Chapter 2 – Cleaning House

Tom Branson walked into his brother's garage in Downton Village in late April 1925, his daughter Sybil as with him. Kieran was poking about making a cup of tea on a corner of his tool bench when they arrived.

"Tom, Sybil, what brings you down to visit on a this fair spring day?" Kieran asked. "Do you want a cup?"

"Don't mind if I do," Tom replied.

"Uncle Kieran, may I go visit Aunty Ivy?" Sybil asked.

"Go ahead, Sybil. Ivy should be out in the garden," Kieran replied.

"I'll be right back," Tom said. He walked Sybil the short distance to Kieran and Ivy's cottage then returned once Sybil had been delivered into Ivy's care.

"It's too nice a day to keep my head buried under a hood for all of it," Kieran said as they sat on a rough bench outside the repair shop and sipped the two mugs of tea Kieran had just made.

"I need to ask you a favor," Tom said with a sigh. "It's a tad on the morbid side."

"Sounds ominous."

"It's time to dispose of Matthew Crawley's motor. The one he died driving," Tom said.

"And you want me to take care of it?" Kieran asked.

"If you would be so kind. It's been stored in a remote shed on the estate since the accident. I thought it was better to keep it out of sight out of mind. Lady Mary has just gotten married to Mr. Napier as you know. I talked it over with Lord Grantham. He'd like it disposed of in a manner where no one in the family would ever see it again. I can have it brought over. Scrap it, fix it up and sell it, do whatever you like with it, just don't sell it to anyone locally. It's a 1920 AC. Lady Mary won't be back from her honeymoon tour for the next two months. He'd like it gone before then. We'll pay you for your time and you can keep whatever you make off it."

"I owe him one for all he did when the boys went missing," Kieran said thoughtfully. "Tell Lord Grantham I'll do it no charge. The money I make off the scrap or the sale if it's salvageable will more than pay for my time."

"Thanks, Kieran. I knew I could count on you."

"Matthew Crawley died because he was driving too fast didn't he?" Kieran asked.

"That's the official word," Tom replied. "There was an oncoming lorry. He swerved to miss it, lost control and flipped the car."

"It was out on that T-intersection between here and the Abbey wasn't it?"

"That's it. He was killed instantly."

"Seems rather odd doesn't it?" Kieran said. "For all the hundreds of times you have driven that road wouldn't you think he would have slowed down before he got to the intersection? There is no way in hell you could make that corner at full speed."

"All I know is that I am damn glad you taught me how to drive properly and did the same with Ivy. I had no issues with her driving Sybil about in my car once you said she could drive well enough. There are too many that think they can drive because they can work the controls. There's more to it than that."

"Aye, there is," Kieran said. "How are Rose and the new bairns?"

"Good," Tom replied. "The little ones are a handful. You never know which one will cry next. We've hired a nanny for them. We're still looking for one for Sybil. I don't know if we'll even bother at this point. She's always out with either Rose or myself and James is at the house with his nanny until Lady Mary gets back. Otherwise one of the two nannies can see to bed times and baths when we are busy."

"You live in a house with a over a dozen servants. You can't tell me one of them can't see to a little girl getting dressed or taking her outside to play in the garden." Kieran said.

"My thoughts exactly," Tom replied. "Rose is starting to ride a bit again. She'll be back to showing horses in a month or two. Sybil is down to the stables with her almost every day. It seems pointless to hire someone to take care of her then give them pretty well a half day off every day."

"It's been nice chatting, but I have to get back to it," Kieran said tossing the dregs of his tea onto the ground before he got up. "When are you going to have the car sent over?"

"Is tomorrow too soon?"

"That's fine. I'll shuffle things around a bit and make room for it out back."

"Thanks, Kieran," Tom said as he finished his tea then left to collect Sybil and head back to the Abbey.

-0-

"I saw Mr. Crawley's old car go past with the recovery lorry when I was walking into the village on my day off," John Bates commented to Lord Grantham while Lord Grantham was getting ready for dinner a few nights later.

"Dreadful thing," Robert Crawley replied. "We thought it best to dispose of it while Lady Mary was out of the country. It's been gathering dust all this time. Mr. Branson thought it best to get rid of it now before James gets older and one day stumbles across it."

"How does he plan to dispose of it?" John asked as he turned to get Lord Grantham's tails.

"I'm not sure. I think he's having his brother scrap it. I told him I don't care as long as no one from the family ever sees the blasted thing again," Robert said.

"I quite agree milord. There's no sense rubbing salt in the wound," John said. He helped Robert into his jacket then brushed the dust and lint from Robert's shoulders.

"You know I always thought Matthew was quite a good driver," Robert said thoughtfully. "I suppose I was mistaken. It must have been the excitement of the new baby and he got distracted."

"I would assume so, milord."

"No sense looking to the past. Lady Mary is remarried now to Mr. Napier. He's a good chap. They'll be spending the rest of the year at his father's. They've decided to alternate years between estates."

"That is most likely the wisest choice, milord."

"Yes, well into the fray, Bates," Robert said as he moved towards the door to go down for dinner. He turned back before he exited. "Be a good chap and don't mention you saw the car go past to anyone else. I wouldn't want word to get back to my wife."

"My lips are sealed, milord," John said with a slight bow of his head.

-0-

Thomas Barrow got on his hat and coat for a walk into the village on his day off. He had been spending his time off with his love interest Ronnie until the other man had gotten ideas about working at the big house. Thomas had told him he didn't want him working there, with their relationship right under the noses of his Lordship and the other staff. Ronnie had gotten into a huff and their relationship had ended on a sour note.

It had been a good affair while it lasted. They had set up a love nest in an unoccupied cottage not far from where Ronnie was working. It had been convenient and satisfying with no one being the wiser about the relationship. Without Ronnie about Thomas didn't know quite what to do with his free time. He decided he would head down to the village for a visit with Mr. Carson. After all the years of backstabbing and all the rest, Mr. Carson was one of the most levelheaded men Thomas knew. Besides it was nice to be the one seated and being waited on in grand surroundings for a change.

The bell on the door to the teashop tinkled as Thomas entered. He spotted Mr. Carson delivering a pot of tea with cream and sugar on a tray to one of the tables. It was still sometime before lunch and the shop was quiet. Thomas took a seat well away from the other patrons.

"Mr. Barrow, it's nice to see you," Mr. Carson said. "What can I get you?"

"A cup of tea and a friendly face, Mr. Carson," Thomas replied with a smile.

Mr. Carson returned with the pot of tea on a tray. The table was already laid with cups and saucers. He took a seat across from Thomas as was his custom when the younger man stopped by. From his seat he had a good view of the room and front door should anyone walk in.

"What's new in the village, Mr. Carson?" Thomas asked. There wasn't a thing that went on in the village that got by Mr. Carson. The teashop even surpassed the pub when you wanted to know what was going on.

"Very little," Mr. Carson replied. "People are still talking about when those two boys got nabbed then over powered the crooks on their own. It's just too good a story to let go and of course Lady Mary's wedding."

"It was a lovely wedding," Thomas replied. "It was every bit as grand as her first."

"She'll do well with Mr. Napier," Mr. Carson commented. Thomas couldn't help but notice how much greyer Mr. Carson looked every time he saw him. The retirement was a good thing all around. The workload at the Abbey over the last five months or so would have put the older man in his grave.

"I thought I saw the police parked in front of the repair garage when I walked past," Thomas commented. "They must still be following up on the kidnapping."

"It very well could be," Mr. Carson replied. "They've been by twice so far this week. They stopped by here for their lunch the other day. Not a word in the village so far though as to what's going on."

"That's a bit odd isn't it?" Thomas commented. "For a small place like this."

"It is a bit odd," Mr. Carson replied. "I ran into Mrs. Ivy Branson the other day. She mentioned they are planning to drive up to Liverpool in a few weeks. Her husband is dropping off a car to be sold there. They are planning to go over to Ireland on the ferry and visit his mother for a few days."

"Ivy's a decent girl," Thomas said. "She's done well for herself."

"Quite well. Taking on the raising of those two boys so soon after they were married shows she is made of sterner stuff than one might have thought. What news of Jimmy and Alfred?"

"Alfred is doing well. He'll most likely take over from Mrs. Patmore when she retires in a few years," Thomas said.

"He was always was a good, steady worker."

"Jimmy is restless since Ivy married. He should have snatched the ring when he had the chance."

"As we all should," Mr. Carson replied.

"Sometimes it's easier said than done," Thomas commented. "Miss Sybil is downstairs to visit quite often these days. She's a charming little thing."

"Like her mother before her. How is Lady Rose making out with the twins?"

"Well enough I suppose," Thomas commented. "She was always such a slight thing. These days she's rather well endowed. She's been off shopping a number of times for new clothes. There was almost a riot among the maids over her cast offs."

"She has always had exemplary taste," Mr. Carson said. "I'm not sure what happened in her choice of husband."

"It's all in the eye of the beholder, Mr. Carson. Mr. Branson does have his appeals," Thomas commented with a smirk.

"Humpf," was the only reply.

"The talk of the outdoor staff is they brought Mr. Matthew's car down for Mr. Branson's brother to dispose of. The one he was driving when he died," Thomas commented. "It must be why they're headed to Liverpool."

"I hadn't heard anything about it, but then it is a rather morbid subject. They'll be well rid of that machine." The bell tinkled above the door signaling the start of the noon rush. "It's back to work for me, Mr. Barrow," Mr. Carson said. "It was nice to catch up with you."

"Like wise, Mr. Carson," Thomas said as he finished his tea and headed out the door.