Thomas and Richard, along with a stack load of tables, were loaded into the back of a cart to be taken down to the barn at Mr Mason's farm, in the early afternoon. It was not the most comfortable way to travel, the two of them squeezed in wherever they could, between the stack of upturned tables, Thomas trying to get used to the feel of a table leg poking the middle of his back, but it wasn't a long journey thankfully and the sun was still shining. They decided to leave their hats and coats at Downton, not thinking that they would need them due to the combination of the early summer heat and the physical work of moving tables around a barn, leaving both of them in trousers, shirtsleeves and braces, though Thomas still had his waistcoat from his uniform on. Both silently agreed to themselves, that they preferred the look of their other half, this way.
On arrival at the farm, Daisy came out from around the corner of the house to greet them. She had been down there all morning helping make food for the wedding reception. Mrs Patmore was coming down later to help, but she had the family at Downton to cook for too, so Daisy had spent quite a successful morning cooking, she had even taught Mr Mason a few new recipes in the process. "Hello Mr Barrow, thanks for your help, you must be very busy with all the usual stuff you need to do," Daisy said. Thomas was painfully aware that after the wedding he would most likely not stop working for days catching up on things he had decided to put on hold for the time being. "Oh hello Mr Ellis, I thought you were coming later on?"
"Yes well, circumstances meant that I was here a lot earlier than planned. Since Thomas is helping you, I thought he could do with an extra pair of hands," Richard said as Thomas and him simultaneously jumped down from the cart, synchronized as though it were a dance.
"That will be great thanks," Daisy replied.
"I was thinking," Thomas began, "Since its just us we could drop the formalities of the surnames for the afternoon, afterall you know Richard well enough now."
"That would be nice, part of me thinks its a bit silly calling you Mr Barrow when I used to call you Thomas," Daisy said.
"But not back at Downton, I am the butler afterall, I've got to maintain some sort of order," Thomas said, with a wink towards Richard, as he turned and followed Daisy in the direction of the barn.
...
"Most things have been cleared out or moved to the side," Daisy said, as the three of them walked into the barn, the smell of mustiness and hay hitting them as they entered. It was not an unwelcome smell, but sort of homely and comforting in a strange way. "There are a few hay bales still lying around, but I thought they could be left for people to sit on if they wanted."
"Yes that's a good idea," Thomas said.
"We could arrange them so that they are around the edges of the room, can't have it getting in the way of any dancing can we?" Richard said.
"I'll leave you two to it then. I'll bring some drinks out later," Daisy said, before leaving.
"Of all the things I expected to be doing whilst coming to see you, this would be one of the most unexpected. The two of us alone in a barn, with a hayloft," Richard said in a low voice, which combined with the way he was leaning up against a pile of hay bales and with his hair still ruffled from their kisses earlier on, made him look dangerously irresistible to Thomas. "Anything could happen."
Thomas took a deep breath and tried to remain composed, which was becoming more difficult by the second. "We have work to do Richard."
"You've changed your tune. Only an hour ago, were you practically begging me to agree with you that we should back out of helping in order to be with me, in all things."
"Well, I am trying to remain ever so slightly professional. But you are making it very hard to do so," Thomas said, trying not to smile.
"We should add this to a list of possible locations for future 'meetings'," Richard said. "I do like embracing the countryside on my visits."
"A wheat field not enough of a countryside experience for you?" Thomas said, thinking back to their first time together under the moon.
"We should add that to the list again too," Richard said.
"And we should change the topic of conversation, before I give in to you and drag you up that ladder to the hay loft!" Thomas said, giving Richard a friendly push before heading out the door to get the first of the tables.
...
An hour or so later and things were looking good. The tables were laid out along one wall and the barn had been cleared as much as any barn could be, all that was needed were a few finishing touches which Daisy was seeing to, in terms of flowers picked from the garden. Richard had been left in charge of hanging up some decorations around the walls of the barn, as Thomas wasn't the best with ladders since his injured hand would cramp up every so often. Thomas therefore, had been handed a basket of flowers and was on his way up to the church in the village with them. Daisy had thankfully told him not to worry about arranging them just to put them in a vase until later. He found a few vases at the back of the church that were used for flower arrangements there. He filled it with water from the tap outside that is used for keeping the churchyard green in the summer months, and took them to the front of the church. He never set foot in a church unless he had to, he never felt quite comfortable in these places, like he was trespassing or something. There was too much judgement attached to places like this for men like him, so when he found himself standing at the front of the church caught up in some sort of day dream, it surprised him.
Richard had visited Downton and the surrounding areas enough now to know his own way to the village church. It was getting towards the mid-afternoon and neither of them had stopped for lunch yet. They had been so busy sorting out the barn and enjoying working alongside each other that they didn't really notice. Thomas had been taking a while, so Richard had been sent up to the church with lunch for the two of them by Daisy. Richard liked Daisy, she was a lot more open minded than a lot of kitchen staff he had encountered before and eager to learn and question things, which not many people were. She also didn't have a problem with leaving Thomas and him alone for a long time, knowing the type of people they are, which again most people felt uncomfortable with. Thomas seemed fond of Daisy too, in the same way that an older brother would care for a younger sister. Richard reached the church and walked up the path, past the gravestones in the churchyard. He was hoping to find the place deserted apart from Thomas of course. He walked inside slowly, seeing Thomas standing at the front of the church near the altar. For some reason he always felt like he should creep into a church, making as little noise or disturbance as possible.
Thomas was still in his daydream when he heard the echo of footsteps on the stone floor, he turned round to see Richard, who smiled and walked up the aisle towards him, the scene playing out before him, a realistic version of a dream he once had. "I bought lunch," Richard said, holding up the basket whilst approaching Thomas. "So you arranged them anyway. Nice work, you will have to add flower arranging to your list of many talents Thomas," he said, looking towards the vase of flowers, as he reached the front of the church also, placing the basket on the front pew. Thomas still hadn't said anything. Richard looked around the church- they were alone after all. Richard turned to face Thomas and took a small step towards him.
"Richard, don't," Thomas said, "Someone might come in."
"We will hear them if they do, can't hardly creep into a place which echoes with every step," Richard said, taking another step towards Thomas and leaning in slightly.
"It's not just that," Thomas said. "Someone might be watching us. He might be," Thomas said looking upwards towards the ceiling.
"What? You mean God! I didn't know that you were religious Thomas."
"I'm not really, I don't think so anyway. It's just that if it is all real then I don't want to add any more to my list of sins, just in case. Its quite long already," Thomas said, feeling a bit stupid.
"Well, I'm not sure what I believe either to be perfectly honest. But I will say that I don't think that God has a problem with us, just most of his followers. After all, isn't man made in God's image or something? We can't be that bad then right?" Richard leaned in again. This time Thomas didn't try to stop him. Richard placed a hand on Thomas' hip, just as he knew Thomas liked it, and kissed him. Not a desperate or urgent type of kiss, but a gentle but meaningful one. Afterwards, when he leaned back and opened his eyes, he saw that Thomas was beaming.
"I never thought I'd get kissed in a church before," Thomas said in a whisper.
"Me neither. Felt good though right?" Richard said, his hand interlinking with Thomas'.
"Yeah. Felt nice," Thomas said simply.
"Shall we go and find somewhere to have lunch?"
"The river?" Thomas asked.
"Sounds perfect," Richard said, listening a moment for anyone else who might be approaching the church, before the two of them walked hand in hand back down the aisle.