Thomas yawned for what felt like the fifteenth time that morning. Christmas eve was always going to be a busy day. He had to oversee the planning of the upstairs Christmas celebrations as well as their own downstairs, which was a task that always made him tired at the best of times. But it was even harder today as he didn't sleep well the night before. He couldn't get comfy lying in a bed that was supposed to have Richard in it as well, and his thoughts were constantly saddened by the fact that, despite how much he was trying to be hopeful (and he really was trying), he was becoming more and more resigned to the thought that Richard would not be with him tomorrow. He put on a brave face of course, playing down his worries when anyone asked about Richard, and decided to try to distract himself from his own mind by throwing himself into the planning and preparation for tomorrow and the days that followed. By mid-morning he was finishing settling the bills for the ridiculous amounts of food that had been ordered. It's a wonder that anyone will be able to move for the next week after they have consumed all this, he thought as he signed off the amounts owed to the grocer that Mrs Patmore orders most of the food from. A knock at the door interrupted his work.
"Ah, Barrow, I'm sorry to disturb you. I know you must be busy but I have some matters to discuss with you regarding the servants ball?" Lady Mary said.
"Not to worry M'Lady," Thomas said, standing up before she waved a hand that indicated he could sit down again. You have no idea how much we all have to do for you, and I know you are about to add to my workload, but if it makes you feel better then apology accepted, Thomas said in his mind as he really couldn't be bothered with this right now. "How can I help?"
"Well I was thinking about how many will be attending," she began, sitting down in the chair opposite Thomas. "The numbers amongst the staff are not what they used to be, though the addition of Charlotte and Stephen help a little."
"They do M'Lady," Thomas said.
"However we still don't have enough to make it a proper event so I was wondering what you thought about inviting a few who used to work here, or have connections through family and such?"
"So we boost numbers by inviting people who are not servants of this house to the servants ball?" Thomas queried.
"Yes, but one cannot throw a suitable party without enough guests," she said. Thomas decided that she had already made up her mind about this decision so he wondered why she bothered consulting him.
"Do you have anyone particular in mind to invite M'Lady?" Thomas asked.
"Well I was hoping between Mrs Hughes and yourself that you would think of enough people to invite, though I did have a few suggestions. Mr Carson of course has to be invited."
Naturally, Thomas thought. "Of course," he said.
"And I thought Daisy would want to bring her husband along," Lady Mary suggested.
It took a few moments for Thomas to work out who she was referring too. He always thought of Andy as just Andy. "Very good M'Lady," he agreed.
"Moseley should probably be invited too, though it would also be nice to invite someone who could dance, which I don't think he can qualify for, she said, not hiding the smirk on her face as well as she probably thought she was. Moseley's dancing was legendary, Thomas had to agree. "I was thinking, maybe Mr Ellis would like to join us?" Thomas's was now giving her his full attention. "He is around here often and I imagine he can dance, can't he Barrow?"
"Um, I'd think he would like to come yes and I think he can dance from what I've heard," Thomas said carefully, hoping he didn't appear too flustered.
"Oh wonderful, that's settled then. You will invite him for me?"
"I will ask him if he'd like to come yes," Thomas said.
"I'm sure he will love too."
"There is one problem though," Thomas began. "Mr Ellis went to visit his parents in York yesterday morning before it started to snow and he has been unable to get back to Downton so far. It is not guaranteed he will be able to make it, even if he wants too," Thomas said.
"Oh I'm sorry to hear that," Lady Mary said, and her voice really did seem to indicate genuine concern. "There is still time though, with any luck he will be able to make it. Can you call him and ask?"
"I can, thank you," Thomas said.
"Good, well I'll leave you to it," she said.
...
Thomas had been thinking about Lady Mary's suggestion of inviting Richard, and he wasn't sure what to think. Richard loved to dress up smart, Thomas knew he had more than just one outfit suitable for the occasion and he knows Richard can dance, although he's only danced with him once. He wondered if it was a good idea though. They would be out in the open and it would be rather hard for either of them to just appear as two good friends, especially after all this time. Then there was temptation and how they would have no choice but to resist it- it was like at Andy and Daisy's wedding, they could only ever watch each other dance, and they couldn't hope to dance together, not in that setting. He was torn, but when the telephone rang later that day in the afternoon, Thomas decided he would just see what he thought about it and leave the decision to him.
Thomas picked up the phone and didn't even have the chance to formally answer as 'Downton Abbey the butler speaking', as Richard spoke first. "Hello darling," he said.
"You should be more careful, you could have greeted anyone as darling," Thomas teased.
"I knew it was you," Richard said.
"Didn't expect to hear from you so soon," Thomas said. "But I'm glad too, how are you?"
"Doing okay I suppose, under the circumstances. My mother won't stop cooking my favourite food, I know she feels sorry for me. For us," Richard said. "My father sent me on a few errands, I think to try and take my mind off things, though it didn't work. I am only capable of thinking of you and what you are doing."
"Did you sleep okay?" Thomas asked.
"Eventually, I sat up by the window rather late watching the stars until the snow started to fall again," Richard said.
"That could sound romantic if you weren't on your own," Thomas said.
"I suppose you have worked it out by now, but I don't think I will be getting home today, I will try tomorrow morning as early as I can," Richard said.
"I gathered that yeah," Thomas said, the line remaining silent for a bit.
"I just want to see you, this is all too familiar though right?" Richard said. "Us both sitting on opposite ends of a phone line."
"Painfully so," Thomas said.
"Describe to me how you are now Thomas. What you are doing, and wearing. Paint me a picture please," Richard said. "Actually no- let me guess?"
"Nothing special, but fine if you like, guess away," Thomas said.
"Well firstly, you are nothing but special Mr Barrow, and I can see you smile at that and your lip just twitched am I right?" Richard asked.
"You are," Thomas said.
"I think there are a considerable amount of papers on your desk," Richard said.
"Correct," Thomas said. "You know this how though?" He played along as he may as well.
"Well I heard you push them aside when you picked up the phone, and also because it is Christmas Eve and you must be busy," Richard deduced.
"What about me though? Describe me now," Thomas said.
"You are leaning back in your chair, slouching a bit. It is cold I imagine so you are still in full butler attire but you have been fiddling with your tie whilst talking to me, so it has come undone a bit. Maybe you have loosened off a button or two from your shirt?"
"You know me perfectly don't you?" Thomas said.
"Yes and I want nothing more than to sort your tie out for you right now," Richard said. Thomas could feel the mood lighten between them both, despite the situation.
"You can take it off me when I see you again," Thomas said.
"I will remember that Mr Barrow," Richard said. Thomas could almost see the grin on Richard's face.
"You are biting your lip aren't you? Trying not to say more, that could land you or me in trouble," Thomas said, turning Richard's game back on him.
"I am," Richard said.
"You are leaning against the wall in the same way you were leaning up against the car outside York police station, looking good and enjoying knowing that you do?" Thomas said.
"Correct again Mr Barrow," Richard said. "Not feeling as smart though, I'm a bit of a mess if I am honest. I am in need of a new shirt from our wardrobe."
Thomas suddenly remembered Lady Mary's suggestion. "On the subject of your good taste in fashion, I need to ask you something?"
"Oh? Advice is it?" Richard asked.
"No! I know how to look good thank you," Thomas said.
"That you do, I have first hand experience of how good you look in or out of clothing" Richard flirted back.
Thomas took a breath and tried to focus on what he was trying to ask Richard. "The servants ball the day after Christmas, if you are able to make it, would you like to come with me? Lady Mary asked me to ask you, she is in need of more guests to make the numbers look better. Plus, I think you being there will make the whole room look better and will make me feel a lot happier to be there," Thomas said.
"Is it a formal sort of thing? They never did such a thing at Buckingham," Richard asked.
"It is, though I've always thought it is a bit silly," Thomas said.
"But it will give me an excuse to wear something smart and you the same?" Richard asked.
"Yes it would," Thomas said.
"Well I will be happy to accompany you Thomas, I will spend the evening admiring how good you look all dressed up," Richard said.
"That's sorted then," Thomas said. "I confess I wasn't sure about it, not when I would want to dance with you and no one else, but you'd be the one person I couldn't dance with."
"I will be with you though," Richard said. "And maybe in the future we could find a place where we could dance together? Maybe take a trip to London? Izzie and I know a few places.
"Yeah, but I'm not sure if I am ready for that quite yet, not after last time," Thomas said.
"That's okay I get it. Maybe we should get a gramophone? Then we could dance in our living room?" Richard suggested. "They have been around for a few years now so they are getting more affordable. Izzie got one recently I think."
"I'd like that, we will have to look into that," Thomas mused.
"How did last night go with Chris by the way?" Richard said, changing the subject.
"Well on the whole, he enjoyed it I think, mostly."
"Mostly?"
"Well he was asked a lot of questions but we expected that. You had the same," Thomas said.
"I did, only natural I suppose," Richard agreed.
"Thing is Mr Carson was there, which I didn't expect or else I would have warned Chris that he is a bit funny about our sort, and he asked Chris the age old 'are you married?' question," Thomas explained.
"Oh he didn't! I've had that one before. No one else's business but some people seem to think it is. I feel for him Thomas, I really do. How'd he handle that?" Richard said.
"Well, considering. He found a way around it but the whole situation was saved by Mrs Patmore loudly announcing dessert would be served soon," Thomas said.
"Well thank God for Mrs Patmore and her impeccable timing," Richard said. "I'm glad you took my advice and invited him, I think he needs that."
"Yes, but sometimes I worry Richard, that my attempts to be his friend are causing him pain," Thomas said.
"It's not an easy situation to know what to do, but if you decided not to extend the hand of friendship so to speak or cut him out of the equation altogether, then it would hurt him more. Least that's how I'd feel if it were me," Richard advised.
"Yeah I think you're right," Thomas said. The door to the room opened softly and Mrs Hughes silently signaled to him that she needed to talk to him, before closing the door again. "I have to go Richard, duty calls."
"Right of course, got carried away talking didn't we?"
"I always have time for you," Thomas said. "I suppose I should wish you a merry Christmas, just in case?"
"No don't. I want you to say that to my face tomorrow," Richard said.
"You won't do anything stupid will you?" Thomas asked. "I'd rather you are late and in one piece."
"Would I?" Richard asked.
"You might because of me," Thomas said. "So I'm telling you not too."
"Alright, I won't do anything you wouldn't."
"I'll see you then?" Thomas asked.
"Yeah you will, goodnight darling," Richard said softly, in the same tone he would say those words to Thomas before they went to sleep each night.
"Goodnight love," Thomas said, ending the call reluctantly.
Note: This chapter was going to be longer but I thought the next part would be better suited on it's own so you will hopefully get another chapter on Saturday. The next chapter will be mostly focused around Chris and Thomas.