This chapter is my contribution to Lady Sybil Lives Week. The prompt for today was Couples Fluff, Servants Ball.

January 1914

Sybil looked forward to the annual servants ball. Since she wasn't out yet, her season wouldn't be till later this year, her attendance at the family's parties was very limited. She was allowed to attend the dinner and could briefly attend the after dinner dancing but was only allowed to dance with her father.

The one exception was the servants ball. Since there would be no males outside of the family attending which for tonight meant Papa and Matthew, hence no suitable males who might be interested in courting her, she was allowed to stay until she decided to retire for the evening.

For the first time since she had been attending the servants ball, Sybil was the last of her family to arrive. She hadn't been able to make up her mind what to wear, a most unusual occurrence for her. When Sybil arrived in the grand hall most of the servants were already there but as she looked around the room she saw that one was noticeably absent.

Although she tried to dance and chat with almost everyone there, she found her eyes kept wandering around the room looking for him thinking he would come eventually. She was the last of the family to leave and she left disappointed that he hadn't come.

Tom found the whole idea of a servants ball somewhat patronizing. He had sat in the servants hall and listened to some of them go on and on about the ball and he couldn't believe how excited they were. He couldn't join in because he didn't think the highlight of his year would be the Crawleys deigning to chatter with him while nibbling on small bites of bread filled with salmon mousse.

The night of the ball, Tom spent the evening as he did so often, alone in his cottage reading.

January 1915

"I am just so surprised Mama and Papa decided to have the servant's ball this year. I mean with the war …" Sybil hesitated as she looked at Branson. "But Papa says it's important to keep up everyone's spirits."

"And that's the purpose of the servant's ball is it? To keep up the servant's spirits?" Branson looked so earnest Sybil honestly couldn't tell if he was serious or just trying to get a rise out of her.

"Well … well I …" Sybil seemed rather tongue-tied, she didn't want to sound condescending. "Well it's a nice evening for everyone to mingle …"

"So I can talk openly to Lady Mary or to old Lady Grantham or to …" she felt his eyes bore into her "you."

"You can do more than talk" she responded mischievously with a twinkle in her eye. "You can ask them to dance."

Now that made Tom burst out laughing. "My dreams come true … I can twirl old lady Grantham around the great hall."

Now Sybil was laughing. The image of her grandmother doing an Irish jig floated in her mind.

Trying to sound serious she said "You'll have to ask Granny very early in the evening since usually after a dance with Carson and then a quick dance with Papa she spends the rest of the evening sitting on the sidelines watching everyone else dance feigning that she's too old and tired to dance more."

"Maybe she's just horrified by the terrible dancing she's witnessing" Tom replied.

Sybil rolled her eyes "I suppose you're an excellent dancer?"

Tom seemed to puff out his broad chest, resting his right arm across his chest, a wide grin lighting up his handsome face. "Not to sound like I'm bragging but I was always in great demand back home. I rarely sat out a dance."

One of the things that Sybil had come to like about Branson was his self-assurance. It never came across to her as cockiness like so many of the men she had talked and danced with during her season and which she had had her fill of then. No, with Branson it was something different, he wasn't trying to impress her. After all if he hadn't been self-assured he'd have never talked to her in the first place, he'd have remained that silent creature driving her around speaking only in reply to her inquiries or the required "Good Morning My Lady" or "Good Evening My Lady."

"Well I don't think we'll be doing any Irish jigs Branson so does your dancing repertoire include waltzing and other ballroom dances?"

Now it was Branson's turn to roll his eyes before turning his gaze directly on her. "I am a man of many talents my lady. I think you'll find my … dancing repertoire …" oh how he accented those words "quite suitable for your party."

Sybil, feeling his gaze on her, felt her pulse suddenly racing and her face blushing. To break the electricity she felt dancing around her, she tried her best to look and sound like her sister Mary. "Well then Branson I look forward to you seeing you waltzing with Granny."

Branson's gaze on her softened once again into a broad smile breaking out on his face. "I hope I don't disappoint you my lady."

Both of them suddenly burst out laughing breaking that electric air that had surrounded them and engulfed the garage.

"Right then" Sybil nodded as she turned to leave the garage.

"So my lady will I have the pleasure of a waltz with you?" Tom called out to her before she reached the garage doors.

She stopped walking but didn't turn her body around. Just turning her head she glanced back at him. "Of course. I look forward to dancing with a man of your dancing ability."

Although they saw each other several times in the week before the servants ball they were never alone and Sybil hadn't returned to the garage for conversation.

In the year since the last servants ball, Tom had become quite smitten with Lady Sybil. While her sisters were what he envisioned the daughters of an English Earl would be like, Sybil (and in his mind he usually thought of her as just Sybil not Lady Sybil) was so different. Of course he had been attracted to her beauty from the moment he saw her but it wasn't just that. She was kind and caring with a ready smile for all she met. She was interested in so much of the things he was interested in such as politics, the working poor, women's rights. Like him she had a thirst for knowledge and they had had many lively conversations and even a few arguments over politics or books they read. He couldn't imagine any woman being more perfect than Lady Sybil.

He knew as the lowly chauffeur he was not expected to befriend one of the ladies of the house but that is what had happened. Whenever he drove just her they would converse as if they were sitting in a pub sharing a pint. He knew his feelings weren't just one-sided because she would often seek out his company in the garage. He told himself it wasn't just because she was lonely and wanted to converse with someone who shared her interests and beliefs.

As he put on his best suit he couldn't help but wonder what she would think when she felt the course material so unlike the finest silks and soft wools of the men she was used to dancing with. He was sure his entire wardrobe probably cost less than one of her fancy ball gowns, heck probably even less than one of her day outfits. But he was sure Sybil would see beyond the poor quality suit to the man himself.

He wondered how it would be to hold her in his arms and feel the softness of her skin while looking into those lovely blue eyes. The vision of when he briefly held her hand at the garden party danced in his mind. Only now it would be acceptable for him to touch her, that is it would be acceptable only while they danced. But still he imagined he could stand next to her chatting while they nibbled on whatever delectables Mrs. Patmore and her staff had made.

He had never looked forward to an evening in his life as much as he did this evening.

In her room Sybil sat at her vanity but she wasn't really seeing the face reflected in the mirror for her mind was elsewhere. Since he had taken the job at Downton, Sybil had found herself drawn to the Downton chauffeur. She had been startled when he began talking to her and handed her those pamphlets for no servant had ever been so bold with her before. But now … now she had to admit she sought him out for conversation. Sometimes she made up excuses for him to drive her somewhere just to be alone with him and then there were those times she'd go to the garage with the flimsy excuse of ordering the car which in the past she'd just tell Carson who would see to it that the car was waiting for her when she wanted it.

She knew that sometimes when she was in the car she didn't pay attention to her mother or her sisters but rather she was looking intently at him through the rear view mirror and he had caught her doing so on more than one occasion causing a sly smile on his lips or a quick raise of his eyebrows as he looked back at her in the mirror.

The routine of getting ready usually meant the sisters would congregate in Mary's bedroom and then go downstairs together but tonight Sybil was afraid she would betray her emotions under the glaring eyes of Mary so she opted to forgo the sisterly gathering. Of the family only Papa and granny were in the hall when Sybil arrived surprising them both with her early, and solitary, arrival.

The hall was already filled with most of the staff who were drinking and enjoying the food that filled several long tables that had been set up around the room. Although the small band from the village was playing no one was dancing yet for that would not begin until all of the family was in attendance, then Mama and Carson would do a very short waltz before Papa with Mrs. Hughes would join them. After that, any one could dance although there was a customary order of dance partners for the family.

Sybil wasn't interested in dancing with anyone other than Branson but she knew she'd have to dance with Papa, Carson and Barrow before she could dance with him although she wasn't sure if Branson knew there was such etiquette to follow. As she scanned those in attendance Sybil didn't see him and a moment of panic engulfed her that despite their conversation he wouldn't attend.

She had danced with Papa and Carson when she finally spied him. He was holding a glass of punch and talking with a couple of the housemaids. As she watched the girls laugh at whatever he had said, Sybil could feel her chest tighten. Her first thought was how handsome he looked in his suit for she realized that she had never seen him in anything other than his green uniform or the coveralls he sometimes wore when working on one of the motor cars.

It wasn't until much later, after he had danced with Granny, Cora and Mrs. Patmore and some of the staff that Branson finally approached her while she was chatting with Anna and Bates.

"May I have the pleasure of this dance my lady?" Branson asked her merrily. "That is if you think my dancing appears to be up to your standards."

Both Anna and Bates were surprised at Branson's cheekiness but noted that Lady Sybil seemed to take it in stride and in fact returned such cheekiness.

"Well" she began "I didn't watch you closely but I do note that none of the women seemed to have suffered any injury."

Anna and Bates watched as Branson escorted Lady Sybil to the dance floor with his hand gently touching her back. "Maybe you should have a quiet talk with him" Anna said.

Bates, turning his gaze from Branson and Lady Sybil to Anna and then back to the couple, replied "I think both Mr. Branson and Lady Sybil know what they are doing."

"But I'd hate to see him get in any trouble or worse lose his job" Anna stated.

On the dance floor, Branson had one arm firmly in place on Sybil's waist and the other on her shoulder as they moved in step. He had deliberately chosen a slower number so he could hold her and gaze into those beautiful blue eyes. For her part, Sybil returned his gaze with neither taking their eyes off the other. For both the dance ended far too soon.

Although protocol called for them to move on to other partners, they ignored that and danced the next number which was a much livelier one. Aware that they couldn't dance a third song in a row but not wanting to see him off, Sybil asked "Why don't we have a glass of punch?"

The cheekiness returned as Branson countered "Have I worn you out my lady that you need to rest?"

Sybil laughed before looking around the room to see if anyone was watching them. "No … it's just that … we can't … we can't …"

"Don't tell me you're in such shock of my dancing ability that you can't talk" Tom chuckled causing Sybil to roll her eyes in that way he had seen so many times.

"Branson you know that we can't spend the rest of the evening dancing together" and with those words Tom felt as if someone had punched him in the stomach. For just a few minutes he had lost himself in the thought of just him and her. If they had been in Ireland no one would have cared if they danced every dance together and then left the hall together arm in arm. But here in Downton … they weren't Sybil and Tom they were the Lady and the chauffeur.

January 1919

The war had encroached on Downton and there had been no servants ball since 1915 but now the war was over and Lord Grantham wanted to get back to how life had been before the war as if it had had no effect on Downton or the Crawleys. He certainly had no reason to suspect the changes that had taken place under his roof concerning his youngest daughter and the chauffeur.

Unlike the servants ball in 1915 when Sybil and Branson were just beginning to acknowledge that maybe there was something more than friendship between them, by 1919 they were secretly engaged.

Unlike the last servants ball, neither Tom nor Sybil fretted over what they would wear for now they no longer needed to impress the other. The hard part of this ball would be trying to keep their love secret from all those around them.

Tom watched as Sybil danced with her father and Carson and then Barrow. It gave him time to just admire the beauty who would soon become his wife. When she asked one of the young hall boys to dance, Tom noticed how the lad's eyes lit up and he seemed in awe until Sybil's warm smile and words seem to relax him. That was one of the things he admired about her, that she could talk to anyone and make them feel comfortable. He had witnessed that so much with her patients. They could tell that her warmth and kindness were sincere.

Tom was so lost in his thoughts that he didn't realize someone was talking to him until they touched his arm. "I'm sorry" he began before turning and seeing that it was Sybil who was standing beside him.

"Daydreaming about the new housemaid?" she laughed.

"Daydreaming about the most beautiful woman here" he replied.

"Oh and who would that be?"

"Well" Tom began looking not at Sybil but at a group standing across the room "see the girl in that black and silver dress."

Sybil knitted her brows in a frown as she looked at the group he had pointed to but she didn't see anyone in such a dress.

Tom, still looking straight ahead at that group, continued "the one with the black skirt and the silver bodice and black straps with a beaded leaf holding up the sheer sleeves."

Sybil nudged him with her elbow and laughed as she realized Tom was describing her dress. "Tom"

But he continued talking "she looks so beautiful even if the dress is from her season before the war and she's trying to wear them out."

Sybil laugh was hardier now and Tom turned to look at her. "I can't believe you remembered that" she finally murmured.

"What you think I wouldn't remember that evening when you came to garage and told me you were close to making your decision as you ran your gloved hand over the side of my face?"

Sybil wanted so badly to reach out and touch him now, to not only run her hand along his face but to hug him tightly and to kiss his lips.

"So how about a dance?"

"I thought you'd never ask me my lady."

Jan 1920

Tom picked up the mail as he reached the front door of their Dublin flat. Inside the flat he put his brief case on the floor beside the hall table and sorted through the mail which consisted of a letter from his cousin in Galway, a notice from the landlord, a notice from the milk delivery company, and a letter for Sybil from Mary.

Later as they ate their dinner Tom asked Sybil if Mary had written any news.

"Not really" Sybil replied. "She just seems to go on about things at Downton as if I really care."

"Like what?" he asked.

"Like this." She picked up the letter and began reading "Next Saturday night is the annual servants ball. Papa considered cancelling it this year since Bates is still in prison but we convinced him the servants need something to look forward to."

"That's our Mary always trying to lift the spirits of the servants" Tom mocked.

"Tom!"

"I'm sorry love but Mary just doesn't understand."

"Well I seem to recall you enjoying the two servants balls you attended."

"That's because they were my only opportunities to hold you in my arms."

"So didn't that lift your spirits" Sybil teased.

When Saturday rolled around Tom had to work and he asked Sybil to meet him at his office at six. "I thought we could go out for fish and chips at that place you like close to my office."

After their meal Tom surprised Sybil by walking in the direction opposite of the way home. "It's a little chilly Tom for a walk" Sybil said as she pulled her woolen scarf a little tighter.

"Don't worry we're almost there love."

Sybil wasn't sure what "there" was when Tom stopped in front of a building with a sign reading "James Society Social Hall."

She could hear the music as Tom opened the door and they walked into a large room with tables scattered around the perimeter leaving a large dance floor in the middle of the room. There were numerous couples dancing to the music coming from the band sitting at the back of the room.

Tom looked around the room trying to spot his brother and cousins and their wives or girlfriends.

"Ah" he said finally spying them. "Over here Sybil." He led her to a large round table where she recognized Daniel, Liz, and Connor.

Before reaching the table he stopped and turned to face Sybil. "It's not quite like the Downton servants ball my lady but I think you'll like it although I'll admit the food isn't as good but the music and dancing will be much better."

Sybil reached up with her gloved hand and stroke Tom's face. "I think it will be better than any servants ball if for no reason other than I can do this." She surprised him by leaning forward and kissing him.

Jan 1928

Tom couldn't believe it … here they were at Downton for the servants ball. Not that they had come to Downton for that reason; no they usually came for a few days during the Christmas holidays but this year his mother had been quite ill and Tom and Sybil hadn't wanted to leave her. Tom was rather relieved for his idea of a holiday wasn't spending time at Downton but Cora had implored Sybil to come for a visit as soon as they could.

"It will be fun Tom" Sybil had declared when Cora told them the servants ball would be the following night. "We haven't been out dancing for ages."

"Well at least this time I can dance with you without worrying what others will think" Tom responded.

"But you can't dance every dance with me, we'll have to dance with the servants." Tom winced at Sybil's words. He knew she didn't mean it unkindly but he couldn't help but think back to when he had been a servant.

"I think there was a time when you looked forward to dancing with a servant."

"Well maybe a certain servant but I think he's no longer employed here" Sybil responded lightheartedly.

Tom, his eyes twinkling and that cheeky grin on his face that Sybil loved, "What a pity. But there's still Carson and Thomas."

"I'll have you know there was actually a time when I looked forward to dancing with those two."

"Really?" Tom was rather amazed.

"Of course I was only ten the first time I danced with them but I thought it was so much fun. I thought Thomas was so dashing and he twirled me around. I thought I was so grown up. I couldn't wait until the next servants ball."

"Was that the highlight of your dancing career or have you found anyone else since then that was just as exciting to dance with?" Tom teased.

"Well …" Sybil looked at her husband with a rather dreamy expression on her face. "Well … there was that servant … he was the chauffeur … I seem to recall he was Irish and that he rather bragged about his dancing talent."

"Oh … and did he live up to his bragging?"

"If I recall correctly very much so. What I really remember is I felt like a bolt of electricity went through me that first time when his arm went around my waist. I could hardly concentrate on our dancing."

"A bolt of electricity! He must have been quite something."

"It's something I've always remembered."

"And did you ever feel like that again?"

Sybil reached for her husband. "Every time you touch me."