Feeling Lost

This is my first english fanfic ever! English is not my mother tongue. So please tell me if I've used completey wrong words and expressions or made too many mistakes :). Thanks! I'd really love to get your reviews on this first fanfic.

It's the first chapter, written on a Saturday afternoon. I do not yet know where this will all end up. Suggestions are welcome.

The story is set right after the last scene in season 02 / ep. 08. So there's spoilers for season two in this one.

Note: I do not own any of the Downton Abbey characters! Julian Fellowes invented them and ITV network produces the show.

Anna stood in the kitchen. Her chin quivered uncontrollably. She managed not to start crying right away but she couldn't stand on her own two feet for much longer. She felt that she might faint any minute. Those two police officers had just arrested the most important person in her life. It was as if they'd stabbed a knife in her chest, at least her heart felt like it has been stabbed several times. Her vision was blurred by unshed tears, the room started to turn…

Mrs. Hughes somehow sensed Anna's distress. But she was still utterly shocked at the scene that had just happened right in front of her eyes in the staff's dining room. She saw the head housemaid turn white as a sheet; she saw how she tried to stay strong. And in the next minute she realized that Anna was about to faint. Mrs. Hughes was just alert enough to take two steps forward and grab Anna's arm before the housemaid collapsed. But her own constitution was not half as strong as it usually was so she really struggled to keep Anna upright. Luckily Mr. Carson had by then also noticed that there was more happening than just Mr. Bates being dragged away by the police. He came to rescue both women.

"Anna, Mrs. Hughes, I think it is best if we go to my parlor right now." He grabbed Anna's other arm. "And to all of you: We will sort things out but until then there's still plenty to do so please get ready and then prepare the funeral feast", he addressed the other staff members. Everybody woke from their numbness and hurried to their rooms to change into their working clothes again.

Mrs. Hughes placed Anna on her settee and sat next to her, comforting her as best as she could. Anna hasn't said a word yet and she still had shed no tears. "It's alright Anna. We will find a way to get Mr. Bates out of this. I promise!" Anna just looked at her hands. She was turning her wedding ring on her left ring finger with her thumb and index finger not noticing that Mrs. Hughes stared at it and then back at Mr. Carson who stood in front of them. At first the butler did not know what the housekeeper wanted to tell him when she raised her eyebrows and tilting her head towards Anna's hand. But then he also saw the glittering golden band on Anna's finger. When in god's name did Bates and Anna get married?

"Anna, did you hear me?" Mrs. Hughes tried to break the housemaid's state of shock.

Finally she looked up right into Mrs. Hughes face. Tears were streaming down her cheeks. She could no longer hold them back. "They just took him away. He is not a murderer", she whispered.

"We all know that. I can assure you that!" Mrs. Hughes put an arm around Anna's shoulders and finally the housemaid started to weep and put her head on the housekeepers shoulder sobbing uncontrollably.

"I will inform his Lordship immediately and see that we find a way to get Mr. Bates out of all of this trouble!" Carson felt the tension that was building up while the three of them were sitting in Mrs. Hughes parlor. He knew that he had to act fast and standing here made him nervous. He could not see women cry. "I guess they will be back from the graveyard by now." He could discuss the wedding ring later with Mrs. Hughes. Mr. Bates was more important now.

The family was indeed back by now. When Carson came upstairs, they were all standing in the great hall not sure what to do next. Everyone was completely lost in thought. Especially Matthew, who stood forlorn right next to the library door. Carson noticed that he was looking at Mary and Richard Carlisle who were standing next to Mrs. Crawley talking about something. But Matthew's expression was unreadable. Poor guy, he thought. He liked Matthew a lot and he always felt that he and Mary were a perfect match. But he also knew that it had always been hard for the oldest Crawley daughter to show and express what she really felt. Carson sighed and realized that he had been standing at the top of the staircase for much too long now. He looked out for Lord Grantham and when he finally spotted him in the crowd, Carson did no longer hesitate but went straight to his employer.

"Ah, Carson there you are. Is everything ready? I know that you and the staff did not have that much time to prepare everything so I thought it would be best to gather everyone in the hall and wait until you gave us a signal." Lord Grantham said.

"Well, we are still preparing everything your Lordship. In fact I wanted to inform you about some other matter. A very important matter." Carson had the feeling that he was overheard by Lady Grantham while he talked to his Lordship so he kept his voice low. He did not want to cause everyone else also to worry.

"What has happened? You look very upset."

"It's Mr. Bates, your Lordship", Carson started. "The police waited for him while we all attended the funeral. They took him with them."

Lord Grantham's face froze. "That can't be true!" He spoke these words louder than he intended to. Immediately Lady Grantham was at his side.

"What's the matter my dear? Carson?" she noticed that both men looked rather distressed.

Carson wanted to avoid this situation but now there was no way out of it. He had to tell Lady Grantham. "Your Ladyship, Mr. Bates got arrested."

"Oh my god!" she took hold of her husband's arm. "Why?"

Now the whole party had noticed that there was something else going on besides their mourning. Mary and Sybil rushed to their mother's side. Carson now felt really uneasy and tried to get Lord Grantham out of the crowd. "Your Lordship I believe it would be best to go downstairs to discuss the matter further. I will send up Thomas and the others up to start with the dinner."

Lord Grantham nodded and followed his butler downstairs.

Please tell me what you think!