"I'm sorry, Mrs. Hughes, I have to go", said Thomas putting on his grey coat. He was rather pale, and looked shocked.
The housekeeper looked surprised. She didn't know anything about that.
"Please, ask Mr. Carson if he can come for a few days. I'll be gone for at least a week. I already spoke to His Lordship".
"Is there a problem, Mr. Barrow?" asked Mrs. Hughes, very worried by Thomas' behaviour.
"I received a telegram. My sister is very sick. I need to go to her as soon as possible".
"I am really sorry to hear that, Mr. Barrow. I hope everything will be fine". Thomas nodded, then left, quite in a hurry.

After a week, Anna entered the servant's hall to find the butler back in his chair, with all the other servants around him, their eyes fixed on a basket on the table. Thomas had telephoned only once, to say that sadly his sister had passed away, and he was staying to organize the funeral. He didn't want to say anything else, only that he was going to be back a few days later.
"Mr. Barrow, you're back!" said Anna, approaching him. "I am really sorry about your sister... it must have been"... then, her attention was caught by the basket.
A small baby was sleeping inside it, covered with a pink blanket.
"What... is that a baby?" she asked, realizing immediately how her question was stupid.
"Yes," said Thomas, in a plain voice. "Her name is Emily".
"Is she... you brought her?"
Thomas looked at Anna for the first time. He was paler than usual, and he had dark circles around his eyes. Clearly, he hadn't slept well in a while.
"Anna, meet my niece. I told you that my sister died, but I didn't tell you how. She wasn't sick, she died in childbirth. And Emily is her baby".
Everybody exchanged shocked glances.
"So, when you received the telegram..." started Mrs. Hughes, leaving the question unasked.
"The telegram told me that she died, yes. I told you that she was sick because I didn't have time to explain. I went to Manchester to fetch the baby. Since we don't have any other family alive, or it's me or the orphanage, for this little one".
"But... what about the father of the baby, your sister's husband?" asked Mrs. Patmore, voicing what everyone was thinking.
"See, that's another funny story. Apparently, the baby's father and my sister's husband are not the same person. When my sister got pregnant, her husband left her, and he doesn't want to have anything to do with the baby".
"How he can be so sure?" asked Andy. Thomas sighed. "My sister and him have been married for almost twenty years. They never had kids. I am not sure why, maybe he had some tests done, but he was sure to be infertile. So, when his wife got pregnant... well... he assumed he wasn't the father".
"That's ridiculous!" Mr. Bates sounded outraged. "I am sure that from a legal point of view you could..."
"Maybe, Mr. Bates," interrupted harshly Thomas. "But it's worth to start an expensive and long legal procedure to force someone to maybe take in a baby that he doesn't want in the first place? And what's going to happen to the baby?"
After a moment, Mr. Bates shook his head. "No, you're right. It's better not to".
"What are you going to do?" asked Daisy, looking from the sleeping child to Thomas.
The butler sighed. "I don't know. I'll talk to His Lordship after dinner, and I'll see what he says. If he lets me keep Emily, then I can figure something out. Otherwise, I guess I'll resign and search for another job".
"Don't be ridiculous! They would never do that!" said Mrs. Hughes, surprised that Thomas could even think of something so terrible.
"A butler taking care of an illegitimate child in His Lordship's house?" answered Thomas, with a sad smile. "For some reason, I can't see them be happy about it".
"This family has seen worse", said again Mrs. Hughes, in her usual, sweet voice.
"Maybe. But it was their worse. I am not part of the family, Mrs. Hughes".
The housekeeper sighed. "And yet, many times they helped their servants. They did it with Mrs. Patmore, with Anna, and even with you, Thomas. I can't see why this time should be different. Besides, I can't imagine His Lordship asking you to resign just because you didn't want to leave your newborn niece in an orphanage. Anyone else would have done the same, you can't be punished for this".
"I guess we'll find out soon enough," said Thomas, looking at his pocket watch. "It's time to prepare for dinner. A nurse who I hired in the village should arrive soon, to feed the baby. Do you mind... taking care of Emily while I'm serving dinner? I'm sorry to ask you, but..."
"Don't be silly!" exclaimed Anna. "She's a newborn, what is the worse thing she can do? Poop? I have a kid myself, I know what to do".
Thomas nodded, reassured. "Thanks".