**Author's Note: Many thanks to everyone who has already read and reviewed my first chapter. I greatly appreciate the feedback!

Chapter Two:

"Mr Barrow, are you all right?"

Thomas looked up from the table, unaware he had been staring at it for the past five minutes. Alfred was watching him, his brows furrowed with concern. A few weeks ago, Thomas never thought Alfred would be one to be worried about him; but there it was.

"I'm fine, Alfred. A restless night, nothing more."

Alfred watched a little longer, then returned to reading a letter sent to him from his mother. Ever since his aunt, O'Brien, had gone off with the MacClares to India–greatly upsetting Lady Crawley in the process–, Alfred had become more of his own man. And that man had decided that Thomas wasn't such a bad person, even if he was...well, you know. In fact, he rather liked Thomas, with his dry humour and standoffish ways and false arrogance.

The breakfast bells began to ring, and the servants all hurriedly got up from the table and started to their assigned tasks. Thomas was about to go upstairs when someone bumped into him from behind; and he turned to be confronted by those same blue eyes and blonde hair that he saw in his mind every night, whether he wished it or not.

"What can I do for you, Jimmy?"

Those blue eyes searched their surroundings, and after comfortably ascertaining that no one was paying them any attention, settled directly on Thomas.

"Are you sure you're all right, Mr Barrow? You don't look very well."

Thomas gave Jimmy a tense smile. "I'm fine. It's as I told Alfred: I've not been sleeping very well."

Jimmy's focus trailed to the left, and he lifted a hand to toward Thomas's cheekbone. Thomas drew back instinctively, greatly startling Jimmy.

"Sorry," he effused. "I didn't mean–. I-I just noticed how well you're healing up."

Thomas placed his own hand over where Jimmy had nearly touched. "Yes. In a few more days I suspect I'll be fit for another beating." He laughed, but cut it short when he saw that Jimmy was far from amused. "Sorry."

"It's not funny, Mr Barrow. You could have been seriously injured."

"Well, I wasn't. And there's no use dwelling on what 'could have been'." He noticed Jimmy was shifting nervously, and sighed. "What is it, Jimmy? You didn't stop me just to ask how I was."

Jimmy shrugged, then burst out, "Could I get tonight off?"

"What for?"

"The new housemaid, Alice?"

Thomas nodded. Even he had to admit she was a pretty one, with her black hair, blue eyes, and voluptuous curves.

"I want to take her out tonight."

"Have you already asked her?"

"Not yet. I was going to once I got the time off." His face fell. "Why? Do you think she'll say no?"

"I doubt the Virgin Mary herself could resist you."

There was an awkward pause.

Thomas cleared his throat, then went on. "You'll have to talk to Mr Carson about this. It's within his power to give you the time off or not; not mine."

A cocky smile bent Jimmy's lips. "Well, I just thought, since you are the under-butler, you might...convince him for me."

Thomas snorted. "Jimmy. I might have taken a beating for you. But I will not take on Mr Carson. Besides, he doesn't like me. I suspect he likes me even less ever since my promotion, which I understand he didn't approve. So," he clapped Jimmy on the arm, "you're on your own. Good luck."

"Great," Jimmy muttered unhappily, and followed Thomas up the stairs. "Thanks."