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July 1912

By the time Mr. Bates had been at Downton for a couple of months, it was more or less established that Anna would hang back and walk home from church with him on Sundays. Occasionally Mrs. Hughes would walk with him, but the housekeeper was generally in too much of a hurry to accommodate Mr. Bates' slow pace.

The day was overcast, with occasional sprinkles of rain. Everyone else had hastened ahead, to get back to Downton to hot cups of tea hastily gulped down before the family needed them. Anna wasn't in any rush, however. It was her favorite part of the week, and a little rain couldn't hurt.

"You know, you don't have to wait for me," Mr. Bates said. "You should hurry up and go get dry."

"It's only a bit drizzly. I like it—it's refreshing. We don't get out in the rain and weather much."

"No, I don't suppose we do." He glanced up at the sky. "It'll be more than drizzly soon, unless I miss my guess."

With an arch look, Anna asked, "So you predict the weather, now, Mr. Bates?"

He smiled. "I can count storm clouds."

"That's just taking the easy way out," she scoffed, grinning.

Chuckling, Mr. Bates shook his head. "I am sorry to disappoint you, then."

"You haven't so far."

He looked at her sharply, then back up at the clouds. "I hope his lordship can say the same."

"I would think so. Lady Mary says he looks much better turned out than when Watson was here."

"Does she?" Mr. Bates frowned. "I suppose there's a lot of gossip in a big house like this one."

"It's difficult to do someone's hair without talking to them, and what else do we have in common with the young ladies?" Anna shrugged. "No one means any harm by it. Well, except O'Brien. You want to be careful there—Lady Grantham listens to O'Brien."

"Yes, so I've gathered. Thank you for the warning."

"I wouldn't want to see you get into any sort of trouble."

"That's kind of you."

It wasn't, not at all. It was selfish. She liked talking to him; she liked walking with him; she liked sitting next to him at table, their arms brushing sometimes. She liked his occasional smiles and his eloquent eyes. In the short time they'd known each other she'd learned that while he could school his face to show little to nothing of what he felt, he didn't have quite the same control over his eyes. It was the only drawback to walking next to him; it was much harder to see his eyes this way. "Mr. Bates, do you like it here at Downton?"

"I'm very lucky to be here."

"That's not what I asked you."

"No, I suppose it isn't, is it." He tilted his head, giving her that curiously intense look of his. "I do like it here, Anna, very much. Thank you for asking."

"Good. I'm glad."

At that the heavens opened up, his storm clouds finally reaching them. Despite the rain dripping off the rims of their hats, they were both perfectly content.