Mr. Barrow and Mr. Kent

Chapter 2

Note: Downton Abbey should really have a naughty horse groom. Maybe in series 4.

Back at Downton, Thomas had spent most of the morning wishing he was in Ripon. In the afternoon, he served tea to Mr. Branson, Downton's stable master, Mr. Colley, and the stable groom, Eddie Redman. In the old days, would've met with the outside servants, well, outside somewhere. But since Mr. Branson lived in the manor and had radical ideas, all sorts of upper level people who worked on the estate were coming in and out. It had taken Lord Grantham a little getting used to, but Thomas had heard him once say that Mr. Crawley probably would've liked it. And so it was. Thomas didn't see the stable workers often. Mr. Collin seemed alright. He had a gruff voice and a brown handlebar mustache that kept dipping into his tea quite unattractively. Eddie on the other hand. Eddie was a little interesting. He was still young, just a little older than Jimmy, and had pale blonde hair and dark green eyes. His chin seemed a bit too round for his face and his ears stuck out. But he wasn't ugly. For the most part he sat quietly, until Mr. Collin would ask his opinion about this or that horse and the possible purchase of a new stallion. But his eyes roved about the room. He clearly wasn't used to having tea in a great house and he stuck out in his brown jodhpurs and vest. He kept glancing up at Thomas too. When Thomas served him more tea or offered him biscuits, he smiled and looked right in his eyes which wasn't usual.

Later Thomas found a few minutes for a smoke outside. He was enjoying the late afternoon air of early spring. Lately Mrs. Hughes had put out some potted daisies at the back entrance and they had started to bloom. He lit a cigarette and wandered further towards the open gate, wondering if Jimmy would get home before dinner.

"Mr. Barrow?" He turned to see Eddie walking towards him. He and Mr. Colley had visited downstairs after their tea and Mrs. Patmore had stuffed them with shepherd's pie while the family was dining upstairs. Eddie nodded at his cigarette. "I don't suppose you have another?"

"Of course." Thomas gave him a cigarette and lit it for him.

"Cheers," Eddie mumbled. He took a long drag and nodded his thanks. "Feel I should almost apologize. Seems improper for a man of your stature to be servin' the likes of me."

Thomas smiled uncertainly, wondering if Eddie was trying to flatter him for some reason or just talking.

"Mr. Branson has a different way of doing things," Thomas said. "Anyway, it's nice to see people from the rest of the estate. Doesn't happen often. Mixes things up a bit."

"Do you much like horses yourself?"

Thomas leaned against the gate and shrugged. "Don't know really. Never even touched one, even in the war. My father was a clockmaker and I've always worked inside."

There was a quiet moment. And then, so quickly and subtly that Thomas thought he might've imagined it, Eddie's eyes grazed over him and the corner of his mouth turned up. And just as quickly he turned his head to look out at the trees, calmly smoking.

"If you have some time, I could certainly show you around. Evenings everyone retires from the stable unless there's a mare about to birth. And there's not now. There'd be no one around, ya see. If you'd like to pet a horse."

Thomas's heart thumped wildly in his chest. It wasn't that he was so taken with Eddie (although if he squinted, the man could pass for Jimmy's less attractive brother), but he could hardly believe Eddie was saying what Thomas was sure he was saying. The thought was terrifying. A few years ago, he would've been beyond doubt. But after all the trouble with Jimmy... Still, he could agree to meet and see what happened. As long as he didn't make a move first himself, he thought he'd be safe.

"That's kind of you," Thomas said cooly. "I think I'd have an hour to spare after dinner tomorrow. Round about seven o'clock?"

Eddie's mouth broke into a wide grin. "Excellent. Can I assume you know where the stables are?"

"I'm not that hopeless," Thomas muttered. "I think I'll manage."

"Very good," Eddie said. "I should be getting on then. And you've got dinner soon." He offered his hand and Thomas stuck his cigarette in his mouth, to shake it. It was definitely not his imagination that Eddie held onto his hand a couple of moments too long, stood a little too close, and looked into his eyes a little too meaningfully. "Nite, Mr. Barrow."

"Nite, Eddie."

Eddie left through the gate and Thomas nodded at the ground, smirking to himself, feeling giddy and saucy and a little bit delicious. He didn't even notice Jimmy approaching the gate, passing Eddie on the way with a nod and wearing a funny expression on his face, his arms full of parcels.

"Who's that then?" Jimmy said, walking up to Thomas.

"Eddie Redman," Thomas said, wearing a now uncontrollable smirk. He spoke through a puff of smoke and took the cigarette from his mouth with a dramatic gesture of his arm. "Horse groom."

Thomas was looking after Eddie, getting smaller in the distance. Jimmy followed his gaze and frowned. "You could do better than him, ya know."

Thomas's eyebrows shot up in an admirable impersonation of Lady Mary and he looked at Jimmy in surprise. "I'm sure I don't know what you mean."

They made their way back to the servants hall. "Sure ya don't, Mr. Barrow," Jimmy said slyly.

Thomas's lips twitched in amusement. "Anyhow, have you got a hall full of eligible footmen waiting somewhere?"

"Not at present," Jimmy admitted. "Give me a few weeks, I can be very resourceful."

"I never doubted you," Thomas said.

At the back door Jimmy stopped him, blocking his way and fixing him with a dark look. "Bit of a risk, isn't it? Considering."

"All life is a risk, James," Thomas said airly, stubbing his cigarette out on the step.

"I'm not jokin'," Jimmy said. "After everything that's happened..."

"As far as I know he's invited me down to visit the stables. And I intend to act as if that's exactly what I've been invited for and nothing more. I'll not make the same mistake twice. Trust me on that."

Jimmy still looked troubled, but he nodded. "Alright then. Just...watch yourself, Thomas."

"I will," Thomas agreed. "I promise."

There was just enough time before their own dinner for Jimmy to follow Thomas to his room and give him his things.

"Cigarettes...pomade." Jimmy tossed him a couple of small packages that Thomas set on his bureau. He held the books in one hand and frowned at a small white box wrapped with a ribbon that he held in the other.

"Books?" Thomas said.

Jimmy cleared his throat and handed over the books.

"Tarzan the Terrible," Thomas read off the first cover. He nodded in approval. He'd read a couple of the Tarzan books already and they were fun and adventurous. He inspected the other one and tipped his head. "Women in Love?"

"I didn't know what to get," Jimmy sighed. "So I asked the clerk for something light and something more dramatic. The clerk said it's quite saucy. I mean it might not be the type of saucy you would appreciate or, well, I don't know."

"I'm sure it's fine. Thank you." He nodded at the white box. "What's that one?"

Jimmy shook his head. "Oh, eh, that's nothing. Just something I needed." He gave Thomas his change and took his leave.

"Thanks again, Jimmy," Thomas said after him. Thomas assumed the white box was a gift for a girl Thomas didn't know about yet; likely one of the maids. Why Jimmy should be nervous about telling him, he had no earthly idea.