"They've let another fifty go from the mine. Mr. Branson was just telling Lady Mary," Molesley stated with concern as he took his seat at tea.
"Is there no more coal to be had?" Ruth, a young housemaid, asked.
"Oh there's plenty down there. But they're not wanting it overseas anymore." Mrs. Hughes shook her head in pity.
"It's only a matter of time before that Slump reaches us," Thomas said with dismal certainty. "You can be sure of that."
"Alfred says things aren't so bad in the south, where all the new factories are," Daisy said as she set down a plate of cheese.
"And the question is… What are we going to do when it gets here?" Thomas continued as though she hadn't spoken.
"If this country can survive the Great War, we are certainly more than prepared to survive a passing economic crisis," Mrs. Hughes countered.
Mr. Carson opened his mouth to add, but the scraping of chairs drowned out any further conversation as Lady Grantham appeared in the servants' hall doorway.
"I'm so sorry to interrupt." She struggled to smile politely around the table. "Lord Grantham and I would like for all the staff to please join us in the entrance hall in ten minutes." And with shining eyes above another fleeting smile she was gone.
A charged cloud settled in the room. Nobody dared move in fear of causing the lightning to strike.
"Blimey…" Mr. Molesley managed before daggered looks from both Mr. Carson and Mrs. Hughes silenced him.
Unsaid fears and prayers echoed throughout the hall while the servants' slowly met one another's faces, desperate to find one that didn't mirror the shock and fear on their own. Tears threatened the corners of Daisy's eyes as she clung to the tea pot like a child. The question wasn't whether this be good or bad news, but rather - how bad would it be?
"Well, one thing's certain." Mrs. Hughes stood with resolve and held her head high. "We won't find out sitting down here."
Daisy timidly made her way to Anna's left at the front of the crowd of servants, leaving Mrs. Patmore to hide near the back by the hall boys and tweenies.
Anna quickly released her grasp of Mr. Bates' upper arm and gave Daisy a quick smile of welcome before turning her attention to the Crawleys.
Lord and Lady Grantham, Lady Mary, Tom, and Master George all stood in a solemn arc against the front doors, eyes taking everyone in as the room filled.
"Thank you all for joining us." Lord Grantham stepped forward after everyone had stopped moving. "There's no easy way to say it... I'm afraid this economic downturn is not as fleeting as we'd all hoped." He paced in front of his family, hands clasped behind his back.
"We've been very proactive in attempting to strengthen our finances, but it seems we haven't succeeded." He stopped in the center of his family and faced the servants directly.
"There is simply no money to be made when there's no money to be had." Lord Grantham's eyes travelled through the crowd of worried yet respectful servants. But then he took in the ornate tapestries and rugs, the elaborate furniture behind sturdy doors. All of it would have to go. All of it.
His eyes floated up to the gallery and cascaded down the grand staircase. What a marvelous staircase. How many footprints of his wife and daughters had been molded into those steps? He smiled as he remembered the days when Sybil, who could hardly reach the banister at the time, used to hop up each step with loud thumps, something Nanny was forever scolding her about. It had been so long ago; he'd nearly forgotten.
They were the same stairs he'd careened up and down himself as a child, as had many earls before him. And now they would never belong to another. What would his father think if he could see him now?
"What Lord Grantham means," Lady Mary stepped forward when it was clear her father hadn't the words to continue. "Is that we are not yet in an emergency situation. We've prepared the best we can, and we mean to do the absolute best by all of you." Her chin was high. "You've all done so much for us. You don't deserve any less." She seemed to have been addressing Mr. Carson, but her eyes flitted over to Anna. She blinked quickly before returning to matters at hand.
"It will be several months before we need to make any real changes, but we'd like to encourage you to begin seeking employment elsewhere."
A ripple ran through the gathering as the impending doom was confirmed.
"Remember," Lady Mary reminded loudly to calm the energy, "It won't be sudden, and things could look up any day now." She shrugged and spread her hands with a smile, but this did nothing to reassure the staff. Somewhat defeated, she clasped her hands in front of her chest. It was a near prayer.
"We will keep all of you on as long as we possibly can. And please know that when this crisis ends and things are as they once were that you will all be so very welcome here again." Lady Mary's eyes were filled with mourning as they met Anna's again, but still she smiled around the room.
When the ticking of the grandfather clock in the silence became overwhelming, Lady Mary spoke again.
"Thank you all for being available on such short notice. Please let us know if we can assist you in your future endeavors in any way."