Chapter Six
Dear Martin,
I apologize for not writing to you sooner; I only recently learned from Mother that you have also changed positions, and are now working in Devon. While it's not home, I'm sure Uncle Michael will be somewhat relieved that you're a tad closer to the Irish coast. No doubt he still blames me for influencing his only son to travel to England to find work. As I just started this job I'm unsure when my first holiday will be, but hopefully you and I will be able to meet and catch up then. It will be good to see a familiar face, as well as hear a fellow Irishman.
I'm settling well here in my new position; at the very least, it's proving to be much better than the last one. I hope the same is true for you. The Earl of Grantham appears to be a good man; at the very least he's a fair employer. You won't believe this, but upon my interview with him, he actually gave me permission to borrow any books I would like from his own library! Of course I am to alert him of what I borrow, but I must confess, I can't imagine many employers being generous enough to make such an invitation.
Naturally Uncle Michael would disapprove; "never trust the English", he would say. Normally I'm inclined to agree with him, but I might make an exception for his Lordship.
But enough about that; Martin, you should see the cars I get to drive! Lady Henley had that one dusty Rolls-Royce that she barely allowed me to go above 20, much less 15mph! The Earl has five beauties, each in pristine condition and top order. Of course my mother would wonder what a man needs so many cars for, but then she doesn't understand why anyone needs a car when a horse and cart would get you to the same destination just as well. I haven't had the chance yet to drive each one, but I hope to very soon. Most of my journeys have been to several local villages, but I have heard talk about a possible future trip to London. If that does happen, promise not to say anything to either Uncle Michael or my mother; no doubt she'd swim the Irish Sea to stop me from driving those city streets.
Alright, I know what you really want to hear—sadly, no rallies yet, but I have heard that every so often they hold them in the nearby village of Ripon; I'll have to keep my eyes and ears open for any word on anything political.
Alright, alright, you can stop throwing curses at me! As soon as I can stop laughing, I'll write what I know you really, really want to hear…
There are a good number of pretty maids here, but the housekeeper hovers overhead like a hawk, ready to snatch up any lad that tries anything funny. And if it's not her, then the cook is nearby ready to use her rolling pin for more than just kneading dough. Still, I have had the opportunity to talk with a few of the girls during mealtimes. Although I should be clear that from them, it's more twittering than speaking. One maid told me the other day that she loved my accent, before bursting into a fit of giggles. I think that was the longest conversation I've been able to have with some of them. There's one kitchen maid named Daisy who seems quite sweet; in many ways she reminds me of my sisters. I'd mention your name to her if I thought it would do you any good, but she seems torn between two footmen: one, a young lad who is obviously quite keen on her, and the other, who reminds me of a snake, slithering in the grass. Sadly, I think this is the one she's keener on. There's another girl you might like; an upstairs maid named Gwen, a pretty red-head—although I've heard rumors from some of the other maids that she may be leaving Downton soon. Shall I steer her your way to Devon?
And…well, there's another lady, but she's not a servant here…
A suffragette I met in the village, actually. She's young, but she speaks in such a way that she seems far more mature than her sisters. She's quite pretty too, with long, brown hair and bright, bluish-gray eyes. She clearly has an interest in politics, and we were able to exchange a few words on the subject before I had to return to my job.
And there are other pretty girls in the village as well, of course. I'm sure Devon has many too. Anyway, I shouldn't be rattling on about this and wasting ink and paper. Do write to me as soon as you are able and let me know how you're getting on. I pray that all goes well for you in your new position and eagerly look forward to hearing more about it.
Your loving cousin,
Tom