"Be not inhospitable to strangers, lest they be angels in disguise." -W.B Yeats

Chapter I

"Well, your references are impeccable, Miss Smith," the butler said, scanning the two sheets of paper once more. "Henley Park and Mayfield Hall are both impressive estates. Two years at Henley, six at Mayfield." He looked at her a bit quizzically. "Forgive me, but why leave a position after six years? Mayfield is larger than Downton. You were the head housemaid."

"Yes."

"And how many were under your supervision?"

"Twenty-six, Mr. Carson. Twenty-eight with the two scullery maids."

He raised his eyebrows, looking from the housekeeper, who stood beside him, and back to her.

"I wanted to see more of England, Mr. Carson. And perhaps work somewhere smaller than Mayfield."

"I see. And if we decide to take you on, shall I expect you to hand in your notice in a few years time so you can see even more of England, Miss Smith?"

She looked from the housekeeper back to the butler, but he cleared his throat before she could speak. "Would you excuse us, Miss Smith?"

She nodded, standing from the chair in front of his desk and walking to the door, closing it quietly behind her. A tall, wirey person whom she took to be a hall boy rushed past her, calling back an apology. Although he had seemed hurried, Anna recognised the two hours of calm that followed breakfast. Once everyone was dressed, fed, the dishes washed, servants could get on with their work with relatively little stress. Now was a time of mending, ironing, making beds, polishing and, for a lucky few, a time to sit down and rest. Though normally not prone to eavesdropping, with the quiet of the hallway and the low timbre of Mr. Carson's voice, she was able to more or less make out what was being said behind the closed door.

"I don't think she's suitable."

"And why is that, may I ask?" the housekeeper asked incredulously in her Scottish accent. "She has experience in two houses. Twenty-eight maids! Mr. Carson, need I remind you that in all my time at Downton Abbey we have never employed more than twenty-five at a time?"

"Exactly, Mrs. Hughes. She'll be better suited in a larger house."

"Nonsense. I want her," Mrs. Hughes said firmly. "After all, she'll be under my supervision."

"Now, Mrs. Hughes, the last thing I need is a repeat of what happened last month."

The housekeeper chuckled. "What are you trying to say, Mr. Carson?"

Anna bit her lip, waiting.

"I expressed the same concern when we hired Lilly two years ago, and now look what's happened."

"Mr. Carson, am I to understand that you fear another...distraction?" Mrs. Hughes teased.

"Well-" he grumbled.

"Will I be forced to put out another advertisement? Wanted: housemaid: pretty faces need not apply?"

"Now, Mrs. Hughes, I only meant-"

"Enough, Mr. Carson. Michael and Lilly are gone and we are in need of replacements. In all honesty, I could do with two extra sets of hands." She sighed. "Miss Smith is perfectly suitable. If you'd like, I can tell the maids not to brush their hair or clean their faces from now on. Perhaps then they'll be less distracting."

Anna heard a good-natured chuckle from Mr. Carson, and stepped back from the door and further into the hall before Mrs. Hughes came to open it again.

"Come in," she said gently, and Mr. Carson stood from his desk, looking mildly uncomfortable.

"Miss Smith, we would like you to start tomorrow, if that's not inconvenient," he said. Anna shook her head and smiled quickly. "You will be directly responsible to Mrs. Hughes. She will explain the rules of the house to you. Number one: no gentlemen callers."

"Yes, sir," she said. "Thank you, sir."

Mrs. Hughes turned to her. "Well done," she said. "If you'll follow me, I'll show you to your room."

Anna nodded once more to Mr. Carson and then followed Mrs. Hughes out.

"Access to the maids' quarters are this way," Mrs. Hughes said, pointing to the left. "Men's quarters up the stairs at the other end of the hall. A door separates the two and I am the only one with the authority to open it." With Anna following behind, the housekeeper pulled open a door and started up a winding staircase, white walls all around, with push-doors at each landing opening into the house, the kind of doors that seem to open out of a wall. "How large was the household at Mayfield?"

"Fifty-nine of us, Mrs. Hughes," Anna said. "Eight in the family."

Mrs. Hughes shook her head. "Well, we're forty-three all together serving a family of five. If I had my way, I'd have at least one other maid, and Mr. Carson could do with another footman. We manage, but it does all seem to only come together at the last minute."

Anna smiled. "I'm sure it's that way in all large houses. There's always more to do."

"It certainly seems so," Mrs. Hughes said as they reached the landing. To the right was a long hallway with doors to each side, each bearing the names of their occupants. Mrs. Hughes opened the second door on the right side of the hall and stood aside to let Anna in. Two beds with little night tables, a wardrobe at the wall. Two small desks with chairs. A frosted four-paned window. One bed looked slightly slept in and hastily made, a small book resting on the night table, but the other was stripped of its linens.

"You'll be sharing with Gwen, the head housemaid." The housekeeper couldn't help moving to Gwen's bed and straightening the sheets while they stood there. "Where have you been staying?"

"The Grantham Arms."

Mrs. Hughes smiled. "Well, I can have someone walk into town with you to help fetch your things, if you like."

Anna shook her head. "No, thank you, Mrs. Hughes. I can manage. I haven't got much to carry."

"Very well. After lunch you could go back into town." She looked Anna over quickly. "And we'll need to find you some uniforms."

Anna was ironing her new uniforms (two each of a printed morning dress and standard black, four aprons) in the mending room when a rosy-cheeked, freckled redhead poked her head in.

"Are you Anna?"

"Yes," Anna said, propping the iron up.

The girl smiled and walked in, holding out her hand. "I'm Gwen, the head housemaid. Mrs. Hughes said you were in here." Her expression was bright, her eyes clear and unclouded by judgement.

They shook hands. "I wanted to get them ironed before tomorrow."

"You're staying to eat with us?" Gwen confirmed, and Anna nodded. "Good. You'll get to meet the rest of the staff. Some of them, anyway." She smiled shyly. "Mrs. Hughes said you'd worked at a house with almost sixty staff. Is that true?"

Anna chuckled. "It sounds like a lot, but the house was so large you'd think there were only ten of us." She picked up the iron again to smooth out the last wrinkles in one of the black dresses.

"I can't imagine," Gwen said, looking wistful. "I've been here since I was sixteen."

"I started at sixteen, too," Anna said. "We're old hats at this, then; aren't we?"

Gwen smiled again. "You, maybe. I've only become head housemaid since Lilly left a month ago. I thought it would be easy, just going on as normal with a few extra tasks, but I was wrong. This is my first real break since six o'clock."

Anna remembered those early days after her promotion at Mayfield, when she worried about forgetting to do something every time she found herself with spare time. Wearing herself out walking through rooms to make sure that absolutely everything was pristine.

"It'll get easier," she said, noticing Gwen's worried expression. "Anyway, now you'll have me to help. Just give me a few days to get used to the house. If it's any bit like the others, you can get lost turning a corner."

"You'll be all right," Gwen said. "Before, Lilly and I would dress the girls. I only dressed Lady Sybil, and Lilly looked after Lady Edith and Lady Mary. This past month I've been doing all three unless Miss O'Brien or Mrs. Hughes helps."

"Well, I'll help you," Anna said, like it was obvious.

"Oh, do you know how to dress?" Gwen asked. At Anna's bewildered nod, she sighed in relief. "Oh, thank God for that."

"Are they really that horrible?" Anna joked.

Gwen chuckled. "No, of course not, and especially not Lady Sybil," she said, her voice warm. "It's just having to do all three of them. And Miss O'Brien's never very keen on helping."

"Who-"

"Lady's Maid to her ladyship, and proud as a peacock," Gwen said, crossing her arms. "She doesn't like to do much outside her job description."

"I see," Anna said with a quirk of her lips.

The cook called out for lunch and Anna smoothed down the blue dress she'd arrived in, braving herself for the nerve wracking prospect of being introduced and expected to remember dozens of names.

"Come on, they won't bite," Gwen said, walking out with her. "You'll sit beside me."

First to the servants' dining room, Gwen led her to a wooden chair to stand behind while a kitchen maid scurried around making place settings. She looked up at Anna.

"I'm Daisy," she said, smiling widely. "Your dress is just beautiful. Isn't it, Gwen?"

Gwen nodded. "Daisy, this is Anna."

Anna smiled. "Thank you, Daisy."

"Daisy!" a voice bellowed from the kitchen. "Where are you?"

"Coming, Mrs. Patmore!" the girl called back, then hurried off. From the dining room, they heard a snippet of conversation.

"There's a new girl, Mrs. Patmore, and she's got the loveliest dress. It's blue, and-"

"I don't care if she's wearing a wedding dress! Now, take out the stew before it freezes over."

"Yes, Mrs. P-"

"And come back when you're done, you've still got the bread and steamed vegetables to carry out!"

"Yes, Mrs. Patmore!"

Gwen and Anna held in laughter when Daisy came back in, looking harried and carrying what was presumably the stew. The second she left, the girls started giggling.

"What's funny?" a tall, blonde boy asked, walking in and going to his chair. His eyes widened. "Gwen, who's your friend?"

"Anna. The new housemaid," Gwen explained.

"William," the boy said confidently, reaching across the table to shake her hand. "Second footman."

"Pleased to meet you," Anna said warmly.

"I'm sure the others'll be here in a moment," William said, looking over his shoulder. As the words left his mouth a gaggle of maids and hall boys poured in, each standing behind a chair. Informal introductions were made, after which they all turned to each other to continue whatever conversations they'd been having.

"Gwen?" The cold voice came from a woman Anna assumed, by her uniform, to be the Lady's Maid, Miss O'Brien. "You said you were in a rush. Seems to me you had more than enough time to see to Lady Mary's laundry, and yet I was the one stuck fetching it while you were down here socialising."

"I told her to go down when she did. Thank you, Miss O'Brien," Mrs. Hughes said, coming in behind the taller woman. She looked over to Gwen and Anna. "You had time to introduce yourself, Gwen?"

"Yes, Mrs. Hughes. Anna knows how to dress, so maybe she could see to one of the girls. Then Miss O'Brien wouldn't have to."

Mrs. Hughes nodded. "Well, we can talk about that later, Gwen. Anna hasn't even seen the inside of the house. You'll show her around after she gets her things from the village."

"Yes, Mrs. Hughes."

Anna nodded, watching as more staff came in. A footman with jet black hair, who stood by William, a man she took to be a valet, although he walked with a slight limp and used a cane, who stood across from Gwen. And then Mr. Carson appeared, followed by Daisy with the bread, which she set down before running back to the kitchen. Chatter ceased as Mr. Carson took his place.

"Now, before we begin, two announcements, everyone: you'll notice Anna Smith, the new housemaid. As we're quite short handed, she'll be starting tomorrow, and Mrs. Hughes and I are counting on you to help her if she has any questions. This is a large house, and I know you all remember your first days working here, so please make her feel welcome. Second, there will be four extra guests, including the Dowager Countess, at tonight's dinner, so I will have to call on a maid to help serve, although it pains me to do so." There was a twittering amongst the maids, wondering who would be chosen, while Mr. Carson gestured for them all to sit.

"You know how to dress, do you?" Miss O'Brien asked after the meal had started and small conversations were carrying on among the younger staff.

Anna nodded. "Yes. I dressed the only daughter in the last house I worked in."

Miss O'Brien raised an eyebrow. "Are you hoping to be a Lady's Maid, then?"

"I don't know. I only hope I'll be happy in whatever I'm doing," Anna said.

"Happy?" O'Brien scoffed. "That's a lofty goal for someone working in service."

"Worried someone's coming after your post, Miss O'Brien?" Mrs. Hughes asked.

"I'm happy, if that's any consolation," the man across from Gwen said, looking at Miss O'Brien, then at Anna. His eyes twinkled.

"Well, those are the first words I've heard come out of your mouth today, Mr. Bates," the dark-haired footman said. "Never thought I'd hear someone who'd been through a war, gotten injured, and almost lost his job in his first week say he's happy."

Mr. Carson cleared his throat. "That's enough shining optimism for today, thank you, Thomas."

"What sort of house were you working in before you left?" William asked.

"I was at Mayfield Hall," Anna said. "I don't know if you've heard of it."

William shook his head.

"In Somerset?"

Anna nodded at Thomas, a little surprised. "That's right."

"You worked for Lord Darlington?"

She nodded again, though puzzled at how a footman in Yorkshire would know about the estate. "Why? Has he visited here?"

Thomas shook his head, pondering her. "I knew someone who worked at Mayfield. A footman. Called Harry."

Anna thought for a moment. "We called him Henry most of the time."

Thomas looked at her for a little longer than was natural. "That's right. Henry."

Anna took another spoonful of the stew, which was delicious, the only proper meal she'd had since she arrived at the train station last night with her one suitcase. The walk from the station to the inn had been cold and miserable in the rain, and she'd arrived in muddied shoes, practically soaked to the skin, her hair plastered to her head, hoping she'd still be able to have a room even looking like a ruffian. She'd risen at dawn to try and tame her hair into a respectable chignon at the top of her head, and instead of her more professional, modest dress which had been ruined in the rain, had been forced to put on her best day dress. Dark blue. She'd felt ridiculous sitting down in it for her job interview, but it was all she had.

The train journey, although spent sitting down, had been exhausting. Having never really traveled, her knowledge of the breadth of England's geography was limited, and after hours of staring out the window at the rolling landscape her eyes had started to burn. But she hadn't wanted to sleep lest someone take her suitcase, with all she had left of her life packed neatly inside. The hours went by, the train pulling her further and further away from a life she didn't want to look back on, toward a new one, a fresh one. With the faith that remained in her she'd prayed to be hired at Downton Abbey. It was the only post she'd applied for, and in that small inn last night she'd lain in bed, her skin chilled from rain even under the quilt and duvet, and prayed again. Prayed that they'd take her on even in her blue dress, even with her inexplicable and sudden departure from Mayfield. Because she couldn't go back there. She could never go back. She wouldn't.

After settling her bill and collecting her suitcase from the Grantham Arms, Anna walked back up to Downton, where she left her suitcase in the room she'd be sharing with Gwen and changed into one of her new black dresses, tied on the apron, and prepared to meet her employer. Back in the servants hall, she ducked her head into Mrs. Hughes' open study, but found it empty.

"Well, now you look the part," a voice from behind her said, making her jump. She turned and found herself facing the quiet valet from the lunch table. His eyes smiled again.

"You're Mr. Bates," Anna said. "Or is it Mr. Barrow?"

The man chuckled. "I'm Bates. Mr. Barrow is Thomas, when he's feeling full of himself. Are you looking for Mrs. Hughes?"

"She wants to introduce me to Lord Grantham."

Mr. Bates nodded. "She went to speak to the gardener, but I'm sure she'll be along in a moment."

"All right. I'll wait here."

"And as I've nothing better to do, I'll wait with you," he said kindly.

"Nothing to do? I wouldn't be caught saying that if I were you."

"I didn't say 'nothing to do', I said 'nothing better to do', but you're right. No respectable valet would want to be caught ironing petticoats because the butler heard he had nothing to do."

Anna held in a laugh. "No, he wouldn't."

"Lord Grantham is a good man. At lunch you said you hoped you'd be happy in whatever you're doing." He considered her. "I think you will be happy here."

She smiled softly. "Thank you."

The sound of keys on a ring clinking together and footsteps coming down the hall signalled the arrival of Mrs. Hughes, and Mr. Bates stole away back into the dining room with a smirk.

"There you are," the housekeeper said, looking her over. "How do they fit?"

"I'll have to take up the hems on the morning dresses, but I can do one tonight and finish the other tomorrow."

"Very well. Now, come with me."

Downton Abbey was everything Mayfield hadn't been. For all Mayfield's architectural beauty, it was a dreadfully empty house. Intricately carved wooden detailing on some walls made hanging art or tapestries there impossible. Uncarpeted staircases kicked up echoes no matter how softly one mounted them, and the younger children's voices, when not confined to the nursery, rang through the rooms, sounding off ceilings like cries in a cathedral. While making the beds one morning Anna had thought she'd heard a scream, only to discover that the cat had made its way upstairs and was voicing its distress as it roamed the hallways. Even in summer, filled with flowers and people, Mayfield had felt somehow unwelcoming.

And here was Downton Abbey, brimming with colour and light. Every room lusciously detailed, obviously designed with extreme care and consideration, each part of the house blending together in a fluid way she had never experienced before. The library, where they finally came upon Lord Grantham, was nothing like the bleak, monotonous, and perpetually dusty one at Mayfield. But she needed to stop comparing the two. She needed to stop thinking of the other house. This was her life now.

"Ah, Mrs. Hughes," Lord Grantham greeted, looking up from his book. He was younger than Anna had expected a man with three grown daughters to be, his hair only beginning to grey, and there was a light to his expression that only life in the countryside could possibly bring. A large and handsome dog lay at his feet, looking loyal and perfectly content.

"Here is the new housemaid, milord," Mrs. Hughes said.

"Yes, Carson told me at luncheon. It's Anna, isn't it?" he asked, looking directly at her. Lord Darlington would never have done so. It had taken him years to even realise he had a member of staff with the same name as his wife.

Anna curtsied. "Yes, milord."

"Well, you're very welcome here, Anna," he said.

"Thank you, milord."

He smiled politely at her, then turned back to Mrs. Hughes. "Mrs. Hughes, Carson mentioned there might be a maid serving at dinner tonight."

"Yes, milord, I'm afraid that's right."

"You know it doesn't matter the odd time," Lord Grantham continued, "but if Carson is so put out by it, would you tell him he has my permission to put out word for another footman? Bates can't carry, so perhaps it would be for the best."

"I'll tell him, milord," Mrs. Hughes said.

"Thank you, Mrs. Hughes." He looked back to his book, then up again. "Thank you, Anna."

"Lady Mary's the eldest?" Anna asked, looking around the room. The walls were a lush merlot with silvery-white embellishments designed to mimic a medieval tapestry. The curtains, pulled back so the meek sun lit up the white bed linens, were saffron and soft to the touch.

"That's right," Gwen said, moving to the vanity table to move a small jewellery box back into place. "And she's set to marry Lord Grantham's first cousin, once removed, Mr. Patrick."

"Do they love each other?" Anna asked, looking out the window, watching as a hall boy walked Lord Grantham's dog on the grounds.

"Can't say. Lady Mary isn't one to talk about her feelings, at least to us." Anna turned away from the window and watched Gwen open the wardrobe. "Spring wardrobe in here, along with nightgowns and underthings. Gloves in the drawers at the vanity. Most of the shoes she wears during the week are here in the closet left of the wardrobe, but there are more for special occasions downstairs."

"Hats?"

Gwen smiled, shut the wardrobe, and pulled open the closet, where several pastel hat boxes were neatly stacked. "Sometimes they'll share, and something of Lady Edith's will end up in Lady Sybil's room, or Lady Mary will borrow something from her ladyship. Just do your best to put things back where you found them."

"Will I be dressing Lady Mary?"

Gwen shook her head. "Don't worry," she said. "We wouldn't make you your first day. Tomorrow you can help me with Lady Sybil and Lady Edith. Miss O'Brien will take Lady Mary. Come on, let me show you the other rooms."

In total, Gwen's tour lasted nearly two hours. Although she only showed Anna the rooms she deemed the most useful to their daily work, each one still had a list of specifications and procedures that went along with it. After her position and experience at Mayfield, Anna felt she could look at a room and decipher how it was cared for in under five minutes, but she listened carefully to everything Gwen told her, paying special attention to family quirks and preferences (Lady Grantham was allergic to daffodils, Lord Grantham leant out his books to everyone in the house, including the servants). These were what made a house a home, even a great house like this one.

All three daughters had gone into town with their mother for Lady Edith's dress fitting, and weren't expected back for tea, although this did not seem to affect the pace of the day when Gwen and Anna finally made their way back downstairs. The extra guests expected that evening kept a hum of anxious energy in the air as candlesticks were polished, cutlery counted, and linens ironed. There was heated commotion from the kitchen as preparation for dinner began. Instead of the strictly scheduled and (for the most part) silent afternoon tea she'd experienced at Mayfield, the staff seemed to be taking their tea as they could, some chatting, one writing a letter, Miss O'Brien mending something with her cup of tea beside her near the fire.

"I have to go lay the table with the other girls," Gwen said. "Take your tea, and if you have any questions, ask Mrs. Hughes. Or come up and find me."

"Do you need an extra hand in the dining room?"

Gwen smiled apologetically. "Mr. Carson wouldn't like me having you work before tomorrow. And maids don't normally help. Only for large parties."

"I could watch," Anna said. "Then at least I would know how."

"But you'll miss your tea."

"I don't mind," Anna insisted, a smile tugging at her lips.

"Oh, all right then."

When they arrived upstairs Thomas greeted them with an annoyed expression and a tray of broken glass. "It's for the footmen to lay the table, Gwen. I don't need a flock of maids around to break everything in sight."

Gwen hurried past him and looked into the dining room while Anna stayed back.

"Sophie," Gwen called gently. "Jenny. You can go down for your tea now. Once everyone is dressed and at the table I'll send you up to turn down the beds."

Thomas looked down at Anna. "How many years did you work with Harry?"

"I can't remember," she said truthfully. "It was a large house. People were always coming and going."

"Did he ever talk about going to London? Do the Darlingtons have a house there?"

"Yes."

"Yes, he talked about it, or yes, they have a-"

The two younger maids came between them, rushing down to have their tea, with Gwen trailing behind.

"Anna, I've got to go check everything over. Just go down for your tea," she said, "I'll come later."

Anna nodded and looked back up at Thomas, trying to recall what he'd said.

"Thomas, I think I've got the spoons wrong," William called from the dining room, and Thomas rolled his eyes.

"Take this," he said, handing Anna the tray with the broken glass, and turned on his heel back to the dining room. Not wanting to linger, Anna went back the way they'd come and down the winding staircase to the servants hall. Miss O'Brien happened to be returning from the mending room and, noticing the tray, stopped in her tracks.

"I hope that's not her ladyship's fine crystal," she said softly. Coming closer, she inspected the pieces. "You'll have to tell Mrs. Hughes, so she can make a note of it."

"Tell me what?" Mrs. Hughes asked, rounding the corner. Seeing the glass, she gasped a little, looking at Anna.

"The new housemaid's broken some of the crystal, Mrs. Hughes," O'Brien explained.

"Is it only the one?" she asked.

"I think so. I can go back up and check," Anna offered.

"No, I'd prefer if you stayed down here, Anna," Mrs. Hughes said, a small note of disappointment in her voice. "I'm afraid that takes us down to thirteen glasses."

Anna felt heat rise in her face under Miss O'Brien's stare. "I'm sorry, Mrs. Hughes."

"Yes, well, it's done now," Mrs. Hughes said resignedly. "Go on and have your tea with the others, Anna. I'll take care of this." She took the tray and turned back down the hall, leaving Anna and Miss O'Brien in the hallway. Anna moved past the older woman and into the servants' dining area, taking a seat on the right side of the table, away from the fire, feeling flushed.

"Not the best way to start out," Miss O'Brien said softly, returning to her place by the fire. Mr. Bates, sitting across from Anna, looked up from his book.

"What's not the best way to start out?"

"Breaking some of the family's crystal, that's what."

Mr. Bates chuckled, picking up his cup of tea. "I can think of worse ways."

"Such as?"

"Falling on your face in front of a duke." He took a sip of tea. "Like I did during my first week at Downton last year. Surely you remember, Miss O'Brien."

When he got no response except a scoff, he stood a little, taking a clean cup from beside the teapot, filled it, then slid it across the table, smiling a little.

"There," he said. "No use crying over spilled milk. Even it did come from a crystal saucer."

"Oh, she's not crying, is she?" Miss O'Brien said incredulously, turning around to look at Anna, who laughed at the playful expression on Mr. Bates' face.

Although in uniform, Anna was stuck sitting at the table while the rest of the staff went about their afternoon tasks, some casting jealous looks at her. When she offered to help the boys carry in wood for the fires, they told her she couldn't lift the chopped logs. When she offered to iron the fresh laundry one of the maids, Jenny, told her she'd be scolded if she didn't do it herself. She even asked to help in the kitchen, but was chased away by some biting remarks from Mrs. Patmore. For a moment she even considered going up to her room and settling in, but it felt selfish somehow. And so she sat and watched until nine, at which point the bulk of the staff sat down to supper.

"Well done this evening, William," Mr. Carson said after a few minutes of communal chatter.

"Thank you, Mr. Carson," the young footman said, his cheeks just slightly pink.

"And thank you, Gwen, for your help serving. It was most appreciated."

"You're welcome, Mr. Carson," Gwen said. "I was happy to do it."

"Yes, well, as it is, I am considering hiring another footman," Mr. Carson said. Thomas looked up.

"Would that make me the under butler, Mr. Carson?" he asked.

Mr. Carson looked at him sharply. "As long as I am present you are referred to as the first footman, Thomas. I'm beginning to lose count of how many times we have had this conversation."

"Yes, Mr. Carson," Thomas said, looking pleased with himself. "Oh, there was a glass broken earlier this evening. I thought you should note it down."

"Thank you, Thomas, but Mrs. Hughes has already informed me. It's only the nerves of a first day, and as maids will not, I hope, in the future be laying the table, seeing as it does not officially fall under their duties, I'm sure it was an honest mistake. Anna informed Mrs. Hughes, and that is all that needs to be said on the matter." Mr. Carson picked up his fork again. Thomas looked across the table, meeting Anna's eyes.

"But Anna didn't break the glass, Mr. Carson."

"Oh?" the butler said, his fork still poised, looking at Anna. "Then why did you tell Mrs. Hughes that you had?"

Anna looked quickly to Miss O'Brien, then back to Mr. Carson. "I didn't, Mr. Carson. She must have assumed that it was me."

"If it wasn't you, then why on earth did you come down here with the pieces on a tray?" Miss O'Brien asked.

"I gave it to her to take down," Thomas said.

Mr. Carson sighed. "Enough. Who is responsible for breaking the crystal glass?"

"I am, Mr. Carson," said a small voice from the end of the table.

"Sophie?"

"I'm ever so sorry, Mr. Carson. It won't happen again, I swear it." The poor girl sounded near tears. The table had fallen silent.

"Oh, it's all right, Sophie. Everyone, finish your supper before it gets cold. This isn't a Greek drama," Mr. Carson grumbled.

Mrs. Hughes chuckled. "Quite right."

Mr. Bates, sitting beside Anna, asked, "Why didn't you tell Mrs. Hughes you hadn't done it?"

Anna shrugged. "I didn't want to accuse anyone of something they hadn't done."

Even while taking a piece of broccoli on her fork, Anna felt Mr. Bates looking across the table at Miss O'Brien. Keeping her own eyes on her plate, she smiled.

After washing up and changing into her nightclothes, Anna sat down at her small desk with a piece of paper and a pencil. She bit her lip, then turned to Gwen, who was reading.

"All right, I've waited all day, and I just have to know."

Gwen looked up. "Know what?"

"Why Lilly left!" Anna whispered. Gwen smiled, setting down her book.

"She was head housemaid. Ran off with the first footman, Michael," Gwen said, clearly delighted to be gossiping, and pleased at Anna's surprised reaction. "They were always flirting. Lilly was like that with all the boys. And then one night they up and left together without telling a soul!"

"To get married?" Anna asked. "Were they eloping?"

"Who cares! I think it's romantic, leaving like that in the dark together."

"You don't think it might be a bit foolish, as well ?" Anna asked.

"Yes, of course," Gwen said, laughing as quietly as she could. "I hope they'll be all right. Maybe she'll send a letter back one day."

Anna smirked. "Mr. Carson did seem rather traumatized this morning at the thought of hiring another maid. I think Mrs. Hughes had to push him to take me on."

"He'll come 'round. Mrs. Hughes can convince him of almost anything once she puts her mind to it. And you may have even won over Thomas today. I've never seen him stick up for someone, and especially over something so small." She yawned. "I slept through Lilly leaving, so you won't wake me while you write. Better get to bed soon, though. Tomorrow we're up early."

Anna nodded. "I won't be long."

"Goodnight, then," Gwen said, putting her book on the night table and turning away from the light of the candle. Anna picked up her pencil again.

11 April 1912

I'll never forget your face. Never, as long as I live. Today was a new day, the beginning of my new life and I hope, for your sake as well as mine, that we will survive all the changes, all the challenges that starting over brings with it. Even far away from me, you will always be in my heart. I love you.

A/N: I had one of those fever dream days where you stay up for 20 hours spending a lot of time rewatching Downton Abbey and rereading your favourite fics...and my AU loving mind jumped into a weird space where I knew within minutes the entire outline of a story I could write during my forced quarantine. For once I can write fic without feeling guilty about it. I wrote this in one day and although I'd like to make it more fleshy and stylised, I honestly just wanted to throw it out there for anyone else who's bored as hell. PLEASE feel free to PM me even if you just want to gab about Downton Abbey. I want to keep this fic sort of mysterious and not give up my red herrings until I'm good and ready.

All that being said, I'm begging you to take this pandemic seriously. Post memes, handle your anxiety any way you can, but please don't assume that you're the exception, and that you won't get it, even if you're not technically at risk. I'm 25, am in a very strict quarantine in France, and have left my apartment twice in two weeks. I know I should get out more, but I also live in a highly populated city 3,000 miles away from my family and have chosen to remain here for my own safety, as well as my family's, which was a very tough decision. I've already lost my grandfather to Covid-19, and my grandmother tested positive. Please, take this seriously. Stay at home. Do not assume that you're the exception.