Wind and rain beat hard against the window, the heat of the day creeping stagnantly around the servants' quarters. The day felt subdued and lonely after Lord Grantham's announcement. Everybody had left the party a little early to go home to their families and the servants wished they could do the same. Some of the servants had retired to their bedrooms, or wherever they chose to spend their leisure time, but Daisy, William, Branson, Mrs. Hughes and Mrs. Patmore remained at the table. The rain had started about an hour after the party ended and there had been a bit of thunder earlier. Each time the lightning cracked, Daisy would let out a yelp and would flinch when the thunder followed.
William and Branson played cards across each from each other at the table. Daisy was next to William and Mrs. Hughes was on her other side. Patmore was across from Daisy. There was little speaking, and when someone did speak, they spoke mutedly, as though they'd wake someone if they talked in a normal tone.
"That's a royal flush for you, Willy." Branson said with a wide smile. He laid his cards face-up on the table, the jack's face grinning goofily at William. William cursed under his breath as Branson took the pot, a pile of random trinkets and coins.
"Come on, William, he's beat you four times now and you've got him only once," Patmore said. "Win already."
"Oh, come off it, I've always lost at poker and Branson's always won." William moaned. Branson smiled smugly to himself.
Mrs. Hughes looked over. "Four times? William, you're shaming yourself," she said softly with a chuckle.
William glowered toward Hughes and Patmore. "Branson, go fish now?"
Branson shrugged. "Eh, sure, I've taken quite enough of your belongings by now," he said with a short laugh.
Daisy piped up. "I want to play! I love go fish."
"Okay. I'll deal," William said. He shuffled the cards and tried not to blush when he noticed how intently Daisy was watching his hands.
"Someday would you show me how to do that? It looks so graceful," she said dreamily.
"Of course, Daisy," he agreed. "I'm sure you'd get the hang of it and be quite good at it." Daisy smiled with rapture.
"That'd be wonderful!" William dealt the cards and Daisy took the first turn, being on William's left side.
"Branson, have you got any fours?"
"No. Go fish." Daisy drew a card from the neat stack in the middle of the table.
Branson said, "Daisy, have you got any sevens?"
"Go fish." As Branson reached for his card, Daisy turned and said, "William, are you going to the war?"
"I don't know. Maybe I will if you give me an ace."
"Can't. Go fish. But truly, will you? Because that would be brilliant. I think you'd make an excellent soldier. Imagine that—our William in that bright red uniform. That'd be a sight I'd give anything to see," she giggled to the group. "Have any twos?"
William gave her a card from his hand and told her to go again. She put her pair down and asked Branson for a queen.
The game went on until William finally won. By that point, Mrs. Hughes and Mrs. Patmore had gone to their bedrooms. The time had passed with a minimal number of yelps from Daisy, as the lightning seemed to be done.
"You know Daisy—I've been thinking about what you said—about the military, and I really don't see why I shouldn't. I mean, I've wanted to join the army all this time, and now is the perfect chance for me to do that."
Daisy smiled. "That would be swell. A'course we'd all miss you terribly! But you'd return a hero, I think."
That took a moment to sink in. William sat very still because he realized that she'd made such a huge compliment to him and she looked so pretty sitting there with her hair coming undone in the back and her slightly pink cheeks and how he wanted to take her hand or stroke her cheek or something and he could feel the blood in his face rushing to his cheeks and he was probably so obvious about liking her.
Lightning brightened the room a vibrant blue-white and an enormous clap of thunder rolled in simultaneously. Daisy nearly jumped clean out of her skin, screamed, and grabbed William's arm, burying her face into his chest and incidentally let out a whimper.
"Daisy, are you all right? It's outside, you'll be fine." He tried to comfort her. Awkwardly, he reached around her and patted her shoulder. He cautiously laid his arm to rest across her shoulder. Inside he suddenly glowed with confidence he'd never experienced before.
Daisy brought her face up from his shoulder and gave him a little smile. William looked back at her sheepishly and was about to remove his arm, when she leaned on him again and apologized for her outburst.
Branson tilted his head and raised an eyebrow at William, who grinned stupidly. Branson almost let out a laugh before standing, tipping his hat and excusing himself from the table. "I think I'll be turnin' in for the night."
Branson turned the corner and almost bumped into Thomas leaning against the wall, lighting a cigarette. "Oh. H'llo Thomas. G'night," he said, startled to find Thomas's shadowy figure lingering in the hallway.
"Branson," Thomas replied, a passive tone to his voice.
Daisy's eyes widened and her ears turned pink when she heard Thomas's voice from the hall. "Uumm, William, I'm tired. I think I'll go to bed. Night. Thanks for the card game." She stood and smoothed her skirt.
William was so disappointed. He thought something had somehow begun just then, but Thomas had to come ruin it, as usual. "Night Daisy."
William rubbed his eyes and realized how tired he was. He got up and went to bed. He heard Daisy say, "Good night, Thomas." He could practically hear her simper.
When he passed by Thomas in the hallway, the spiteful footman tripped William. William caught himself against the wall, and Thomas laughed and walked the other way.
William burned with anguish inside as he wondered how long Thomas had been lurking in the hallway.