William wasn't having a very easy night. He was tossing and turning and he could not get Lady Grantham off of his mind. She had looked so stunning at dinner that night. She was so beautiful and he was quite possibly in love with her. It was a horrid thing to suggest, seeing as, if it got out that she got him hot and bothered, Lord Grantham would probably murder him. Why did he have to be attracted to women who were out of his league and in love with other men.
William decided to think of home as he drifted off to sleep again. It was a calming topic to think of. He dreamt of the horses, his father, the farm and finally... his mother drifted into his thoughts. He missed her so very much, and now, Mrs Hughes and Lady Grantham were the closest things he had to a mother in the world. And there she was, in his dreams. Lady Grantham.
She looked so lovely in his dreams. In this particular dream, however, she was in her nightgown, no dressing gown anywhere to be seen, and rather than her hair being back in a ribbon, it was loose and she looked simply radiant. William woke up once she touched his face and he was breathing madly. Thomas, who (unfortunaely) had to share the room with him woke up too.
"What's the matter William?" he asked. "All hot and bothered over Lady Mary or something?"
"No," William snapped, keeping his voice as low as possible.
"Lady Sybil then? Or, perhaps, Lady Grantham herself," Thomas teased. William coloured at Thomas' last comment.
"No," he said, feeling himself getting rather flushed. "Why would you say anything like that. It's very inappropriate."
"So's blushing when I mention Lady Grantham," Thomas said. "She's old enough to be your mother."
"She's a kind woman," William retorted.
"That doesn't mean that she likes you. Some people are naturally kind. Personally, I think she's horrible," Thomas said.
"She is a kind woman Thomas, you can't say things like that," William snapped, turning over on his bed. "I've beaten you up before, do you want me to again?"
"Oh, come on, you came up here later than usual," Thomas said. "Were you wallowing in self pity over the fact that you can never get the girl you want? That sounds like you."
William clenched his fists and shut his eyes, ignoring Thomas. He was a bully and he knew that Lady Grantham (and his real mother) would not want him to give in to a bully. When he finally did get off to sleep, he dreamt of himself and Lady Grantham. He was only pleased that Lord Grantham could not read his mind, but then again, his employer didn't need to know everything. Especially when an employee is in love with his Lady.