Author's Note: I've already realized that the timeline I had worked out in my head for this story won't really work. It's not a huge deal and won't affect the story, it just irritated me because I thought I finally had a good grasp on the show's timeline! Oh well. Anyway, thank you to everyone who has read/reviewed/favorited this. I hope you enjoy the chapter!
Anna stretched up onto the tips of her toes and craned her head to see over Gwen's shoulder. She wasn't sure if she'd rather curse her short stature, or Gwen's unfairly tall one. She ended up settling on both.
"Budge up," she hissed to her friend, "I can't see."
Gwen sidled a little to the side; pressing up against the doorframe so that Anna could get a better look through the tiny opening she'd created by holding open the door.
"Who's he?" Gwen nodded to the gentleman in question.
"Don't know," Anna answered. The man was turned away from them and quite engrossed in conversation with Lady Sybil. Anna was willing to wager that he was quite handsome, whoever he was.
"Look, there's Mr. Crawley! I don't care what Lady Mary says, I think he's a fine looking gentleman."
"Certainly," Anna agreed. "Though I'll not admit it again."
"Whatever are you doing, girls?"
Anna and Gwen spun around so fast they knocked elbows. Mrs. Hughes was standing just behind them, hands clasped in front of her as she eyed them knowingly. They were in the stairwell, having stopped to peek out of the door at some of the newly arrived guests. Mrs. Hughes had caught them unawares, and now stood between them and any escape they may have been tempted to make.
"Nothing, Mrs. Hughes," Anna said automatically. Mrs. Hughes arched an eyebrow at her in silent admonishment. The housekeeper knew exactly what they'd been doing.
"Gwen, see that we've enough rooms made up for the new guests. Anna, get downstairs and help settle the ladies' maids."
"There're more of 'em? Did everyone bring a ladies maid?" Gwen asked, surprised.
"Everyone except the gentleman." Mrs. Hughes' answer was saucy, and Anna couldn't resist smiling at the exasperation Gwen almost failed to hide. "Get on with it then."
"Yes, Mrs. Hughes," the ladies chorused together, even as they broke apart to go their separate ways.
Anna took the stairs down a little faster than was strictly necessary. Downton Abbey was always something of a busy place, what with the day- to- day comings and goings of the rather large Crawley family, but now it was even more so. The Earl's birthday was just a few days away and the steady stream of guests that they'd been receiving didn't show any signs of stopping. The servant's hall was already too crowded to accommodate everyone at meal times. Arrangements had been made to split the servants into two groups, one dining right after the other, and still Anna felt like they were being overrun.
The resulting energy of so many new faces and new goings on was almost impossible to ignore, though. Anna was finding it hard not to get swept up in it all. Irritated as she might be with some of the consequences – like overcrowded meals – she was equally excited about others. So she didn't bother to check her speed as she wound her way down the staircase, reveling in the added exertion and opportunity to burn off some of her adrenaline. She needed to focus; there was work to be done.
She heard the noise and bustle of below stairs before she saw it. Anna could easily detect Mrs. Patmore's shrill tone, harping on some poor kitchen maid as if the world were about to end. If she had to guess, Anna would say it was Daisy. Also easily detectable was Mr. Carson's deep baritone, rattling orders at people as they passed on swift feet. A single misstep, a single mistake, and the whole thing would quickly turn into chaos. If it couldn't already be called that.
"Ah, Anna, there you are. Did Mrs. Hughes find you?"
"She did, Mr. Carson."
"Good. Miss Middleton, this is Anna, our head housemaid." Mr. Carson motioned to the woman standing next to him, whom Anna hadn't immediately noticed.
She made up for it with a quick smile and a, "How do you do?"
"Could you please show Miss Middleton to her room? Oh, but before you go, there's another … Ellie," he called to a passing maid, "Could you fetch Miss Brown from the dining hall?"
"I can do it, Mr. Carson," Anna offered. "We'll go that way anyway."
"Quite right, quite right. Very well." The butler was halfway back in his office before he'd finished speaking.
Anna offered to carry Mrs. Middleton's bag, but the other woman politely declined. She led the way down the hall. "Have you been to Downton before, Miss Middleton?"
""Fraid not," Miss Middleton answered. "And please, do call me Nora."
"Well, welcome to the Abbey, Nora. We're pleased to have you."
Anna stopped them just outside the servant's dining hall so that she could poke her head inside. Mr. Bates, who had been making to walk out that same door just then, had to step back rather quickly to avoid smacking into her.
"Oh! Forgive me, Mr. Bates, only I was looking for Miss Brown."
John smiled and leaned his weight onto his cane in order to shift his body out of the way. "Yes, I know."
Miss Brown was standing behind the valet with her bag in hand. Anna surmised that he must have overheard her conversation with Mr. Carson and had offered to bring the ladies' maid out to meet her. She smiled at him in thanks.
"Hello, Miss Brown. I'm Anna, the head housemaid."
"Pleasure to meet you, Anna. And I'd prefer to be called Grace, if you don't mind."
The other woman stepped forward to shake the hand that Anna had offered. Anna faltered for the slightest moment upon realizing as she did so that Grace had eyes of two different colors: one was green, the other blue. What a striking contrast! She was so surprised that it was all she could do not to stare.
"If you'll come with me, I'll show you to your room," Anna said to cover her blunder.
She was about to leave, visiting ladies' maids in tow, when Mr. Bates asked, "What's the next clue?"
Anna smiled. "Flowers."
"That's terrible," he muttered.
She fought a laugh as she started for the women's rooms. Mr. Bates had taken to the word game well, and was frighteningly good at it. Though she'd say otherwise in his presence just to tease him, he'd made quite a challenge of it. She was determined to stump him today.
"Clue?" Nora queried as they went.
"Oh, it's for a word game some of us play to pass the time," Anna explained.
"You lot get on well here, then?"
"Fairly well." As long as she didn't include Thomas or Miss O'Brien in the lot in question.
The ladies would be sharing the room right next to hers. She explained briefly where everything was and made sure to tell them that she was next door if they needed anything. Nora was the more outgoing of the two, and not much older than Anna. She glanced around the room interestedly, remarking on how light and airy it felt in a way that pleased Anna. She'd long since considered the Abbey her home, and was glad to hear it praised in any way.
"If you'd like I can leave you here to get settled, and fetch you before the dressing gong." Anna had done the same thing for the other two ladies' maids that had arrived earlier in the week.
"If you would be so kind." Grace's voice was quiet, almost musical. She seemed to Anna a very unassuming sort of person.
With a nod of agreement, Anna ducked out of the room. After a moment's hesitation she decided to head to the kitchen. She could spare a few minutes for a cup of tea, if she made it herself and stayed out of Mrs. Patmore's way. Maybe, if she was really lucky, the dining hall would be mostly empty and she could find a seat.
When Anna got to the kitchen, poor Daisy looked ready to collapse, or even pull out all of her hair. Mrs. Patmore was in rare form, lording over the maids in her charge like a fierce mother hen.
"What'd you want?" The cook asked as soon as she saw Anna.
"Just tea. But I can see to it myself," Anna added quickly.
Her words had the opposite effect of the one she'd intended. "Daisy!" Mrs. Patmore crowed. "Didn't I tell ya to put the tea tray out in the dining hall?"
"But I did, Mrs. Patmore."
"'Course you did." Anna spit the words out so fast her tongue nearly tripped over them. If she could save Daisy from another verbal slap then she most certainly would. "I'll go there now."
She gave Daisy what she hoped was an encouraging smile before turning tail. She knew from years of experience that her presence in the kitchen would only exacerbate the cook's prickly mood, and that was the last thing she wanted.
"Wouldn't go in there if I were you."
Anna glanced over to see Thomas in an empty doorway, his shoulder propped against the frame. He hadn't yet changed into his dinner tails. Anna resisted the urge to act on the irritation his comment had caused her. He obviously knew that she'd just come from the kitchen, so why make the comment at all?
"Mrs. Patmore's in a right foul mood."
"She's under a lot of stress." Privately, Anna thought that she could probably be convinced to defend anyone against Thomas. "Leave her be."
The footman shrugged. Anna didn't understand how he managed to infuse such an innocent action with so much belligerence. She waited for Thomas to move away before indulging in a minute shake of the head. That was one person she doubted she'd ever understand.
The dining hall was less crowded than she'd expected. William, who was seated in the far corner, seemed to have had the same idea she did. A still steaming cup of tea was set on the table in front of him. The young man looked tired and preoccupied, if the way he was staring off into empty space was any indication. She considered interrupting his reverie to ask if he was feeling all right, and then decided against it. William knew that he could talk to her if something was bothering him.
Anna prepared herself a cup of tea and then sat down in her usual spot. She sighed quietly as the tension left her body, having been unaware until that very moment that she was tired. Her feet and lower back ached, which was saying something for someone who'd spent nearly a lifetime in service. Out of nowhere, her mother's voice popped into her head to repeat a phrase little Anna had often heard on the farm: "I've run my feet off". The unexpectedness of the memory, as well as the turn of phrase, made Anna smile.
That was the sight that greeted John as he stepped into the room: Anna, her gaze fixed on some invisible point on the table before her, smiling into her teacup. She was lost in some pleasant memory, perhaps. She did not move or look up at him as he crossed the room. He watched her surreptitiously as he did so, only then realizing that he didn't often get the chance to observe her in such a natural state. The head housemaid was always so busy, so alert and aware of where she was and whom she was with. John had never met anyone so in tune to those around her.
"Hello," he finally ventured, after having seated himself.
His voice snapped Anna back to the present. She turned a wide smile on the man seated next to her. "Hello," she responded. "I didn't realize you'd come in."
"I noticed. Is anything the matter?"
"Not at all. I was only thinking that my feet hurt, and that reminded me of something my mum used to say."
"Oh?" John prodded. "What was that?"
"'I've run my feet off'. I think she must have said it at least once every day, but I've never thought about it until just now."
"Was your mother a lady's maid?"
"No. She helps my dad run the family farm. Well, she did. I suppose my brother does that now."
"I didn't know you had a brother." John poured himself a cup of tea and then offered to refill Anna's with a silent nod to the teapot. She held her cup out for him.
"Samuel," Anna continued, by way of explanation. "He's two years older. Do you have any siblings, Mr. Bates?"
John shook his head. "I'm an only child."
"There you are!" another voice said then. Anna's gaze left Mr. Bates' face and moved to the other side of the table, where Gwen was beaming at her. "I've figured it out."
"Have you?" Anna arched an eyebrow at her friend and grinned. "Right then, let's have it."
"Garden."
Gwen looked so proud of herself that Anna didn't immediately answer. When she did, she tried not to laugh. "'Fraid not."
"What?" Gwen demanded. "But I was certain!"
"It's perfume," John said calmly, as if he couldn't care less whether or not he was right.
Anna's chuckle was cut short in favor of turning a surprised glare on the valet. When he saw it, the corners of John's mouth turned up. That was the reaction he'd hoped to get.
"How long have you known?" Gwen was obviously vexed.
"I only just realized it when I sat down." He glanced at Anna. "You're wearing some, aren't you?"
Anna was shocked into muteness. Indeed, she was wearing perfume, which was a bit of a rare occurrence. As a rule she usually only wore it for church on Sundays, and occasionally on her days off, as the stuff was so expensive. She'd only decided to wear it that day because she wanted to make a good first impression on their guests. The idea had never occurred to her that someone else might notice. As such, Mr. Bates' question had quite an unexpected – and involuntary – effect on Anna: she blushed.
John had never seen her blush. He'd seen her flush from exertion as she rushed through the big house, and pink from exposure to the sun, but he'd never actually seen her blush. A red that was even brighter for the natural fairness of her skin swept over her cheekbones as if it'd been painted on. The contrast was striking.
John refused to admit that the change was fascinating. More than that, he refused to let himself wonder why she was blushing in the first place. Certainly she'd not been caught out; he doubted that Mrs. Hughes cared if the ladies under her charge wore perfume.
"I wanted to make a good impression," Anna finally managed to answer. Her spirit slipped into a state of mildly frantic disarray as it occurred to her that she was no longer certain whom she was trying to make a favorable impression on.
Our guests, she silently chided herself. Don't be daft. Who else would it be?
"Anna." Mrs. Hughes looked harassed as she entered the dining hall then. "Mr. Carson will be ringing the dressing gong at half past. Why don't you show Miss Brown and Miss Middleton to their Ladies' rooms."
She was glad of the diversion and rose quickly. Now was not the time to attempt to figure out why she'd reacted so strangely to such an innocent observation. Mr. Bates had done nothing more than state a fact, and a very boring one at that. Lots of girls wore perfume.
Still, the recollection of the incident refused to be thrown aside. Anna thought about it on the entire trek to the servants' quarters. She'd just raised her hand to knock on the door to the visiting women's room when she thought of her fresh cup of tea, forgotten on the table downstairs.
"Blast it," Anna muttered. She knocked on the door.
Grace answered. Without her overcoat and hat Anna was able to get a better look at her, and thought her a remarkably beautiful woman. The different colored eyes, which had thrown her off at first, were set in a kind face and framed by dark hair. She was closer to Mr. Bates' age than Anna's, tall, and thin. Grace presented quite the image of poise and beauty. Her plain clothes and lack of ornamentation seemed to enhance, rather than detract, from the effect.
Suddenly, Anna's inner turmoil of moments before disappeared. She was glad of her decision to wear the perfume.
"If you'd like to come with me," Anna said by way of greeting, "I'll show you the way upstairs."
Behind Grace, Nora fixed one last strand of her hair in the mirror and then nodded at her reflection. She appeared behind the older woman with a smile. "As good as I can manage, I'm afraid."
Anna was not one to get down on herself about her looks, but, standing next to Grace as she was, she thought she understood Nora's sentiment perfectly. Nora had nothing to worry about, though. "You look beautiful," she answered with a warm smile.
Anna made polite conversation as she led them through the house. Nora was Lady's maid to the Lady Courtenay, Countess of Devon. Anna gleaned that the Earl of Devon had known Lord Crawley from childhood. Of course, it was one of her duties to know who was in service to whom, but she enjoyed listening to Nora's explanations. Though she was a little freer with her tongue than Anna, there was no maliciousness to her words or anything truly untoward about what she revealed. Rather, Anna thought it more likely that she was simply someone who liked to talk.
By the time they reached the second floor landing, Grace had barely said four words together. Whether stoicism was her natural state, or she'd chosen not to contend with Nora, remained to be seen. Her expression was affable enough.
The dressing gong rung just as Anna was showing Nora the necessary door. She said a quick farewell and then moved off quickly, Grace in tow. They hadn't gone more than two steps when someone called her name.
"Oh, Anna!" It was Lady Sybil.
Anna dropped into a quick curtsy. "Yes, M'lady?"
"Could you please start with Edith this evening? She wants to go down early."
"Of course, m'lady."
"Thank you."
Grace waited until they were out of Lady Sybil's earshot to speak. "You're head housemaid, and lady's maid to the daughters?"
"I am." Anna hoped her reply hadn't sounded overly proud.
"All three of them?" Grace was impressed.
"All three," Anna confirmed. "Here you are. D'you think you can find your way back, or would you like me to come back for you?"
"I think I can find my way, thank you."
She had no chance to reply. Lady Edith, who seemed to be in a state of agitation brought on by either irritation or excitement, chose that moment to peer out of her room and call for her. Grace disappeared into her Lady's room before Anna could excuse herself.
The housemaid sighed and hurried back in the direction she'd already traveled. It seemed to be shaping up to be one of those nights.
