Mr. Barrow and Mr. Kent

Note: A dash of Dowager-action for my lords and ladies. Also, "Pip, Squeak and Wilfred" was a comic strip in England back in the day. Pop culture!

Chapter 7

Two weeks flew by. Thomas had visited Eddie four times already by Jimmy's count. He told people he enjoyed a "nighttime walk," but Jimmy was worried when he saw a couple of raised eyebrows about it in the servant's hall. The night before, he'd pushed his luck. Mr. Carson had been looking for Thomas who'd returned looking ruffled. For his own part, Jimmy found himself increasingly aggravated when Thomas went out. He flirted halfheartedly with the girls and played solitaire at the table. But he missed his best mate and a few times he'd allowed himself to imagine what Thomas and the horse groom must do together and blood had rushed to his cheeks. He'd dropped a tray after a family dinner.

The day before the departure for Paris, Jimmy was ironing newspapers when Miss O'Brien slithered in. In hindsight, he could see how obvious it was that she'd manipulated him in the matter of the kiss. But ever since Thomas had been promoted, she'd kept her tongue for the most part. Thomas knew a secret about Miss O'Brien. He'd implied as much to Jimmy, but he wouldn't say what it was.

"It's my insurance, ya see," he'd said slyly one night. "Seems to be keeping the peace so far."

"Mr. Carson says you're to help pack his Lordship's things after breakfast," Miss O'Brien said. "And his traveling boots'll need cleaning." Jimmy nodded in reply but Miss O'Brien didn't leave. She eyed him with her usual feline appraisal. "You looked lonely last night."

"I wasn't," Jimmy mumbled.

"Funny, Mr. Barrow goin' on his little walks so often without you. Trouble in paradise?"

Jimmy stopped ironing and met her gaze. "Mr. Barrow is my friend. Not that you'd understand about that."

"I understand all sorts of things when it comes to Mr. Barrow," Miss O'Brien countered. She clasped her hands behind her back. "They all call you Pip and Squeak, you know? Like in the comics. You two make such a lovely couple. Hope nothing's come between you."

"This isn't going to work again, Miss O'Brien. Not after all this time. I do enjoy Mr. Barrow's company. I'm not ashamed to say it. So if you've got somethin' actually worth hearing, come right out with it."

"It doesn't make sense him helping you so much," she said. "It's like he's training his own replacement for his fall from grace. Though I guess that works out for you."

"He won't have a fall," Jimmy said. "He's doing nothing wrong."

"Of course, not," she said. She searched his eyes. Looking for weakness, Jimmy thought. "He's gone soft. Soft as her Ladyship's bed pillows. That'll make it all the easier to stick the knife."

"Well, I know it won't be you doing the knifing. Will it?"

Her smile tightened and she nodded at him. "Just sayin' what I think."

She turned to leave and stopped when Jimmy spoke. "Be careful in Paris, Miss O'Brien. We wouldn't want you to fall into the Seine and drown to death."

Jimmy had just sat down for a quick tea after scrubbing up the trunks when the bell rang for the drawing room. No one else was around and he sighed heavily. When he got there, he found Lady Mary dandling Mattie on her knee, and Lady Rose reading a letter.

"Yes, my lady?" He hoped he wasn't sweating.

"I was hoping for Barrow," Lady Mary said, not unkindly. "Do you know where he is?"

"The trunk straps for the cars have all snapped," Jimmy said. "Mr. Barrow's gone to Ripon to replace them. If it's important, I'll get Mr. Carson-"

"No, no. I was only going to pester him. We're starved for entertainment," she admitted. Thomas had told him about his conversation with Lady Mary. He'd thought it very strange. "James, I've heard you play piano?"

"I do," Jimmy said, with a grin. "A bit."

Lady Rose looked up from her letter, her eyes big. "Do you know "Ain't We Got Fun?"

Jimmy was about to answer that he did, when Mary said, "Heavens, Rose. Little early for that. You'll be in Paris soon enough. But how about a rag or two? Do you know anything like that?"

Jimmy raised his eyebrows. Lady Anstruther had often asked him to play and it had always made him feel special- different from the others. He'd never expected anyone in the family at Downton to ask, and certainly not a rag. Classical maybe.

"Yes," he said. "That is... Right now, my lady?"

"Why not?" Lady Mary said. "Everyone else is bustling about. Rose was packed a week ago and she says the minutes are crawling by."

"I think time's stopped somehow," Lady Rose said. "I'd love to hear a rag!"

Jimmy nodded and strode over to the piano. He cracked his knuckles and started playing "The Entertainer" because people always seemed so delighted by it.

"Oh, lovely!" Lady Rose chirped.

Jimmy had just gone into "Maple Leaf Rag" when the Dowager Countess's voice said suddenly, "Good Lord!"

Jimmy stumbled to his feet and cleared his throat.

The Dowager towered in the doorway, clad in a draping purple frock and leaning on her stick. "I thought you were a gramophone."

Jimmy wasn't sure how to take that, so he just said, "Thank you, my lady."

Rose said, "Isn't he marvelous, Aunt Violet?"

The Dowager took a seat on the chaise lounge and said, "He's a tragic loss to London's music halls, I'm sure."

She was sardonic, but Jimmy got the impression she secretly enjoyed it.

"We should always have footmen who can entertain," Mary remarked.

"Certainly. Perhaps while he serves dinner he can perform "Modern Major General.'" The Dowager gestured vaguely in his direction. "You may play, but let us hear something a little down tempo? If only for the sake of my digestion."

Jimmy started playing "Moonlight Sonata" and was sure he saw the Dowager smile in approval. When he was finished she rose to leave and he stood again.

"I believe the music has only served to make me pensive," she said. "I shall take a walk in the garden and contemplate the budding cherry blossoms."

He nodded and she took her leave. Rose looked at him in surprise. "She must like you."

"Truly," Mary agreed. "I've never known her to say anything makes her pensive."

"Should I keep playing, my lady?"

"Yes. Or no," Mary said. She lit a cigarette and Rose uttered a little gasp. "Tell us some gossip, won't you?"

Jimmy almost didn't hear what she said. He was trying to remember if he'd ever seen a lady smoking in the house.

"Gossip?" Jimmy was not sure of his footing.

"Downstairs gossip," Mary said. "I'm bored to tears with our sort. Tell us what goes in your world. We won't tell a soul. Will we, Rose?"

Lady Rose mimed buttoning her lips. Jimmy said,"Well, I mean, what sort of gossip?"

Lady Mary and Lady Rose exchanged knowing looks. "First things, who fancies who?"

"Oh, that's easy," Jimmy said. "It used to be that Daisy fancied Alfred and Alfred fancied Ivy and Ivy fancied me."

"I'm sure they all fancy you," Lady Mary said conspiratorally.

Jimmy did not deny it.

"Now it seems as if Daisy has given up on Alfred just as Alfred's started to fancy Daisy. But he won't tell her so. And Ivy flirts with Robby, he's one of the hall boys. Then there's Lizzie..." Jimmy sighed.

"Who does Lizzie fancy?" Lady Rose said.

"Me," Jimmy said.

"There you are," Lady Mary said, nodding at Lady Rose. "You haven't said who you fancy, James."

"Oh, I don't fancy anyone."

Lady Mary tapped her cigarette. "But I'm sure you're a terrible flirt, aren't you?"

Jimmy knew enough to see when ladies wanted to be charmed and said, "I try to be, my lady."

Lady Mary and Lady Rose rose their eyebrows and giggled in delight.

Lady Rose leaned forward, her eyes bugging out in interest. "And what about that Barrow? Between the two of you downstairs, there must be all sorts of trouble stirred up!"

Jimmy must've visibly paled because Lady Mary said, "Oh, dear. I'm afraid we've gone too far. Papa once mentioned some sort of indiscretion of Barrow's that nearly got him sacked. But he wouldn't say what. Apparently, I'm too fragile."

"Scandalous!" Lady Rose said.

Jimmy suddenly wished the house would catch on fire. Anything.

"Don't worry, James," Lady Mary said. "We won't put that on you. Barrow is a butler now. And above such nonsense. Isn't he?"

Jimmy thought of the horse groom and nodded curtly. "Yes, my lady."

"I just don't see why she's interested in us," Jimmy said to Thomas as they waited for the family dinner to be ready. "What should she care what goes on downstairs?"

Daisy was garnishing a sauce and piped up, "But we talk about them all the time."

"That's different, in't?" Jimmy said. "They're...rich."

"She's bored," Thomas said, checking his old pocket watch. He puffed a breath on the glass face and polished it with his sleeve. "And sad. Can hardly see through this glass."

"So why don't she read a book or something?" Jimmy said.

"It's not that kind of bored," Thomas said. "She wants out of her own head. It's like when you're down here and everything's the same all the time? Til you want to tear your hair out. Then all you've got is gossip and schemes. So you don't have to think about all the other stuff."

Daisy waved a wooden spoon at Thomas. "You're only talkin' about yourself and Miss O'Brien!"

Thomas said, "Daisy, have I not paid you enough this week to speak highly of me?" He took a coin from his pocket and slid it across the table. "Have another pence."

Daisy said, "Mr. Barrow's an honorable man and I'll not say anythin' different!"

"At's more like it. How long have we got?"

"Five minutes for the lamb."

Thomas huffed and said, "Then I'll take up more wine." He whipped around and stalked off to the wine stores.

"Can't believe how different he is," Daisy said, stirring a sauce. "We ought to make you a cake every Sunday."

"Why? What've I done?" Jimmy said.

"Ever since you've got here, he's turned right upside down. Everyone used to hate him. He's not so bad now. Just a bit funny."

"He's funny alright," Jimmy mumbled.