Thomas felt awful. The cold had caught him the day before and by the time he had had to get up to start his day, he had felt like death warmed up. His chest was congested, his nose clogged and the thrumming pain in his head didn't do anything to brighten his mood. He had tried to get through the day without his dreadful condition being noticed, but already after breakfast Mrs. Hughes had noticed his not feeling well. Immediately he had been sent back to his room with the order to stay away from anyone else so not to spread the germs among the rest of the staff, or even worse, the family upstairs.

But Thomas could only stand being cooped up in his room for so long. He had spent most of the day sleeping away his headache, but even a sick man couldn't lie down for an entire day without going crazy. In the end he walked back downstairs into the servant hall and sat down in the rocking chair in the corner. Daisy cast him a worried look.

"You don't look all too good, Thomas."

He let her calling him by his first name slide. He didn't care about appearances, he just wanted to get rid of this awful cold.

"Well, I don't really feel the best now, do I?" he shot back, harsher than he had intended, but the pounding behind his eyes was doing his head in!

"Do you want me to make you a cup of tea?" Daisy asked and Thomas nodded in return. Finally someone showed sense and did something to make him feel better! A moment later, Daisy reappeared with not only a steaming cup of herbal tea, but also a wool blanket. She sat the cup down on the table beside the rocking chair, then moved to spread the blanket across Thomas' lap.

The under butler felt oddly touched at her motions. Even though he felt like he had been coughed up again, he shot the kitchen maid and assistant cook a grateful look.

"Thanks Daisy, you're kind" he said in thanks and Daisy immediately flushed red and scattered off. Her behavior brought a rare smile to Thomas' face. He could still fluster the young girl so very well!

Thomas stayed in his position on the rocking chair for the remainder of the afternoon. People walked in and out of the servant's hall, looking puzzled at the under butler, but paying him no heed. Apparently the staff had been informed about Thomas taking ill. The under butler didn't mind the looks. He was used to them by now. He had a reputation around the house, after all.

It wasn't long before the dinner gong would sound that an unexpected face appeared in the door way. Tom Branson, ex chauffeur and newly appointed agent to the estate entered the servant's hall, little Sybil in his arms. The little girl clutched a well worn teddy bear in her arms, one of the bear's ears firmly between her lips.

While Branson talked to Mrs. Hughes about some matter that would have normally interested Thomas more than it should, he sat Sybil down on the floor, after she had struggled to stay in his arms.

Thomas looked at the girl, and the girl in turn looked at him. He cocked his head, and she returned the motion. A slight smile broke Thomas' grim façade, but it was cut short by a coughing fit that shook his whole body. Blasted cold.

Sybil's eyes widened at the noise of Thomas coughing and with slow, but steady steps, the two year old approached the rocking chair. She only stopped when she stood right in front of Thomas' legs, looking up at the under butler with large, questioning eyes. When Thomas didn't do anything in return, the little girl huffed once, then moved swiftly, and like an expert climber, scaled the rocking chair and planted herself in Thomas' lap.

The under butler was quite stunned, but the smile and giggle Sybbie directed in his direction warmed his heart.

"Ouchie" Sybbie stated and pointed one of her little fingers towards Thomas. The under butler only nodded in response. Really, what were you supposed to do? He couldn't really have an educated conversation with a two year old about a chest cold, now could you?

"Kissies better" the girl announced and moved up Thomas' lap and swiftly, without any hesitation, pressed a kiss against his cheek.

"No no, Miss Sybil, you'll get sick" Thomas told the girl, but Sybil paid him no mind.

"Kissies better" she repeated and pressed another kiss to his cheek.

Just then Mr. Branson noticed his daughter's actions and hurried towards the rocking chair and lifted the girl out of Thomas' lap.

"Sybbie, Mr. Barrow is sick, he needs rest" he explained to the little girl, but Sybil resolutely shook her head.

"No, kissies better" she explained and the father laughed.

"You kissed him better? You're a good girl, Sybbie darling!" he told her, pressing a kiss of his own to the crown of her head. He then turned and left the servant's hall, leaving Thomas behind, a stunned expression on the under butler's face.

He could swear he was already feeling better.


I know back in those days it was not common to show affection publicly. However I do think that Tom Branson raised his daughter in the same fashion that he was raised, namely in a middle class setting, and he would have taught her that is was all right to show affection if you deemed it so. I don't think Sybbie would have been raised in the stoic societal traditions of the aristocracy, but rather in a loving familial way. You can see it in how Tom treats Sybbie as opposed to Mary treating George. Also, she is two years old, you can't really tell a two year old what to do and what not!

Hope you liked it!