3. Father
He has been hiding since dinner was over, and he ashamed of it. His Mum always speaks about facing problems instead of running away from them, but he just can't. He doesn't know how this time.
"What is it lad?" Of course, he noticed, and came to find him.
"Are you a killer?" William bursts out before he can even think about the best way to ask.
His Dad looks up at the stars and sighs. "Why do you ask?"
"Jimmy, a boy at school... he said you've been in jail and all."
He nods. "I did. But I wasn't guilty." His Dad sits on the lower brick wall, carefully placing his cane against it. William sits next to him.
"So, you're not a killer?"
"You know I've been to war?" John Bates asks slowly.
"The Boers," William prompts.
"That's right. War awakens the worst of humankind. When I was there, I killed people. Enemies."
"Was Lord Grantham with you there? Is he a killer, too?"
"He was. But I want you to look past the word. It was about duty, about fighting for what you believed was right. King. Country. For some people even God."
William considers this for a moment.
"Do you still believe it was right?"
"I don't. But that's just me. While you grow up, you will have to decide this for yourself, over and over again."
He remembers this conversation of his 12 year-old self, when he comes back home to say good-bye before embarking to France. It's 1944 and he wishes he believe in what is about to happen as his father did during the Boers. He doesn't though.
Prompt: Most special memory of your father?
