it."
Emma looked at her father, her eyes glistening with gratitude. "I'll take good care of it, I promise."
"I know you will," Thomas said, returning her grateful gaze. "Now, let's get this watch fixed up so it can start ticking again."
Thomas continued with the cleaning and repair of the watch. Emma watched eagerly and handed him the needed parts here and there.
"Dad?" she turned to him.
"Yes?" and before he knew it, Emma planted a kiss on his cheek. "Thank you for being there for me."
Thomas smiled and hugged Emma gently. "Always, my little dwarf."
Together, they continued working on the watch, Thomas guiding Emma through each step of the repair process. As they carefully reassembled the intricate parts, Emma's initial sadness began to fade, replaced by a sense of determination and pride.
"There we go," Thomas said with satisfaction as the watch finally came back to life, its gentle ticking filling the room. He handed it to Emma with a smile. "Good as new."
Emma carefully put the watch on her wrist and looked at it lovingly. It felt good to feel the familiar weight of the watch again, as if a piece of herself had returned.
"It looks like it's never been gone," Emma remarked with a smile.
Thomas nodded in agreement. "That's the beauty of well-maintained mechanical watches. They can withstand almost anything as long as you take good care of them."
Emma hugged her father again, grateful. "Thank you, Dad. I really don't know what I'd do without you."
Together, they sat for a while, lost in thought, as they admired the repaired watch. It was a moment of peace and connection between father and daughter, reminding them both of the strength of their bond.
"What if Katherine causes trouble again?" Emma finally asked, a hint of concern in her voice.
Thomas reassuringly put his arm around her. "Then we'll find a solution together. But I'm sure after this lesson, she'll think twice before messing with you again."
Emma nodded in agreement and felt a sense of confidence rising within her.
"Did I tell you the latest news?" Thomas wondered. Emma shook her head and looked at her father curiously, "Nanny West got fired," he revealed with a broad grin, "Lady Grantham caught the nanny insulting and neglecting Miss Sybbie."
Emma beamed with joy. "That's fantastic news! I've missed Miss Sybbie and Master George so much."
"How about we celebrate by going to Grantham's Arms for dinner?" Thomas suggested.
"Yes, please! I love the food there."
"Don't say that too loudly," Thomas winked, "Mrs. Patmore doesn't like hearing that," and he stood up. He held out his hand to his daughter. "May I reissue my Valentine's Day invitation and take you out to dinner?"
Emma smiled broadly as she took Thomas's hand and let him pull her up. She felt light and happy as she walked side by side with her father towards Grantham's Arms.
The restaurant was warm and inviting as they entered, and the delicious smell of food hung in the air. Emma felt her anticipation for dinner growing, and she couldn't wait to taste the delectable dishes.
They were led to a cozy table in a corner of the restaurant, and Emma settled into her chair as Thomas gallantly adjusted her seat and then seated himself opposite her.
"What would you like to eat, my little dwarf?" Thomas asked with a smile.
Emma perused the menu with shining eyes. "I think I'll have the Shepherd's Pie."
"An excellent choice," Thomas agreed. "I think I'll order the lamb stew."
When the waitress arrived, they placed their orders, with Thomas opting for a glass of beer and Emma choosing an apple juice to enjoy the evening.
As they waited for their food, Emma recounted her day at school and the food fight in the schoolyard. Thomas listened intently.
"It's good to have people like that on your side," Thomas remarked when he heard about Brian's intervention. Emma nodded silently. She never would have thought that Brian would be on her side. The waitress brought their drinks. Emma took a sip of her apple juice while Thomas sipped his beer.
"How's Ruby doing, by the way? Have you two made up?" Thomas asked.
Emma nodded. "Best friends are hard to find."
Soon their dishes were served. Emma and Thomas enjoyed their dinner. After finishing their meal, they leaned back and savored the pleasant atmosphere in the inn. Emma felt happy and content to be in her father's company and to enjoy their time together. They ordered a dessert to share and spent the evening chatting about anything and everything.
Hello my dear reader! It's me again. I had a bit of writer's block. I've been going back and forth on how to write the scene with Katherine.
But how sweet is it that Thomas repairs the watch with Emma? By the way, Emma's tenth birthday is approaching. And you know what that means. She'll finally get her own room. I wonder how she'll react? But we'll read all about that in the next chapter.
Like always thank you so much for reading and for your comments. Feel free to share your ideas and suggestions with me anytime. I'm also excited to incorporate your suggestions into the story. We're now around Downton Abbey Season 4, Episode 2-3.