PART THREE

Joseph Molesley was happy; happy and lucky in love. It was his first time feeling like this and he thoroughly enjoyed it. He entered the Servant's Hall for breakfast, and he sat next to the source of his happiness, Miss Phyllis Baxter, who smiled and touched his hand on top of the table. They didn't need to hide their relationship; there were two other servant couples in Downton Abbey. Carson and Mrs. Hughes, and Mr. Bates and Anna. Still, some of the other servants were shocked at the relationship the two of them had. Thomas and Jimmy had been exceptionally cruel about the whole thing. Phyllis had turned her back on Thomas, even though he had threatened to reveal her past to Mr. Carson and Mrs. Hughes, but Phyllis had become a better maid to Lady Grantham because of it. Joseph smiled at her and with his other hand, he slipped a note onto her lap before starting to eat his breakfast. Phyllis looked down and smiled at her lap, eager to read Joseph's note. She finished her breakfast and left the Servant's Hall when Her Ladyship rang (His Lordship was upstairs with her, there was a special kind of ring for those mornings) to bring their breakfasts upstairs. On her way to the kitchen to get their breakfast tray, she opened the note:

Phyllis, after everyone has gone to bed tonight, meet me in the boot room.

x Joseph

She looked at the note in shock before putting it into her pocket and retrieving the breakfast tray (after getting Mrs. Patmore to add some food and such for Lord Grantham) to bring upstairs.

Joseph was nervously sitting in the Servant's Hall after Phyllis left. He was nervous as to how she would react to his note. He didn't want her to think the wrong thing and never spea to him again. He really only wanted to talk and such without others overhearing. Once he saw her at the top of the stairs, he held his breath. "Of course I will," she whispered as she walked past and touched his hand briefly. Joseph exhaled and turned around to smile after her. For the rest of the day, Phyllis and Joseph did their duty, waiting for night to fall. Once Mr Carson had gone up to bed after his final rounds, Phyllis and Joseph slipped into the boot room.

"I've missed you," Joseph said, pulling her into his arms, holding her there. So much for just talking to her in here. He couldn't help it, she was beautiful and he had wanted her all day. He had watched her all day as she did her work. He knew she had been watching him as well.

"I missed you too," she whispered against his lips, moving him back against the table. "Honestly, I missed you and I can't help but want you."

"Phyllis," he gasped against her lips. "You don't mean..."

"Well, yes, I would with you, if you wanted. But if you want to wait, that's fine too," she said.

"Only if you're sure that you want to. I don't want it to seem like I'm pressuring you into this," he said. "You have been before and I don't want to force you and become just as bad as those men."

"I would never think of you like that, Joseph. I love you and you'd never forced me. You never, ever would do anything like that. You're too kind. You're a good man," she said. "But if you don't want to, I understand. I'm damaged goods."

"Phyllis, I would never consider you damaged goods. Let's do it and not care if anyone finds out. I love you too and as long as you love me, I will be here to hold you and love you darling," he whispered, dipping down to kiss her neck. Phyllis' head fell back as she gripped Joseph's head right before he stopped. "I can't do this."

"Yes, we can," Phyllis replied.

"No, I meant, I can't do it here in the Boot Room. I'd never be able to come in here without wanting you in my arms again," he said. "I think we should take this somewhere else."

"Where?" she asked, gasping for breath. "Table of the Servant's Hall? Mrs. Hughes' parlour? Mr. Carson's pantry?"

"I was thinking your bed," he whispered. "Since I share a room with James."

"But Joseph, if we're caught..." she began.

"If we're caught anywhere we'd still be sacked," he said. "You're right, we can't do this. I won't risk you losing your job because of me."

"And I won't have you losing yours because of me," she said.

"I would never blame you for anything," he whispered. "I love you."

"And I wouldn't blame you either, because I love you too," she whispered, sealing her promise with a kiss.