A/N-I don't know where this fluff came from, but enjoy what MIGHT happen eventually, if dear Mr. Fellowes has the sense God gave carpet lint...
The cottage kitchen was too warm for comfort, and Anna pushed her bangs off of her forehead with a huff of exasperation as she bounced her youngest son on her hip. Edward refused to be soothed and continued to fuss, jamming his fist into his mouth and gnawing furiously on it. Deciding to let the dishes from breakfast soak a bit longer, Anna spared a glance out of the window into their small back garden, watching her older son play animatedly with his lead soldiers.
"William!" The four year old looked up and grinned at her. "Please play quietly for a while, will you? I'm going to try to get Eddie to rest a bit."
"I will," he chirped. Then abruptly abandoning his troops, he scrambled to his feet and asked: "Can I help?"
Anna bit back a smile. William had taken on the mantel of big brother with gusto and took it very seriously. His efforts to "help" though had been mostly disastrous, resulting in far more work for her and John. She was STILL finding evidence of white residue in the floorboards from his last task of fetching the talc. Eddie squawked in her arms and began to work himself up to a temper.
"I don't think you can help this time, William. Please, just play quietly in the garden." Anna replied.
"But I'm BIG!" William insisted, the little stamp of his foot belaying his claims to maturity. "I can help you until I'm ready to work like Papa." Ana began to feel a sense of desperation, as her youngest kicked in her arms and her eldest kicked against the limits of his four year abilities.
"You're VERY big," she reassured him. "But I think I can handle things today. Please play until I call you in for lunch." Her tone brooked no argument, but she could tell by the set of his lower lip that he'd like to. After a warning look, she turned from the window and went upstairs to the nursery, patting Eddie's back gently and crooning to him.
William sat down by his soldiers in a pout. If he was SO big, then why couldn't he help. He could play his tin trumpet for Eddie until he went to sleep. Or tell him stories about the fairies and elves that Papa told him. Or they could jump up and down on his bed, as long as Mama wasn't watching-or, at least they could when Eddie learned how to stand up and jump. Babies weren't that much fun, really.
He cast a wistful glance at the back door. Babies weren't much fun, but Mama and Papa seemed to like him an awful lot. William liked him too, most of the time. But if Mama did't need his help, and she was so busy with Eddie, maybe he should find another way to help. Maybe he SHOULD go to work...
William was not an impulsive child. He sat for at least ten minutes, waiting to see if Mama would change her mind and ask him to help. Or better yet, Eddie would fall asleep and then Mama could come play with him. But after what seemed like an eternity had passed, and he could still faintly hear Eddie fussing and Mama singing to him, he sighed and squared his little shoulders. With a fond look back at his house, he prepared himself to seek gainful employment. The gate that he forgot to latch behind swung and squeaked in the light breeze as his feet took him on the familiar path to the castle.
Mr Charles Carson, butler of Downton Abbey, was having a difficult day. Oh, they were all difficult in some way or other-nothing ever ran completely smoothly in an establishment as large and as grand as Downton. But today, one footman was down sick and there had been another almighty row amongst the under kitchen staff which made Mrs Patmore testy enough to summarily sack one of them, resulting in tears and wailing, not conducive to an effective working environment. To make matters worse, when he had testily suggested to Mrs. Hughes that she get a handle on it, he was informed in no uncertain terms that Mrs. Patmore ran the kitchen and if he wanted to "get a handle" on her, be her guest. The very thought drove him to the sanctuary of his cupboard, where he tried unsuccessfully to concentrate on his ledgers as Mrs. Hughes worked her personnel magic to calm the storm.
"What we need is RELIABLE help," he muttered to himself. "Healthy young lads and lasses who want to work hard and MAKE something of themselves." Sighing for days gone by, he made another notation and frowned at the nearly unintelligible notes of his underbutler.
William arrived at the servant's entrance winded and hot. He had been here many times before, but had never walked all the way. Usually, the strong arm of his Papa carried him for part of the journey. Or his Mama, before Eddie that is. He took a deep breath and looked up at the bell pull. After a few leaps, he determined he wasn't going to do more than brush it with the tips of his fingers, so he pushed, hoping the door would open as easily as the back door to the garden. As it hadn't been properly shut by the last hall boy to go through, it slowly swung open. William took that for a good omen and walked down the steps into the corridor boldly.
As always, the servant's hall was a buzz of activity. He looked curiously around as hall boys bustled, a footman ("poor Mr. Mosely" his memory supplied from overheard talks between his parents) staggered under the weight of several trays, and a tall woman with a gentle face bent over a machine at the table which made a wonderful rackety whirring sound. He stopped for a moment to watch with fascination, then remembered his mission. As he left, Miss. Baxter glanced up from her sewing and did a double take, as she thought she saw Mr. and Mrs. Bates' son walking away from the hall, down the corridor. Stopping her machine, she walked over to the door and peeked around it.
William stood at the entrance to the kitchen with a look of confused wonder on his face. The place that, in the past, had produced biscuits, cakes, and sandwiches was a place of chaos and tears. And kind Mrs. Hughes was in the thick of it, glaring and gesturing as the usually jolly Mrs. Patmore was yelling a mile a minute, scowling and spitting at two young women who stood before her in tears. Even Daisy, who William had a special fondness for, as she always made sure he was well supplied with treats of all sorts whenever he visited, was mixing something in a bowl as if she was trying to beat it to death.
With the instinct of the young, William decided that this was not the right moment to ask Mrs. Hughes if he could see Mr. Carson. It wasn't that he was FRIGHTENED of Mr. Carson. He had always liked Mr. Carson, who had a bag of peppermints on his person at all times. Its just...well, he frowned sometimes which made his eyebrows look...FIERCE. William had even had a nightmare about Mr. Carson's eyebrows once, little knowing that he wasn't the first to sleep uneasy where Mr. Carson's eyebrows were concerned. So William preferred to be in Mr. Carson's company with Mrs. Hughes, or Papa or Mama.
Miss Baxter watched from the doorway as William took a deep breath, squared his shoulders, and walked down the corridor to Mr. Carson's pantry. He looked very like a young soldier facing the guns. In confusion, she began to look around downstairs for Anna. Or failing that, Mr. Bates.
Mr. Carson was wondering if the furor had calmed sufficiently to venture out when there came a light rapping at his door. "Enter," he grunted, wondering what could possibly be wrong now. He heard the door open and shut, but no one announced himself. Looking up from his books, he saw no one. A small rustling made him look down to the edge of his desk, where he saw the top of William's dark head and a pair of somewhat frightened eyes looked apprehensively in the direction of his forehead. Before he could say a word, the lad drew in a deep breath.
"Mr. Carson, I've come to ask for a job," William said firmly. Mr. Carson sat speechless. So William continued: "Mama doesn't need my help with Eddie and I want to be earning, so can I have a job?"
The lad's face was so earnest, Mr. Carson struggled to suppress an amused smile and maintain a serious demeanor. William might have preferred a smile, and he began to fidget from one foot to the other.
"So...you want a job, do you? Well then...what are your qualifications?" At the confused look on William's face, Mr. Carson added: "What can you do?"
"Lots of things," William replied enthusiastically. "I can catch a ball, and I know my alphabet..most of it, and I can count."
"Very impressive, " Mr. Carson replied. "But can you carry heavy things, and stand still as a statue for hours and polish silver candlesticks until you can see the shine on them through the cupboard door?"
"I can!" William pulled himself up to his full height. Mr. Carson's lip twitched.
"Well then, " he replied. "We'll have to see if we have a livery to fit you." He stood up and fished in his waistcoat pocket for the little paper bag he carried around. Offering William a peppermint, he put his hand gently on the boy's shoulder and kneeled down to look him the eye. "Tell me, why would you want to be working long hard hours inside instead of playing in the garden, eh?" William crunched happily into his peppermint.
"Oh, Mama doesn't need me anymore. Eddie needs her and I'm too big to stay at home and play. I'm ready to work, and bring home wages, and help. Because that's what you do when you're big," he thumped his little chest, "like me. And like Papa."
"What makes you think your Mama doesn't need you anymore, hmm? I'm sure you're a great help at home." William shook his head.
"Mama said she didn't need my help today. Eddie was fussy and drooly and Mama was all tired, but she didn't need my help. So I guess its time for me to go to work somewhere else," William finished a little sadly. Mr. Carson smiled a little
"Hmmm, but don't you help her other times? Mr. Bates was telling me just the other day how helpful you were, fetching the talc and all." Mr. Carson's lips twitched a bit more as he remembered the story Mr. Bates had shared about William's recent adventures while explaining why his valet's coat still had a little white powder clinging to the seams.
"Well..." William thought for a moment, "Maybe I can still help at home sometimes after work."
"I think your Mama would miss you a great deal if you were up here all day and she had no one to talk to. As I understand it," Mr. Carson lowered his voice like he was sharing a secret, "young Edward doesn't talk yet."
'No, he just cries and spits, " William confirmed. His face grew thoughtful. "Do you really think Mama would miss me?"
"I'm quite certain she would." Mr. Carson stood up with a groan and looked down at William's eager little face. "But if you are determined to begin your employment at Downton, we'd better see if we have a livery that would fit..."
There was a brisk knock and the door to the Butler's pantry flew open to reveal an irritated Mrs. Hughes. Her face registered surprise at seeing young William Bates in consultation with the Butler.
"Ah. Mrs. Hughes, William has come to apply for a job. As James is sick, I thought we could take him on trial, assuming we can find a livery that fits." William couldn't hide a proud little grin.
"Is that so? Well, well. Is he eager to begin, Mr. Carson," she said, unable to hide the smile, "or can he stop in the hall for a biscuit and some milk first?"
"Hmmm," Mr. Carson glanced at William, who looked quite pleased at the prospect of a little treat. "Perhaps he should wait there while I go check the liveries." William took Mrs. Hughes' hand and followed her, chatting about Eddie, his Mama. and his job interview. Mrs. Hughes turned back to look at Mr. Carson, who winked broadly at her. and placed her hand over her mouth to hide her answering conspiratorial smile.
Eddie had finally settled down and was napping. Anna smoothed his fine brown hair and sighed with relief. Teething was turning out to be more of a trial for this little one than for his big brother. And speaking of, it was awfully quiet in the garden. She couldn't see him from the upstairs window, so she made her way downstairs, trying to come up with some chores William could do to be helpful.
"William...William..." she called through the back door, "its nearly time for lunch. would you like to help me..." Anna's voice trailed off as she saw his abandoned lead army and the swinging gate. "William! William!" She ran to the gate an looked frantically in all directions. "Oh dear God, WILLIAM!" Without a second thought, she ran into the house, up the stairs, and snatched Eddie from his cot. Cradling him to her chest, she ran as fast as she could towards Downton Abbey, calling William's name and praying that John would be there and help her find their son.
"Ah, Mr. Bates. I was looking for you." After ten minutes of searching, Mrs. Baxter had finally ran Mr. Bates to ground.
"How can I help?" he replied with a smile.
"Well, I was wondering where Mrs. Bates was. I can't seem to find her anywhere." John Bates' face was a picture of absolute befuddlement.
"She's at the cottage, I would imagine. Why were you looking for my wife?"
"Well, only I saw William downstairs, so I thought Mrs. Bates must be here as well. And I can't find her, so..." she trailed off as Mr. Bates' look of confusion deepened and he limped off towards the back stairs with His Lordship's tailcoat draped over his arm and streaming out behind him.
"...so, I came to ask for a job," William explained, this time to Daisy who was listening with a grin on her face. Mrs. Hughes was sitting with William at the table and Mr. Carson was standing in the doorway, his hands clasped behind his back as he watched William cram yet another chocolate biscuit into his mouth. His quest for a livery had been abandoned and William didn't seem to notice.
"But where is your mother" Mrs. Hughes asked gently. "And does she know you're here?"
"Oh, she's at home with Eddie," William replied through a mouth full of biscuit.
"I very much doubt that she knows, Mrs. Hughes," Mr. Bates' voice rang out as he stepped into the hall. William jumped up when he saw his father and started to run to him, but the expression on John Bates' face stopped him in his tracks. Papa did not look pleased to see him.
"William, what are you doing here" he asked sternly. Very sternly. William's mouth was suddenly dry and he looked longingly at his milk, siting back on the table. "Well?"
"Young William came to me to ask for employment, Mr. Bates," Mr. Carson answered. Mr. Bates' jaw dropped and he stared at the butler for a moment. "Apparently, he believed he was no longer needed at home and was very eager to begin earning to contribute to the family." Mr. Bates just shook his head in confusion and frustration and turned his attention back to his son. Before he could say anything else, the sound of the back door being flung open and breathless gasps reached their ears. Mr. Carson stepped into the corridor.
"Oh please Mr. Cason, is Mr. Bates here?" Anna asked frantically. Mr. Bates stepped out of the servant's hall and she threw herself towards him. He grasped her arms to steady her as she gasped out her story of finding William gone. Eddie, awake from all the commotion and jostling, let out an indignant shriek. Anna tried to comfort him with tears in her eyes until Mr. Bates took him from her arms.
"Shhh...shhh...its alright, Anna. William is fine. He's here, right in the servant's hall." Anna gave a huge gasp and threw her hand to her mouth to try to get back under control. William peeked around the corner of the door, but a warning rumble from Mr. Carson and a mighty raised eyebrow sent him back to the table where he stood nervously next to Mrs. Hughes. "Come on in and sit down. Daisy will get you a cup of tea and you'll see that he's fine."
"He's fine until I get him home," Anna muttered, a bit of fire coming into her eyes as she bustled into the servant's hall and caught a sympathetic look from Mrs. Hughes. But when she saw William standing in front of her, looking as tearful as any four year old will when he realizes he's in trouble, her knees felt weak and she sat down on the nearest chair, holding out her arms to him. He ran to her and hugged her neck.
"I'm alright, Mama," he assured her. "I came for a job." Anna drew back and gaped at him.
"What? What do you mean, William?"
"I'd like to hear this as well," Mr. Bates added, cradling his fussy younger son, who had somehow gotten wrapped in his Lordship's tailcoat, and glaring at his first born. Daisy brought in two steaming cups of tea, gave William an encouraging smile and went back into the kitchen to fill in a very curious Mrs. Patmore. "I'm very sorry for all of this, Mr Carson...Mrs. Hughes," he added.
"No worries, Mr. Bates, " Mr. Carson replied with a nod of his his head. "I only wish half of the applicants I receive were as eager as young William." A flicker of a smile crossed ' face, but he banished it when he turned his stare back to William. William's grin at Mr. Carson's compliment faded away at his father's look, and tears filled his eyes.
"Oh, William...you frightened me half to death," Anna scolded with a hitch in her voice. At that, William did begin crying in earnest. Mrs. Hughes rose and excused herself with a murmur and a last stroke of William's hair. She hooked her arm with Mr. Carson's and led him firmly away from the servant's hall, to give the Bates family some privacy.
"I...I...didn't MEAN to, Mama," William sobbed. "I wanted to help, that's all."
"But what on earth made you come all the way here by yourself and ask Mr. Carson for a job?"
"You didn't need my help anymore and Eddie's a baby and I'm big and...and I can work, but the livery doesn't fit, and then I could help with earning like Papa and and..." As William babbled and sobbed, trying to explain his motivation, Anna looked at Mr. Bates with confusion, a look he returned. With a sigh, Mr. Bates sat down next to Anna and reached out to stroke his son's head with his big, gentle hand.
"Slow down and start again, William." They listened, prompting him with questions, as William explained and Eddie watched with big blue eyes as he gnawed a biscuit into mush.
"So, because I didn't need your help calming Eddie, you thought I didn't need your help at all?" Anna asked. When William nodded, she sighed and said "Oh, William. I couldn't do without you. You don't just help me, darling, you make my whole day better when you're around to talk to me and play with me. I couldn't bear it if you were off working all day like Papa."
"Truly, Mama?"
"Truly. I am ever so glad the livery won't fit you for a while yet." Anna reassured him. Mr. Bates sighed.
"I agree. William, we won't need you to bring home any pay for a very long time, Son. If you're working, who will I read stories to at night? And who will play ball with me on my half days? Eddie's not big enough yet, and he'll need you to show him how to do all those big things you can do." William wrinkled his brow in thought and looked at Eddie.
"I suppose I'll be too busy to work for a while,' he finally said. "I'll tell Mr. Carson?"
"Leave that to me," Mr. Bates answered. "You have quite a bit of growing up to do yet. I think he'll understand. Besides," he added, changing his tone, "I doubt he'd hire a naughty boy who'd run off without telling his Mama." William's face fell.
"I won't again," he said in a small voice. "I'm sorry, Mama. I am." Anna gave him a stern look.
"You'll spend the rest of day where I can always see you, young man. And there will be no pudding after tea for you." William's face fell even further, and he opened his mouth to argue his case, but closed it quickly at the look his father gave him.
"Consider yourself lucky. I'm not sure you don't still deserve a good smack," Mr. Bates commented. William looked at his mother with alarm.
"Hmmm, we'll keep it in mind," she said, with a twinkle in her eye as she looked at her husband, who just raised an eyebrow back at her. William watched them and a little smile came over his face. He hated that he had made Mama cry, but it looked like he wasn't going to pay too dearly for his little adventure.
"Are we going home now?" he asked.
"I'm going back to work,' his father replied. "You're going to go home and do WHATEVER your Mama tells you." William nodded and his father dropped a quick kiss on his head as he handed over Eddie to Anna and stood up, bracing himself on his cane. Mrs. Hughes appeared in the doorway in time to hear Anna giggle and ask Mr. Bates if his Lordship's tails suited Edward. Mr. Bates groaned when he saw the mess Eddie's biscuit had made on the coat and Anna laughed harder.
"Would you like to stay for lunch, Anna?" she asked. "Its been a while since we've seen them." Anna declined with a smile and a comment about table manners, and taking William's hand, she began to lead him towards the door to the courtyard. He suddenly stopped and tugged her hand.
"Mama? Can I say goodbye to Mr. Carson?"
"I think we've taken up QUITE enough of Mr. Carson's valuable time for one day," she said firmly.
"Good bye, William," Mr. Carson's voice boomed down the corridor. "I'll let you know when we have a livery that will fit you." William smiled and stood up straighter. He waved goodbye and followed his mother and brother back home.
"Well, Mr. Carson," Mrs. Hughes began as she came up along side of him, "he seemed a very eager candidate. He may grow into a livery someday."
"Very eager indeed, Mrs. Hughes. Our staffing future may not as bleak as I thought."
Mrs. Hughes gave a little snort of laughter as he smiled down at her, and she and Mr. Carson went their separate ways to get on with their day. The only member of staff who was not cheered by William's job search was Mr. Bates, who muttered darkly about fatherhood and shook his head as he scrubbed the chocolate biscuit out of his Lordship's tails.