Soon after Thomas Barrow returned to Downton Abbey from his time with the Stileses, he saw that things had progressed between Andy and Daisy. The footman's awkward advances and the assistant cook's indifference had given way to shy, intimate smiles and longing glances. The two young people were falling in love. Thomas watched the romance play out before him, just as he had with the Carsons and the Bateses before them. At least they weren't in their dotage or in prison.

One summer day after tea, he got up from the table, and the other servants rose automatically too. As he was about to head off to his pantry, he heard Andy say, "If you could just wait a bit, we have something to tell you all." Barrow turned to see Daisy standing hand-in-hand beside the footman. The others were staring curiously at the pair too. After several false starts, Andy finally blurted out his news. "Daisy and I are getting married."

Mrs. Patmore immediately burst into happy tears, nearly smothering Daisy as she gathered the girl to her ample bosom. A delighted Mrs. Hughes planted a kiss on her cheek, while Anna and Miss Baxter were quick to offer up their best wishes. Not to be overlooked, Andy came in for his share of good-natured teasing as Mr. Bates and the hallboy plied him with hearty handshakes and slaps on the back. Thomas managed a forced smile as he congratulated the couple. That would leave him the Abbey's only resident monk.

"Have you told your Mr. Mason yet?" Mrs. Patmore asked.

Daisy beamed. "He's dead chuffed. He wants us to live with him after the wedding, and we said we would."

"It'll be a big change for him having the two of you there after being on his own for so long," Mrs. Hughes remarked.

"I was going to move in anyway, and Andy can help out on the farm—when he's not needed here," she amended herself quickly, glancing nervously in Thomas' direction.

Andy added, "He said he wouldn't mind if we want to start a family." That caused Daisy to blush and the others to laugh.

"Have you set a date yet?" Miss Baxter asked them.

"Reverend Travis said he has an opening a week from Saturday," Daisy replied.

"That's only ten days away," Anna observed with a start. "It's not much time to plan a wedding."

Andy smiled down at Daisy. "We'll be ready."

"Well, I think news like this calls for a toast," Thomas declared brightly. "I'll have to check with His Lordship, but I don't think he'll begrudge us a couple of bottles of champagne."

The following week passed in a frenzy of wedding plans. Mrs. Hughes insisted on purchasing a new dress for the bride-to-be from a mail-order catalog, and the lady's maids went to work fitting it for her. In the kitchen, Mrs. Patmore busied herself with the preparation of a two-tiered wedding cake, while the housemaids decorated the servants' hall for the couple's reception. Unfortunately, the Bateses and Miss Baxter would be unable to attend, having accompanied the family to Northumberland.

Thomas was seated in his pantry pouring over the wine ledger. He was happy to have a few minutes to himself away from all the endless wedding chatter. A bride, a groom, and a church—how complicated could it be? He heard a sharp knock and looked up to see Mrs. Patmore bustle into the room. "Might I have a word, Mr. Barrow?" She shut the door behind her.

"Of course," he replied, closing the book with a sigh. So much for his respite. He indicated a chair in front of the desk, and she lowered her round figure into it.

"Something's been troubling me, and I need your help."

"Oh, yes?"

"It's about the wedding—no, that's not it—not the wedding itself."

For God's sake, woman, stop dithering and get to the point!

"It's about the wedding night." She fixed him with a questioning look.

"They'll spend the entire weekend at Mr. Mason's farm."

The cook's voice took on a note of exasperation. "Yes, that's all well and good, but has anyone told them what to expect?"

He merely returned a blank stare.

"You know—in the bedroom." She spoke the last part in a whisper.

Thomas was shocked when he finally took her meaning. Was it possible the young people were unacquainted with the facts of life? Andy had grown up in the east end of London in a large working-class family with several older brothers. Surely one of them would have said something. And Daisy, in the course of her studies, must have stumbled upon the subject at least once. "They don't know?"

"As you know, Daisy was raised in an orphan's home, and Andy's father was killed in the war, poor things. Perhaps no one got around to telling them."

"And that's what you're planning to do?" He tried and failed to imagine that discussion.

"Who else? Mrs. Hughes can't bring herself to speak of such matters, and Anna is away." She paused. "I'll have the talk with Daisy after dinner, and I thought you might do the same with Andy."

"Me?" Barrow asked in astonishment. "Why me?"

"You are the butler."

"Yes, but I … I'm not sure I'm the best person to have that particular conversation with him." Indeed, he was convinced that he was the very worst person.

She seemed to understand his reluctance. "No, but there are no other men here to ask."

Not the most flattering invitation, but he realized she was right. For once Thomas wished that Bates were there. "What about Mr. Mason?" he asked weakly.

"Daisy is like a daughter to him. I doubt he wants to even think about—that," Mrs. Patmore explained, wrinkling her nose.

Thomas knew the feeling.

"So will you do it then?"

"All right," he agreed resignedly. "I'll talk to him tonight." He wondered if old Carson ever had to deal with these matters.

That evening after dinner, Thomas approached Andy. "Would you care to take a walk with me?" The younger man looked surprised but followed without question. They walked in silence for a time, with Thomas matching the footman's long strides. Finally, he knew he couldn't put it off any longer. "Are you nervous about the wedding?"

"I think I'm ready, Mr. Barrow."

"Are you sure you've thought it all through? You're still very young."

"I'm sure. Daisy's the one for me."

Thomas suddenly pictured the girl he took to that fair so long ago now, the one who had looked up at him with such adoring eyes. "You know that she was married before. She wed William Mason on his deathbed."

Andy nodded. "She said he wanted her to be looked after when he was gone. He must have been a very good sort of man."

"He was," Thomas was surprised to hear himself say. The two had never been friendly when they were footmen together, even coming to blows on one occasion. "But the point is he wasn't able to—he was much too ill for—they didn't—" He was silently cursing Mrs. Patmore.

"I know she wasn't in love with him if that's what you mean."

It wasn't. Thomas saw that this was going to be more difficult than he had anticipated. They came upon Lady Mary's pigsty. It gave him an idea. He knew that Andy hoped to become a farmer, so he must have seen animals mating before. "In nature, there are boars and sows, just like there are men and women, like you and Daisy—"

"Are you saying Daisy is like a sow? She wouldn't thank you for that. For a start, she smells a right bit better," Andy said with a grin.

"What? No. It doesn't have to be bloody pigs. It could be sheep or cattle or—"

"Are you interested in farming, Mr. Barrow?"

The butler was losing patience. This wasn't going the way he had planned. "We'd better be getting back." They retraced their steps in silence, both lost in their own thoughts. Thomas decided he'd have to take the direct approach. "Andy, is there anything you want to know about the wedding night?"

"It's all arranged. We're going to stay at Yew Tree farm."

"That's not what I meant exactly."

Andy's brow furrowed. "What did you mean then?"

How could the lad be so thick? "I'm talking about what happens in bed. Do you know about making love to a woman?"

"Do you?"

Thomas was completely thrown off balance by the question. He felt his pale cheeks burning. "Well, I understand the mechanics of it anyway."

"Then you've never been with a girl, Mr. Barrow?"

This was excruciating. "Not exactly," he admitted. How had this become about him? They were in sight of the Abbey now. "What I'm trying to say is you'll need to be patient and gentle with Daisy. Take your time. You have the rest of your lives to be together." Thomas knew he'd made a mess of things, but he'd done his best. They would just have to figure it out for themselves. The two men entered the kitchen courtyard, and Andy took a seat on a bench by the gate. "Aren't you coming inside?" the butler asked him.

"Not yet, Mr. Barrow. I reckon I'll just sit here for a bit. You've given me a lot to think about."

"Have I really?" Uncle Thomas to the rescue again.

A short time later, the back door opened, and a small figure emerged. Daisy spotted Andy and hurried over to join him. "Shove over," she requested, dropping down beside him. "You won't believe the conversation I've just had."

"You too?" he asked ruefully. The couple looked at each other and burst into laughter.

"I had Mrs. Patmore on at me for the longest time until I wondered how to get away." Daisy's little face grew puzzled. "The thing is I don't think she knew what she were talking about. She kept going on about birds, and bees, and such."

"With Mr. Barrow it was pigs." That caused more hysterics.

The young woman became serious. "We shouldn't laugh really. When you think what we have that they'll never have."

"We're very lucky."

She patted her belly. "I wonder what they'll say when it starts to show."

Andy wound one long arm around Daisy's shoulders and drew her into a tender embrace. "We're going to have such a wonderful life together, aren't we?"