The inspiration for this story came from the lovely broken couch scene we were treated to post Bates' liberation. While the scene in itself is adorable and funny, the amount of laughter generated by the couple got me to thinking that there was more to that scene that meets the eye. This is the story that gets them from the just before the prison gates opened to when they take possession of their cottage. Anna and John want desperately to be together. Can they make it happen? Will they ever manage it before they get their cottage? I hope you like this. I have laughed a lot writing it…
My many thanks to the lovely Cherry88, who has read the story, in its entirety. In my attempt to be a better writer, I have written most of it before posting the first chapter. I have an unfinished story, "How the Story Unfolds", which I will finish, but, I have lost a little bit of my inspiration with that one. I am waiting for it to reappear so that I can get it done….. I hate that I have not finished it, especially after so many kind reviews, so, to make sure that does not happen again with any story I write, I decided I would not post anything until my story was at least 90% done. This is the case with this one. Cherry88 has given me suggestions and encouragement, especially for writing T and M scenes. Today it has been posted as a T, but will get M in the future…. (Insert nervous laugh).
The story starts slow in this chapter, but, I promise you that it will pick up.
I do not own Anna, Mr. Bates or Mrs. Hughes (or any other character referenced). I appreciate that Lord Julian Fellowes and Carnival have brought them to life so that I can borrow them temporarily and hopefully make you laugh just a little.
The door to Mrs. Hughes' parlor was not fully closed. She had left a crack open so that she could still see what was going on in the house and that is when she noticed Anna pacing nervously outside of her door in the hallway. She obviously needed to talk to her. She walked back and forth within the area, but alas, she was in the middle of interviewing a young lady for the position of junior housemaid and must finish this first. Had it been urgent, Anna knew to knock and interrupt if necessary, but as she kept herself in the hall, it was probably important, but not immediate. She continued on and a few minutes later, was finished. The young lady opened the door to step and out and Anna turned immediately in attention. Anna and the young lady bowed to each other, and Anna barely let her through when she was already inside the office.
"Why Anna, what has you so flustered? Why are you in a hurry?" asked a surprised Mrs. Hughes.
"Pardon Me, I was just too excited to wait any longer."
Anna was not one to get excited these days, her spirit much diminished in the aftermath of her husband's incarceration, but, she seemed absolutely glowing and it was easy to speculate that this excitement had everything to do with him. Anna had recently heard from Mr. Murray that everything was working in their favor and that he would soon be released. Now she held what was clearly a telegram and her hands trembled.
"Tell me girl, what is it? You've had news?"
"Yes. I've had a telegram from Mr. Murray. Mr. Bates will be set free the day after tomorrow." There were tears of joy now streaming from Anna's face and even she could not resist getting misty eyed over this bit of news. From Mr. Murrays previous letter, they already knew he would be freed and had previously rejoiced at that report, however, knowing exactly when he would be freed made it more real and more tangible to think of him truly back within their ranks.
She clasped her hands with excitement. "Oh my, that is wonderful news,"and reached for Anna to hug her. Anna continued to cry and laugh and her voice was barely audible as it cracked, but, Mrs. Hughes did discern what Anna had said -
"My husband will come back to me and we will finally be able to live as husband and wife."
She continued to hold Anna tight and was glad Anna had not seen the mortified look that had flashed across her face. Anna had said "husband and wife" and it truly dawned on her that nobody had planned for what would happen upon Mr. Bates' release. They were indeed married, and now Anna was excited at the prospect of living her life as a married woman, but there was no accommodation available for them. Nothing had been discussed or set up. How disappointed the girl would be. They should have prepared for this, but, it was unimaginable that he would ever be set free. They all believed in his innocence wholeheartedly, and even with Lord Grantham as their staunch supporter, nobody really believed Anna would be successful in her quest and thus nobody had bothered to secure a cottage or discuss alternative living arrangements for the couple.
She finally pulled away from their embrace.
"Anna, my dear, we must go tell Mr. Carson. Surely we will ask Lord Grantham to allow you to pick him up with the car. He deserves to come back in comfort."
She would need to talk to Mr. Carson and figure out what they could do for the couple. They had already been separated too long in their married life to suffer any further.
"Thank You Mrs. Hughes."
They both walked towards the pantry, in search of the indomitable Butler.
They knocked gently on the door frame, noticing that Mr. Carson was too focused writing in his ledger and did not hear them approach. As he looked up, he waived for them to enter.
"Mr. Carson, Anna has good news to share," Mrs. Hughes explained as they walked forward and into the room.
"OH? Is this concerning Mr. Bates?" He surmised as much by looking at the huge grin across the Lady's maid's face. He smiled himself in anticipation.
"Indeed it is, Mr. Carson. I've had a telegram. He will be set free at dawn, the day after tomorrow." She conveyed the words with clear happiness, but, she was much more reserved than when she had told Mrs. Hughes. Mr. Carson was a supporter of Mr. Bates and hers, but, he was much more detached in his enthusiasm and she preferred to match his and not exceed with hers.
"That is splendid news Anna. His Lordship will be very pleased. We all are. I expect his Lordship would not mind if we sent to pick him up in a car. I've not been made aware of any plans he has for its use. Talk to Pratt and make the arrangements."
"Thank you so much Mr. Carson. Might I ask to be allowed to go along with Mr. Pratt?"
"Of course you should be there," chimed Mrs. Hughes before Carson even had the opportunity to answer. "I will attend to Lady Mary that morning if needed so that you can be there for when he is released. I wouldn't have it any other way."
Just then, one of the housemaids interrupted their conversation, "Mrs. Bates, Lady Mary has rung for you." Anna acknowledged the message and moved back slowly, still wanting to address Mr. Carson.
"Thank you for everything. Mr. Bates and I are so thankful for your support. Thank you for believing in him and supporting me in my quest to free him."
"Not at all Anna, he is an honorable man and we are glad that he will be freed. He deserves to be back home."
"Yes, back home with me, as it ought to be. We can finally be together." She turned and left.
Mr. Carson was oblivious to the ramifications of what Anna had just said. Mrs. Hughes remained, with a quizzical and nervous look on her face.
"You wanted to say something?" he asked. After working so many years with the Housekeeper, he knew when she had something on her mind.
"What are we going to do?" she questioned nervously.
"What do you mean 'What are we going to do?'"?
"I mean, what are we going to do about them now that they are married? Has his Lordship told you anything about alternative living arrangements for them? Didn't he once promise them a cottage when Mr. Bates declared his intentions towards her?"
"I believe he did, but, that is so long ago and their marriage was such a surprise, it wasn't ever discussed again. After he was taken, nobody really thought…"
She interrupted him. "You'll have to ask him."
"I will not," he answered somewhat flustered. "That is not my endeavor to resolve. His Lordship is generous and wants Bates to come back to Downton, even if Thomas is currently his valet. I want him to come back too, but, the fact that they are married is irrelevant to their working conditions. I'll have enough on my hands figuring out how to keep both Bates and Barrow on. They'll each keep to their rooms. If his Lordship wants to favor them with a cottage, Bates will have to take it up with him upon his return."
Mrs. Hughes was very displeased with the answer.
"…. And don't you look at me with your disapproving face, Mrs. Hughes. I'll not budge."
"How cruel you are. They've been apart from each other almost two years, and mind you, they were barely married a few days when he was arrested. Can you not see that they will want to be together immediately upon his return?... more so, after what they have been through, they deserve to be together. "
"Cruel? How can you say that? We have helped them enormously. Lady Mary and the house have been exceedingly understanding of their situation and Anna has received more than her share of time off to follow every lead, to visit him weekly and to attend all legal hearings with Mr. Murray. Thankfully for them, and us, it has come to an end. He will be welcomed here upon his return. This is an excellent outcome for such a morbid situation. What were you expecting?"
"I am expecting that we can have a little bit of compassion for a couple who are very much in love and who have always had to show much restraint and propriety in their dealings with each other in the past. They are senior and trusted members of this household who have never let us down. Surely, we can do a little more for them upon his return. They've not been allowed any life together at all."
Since the door to the pantry office was open, Mrs. Hughes turned to make sure nobody was around and leaned in so that her voice did not project outside. "They'll want to be together, properly, you know… how can we deny them that?"
She turned a little red at having to be that explicit with Mr. Carson, but, he did not really understand her at all. If they couldn't immediately have a cottage, then couldn't they make arrangements for other living quarters within the house? It was one of the grandest properties in the region and besides the attic rooms, there were many storage rooms, pantries and offices interspersed throughout the house. She wouldn't dream of suggesting any of the bedrooms of the house, but, they could get creative with the existing space if they needed to.
"Mrs. Hughes,"he bellowed as he also turned crimson upon hearing her daring revelation. "I will not approach his Lordship about the cottage and may I remind you that up until this "liaison between them", Downton Abbey never allowed for married servants. His Lordship may have allowed for it to happen, but, if they want to remain working here, they will continue living in their own assigned quarters. They may want to be together, properly," he rolled his eyes and emphasized the word so that she did not doubt he understood her meaning, "but, it is not our responsibility to make that happen. We do not enable marital encounters; this is not the Grantham Arms. We have a responsibility to the morale of the other servants. If we accommodate them, what will the others want? Courting in the servant's hall? Kissing in the Courtyard? We have rules and we do not break rules, even for our most trusted servants." He raised his eyebrow cynically, "Do I make myself clear?"
"Yes, you make yourself clear, but, you are taking this to the extreme. I take the virtue of all of my girls and the honor of all of our boys seriously. Anna and Mr. Bates are married and everybody understands that. If they cannot be together properly behind closed doors, you might force them to take drastic measures to show affection to each other and that is something I don't want. Alas, I know them to be serious and moral and we shall not have any problems from them, but, I wouldn't want to be in their shoes." She said this as she was walking towards the entry.
Mr. Carson deflected his eyes in agreement. "I wouldn't either. Anything else, Mrs. Hughes?"
"No," she countered as she stepped out. She couldn't believe that he'd not seen the heartlessness of his point of view. She knew of no cottages surrounding the estate that were empty. There weren't that many and after almost 30 years at Downton, Elsie Hughes knew all of the surrounding residents. Some shifting of tenants might be necessary if they did not want to lose two very valuable employees. There might be some cottages further into their lands, but Mr. Bates would not manage such a daily walk. They were surely in for a disappointment. Anna had not event thought to ask. In all of her zeal to have her husband home, she must not have thought about this tiny detail.
It would be up to her to break the bad news.
Mrs. Hughes sat in the servant's hall finishing her dinner. Everybody was present and even Mrs. Patmore, Ivy , Daisy and the other scullery maids has sauntered in to share some dessert with the servants. Desserts for the employees were rare, but, there had been an inordinate amount of pears delivered to the estate and Mrs. Patmore had to make use of them before they went mushy. They had already reached their peak, so, it seemed pear tarts for the staff would be made. On occasions such as these, Mr. Carson allowed the kitchen and house staff to mingle in the servant's hall.
The discussions were all over the place, with not any one group dominating the conversation. Anna participated in a lively manner which was a surprise to most of those present. Ms. O'Brien noticed too and couldn't not comment on the matter.
"My, my. Somebody seems happy today. What's got you forgetting your perpetual gloominess? With that cheer, we'd all think that Mr. Bates was being set free."
Anna turned to look at Mr. Carson and Mrs. Hughes, seeking their approbation to share her happy news now. She didn't require approval to speak, but, perhaps they had a different strategy to communicate it to the employees at another time and she wanted to give them that respect and for them to make that decision. Both nodded in assent, giving their approval for her to share her happy news.
Anna proudly sat up and she noticed she had everybody's attention. It seemed everybody had overheard Ms. O'Brien's comment and were waiting for her to answer.
"Well, Yes Ms. O'Brien, I am happy, very happy indeed. You are right. Mr. Bates, my husband, has been declared faultless in his conviction. There has been sufficient evidence to render his sentence reversed and he has been proclaimed innocent by his Majesty's court. He will be release in two days time and his record will be cleaned of these unjust accusations." With added sentiment in her voice, she finalized by saying, "Mr. Bates is coming home."
Everybody who knew Mr. Bates buzzed with excitement and the congratulations poured in.
Mrs. Patmore was the loudest, proclaiming, "Hallelujah and Bless the Lord. That is wonderful. You must tell me what his favorite food is, as I will make it for him on that day!"
Anna nodded and smiled sweetly in return. "He will be most grateful. Thank you."
Thomas sulked and muttered something indistinguishable under his breath. Anna could not have cared less what he was saying. She knew that for all of the peace they had shared between them since Lady Sybil's death, Thomas was, in fact, in Mr. Bates' way and he must leave his post in order for her husband to take over from where he had left off. No doubt Thomas muttered something contesting his innocence. Anna was aware that often Thomas would talk to the employees who did not know Mr. Bates and tried to convince them that even if he was released, he was no better and shouldn't be among them for having been in prison. She could tell that he'd had an effect on them. Ivy was positively mortified and Jimmy, in particular, looked like he was disgusted. She was very pleased then, when Mr. Carson boomed his approval.
"That is wonderful news and both the family and I are very pleased with his return. We stand firm in the belief that he was wrongly accused and we welcome him back, with no stain on his character or his record." He scanned the room and looked at those whose mortified faces gave their concern away. "I expect everybody to treat Mr. Bates with the respect that he deserves. I will not tolerate any talk or harassment because of the time he has spent in prison. He was wrongly placed there and this experience does not make him a lesser man."
Anna turned to look at Mr. Carson with gratitude in her eyes.
Daisy could not hide her excitement. "Congratulations Anna! It is good to see you happy for a change. Now that Mr. Bates is coming back, where will you live?"
Anna turned to look at Mrs. Hughes intent on answering the question, but Mr. Carson had other ideas and answered himself.
"We've no confirmation of any available cottages; therefore, they will live in their respective quarters. No more questions. Everybody carry on."
Everybody seemed a little perplexed that a married couple was being made to sleep in separate quarters, but, they knew no better concerning the topic. Anna maintained her stoicism and nobody could tell if she was happy or upset about that. In their eyes, she was mostly just happy that her husband was coming back.
Mrs. Hughes shrugged. She wanted to get Anna alone to have that conversation and tell her herself, but now it was out in the open, she fretted t hat she could not soften the blow for her. Anna was excellent at hiding her emotions from the rest of the employees, and as Mrs. Hughes observed her now, there was no discernible upset over what had just been discussed. She knew Anna, though, much better than that, and could imagine that there were many doubts that had been planted in her mind. She finished the last spoonful of her tart and stood to leave. It would be better if that were discussed today, before the news was left to fester in Anna's mind.
"Anna," she called.
"Yes, Mrs. Hughes?"
"When you are finished, come by my office. We need to discuss some things."
"I'll be right along."
Anna walked in and Mrs. Hughes gestured towards the closest chair.
"Please, take a seat my dear."
As Anna sat, Mrs. Hughes continued.
"I'm not sure if you were surprised to hear about the cottages, Anna. I hear that there are currently none available."
Anna lowered her head. "I was not sure, really. The whole cottage idea was from Mr. Bates, on a promise from his Lordship. I would never bring it up, because it was never promised to me."
"I know", affirmed Mrs. Hughes, "…. But we must speak of that now."
Anna looked at her attentively, not uttering another word, perhaps too worried to say anything else.
"Mr. Carson agrees that this was a promise from his Lordship to Mr. Bates and it was never discussed with us. As such, Mr. Carson will not bring up the topic with his Lordship and expects that Mr. Bates should be the one to discuss it upon his return. Without the promise of a cottage immediately, that means that both of you will need to sleep in separate quarters."
Anna looked clearly disappointed.
"I am sorry, Anna. I understand if you are disappointed. I spoke to Mr. Carson about it and he believes this is the best arrangement possible."
Elsie Hughes was beside herself for having to tell this to the poor Lady's Maid. She was upset that they would be forced to take separate quarters and if she was upset, she could only imagine how both would feel about that….. but Anna was smart and professional and she would never create conflict or chaos deliberately. If she were really outraged or dissatisfied with this turn of events, you would never hear of it audibly. She kept neutral, answering stoically.
"I understand Mrs. Hughes. Mr. Bates and I are quite grateful already for the support we have received and his being accepted in Downton again is very generous. This will not be a problem. We will be content and satisfied with just his being out of that dreadful place. Mr. Bates will discuss it with his Lordship once he is here."
She was never at a loss for words, but this once, Mrs. Hughes did not know how to say what she wanted to communicate. She had wanted to suggest that she understood that now that they were married, they would have needs and that this arrangement was not to her liking. She very much comprehended that two people, who have loved each other for so long, who have waited to be married and finally be together after countless challenges, would not be kept apart by a locked door separating the genders. Yes, she comprehended, but she was also worried that their having to wait would result in more brazen actions in their attempt to enjoy each other's company. She was concerned just how audacious they would be and if others would notice. She was not delusional to think that they would not attempt it and that they would not achieve it. They had, after all, managed to be together properly on their wedding night, courtesy of Lady Mary's machinations. She had churned the truth out of Anna after Mr. Bates' arrest and the subsequent discovery of their marriage. The fact that they managed that, made it entirely possible for it to happen again. She would have to be very vigilant to make sure that nothing between them was happening when and where it ought not.
With as much aplomb as she could muster, she fumbled on, but limited her words to minimize embarrassment for both of them. Anna was very intelligent and would understand the meaning hidden behind them. At least, she hoped.
"Anna, while you wait for your cottage, you and Mr. Bates will want to be …discreet…. in your dealings with each other."
With much incredulity, Anna's eyes opened widely up upon hearing that statement. Mrs. Hughes was painfully inferring that they would want to be together. Then a shame of understanding what was being implied overtook her and she had to look down. She knew Mrs. Hughes meant it with no malice, as her face shown kindness and a little bit of embarrassment.
She answered a quick and harried, "Yes. Mrs. Hughes."
Relieved that the worst part of the conversation was over, Mrs. Hughes signaled the end of their session.
"That will be all. Have a Good Night."
Anna stood quickly and muttered the same response as she walked out the door as quickly as she possibly could.
York Prison
The crunching noise of his cell being unlocked alerted John as he lay on his bed, thinking. In his hands, he held a letter from Mr. Murray informing him that everything was going in his favor. It was dated from two weeks ago and he had heard nothing since. Every day he had read that letter and every day he had prayed that it was not a joke. Every day when he heard his door open, he implored openly that it was somebody coming to tell him he was free. He had been disappointed every time, but he had not lost hope yet.
When the door opened revealing Mr. Turner, John was relieved. He did not want any more problems when he was so close to obtaining his liberty. The other guards were mean, but Mr. Durant was a nightmare. He could live with mean, but he never knew what to expect from Durant. Mr. Turner was fair and just, an honest man, and he felt he was in no harm in his presence. He stood to attention as the man entered the room.
"Bates, this came for you."
He took the folded document that was handed to him. "What is it?" he asked skeptically.
"Something you have been waiting for," answered the guard. "It is good news. Read It. You'll be pleased."
John tried to not get his hopes up, as he unfolded an official looking letter. In a quick scan, he ascertained that it was embossed with the coat of arms used by His Majesty's Justice System and it had several important looking wax seals placed at the bottom. He didn't want to distract himself and looked to read what the document said.
October 15, 1920
Governor Arthur Taylor
YORK PRISON
REF: Prisoner 24601 – John Bates
Charge – Murder
Sentence – Life Imprisonment
On this day, October 15, 1920, I, Lord Alfred Trent, ruling judge in his Majesty's Court of Appeals Yorkshire, find that there is sufficient evidence to contradict the GUILTY sentence for the charge of MURDER, levied against John Bates, prisoner #24601 on January 20, 1920. As such, after reviewing all statements, facts and documents, I confirm that the charge of MURDER is unsubstantiated, brought upon with circumstantial evidence, and can be refuted by new witness accounts brought forth. This verdict is rendered UNSAFE.
I, by the power granted to me by King George, declare Citizen John Bates innocent of this charge. His sentence is reversed and he shall be set free under the guidelines established by the York Prison Authorities.
Lord Alfred Trent
Yorkshire Court of Appeals
As John read the letter, his heart stopped. He would be free! He looked up to face Mr. Turner, clearly emotional. He had to hold on to the edge of the upper bunk, as he felt his knees weaken considerably. He wanted to sit, but had to stand in attention out of respect.
"Congratulations Bates. Not every man that comes in here declaring they are innocent ever proves it. In my ten years here, you are only the second."
John could not understand what was being said to him. All he could think of was finally getting out of this place.
"When can I leave?" is all he thought to say. He kept looking at the letter.
"Standard protocol is two days' time. You will be let out a dawn, the day after tomorrow. I am here to instruct you on what will happen."
John folded the letter reverently and turned to Mr. Turner to pay attention to the instructions.
"You have been deemed an innocent man and the entire prison authority is aware now, but you are still an inmate until the time you walk out the doors. You will still abide by all the rules and regulations. If you do not want to take your walk break or meals, you can choose to stay in your cell. That is the only difference. I may recommend this alternative, as the other men may rally against you. They will not take it kindly that you are being released and it would not be advisable to say or do anything that can jeopardize what you have just accomplished."
John surmised that the man was right. He didn't want to see anybody, least of all Craig. The man still had it out for him and he didn't want to put at risk everything that Anna had worked for. Forgoing eating was not a problem, as he was close to starvation anyway. In the back of his mind, he thought of Mrs. Patmore's cooking and that he would soon have his fill of that. He would make do.
"Tomorrow evening, I will come get you and escort you to the property room, where you will confirm if what we are holding for you is correct. An hour before dawn, you will be taken to a processing room where your property will be handed over to you and you will be allowed to change into whatever clothes you had when you were arrested. You will then be escorted to a clearing room where you will review and sign release documentation. After that, you are free to go. Do you understand?"
John was stunned, but nodded.
"Do you have any questions?"
There was nothing regarding the procedure he could think of. He smiled earnestly and asked, "Will I really be free? I am not dreaming?"
Mr. Turner was kind enough to smile back. "Yes, you will be, Bates". The guard then pinched John on the upper arm. "See, you are not dreaming."
John allowed himself to chuckle in the guard's presence.
"I imagine that pretty wife of yours will be here to collect you and you'll finally be able to get your life in order."
"That is what I hope for," John added.
Mr. Turner turned to leave, but spun around instantly, remembering something. He pulled an envelope from his pocket and handed John a telegram.
"This is also for you. I believe it is from your solicitor."
John nodded his appreciation as Mr. Turner reached the door.
"Good Night then. I will see you tomorrow."
The guard closed the door and John opened the document quickly.
CONGRATULATIONS. RELEASE IN TWO DAYS AT DAWN, HOUSE INFORMED - MURRAY
Now that he was alone, he starting sobbing. He was declared INNOCENT. The realization of what was happening hit him. He was relieved and overwhelmed at the same time. There would be no more dirty, grimy walls and no more dirty, grimy men to cohabitate with. That would all be left behind. He could live and love freely and he could be with Anna. For the first time, they would be together as husband and wife. He could hardly wait.
A/N: So, there it is – Bates is coming home! I am trying to maintain Anna and John in character, but I may take some slight liberties. It certainly helped that Anna confirmed she is racy and that Mr. Bates came at her with raw desire in his eyes in the lovely cottage scene. It made it just a little bit more believable for me to write this.
Oh… and for UK readers, I apologize if I butchered the names of your Justice system. I actually researched on Wikipedia and I just kept getting more confused. You'll have seen - the names are clearly an invention.
Note from another fandom: I am a die-hard Les Miserables fan. I saw it on Broadway in 1995 and it was the best thing ever. Are there any other fans out there that can spot my specific homage in this chapter?
Enough commentary. Thank you for reading!