July 1921
Kurt

When Kurt and his father enter the abbey from the servants' back door, most people are gathered in the servants' hall for an early dinner. They rise to their feet when they see Mr Hummel. He takes his usual place at the head of the table, while Mercedes signals at Kurt to sit in the empty chair next to her.

"Boo, I never thought I would see you again! You had us all worried when you didn't write to us for over nine months."

Kurt cringes, knowing that he had made a huge mistake not corresponding with his father and friends when he first arrived in New York City. "I'm really sorry about that, but I'm a good letter writer now. How are you doing?"

"I feel very settled in London. We are rushed off our feet when the Andersons are in town, but I enjoy being able to spend time with Sam."

Kurt appreciates that although Sam and Mercedes could legally marry, their union would be frowned upon by most of society. He knows firsthand how difficult hidden relationships can be.

Mrs Sylvester makes an entrance carrying a tray with roast lamb. "Her Ladyship told me to cook the same meal for us as they are having upstairs."

"It's like Christmas!" Mercedes exclaims. "And the best present is having Kurt here."

The two footmen arrive with the bowls of steamed vegetables, gravy and mint jelly. Kurt notices that they are both eyeing the vacant seat next to Marley, the new kitchen maid.

"Ryder? Are you aware the seam at your shoulder is coming apart?" Sebastian asks.

Ryder sets down his platter, and wrinkles his brow when Jake snags the seat next to Marley. "I felt it go a bit earlier. I'll mend it when we turn in."

Sebastian tuts. "You will mend it now and you will never again appear in public in a similar state of undress."

"Yes, Mr Smythe."

"Ryder, to progress in your chosen career, you must remember that a good servant at all times retains a sense of pride and dignity that reflects the pride and dignity of the family he serves. And never make me remind you of it again," Sebastian lectures.

"Yes, Mr Smythe."

Kurt arches an eyebrow. Sebastian sounds exactly like his father.

Kurt pipes up, "Why don't I mend the jacket once we've eaten? I'm a dab hand at sewing, and it won't take me any time at all. It would be a shame if Ryder missed out on this wonderful meal."

Sebastian says, "Ryder, you're lucky that Kurt wants to help you out. Please come sit down."

Mr Hummel stands up and raises his glass. "We are gathered here today to celebrate Sir Blaine and Kurt's return to Westerville Abbey. May their trip be an enjoyable one, spending time with family and friends, both old and new."

Everyone raises their glasses before taking a sip of their water. Mr Hummel sits down and lifts up his knife and fork, signaling that they may all start to eat. Platters are passed from one to another, and the servants' hall is soon filled with happy chatter.

"Is it really true that you manage a restaurant?" Rory, the new Irish chauffeur, asks.

"Yes. Sir Blaine is in charge of the kitchen, and I'm in charge of the dining area. My training as a footman under my father's watchful eyes has served me well. The hours are long, but I'm used to that from my Westerville Abbey days."

"I can't imagine Sir Blaine actually cooking in the kitchen," Marley remarks.

Mrs Sylvester, who has been silent until now, lets out a snort of laughter. "He's got more cooking talent in his little pinkie than you'll ever have. You will see soon enough. In two weeks' time, Sir Blaine will be cooking the meal for a dinner party upstairs, under my careful supervision, of course."

Kurt suppresses his laughter, knowing that Blaine will need to use all his diplomatic skills with Mrs Sylvester while preparing the meal.

"It must be difficult to work the long hours at the restaurant, only to return home and look after Sir Blaine and his townhouse," Jake reflects.

Kurt is ready to deal with questions about their living arrangements. "Things are different in America. We both work long hours at the restaurant, and therefore we both split the household chores."

"That doesn't surprise me," Mr Evans says. "I've known Sir Blaine since we were young lads, and he has always been a very obliging person, ready to pitch in when needed."

Kurt places a hand to the side of his mouth and mock-whispers, "I'll let you in on a little secret. Sir Blaine is hopeless at making his bed. Each morning, I sneak into his bedroom to remake it properly."

Once the giggling has died down, Mrs Hummel declares, "Let Kurt eat his roast lamb dinner in peace! He's here for almost a month - there will be plenty of time for him to answer all your silly questions. It won't be long before we are needed upstairs."

The rest of dinner passes peacefully as everyone scarfs down their meal. After the plates have been cleared to the kitchen, Mr Hummel suggests, "Ryder, why don't you play a ditty on the piano?"

"Yes, Mr Hummel."

Mercedes retrieves the sewing basket while Kurt helps Ryder remove his jacket. Kurt whispers in his ear, "Don't worry. We've all had a smack from the upper servants. It's a thousand times worse when it's your father reprimanding you."

Ryder gives Kurt an appreciative smile and sits down in front of the piano. Soon music and song fill the air.

Honey, honey, can't you hear?
Funny, funny music, dear
Ain't the funny strain
Goin' to your brain?

Mr Evans and Mercedes are the first ones to dance, and they are soon joined by Sebastian and Mrs Hummel.

"I wish I could dance like that," Marley sighs.

"Don't you know the grizzly bear?" Jake asks.

Rory chuckles. "The grizzly bear. As if you do."

"Certainly, I do. Come on, Marley, I'll show you."

Jake twirls Marley and pulls her in close, swaying to the music.

Swaying up the hall
Let's be gettin' in line

Everybody's doin' it
Doin' it, doin' it
Everybody's doin' it
Doin' it, doin' it

Jake puts his hands up into claws and growls like a grizzly bear, and prances around, while the others laugh and clap. Kurt smiles at their folly and sets down Ryder's jacket, fully mended.

When a bell rings on the board, the music and merriment stops. "It's time to get back to work, the lot of you," Sebastian orders.

The servants quickly disperse, and Mrs Hummel approaches Kurt. "Sorry, love, I must go supervise the maids. Her Ladyship wants everything to run smoothly now that Sir Blaine is home. We'll catch up tomorrow."

Mr Hummel remains seated with Kurt. "Don't let me keep your from your duties, Father."

The butler dismissively waves his hand. "His Lordship gave me the rest of the day off. Sebastian will be managing the dinner and goings-on upstairs."

"I've seen a huge change in Sebastian. As the under-butler, he certainly commands respect of the lower servants."

"As he should do. Sebastian has proven to be a very capable valet-cum-under-butler."

"I noticed that the two footmen are sweet on the new kitchen maid."

The butler presses his lips together. "I can't remember a time there wasn't some sort of unrequited infatuation amongst the staff. Marley needs to choose wisely. Ryder is a good lad - his father is a tenant farmer on the estate. However, she should watch out for that Jake. His brother is nothing but trouble, in and out of the children's courts for hooliganism. Jake seems different, but you can't be too careful."

"Now that Sebastian is helping out with the butler's duties, you must be finding work easier."

Mr Hummel chuckles. "I've been busy as the Chairman of the War Memorial in Westerville Village."

"I'm surprised His Lordship isn't the Chairman," Kurt remarks.

"Yes, His Lordship is the more obvious and traditional choice. However, the committee insisted that I'm better suited for the post, as I know the soldiers and their families. His Lordship is the Patron - after all, he is paying for it. We decided that a memorial garden would be better than a statue."

"I hope it's not a blanket of red poppies," Kurt exclaims. Red poppies remind him of the poem "In Flanders Fields" and that very dark time when everyone had thought that Blaine was killed in action.

Mr Hummel shakes his head. "There are no red poppies in the memorial garden. Lots of roses, including the red and yellow Devon roses that Westerville is known for. There are also dahlias, pansies, hellebores, daffodils, and tulips. There will be something in bloom throughout the year."

Dave Karofsky rushes into the servants' hall. "Kurt! It's great to see you. I'm sorry to have missed the celebrations. I had to supervise the gardeners. His Lordship has asked us to set out a grass tennis court for Sir Blaine."

Kurt recalls that Dave is now the head groundskeeper. He shakes Dave's hand. "You are looking well. Come have a seat and join us for a cup of tea."

The butler stands. "Sebastian has prepared a plate of dinner for you. I'll go to the kitchen to ask Mrs Sylvester to warm it up."

After his father leaves, Kurt pours Dave a cup of tea. "How are things going?"

"I've been busy. It's difficult to find young strapping lads to work in the gardens nowadays. The government estimates that over 700,000 British soldiers died during the Great War. Most who returned are more interested in farming land, or they move to Bristol to work in a factory. We've had to simplify the gardens. On top of that, we also do never-ending maintenance work to the abbey."

"Does the abbey still have its kitchen gardens?"

Dave nods. "Of course. The family still needs its fruit and veg for the meals. I must admit that it's a struggle to do the proper pruning and whatnot."

"While I'm here, I'll tend to the kitchen gardens. Before the war, I was responsible for them."

"I couldn't impose on your holiday like that."

"It really isn't an imposition. As much as I love my life in America, I miss gardening. There is something wonderful about feeling the dirt in your hands, watching something grow, and eating the fruits of your labor. You would be doing me a favor."

"If it's no bother, then it would help me enormously."

"Are you and Sebastian…?"

Dave nods before taking another sip of tea. "Yeah. Sebastian doesn't look it, but he can be sweet and caring. He understands me and knows how to take care of me, especially when I have a spell. I understand him, too, and give him what he needs. Are you and Sir Blaine?..."

Kurt nods. "We are as strong as ever. We've had to learn how to balance running a restaurant together and our private lives, but it's all good now."

Their conversation is interrupted when Mr Hummel returns. "Mrs Sylvester has heated up your food. She said, 'Tell Dave to come and get it. No one is going to wait on him hand and foot. He can bring in some wood for the oven fire, while he's at it'. I suggest you get some wood from the shed pronto."

"Yes, Mr Hummel."

Kurt smiles at Dave. "I'll be here for a while, so we can catch up soon."

"I'd like that very much," Dave replies and quickly leaves.

Mr Hummel returns to his seat and pours himself a fresh cup of tea. "How did things go in Germany? I was expecting Blaine's testimony to take longer."

"I was surprised myself that he was only required for one day. Fortunately, Major Nick Duval was there to help expedite matters. If you recall, during the war, he was a patient in the abbey's convalescent ward."

"Yes, I remember him. Duval was Blaine's commanding officer and long-standing friend. A major now? He's done well for himself."

"Yes, Major Duval is a career officer. He's currently stationed in Germany and made a huge effort to be in Leipzig as Blaine's advocate. Blaine did extremely well on the witness stand. The verdict should be reached at the beginning of next month."

"How is Westerville's doing?"

Kurt updates his father with the goings-on at the restaurant, and relates some amusing anecdotes about fussy customers. He describes the Healy brothers' sabotage attempts, and how he and Blaine's granny dealt with the matter. "It appears that Mrs Dolloway and the Dowager Countess were cut from the same cloth."

Mr Hummel chuckles, "They can't stand each other. You should have seen them together when Mrs Dolloway last visited Westerville Abbey. There was most definitely a clash of wills. The Dowager Countess thinks that Mrs Dolloway is a brash nouveau riche, who likes nothing better than to upset the applecart. Mrs Dolloway thinks that the Dowager Countess is old-fashioned, wedded to the stuffy formalities of the English gentry."

"It must be something to see those two women in the same room." Kurt lets out a large yawn. "If you don't mind, Father, I'm going to retire for the evening. It was a long journey from Germany, and I'm absolutely exhausted."

"Don't let me keep you, Kurt. I should retire as well. His Lordship has told me to take as much time off as I need while you are here. I will still need to work hard when the Andersons are entertaining, but we will be able to see plenty of each other at other times."

Kurt gives his father a hug and leaves from the backdoor. He is really looking forward to spending time with his father.

When he arrives at Dower House, it is dark and quiet. He goes up the stairs to discover the tell-tale signs that Blaine has been there and hangs up the wet towel and collects the dirty clothes. Satisfied that Blaine's trunk has been unpacked and his clothes have been properly hung up, Kurt makes his way into the second bedroom. He discovers his night clothes in a drawer, and quickly changes. After he uses the bathroom to perform his night time routine, he returns to discover Blaine flopped on the guest bed.

"Kurt, you're not planning to sleep here tonight, are you?"

Kurt smiles at the adorable puppy-eye look Blaine is giving him. "Nope. I want to sleep with my cuddle bear."

They ruffle the bedsheets to give it a slept-in look, and then walk hand in hand to the main guest bedroom. Once Blaine is ready for bed, they snuggle under the bedsheets.

"Hmm… This is my favorite part of the day," Kurt murmurs.

"Mine, too. I missed you tonight."

"I was just a floor below you."

"I know, but I wish you would join me upstairs while we're at Westerville Abbey."

"That's not going to happen. I'm a former footman, and my father is the family's butler. There are certain divides that will never be bridged."

Blaine brushes a few stands of Kurt's hair away from his face. "Don't you think that we're on the precipice of great change? I've noticed a shift since the beginning of the Great War. Men who have gone overseas to fight for their country won't settle for anything less than democracy. They aren't going to come back and settle for being servants or shopkeepers. Women used to work in the munitions factories, and they have earned the right to vote. The upbringing and attitudes of my parents and Grandmama are from a bygone era."

"You've been living in America for too long, my darling. By and large, Americans value people for their accomplishments. I'm treated with respect because I was a flying ace during the war, and now manage and co-own a restaurant. But here at Westerville Abbey? I'm from the lower class and considered your faithful companion."

"I don't think of you that way," Blaine protests. "You're my partner and equal in every way."

Blaine rolls onto his back and stares at the ceiling. "I'm going to tell my father and Cooper about our relationship. Otherwise, they will never think of you differently."

"Blaine, are you sure that is wise? I don't want to be the person who causes a huge fracture in the relationship with your family. Honestly, I am more than happy to spend this holiday downstairs, visiting my father and Mrs Hummel at their cottage, and pottering around in the kitchen gardens."

Blaine rubs the side of his face. "It's not only about asking my family to think differently about you. They need to see me for who I really am and think differently about me, too. They've already planned a Saturday to Monday party in a few weeks' time, and my father hinted that there will be many eligible ladies attending. He needs to know that I'm not interested in women… That I'm in love with you and am very happy with the life we have built for ourselves in America. If I don't sort this out with my father beforehand, it could be like the 1914 London Season all over again."

Kurt strokes Blaine's arm to comfort him. "It's so very different for me. When I first arrived at Westerville Abbey as a footman, I told my father about my preference for men, and he accepted me. He watched us fall in love and helped me through the horrible times when you were missing in action. He has always been so supportive. I'm not so sure that your father will be the same."

"I know. I really dread telling him."

"Can I make a suggestion? Why don't you discuss it with your grandmother first? She has always been supportive of our love, and she really can devise the most remarkable plans."

"I was thinking that, too. The first chance I get, I'll arrange an afternoon tea with her."

They snuggle closely once again. Kurt knows that they each have a lot of family news to share with one another, but that can wait until tomorrow. It's more important to be close and feel connected now. They lazily trade kisses until tiredness overtakes them.

x o x o

The following morning, Kurt leisurely walks to Westerville Abbey for a late breakfast. Blaine had gotten up at the crack of dawn to go riding with Firebird and Wesley. When he arrives, the staff are busy with luncheon preparations, polishing silverware, mending clothes, and other daily duties.

After eating a slice of bread with butter and Westerville's famous Women's Institute strawberry jam, he sets off to the wine cellar to find his father, but is surprised to discover Sebastian instead.

"Hello, Kurt. What can I do for you?" Sebastian asks.

"I was looking for my father."

"Mr Hummel is with His Lordship going over the schedule for the next four weeks. There will be dinners, visitors, and a Saturday to Monday party. I'm doing a stock count to make sure we have enough wine."

"My father must trust you a lot if he's given you the cellar keys."

"A lot has changed since you used to work here. There is a new order downstairs, with me being the under-butler and His Lordship's valet."

"I've noticed that. You have the respect of the lower servants. Can I ask you a question?"

Sebastian sets down the stock ledger and sits on a cask. "Sure."

"Have you ever considered another job? There are a lot of new opportunities for young men now."

"I like my job. I'll be the butler one day when your father retires. The Andersons are good people to work for. Sure, they all have their foibles, but they are an honest and decent lot."

Sebastian rubs the back of his neck before he continues. "Working outside is very therapeutic for Dave. I worry that if we move to a city, his shell shock symptoms would return."

"I can understand that," Kurt replies. "I want to thank you for your letters with advice on how to deal with Sir Blaine's nightmares. It certainly has helped. I think that the physical work in the kitchen also soothes him."

"I'm glad to hear that. Does Sir Blaine still get nightmares?"

Kurt replies, "I don't think they will ever totally go away, but they are less frequent. He's learned to put his POW experiences in perspective and find peace within. We've just come from the war crime trials in Germany, so who knows what effect that will have."

"Through my wartime connections, I obtained some new research about shell shock. Every day, doctors are discovering new ways to treat it. I'll pass it along for you to read."

"That's very kind of you, Sebastian."

"Do you have any plans for today? I'm sure I could find some silver for you to polish," Sebastian jokes.

Kurt laughs, "I never want to polish another piece of silver in my life. No, I think I'll go to the kitchen gardens and potter about. Do you know where my old gardening clothes are?"

"Last night, Dave told me about your offer to help in the kitchen gardens. I had Jake bring down the boxes of the stuff you left behind. You should find them in there. Come, I'll show you where they are."

As Kurt follows Sebastian up the stairs, he reflects on how their relationship has changed during the past seven years. Although once they were enemies, they are now friends. There truly is a new order downstairs.

Author's Notes

The song that Ryder plays is "Everybody's Doing It Now" by Irving Berlin (1912). There really was a dance called the "Grizzly Bear", which originated in San Francisco in the 1900s. It was used in Downton Abbey for a scene in the servants' hall.

Trivia: Back in these days, some upper-class single ladies would acquire "companions". The companions weren't regarded as servants, but they weren't treated as equals, either. They were on the same social standing as a governess or children's nanny. She would spend time with the lady, help arrange social things, etc. This is what people think Kurt is for Blaine. There wasn't a male equivalent, except some upper-class gentleman did have traveling companions.

More trivia: During WW1, the Women's Institute (commonly known as the WI) was established in Great Britain to help increase food production. In Westerville Abbey, the Dowager Countess was its patron, and Mrs Hummel was responsible for the food production at the Westerville Estate. After the Great War, the WI played a key role in promoting women's suffrage, employment, and education rights, as well as healthcare, and child welfare. To raise money, they sold homemade items, most famously strawberry jam. The WI is still around today. The film Calendar Girls was released in 2003, and it's based on a true story of a group of middle-aged women in the WI who pose nude for a calendar to raise funds. It's got an all-star female cast, and well worth watching if you haven't seen it before.

Many thanks to my fantastic betas - Fearlessly, Lilyvandersteen, Dblmalfunction. I made the last-minute edits and performed the final proofreading by myself, so all mistakes are mine.

I'm HKVoyage on Tumblr.

Next up: The village fete.