On this late May afternoon, between the end of the servants' tea and the gong, Anna and Phyllis were both working on their mistresses' dresses for the upcoming Shackleton's wedding, which was a week away. Mrs Hughes and Thomas were discussing the days and times of departure and return of the family. When they had finished settling the timetable, Thomas went away to the butler's pantry, and Mrs Hughes turned to Anna:
- Tell me Anna, since both you and Mr Bates are going to London with the family, what will you be doing with Johnny?
A worried look crept on Anna's face:
- I still don't know… Lady Mary is not taking her children nor Nanny with her, so I don't see how we can take him with us, and work while looking after him. But I don't like leaving him here for three days in the nursery. Lady Mary said we could, but I don't like it.
- Would you like me and Mr Carson to take him?
Anna's head, which had been bent upon her sewing work, shot up to look at Mrs Hughes, somewhat baffled:
- Are you serious, Mrs Hughes? But how would you manage?
Mrs Hughes was at the Abbey from dawn to dusk, and Anna couldn't quite picture Mr Carson looking after a toddler all by himself.
- Well, since the family will be away, I intended to take a few days off. It's only time I took a little off time after all. So, I thought maybe we could take him to our cottage and keep him. Mr Carson grumbles but I know he's fond of your little boy, she smiled.
Anna smiled back.
- Oh, would you really? That would be such a huge relief for us… But I don't want to impose that charge on you!
- Not at all, dear. We would enjoy that very much.
Indeed, if the Carsons had become a couple too late in life to entertain hopes of having their own family, they could at least now enjoy playing grand-parents to Johnny Bates, who had none as it was.
- I'll talk to Mr Bates about it, but I don't see why he wouldn't agree to that. Thank you so very much for offering!
- Let me know what you decide.
Anna nodded and went back to her needle work, as Mrs Hughes exited the servants' hall to carry on with her own tasks.
- That's so nice of her, stated Miss Baxter.
- She's a godsend you mean! exclaimed Anna. I was worrying so much about that… I was really dreading leaving him three whole days with Nanny. I mean, she treats him well enough, but I can feel she doesn't agree with him being cared for among the Crawley children. She obviously does it only because it's Lady Mary's orders.
- That must be quite uncomfortable.
- It is, sometimes, yes. I'm looking forward to being able to have him with me all day.
- Oh, are you planning to leave service?
Anna looked around, checking that there were no indiscreet ears lurking in the area.
- Nothing's settled yet, but Mr Bates and I are looking to invest in a small hotel nearby. When we're in London next week we'll put his mother's house on sale, and we're going to start looking for a place around here.
- Oh, that's nice. But why decide it now, and not earlier? Johnny's already almost eighteen months old...
Anna blushed a little, and whispered:
- God, Miss Baxter, you're going to make me tell you all my secrets… We're expecting a second child, but please, keep it to yourself, no one knows yet except Lady Mary. And we haven't yet told anyone about the hotel project.
- Oh, congratulations Anna, beamed Baxter, but in a low voice.
Anna was almost surprised with herself, since she was not usually one to blabber on her private life. But, after an initially cool relationship, she and Miss Baxter had become rather close friends since the latter had teamed with Mr Molesley to search for proof of Anna's husband's innocence in the death of Mr Green, a few years earlier.
- What about you Miss Baxter? continued Anna. I noticed we've been seeing a lot of Mr Molesley around here after the school hours? Are things getting serious?
It was Phyllis's turn to blush and chuckle:
- Well… Things are going their way… Slowly… You know Mr Molesley, he's not the boldest of people. Except in front of the King and Queen.
Both women broke into laughter, as the gong rang. Both immediately started to gather their sewing things and folded the unfinished dresses, before leaving to attend to the upstairs.
x x x x
A week later, the downstairs people were gathering around the large table for tea, when Thomas Barrow came back from the backyard after smoking his usual cigarette.
- Miss Baxter, your suitor is waiting for you outside. Again, he said pointedly.
As she got up to meet him, Barrow added:
- Mr Carson would not have tolerated such frivolousness, you know.
He tried to make his glance look frightening, but Baxter was no more one to be intimidated by him.
- Times are changing, Mr Barrow, pointed Mrs Hughes. And Miss Baxter is hardly a young maid. She's not Ivy and Mr Molesley's not Jimmy. They know how to behave.
Baxter nodded and smiled to Mrs Hughes, and made her way to the backyard, where indeed Molesley was waiting for her.
- Good evening Joseph, she said.
- Good evening Phyllis. How was your day?
- Busy. I had to rush to finish her Ladyship's dress before we leave tomorrow. I thought I'd never see the end of it.
- I thought I'd come to say goodbye. I'll miss you while you're away.
- Come on Joseph, I'll be gone only three days.
- Three long days they will be…
- I'm sure you'll manage to keep yourself busy.
- Oh, I surely will. But still.
- I'll miss you too, she said, putting her hand on his upper arm. I must get back in now, Mr Barrow was not too pleased with me as it was.
Molesley scoffed.
- As if he's never been doing much worse…
- So, I'll see you next week. Goodbye Joseph.
Molesley gently took her hand in his and pressed it against his chest, then brought it to his mouth and kissed the back of it. As he put it slowly down, Baxter's other hand slid from his upper arm to the base of his neck, and she bent forward until her mouth brushed lightly on his cheek. Molesley suddenly looked like he had been touched by the hand of God.
- I'll miss you too, she whispered, before she turned around and left him on the spot, staring dreamily ahead, a crooked grin hanging on his face.
It took him several minutes before he came back to his senses enough to walk back home.
x x x x
- I'll put Johnny to bed, said Anna as the Bates family entered their cottage that night.
- Alright darling, answered John.
The family had gone to bed early, since they were leaving for London at dawn the next day. Anna and Bates had agreed with Mrs Hughes to bring Johnny to the Abbey where the Housekeeper would take him and bring him back to her cottage when the remaining staff would have seen the family off and when she would have given her orders for the day.
After kissing his son goodnight, Bates made his way to their bedroom for a last check on their luggage. When he was done, he put the kettle to boil and sat on the settee with his book, waiting for Anna to come down. Twenty minutes later, though, she had still not reappeared. He looked at the time, and wondered what was taking so long. He didn't hear his son crying, so things seemed to go smoothly. Putting his book down, he silently went up the stairs, and peeked into the nursery. What he saw made his heart melt with love and happiness. Anna was sitting in the rocking-chair, asleep, holding a sleeping Johnny against her chest. Admiring the two people he loved the most in this life, cradled against each other made his eyes water with joy. No, the three people he loved the most, he corrected himself with a smile. He couldn't wait to be back from this London trip, so that they could at last put some of the worry aside. He came near Anna, and gently brushed her cheek. She stirred and looked up to him, dazed.
- Good Lord I fell asleep with him.
John chuckled.
- You two look so beautiful like that. But you should go to bed my darling. You're exhausted and we'll have a long day tomorrow.
- You're right. But I can't get myself to let go of him… I will miss him so much during these three days.
- I will too. But he'll be having the time of his life, getting spoiled by the Carsons. I bet he won't miss us at all.
She smiled sadly. It was the first time they would be leaving their son into the care of someone else for several days in a row. They had both had to go on trips with their employers since he had been born, but never both at the same time, so Johnny had always been with at least one of his parents. John noticed her sadness, and tried to reassure her:
- He will be perfectly fine Anna. You trust Mrs Hughes. And it's only three days.
- Yes, I do, she stated firmly, as if to convince herself that everything would be fine.
- Now, put him to bed and go to sleep yourself.
Anna got up very slowly, trying not to wake the sleeping boy, and gently deposited him into his cot.
- Goodnight lovely, she whispered, putting a stray lock of brown hair off his brow.
And she turned to John, who put an arm around her shoulders and led her to their bedroom.
A few minutes later, as they had settled to bed, (the late night tea having once more been overlooked), Anna cuddled against John's side and said:
- I sort of chatted with Baxter today, I told her about the baby, and about the hotel.
- Oh. I didn't know we were telling people yet.
- I know, I'm sorry. But I told her to keep it to herself, and I think she's reliable. Anyway, I think when we're back from London, if everything has gone well, we should tell Mrs Hughes at least. And if we start looking for a place, I think we should tell Lady Mary and his Lordship too. They deserve to know we're planning on leaving. They'll need time to adjust to the idea… And maybe look for replacements. We can't leave them in the lurch.
- I was never planning on doing that. But it might still be months until the house is sold and we find something that suits us.
- I know, but I think they deserve our honesty about our plans. They've been so generous to us.
- That they have. Alright, we'll talk to them after the London trip.
x x x x
- When is your appointment with Dr Ryder? asked Mary while Anna was doing her hair, hours before the wedding celebration.
The Crawleys had asked Rosamund to house them, not willing to open Crawley House for only three days.
- Tomorrow morning at nine, Milady.
- Oh. Well I guess I'll still be sleeping at that time. Don't you wait for me tonight, we'll probably be back in the middle of the night. I'll put myself to bed.
- Alright, thank you Milady.
- What will you be doing this afternoon?
- We're visiting Mr Bates's mother's house. See in what condition it is, what work will have to be done before it's put on sale, and tell the tenants we're intending to sell.
- Well. I hope everything goes fine.
- Thank you Milady. I hope you have a good time at the wedding.
- I intend to, answered Lady Mary with a cheeky grin.
x x x x
- Well, said Bates as they closed the door of his mother's house behind them. That went rather well I think.
As it was, things had come off rather smoothly. It so happened that the tenants had been intending on leaving the house a few months later, so they were not bothered that Bates intended to sell. The house was in a surprisingly good state. Only some minor works needed to be done, like some paint refreshments and such. They would leave the choice of any major modernizing work to the new owners.
- Yes, it's a relief that the house is in such a good shape. That'll be something less to worry about.
They walked arm in arm towards the real estate agent's office, enjoying the warm weather.
- It felt a bit weird though, coming back to that house, mused Anna. Last time I came here, I talked to your mother. We were not married, not even a couple. It was a lifetime ago… I was young then.
They had planned, years ago, to go back together. But then life, or rather Vera, had happened and shattered their happy plans to pieces. They had not been able to come together until that very day.
- Young and very stubborn already… he winked. But you're still young my darling.
She chuckled.
- Yes, I don't know about that. Some nights I do feel old.
- You'll never be as old as your old husband… And you could be a hundred years old, you'd still be the most beautiful woman in my eyes. Not that I will likely ever live to see that day.
Anna nudged him in the ribs.
- Now stop the nonsense Mr Bates, she said joyously.
x x x x
Anna breathed in and out deeply, in order to wash out the painful feeling. The procedure was quick, performed by Dr Ryder's expert hands, but still it was rather painful.
- I'll let you a few moments to gather yourself, said the physician, then you can get up and come back to the office.
John had come with her this time, and he was waiting for her, sitting in front of the doctor's desk. When Anna had come back in the chair next to him, he sent her a hopeful smile, and silently squeezed her hand, as the doctor finished to complete his file.
- Well, Mrs Bates, everything went fine. I'm confident that things will go smoothly from now on. However, I advise you two to refrain from any marital activities for the three next days, to allow things to settle. Then you can live your life normally.
- Well that won't be too hard, noted Bates.
During their stay at Rosamund's house, they were lodged into separate rooms in the servants quarters, so "marital activity", as Dr Ryder had put it, was rather not an option.
- And I remind you, Mrs Bates, that the stitch needs to be removed about three weeks before your due date. Your family physician can do that.
- Yes. Thank you very much Dr Ryder, once again, said Anna.
- And, added Bates, I don't know if you've had a call from Lady Mary Talbot, but please, DO NOT send her your bill. I will pay it.
- Very well, answered the doctor.
- Did she? Ask you to send her the bill? asked Anna.
- Yes, she did, replied Dr Ryder. She seems to be very fond of you, Mrs Bates.
Anna smiled.
- We're very fond of each other. But we don't need her to do that again. We'll pay you Dr Ryder.
x x x x
- So, it's done? Everything went fine? asked Lady Mary, her face still somewhat sleepy as Anna brought her a tray in her room at the end of the morning.
- Yes, Milady, all fine, she smiled. I'm relieved.
- So am I, agreed Mary. I rather like it better that way than rushing here in the dead of night like last time.
- Yes. And I daresay Mr Bates likes it better when we're not keeping him in the dark.
Mary smiled to her maid.
- Would you be a dear and go fetch me an aspirin to take with my tea? I think I had a tad too many glasses of champagne last night, she sighed.
- Of course Milady. I'll be right back, said Anna, hurrying to the door.
While she waited for Anna to come back, Mary wiped her face with a cold and wet towel. It did help to tame a bit the pounding in her temples. Apparently she was not young enough any more to enjoy drinking and dancing all night without paying the consequences the next day.
- Thank you Anna, she said as Anna brought her the aspirin. And what about the house? Did it go well too?
- Oh, absolutely. Everything's in order. The tenants are leaving in two months, the agent is putting it on sale right away.
- And what will you do with all that money? asked Lady Mary ingenuously.
Anna looked rather embarrassed, since they had agreed with John to talk to their employers when they were back home at Downton.
- We're… not decided yet. We're examining different options.
Mary looked at her maid intently, waiting to hear if she was going to give any more details or not. When she had to conclude that Anna wouldn't go further, not at that moment anyway, she didn't press the matter.
- I'll be glad to hear about it when you've reached a decision.
- You will, of course, Milady.
- Thank you Anna, that'll be all for now. I'll ring when I'm ready to dress.
- Very well Milady.