Her mind had been so full with images of drowning bodies, of people dying in an almost frozen sea or inside the immense metal vessel, Anna had found herself shivering more than once while she and Gwen worked on tiding up the girls' dormitories. Now, however, additional news were directing her thoughts elsewhere. Listening to O'Brien talking about heirs and succession had made her realise the implications of the tragedy, besides the obvious, dreadful losses of Mr James and Mr Patrick.
She had to concentrate on the practical aspects, as the lady's maid seem to be doing, in order to stop her minds' eye to clearly see Mr Patrick's young face frozen, drifting away in a sea of-
"Hello."
It took her a moment to remember. Of course, the new valet was to start working today. And there was O'Brien, directing her sharp tongue not at Gwen any more, but at this stranger who, despite the calm façade, was bound to be anxious about his new work.
She hesitated a second, after Mr Bates introduced himself. It was plain that O'Brien would not even bother to shake his hand. Honestly, there was no need whatsoever to be this rude.
"I'm Anna, the head housemaid," she shifted the pillow and candelabrum she was carrying to free her right hand. His grasp was firm and brief, and his expression did not change. Acting almost as if she was Mrs Hughes herself, O'Brien indicated him to follow her. Trying to give this man a sign of encouragement, Anna smiled at him. His answer was more like a grimace.
A moment later she found herself surrounded by almost everybody. Why even the scullery maids were dawdling around, trying to get a glimpse of the new valet! It did not take a genius to guess why. A new addition to the staff was bound to provoke curiosity. One that seemed to be unable to walk without a cane was a completely different story.
Still, what was the matter with everybody? Even Mr Carson, usually so proper he seemed to be insensitive, had not been able to stop himself from staring at Mr Bates' leg and cane. And now the new valet had been forced to repeat, for what felt like the tenth time, that he can manage.
"Of course you do," Anna prompted. It was not only a matter of being polite. She could not stand why everybody felt entitled to be around, staring and voicing doubts aloud, and lest of all Thomas' expression that was on the verge of becoming a sneer.
This time Mr Bates did smile at her, quickly, before turning back to Carson, to be directed upstairs to his room.
Of course there were almost hundred steps separating the servant's hall and the attic, and she had to admit there were times, during specially hard days of work, when it was an ordeal to climb them all and carrying things along. And yet, why was everybody doubting this man? He must have known what he was signing for. If he said he could manage, the least he deserved was the opportunity to prove it.
And yet, O'Brien's words kept on sounding inside her head for the rest of the morning. "I can't see that lasting."
Of course she could not. Or she would not. It was no secret that Thomas had wanted to stay as Lord Grantham's valet, and it was not a secret either that he and the lady's maid were quite friendly. And yet... Anna wanted Mr Bates to prove them wrong. Not only because it was always a pleasure to see their smirks being swiped out of their faces – something that, if she was to be honest, did not happened frequently. No, there was something about Mr Bates that seemed to challenge his own limp. He was more than a cane and a crooked leg, or so Anna felt.
She did not have to wait much longer for a prove of that. During luncheon his Lordship came down. It was not the first time that he did so, but it was certainly the first time Anna had seen him doing that in order to greet a new member of the staff. They were usually summoned upstairs.
Furthermore, it was the first time Lord Grantham addressed a new valet as "my dear fellow".
His old comrade in arms.
Anna quickly realised where that limp must have came from. Of course there was more to Mr Bates than what met the eye.
"You never asked."
AN: Thanks very much for reading, and special thanks to the wonderful reviewers!
