BATES DOES SOMETHING GALLANT
"Carson, I can hardly bare the fact. How could Bates have done this? I've never been more disappointed in any man," Lord Grantham buttoned up the front of his dinner jacket.
"I apologize for the inconvenience, milord."
"Very well, Carson. I'll simply have to make do without." Grantham said. The level of hostility he harbored threatened to spoil his night. Robert began to wonder how many times in his life Mr. Bates would escape employment.
At the exact moment that Lord Granthem joined his family for the evening, Cora approached him.
"Is it true that Mr. Bates has left?" Cora asked.
"What?!" Mary intruded. "Again?"
Grantham let out a deep, aggravated sigh, while his family circled closer to him to revel in the bad news. It was true. Bates was gone.
At the revelation of this turn of events, Mary realized this was why Anna had been so silent. Edith insensitively shrugged it off.
"He'll just be back." She nonchalantly said. "What on earth could he have left for?"
"It's very strange." Tom said. "Wonder if he's in trouble again."
"Whatever the case is, I find it hard to believe he couldn't have waited to hand in a proper notice!" Lord Grantham raged.
"Well, let's save this topic for another hour." Cora suggested. The group sat around the table, and dinner took its normal course, despite any internal wonderings that occurred in each family member.
Meanwhile, Anna painfully pulled through her chores. She stifled tears every now and then, trying not to let the gloom take hold of her. She could hardly believe it was real. Mr. Bates was gone. How could he have just left?
'I just know he's doing something gallant, like trying to protect my honor,' Anna thought. She trudged through the servant's hall, failing to notice Mrs. Hughes watching her.
'Poor thing,' Mrs. Hughes mentally repeated to herself. She hated to see misfortune hit people she thought deserved otherwise. She was completely baffled by the anomaly that Mr. Bates could ever pry himself out of Anna's life. There seemed to be no excuse for it, no less! Mrs. Hughes huffed angrily. It was out of her control.
The night proceeded normally. Even the lack of a beloved Valet couldn't stop that. The staff cleared the table. The family stayed up a while longer, and then one by one, they all departed for bed, just like they usually would.
Deep in the night, everyone lay still. The hallways were dark, and no one moved through them. Silence filled the Downton Abbey, making everything seem normal.
No one stirred or spoke.
There was just silence…
Then, in the middle of a night, a loud bang came from the front door.
"SURPRISE!"
Mr. Bates stood in the middle of the manor, arms lifted up wide, while one hand clutched his cane in the air.
"It was just a joke! I didn't actually leave!"
Mr. Bates cackled and laughed at what a funny prank he had just pulled. There was never any threat of him actually leaving. He just wanted a little bit of fun. Now he fondly reflected on the fact that he couldn't have planned it better. It was perfect.