CHAPTER 24: METHUSELAH

The next morning

The Dining Hall

Lady Mary set down her coffee to open a letter from her sister.


Dear Mary,

I hope this letter finds you well and your pregnancy progressing smoothly. I hope to join you in that regard before the year is out.

I am writing to ask a favour. An acquaintance of Bertie's, Ivor Novello, is expecting to purchase a country home within the next year or so. He's traveling about deciding where he might like to buy. I would like to extend him an invitation to stay at the Abbey for a single night and have Tom give him a tour of the area.

You may recognize Novello's name. He wrote the music for "Keep the Home Fires Burning" of which we were so fond during the war. He is both a composer and an actor. Have you seen his latest movie, "The Rat"? It was an enormous success.

I realize that you may not relish entertaining an actor, but he was a friend of Bertie's cousin, Peter, and Bertie feels obliged to assist him in any way he is able. Frankly, I am hoping that this gesture may help my cause by influencing Novello to give the magazine an extended interview with exclusive photographs.

Many of the servants, especially the women, will have heard of Novello and should be forewarned not to make a fuss. We must face it, Mary. Movie actors are the new aristocracy. We may as well make friends with our new bedfellows.

Please ring me up and let me know if you are able to help.

Your sister,
Edith

P.S. At the moment, Novello is between valets. He is not familiar with country estate life and hopes you will be able to provide a man who will prevent a gaffe on his part. I suggest that you select someone other than Barrow as both Novello and Barrow are artistic types.


Lady Mary set down the letter and sighed. She wasn't sure that getting along with her sister was all that it was cracked up to be. Still it would cost her little to cooperate, and this Novello fellow might be amusing.


The next day, after breakfast

The Library

Thomas entered the library. "Mrs Hughes is here. Is Your Ladyship ready for us?"

"Yes, Barrow. I'm sorry to interrupt your morning, Mrs Hughes."

Mrs Hughes approached Lady Mary. "I hope nothing is amiss, milady."

"Not at all. We're to have an overnight visitor this afternoon ... a friend of Lord Hexham. He'll be out and about with Mr Branson tomorrow, return for lunch, and then be on his way. Let's put him in the rose bedroom, Mrs Hughes."

"Yes, milady." Mrs Hughes still did not understand why she had been summoned to the library for an event as ordinary as a single visitor.

Lady Mary continued. "This will not be our usual visitor. Have your heard of Ivor Novello?"

Mrs Hughes shook her head, but Thomas piped up, "Yes, milady. He's an actor and a composer, too. I saw him in The Rat. I thought he was very good ... if Your Ladyship will pardon my impertinence."

Lord Grantham looked up from his desk. "An actor? You've invited an actor to stay here?"

"He was a friend of Bertie's cousin. What was I to do, Papa?" Lady Mary turned back to Thomas and Mrs Hughes. "Do you suppose many of the servants are familiar with Mr Novello?"

"Certainly, milady, especially the women," answered Thomas.

"That is why I wished to speak to you both. You must ensure that Mr Novello is not embarrassed by unseemly behaviour. He is not to be ogled, and he most certainly is not to be asked for his autograph."

Mrs Hughes nodded. "I understand, milady."

"We'll make certain that the staff is prepared, milady," assured Thomas.

"I'm confident you will. That will be all, Mrs Hughes."

After Mrs Hughes exited the room, Lady Mary turned her attention to Thomas. "Barrow, Mr Novello will be in need of a valet during his stay. It is my preference that Bates attend to Mr Novello. You will attend to Lord Grantham."

Lord Grantham turned from his desk. "May I ask why?"

"Bates is a more experienced valet. This is not Mr Novello's usual ... milieu. He will want Bates' advice."

Lord Grantham was annoyed. "Suppose I want Bates' advice?"

"Really, Papa. Must you make something out of nothing? It's only for one night."

Lord Grantham raised his hands in surrender. "As long as it's only for one night, Barrow and I can muddle through, right Barrow?"

Barrow smiled tightly. "Certainly, my Lord."


Thomas Barrow's Pantry

Thomas and Mrs Hughes had met and agreed that the staff would be promised a paid trip to the cinema if all maintained a professional standard of conduct during Novello's visit. They made their announcement in the servants' hall and clearly outlined what did and did not constitute a professional standard of conduct.

Now Thomas and Bates were sitting in Thomas' pantry with the door closed. "Lady Mary has decided that you shall attend to Mr Novello during his visit, and I shall attend to Lord Grantham."

"Why would she want that?"

"Because you're the best, and Lady Mary wants Mr Novello to have the best."

Bates looked at Thomas intently. "That's not the true reason, is it?"

"No." Thomas sighed. "Lady Mary wants to keep me away from Novello because he's ..."

"Uranian?"

Thomas laughed. "That's a sophisticated word, John."

"It was a polite enough word in my day. Has that changed, Thomas?"

"Only that it's a bit out-of-fashion, that's all."

Bates was irritated. "And I'm a bit out-of-fashion as well, aren't I, Thomas. Lady Mary is afraid that Novello will make advances if you attend him, but if I attend him, then there's no concern, is that it?"

Thomas was amused by this turn of conversation. "Do you want him to make advances to you, John?"

Bates was not amused. "You don't know what it is to be past your prime, Thomas. Past your prime and walking with a cane." Bates threw up his arms in exasperation. "Look to whom I'm speaking. You'll never be past your prime, will you, Thomas!"

Thomas was astonished by Bates' outburst. Bates headed for the door but turned back. "Do you fancy this fellow, little brother?"

"I've never met him, John. How could I fancy him?"

"You've seen him at the cinema."

"I know the difference between fantasy and reality, John. What does it matter? After Hopwood, I promised Lady Mary that I would not permit myself intimate relationships."

"You promised her what? But that's none of her business!"

"John, you and I both know that it is her business. It's illegal, and she's my employer."

"She's bullied you."

"I can decide that for myself," warned Thomas.

"So, I'm to have no opinions now?"

"You know that's not it, John. I want to hear your opinions, but only I will decide if and when action shall be taken when it pertains to me. We agreed on that, didn't we?"

"We did."

"It's getting late, John. Mr Novello will be in the rose bedroom if you care to see that everything's in order. Or do you need help up the stairs, Methuselah?" Bates chose not to dignify Thomas' little joke with a response.


A short time later

Thomas was finishing up his mail for the morning when Anna knocked on the door. Thomas caught the look of concern on Anna's face. "What's wrong, Anna?"

Anna smiled. "It's nothing serious, Thomas ... only John passed by me a couple of times today, and he seemed upset. He was muttering to himself and barely said hello. I thought you might know what's bothering him."

"Anna, I've never thought of John as a vain man, but suddenly he seems terribly concerned about his appearance."

"Does he?"

"He thinks he's too old to be attractive. I don't know where he got such a notion. He's not much older than I am."

Anna looked at Thomas thoughtfully. "It's not vanity. It's fear."

Thomas scoffed. "Fear? John?"

"Yes, Thomas, fear. How old are you?"

"I'm 32. I'll be 33 in May."

"So you're 32 and fit. I'm 37. I'm young enough to bear John another child. John is 47."

"That's not so old!"

"It's old to John. He thinks he has more years behind him than in front of him. It's harder for him to keep himself fit because of his limp. And he's terrified of losing his job. We all know that none of us is secure these days, not even the Crawleys. But John's afraid he's too old to learn a new trade if it comes down to it. Young or old, he's certain no one will give him the chance because of his limp."

"I didn't realize." Thomas recalled his parting comment to Bates. "Oh dear."

"What?"

"Anna, I made a terrible joke. I called him Methuselah."

Anna laughed. "It's not the end of the world, Thomas. He'll get over it. You may want to retire that joke."

Their conversation was interrupted by a knock at the door. It was Lady Mary. Thomas and Anna immediately stood.

"Is this a convenient time, Barrow?"

"Certainly, milady. I'll speak with you later, Anna."

Lady Mary waited for Anna to leave before beginning. "Barrow, is everything set for Mr Novello's arrival?"

"Yes, milady."

"Tell me, Barrow, are you angry with me for not having you attend to Mr Novello?"

"It's not my place to have such opinions, milady."

"No, it isn't. So tell me, are you angry?"

"Not angry, milady. I'm disappointed that you don't trust me. You asked me if I were willing to be married to my job, and I said that I was. Now, you won't allow me the discretion to make staffing decisions that you would allow any other butler to make."

"You're quite right, Barrow. You decide who will attend to Mr Novello, and if it's you, then it's you."

Thomas was surprised by Lady Mary's contrite behaviour and tried to be gracious. "Thank you, milady."

"Barrow, I hope you're not going to make a habit of pointing out my faults and then having the gall to be right."

Thomas pulled himself to his full height and assumed the impassive expression he wore as butler. "Not if you begged me, milady."