Chapter 2. Beautiful Stranger.
Several months later.
Thomas was sitting in the servant's hall after dinner reading his newspaper and listening to Alfred and Jimmy bicker over who was going to ask Ivy out on their half day.
"You don't even like her!" seethed Alfred. "You only do it to tease me and it's getting old".
"How do you know how I feel? Maybe I'm secretly madly in love with her and the fact it drives you crazy is just a bonus" said Jimmy grinning.
Alfred jumped up from his seat and stalked into the kitchen.
"You shouldn't pester him Jimmy" said Anna good naturedly. "It's not fair to Ivy if you lead her on just to annoy Alfred".
"Oh I'm only messing" said Jimmy. "It's just too funny when he gets all flustered".
Thomas chuckled behind his paper. Sometimes Jimmy really reminded him of himself. The love triangle between the two footmen and the kitchen maid was not unlike the situation Thomas had been in when he would flirt with Daisy just to tease William.
After several months of awkwardness, Thomas and Jimmy had fallen into a little routine. James continued to flirt more and more with Ivy and Alfred became more and more annoyed by it. Afterwards he would ask Thomas to read him something from the paper or start up a game of cards. Slowly but surely they were becoming the kind of friends they used to be. Though there was still a distance between them. They never discussed what had happened that night but Thomas was aware that Jimmy's flirting with Ivy was as much for his benefit as it was for Alfred's. Jimmy was still never totally relaxed when he and Thomas were alone.
Everyone rose to their feet as Mr Carson entered the room flanked by Mrs Hughes looking very flustered himself.
"I have just been speaking to her ladyship and we are to expect a visitor to arrive on the 11 o clock train from London." Said Carson looking very put out indeed.
"As you are aware this is very short notice and so we will all must work very hard in the morning in preparation for their stay".
"Who is it?" asked Anna.
"Lord and Lady Cartwright" replied Mrs Hughes. "They are only just back from a visit to America and hadn't heard of Mr Crawley's death".
Everyone remained silent for a moment as they remembered the recent passing of Matthew Crawley and how difficult it had been for the past few months on the family. But they were coming out of mourning and had had many house guests in the wake of the funeral.
"I must say it is a very ill-timed visit and very inconsiderate that we have not had a reasonable amount of time to prepare for their stay" said Mr Carson sternly.
"Well that wasn't their fault" Mrs Hughes sighed in exasperation. "And anyway with the amount of visitors we have had in the past few months we are well equipped to manage a few extra guests."
"We'll see" replied Mr Carson sternly. "With them will be her ladyship's lady's maid Miss Butler and his Lordship's valet Mr Reid. Mr Barrow I trust you will look after them during their stay?"
"Of Course Mr Carson" smiled Thomas but inside he was fuming. Thomas hated extra work.
"Right so I think it would be best if everyone went to bed. We have a lot to do in the morning".
With that everyone got up and went to bed.
….
The next morning Thomas was out in the yard having a cigarette when he was approached by an unfamiliar woman dressed in a Lady's maid uniform.
"Would you be Mr Barrow?" she asked.
"I am"
"I'm Miss Butler, Mr Carson sent me to try and find a footman to help with the luggage but they seem to have disappeared. Would you mind giving us a hand?"
"Of course" replied Thomas silently cursing Jimmy and Alfred.
"I must dash but Mr Reid is waiting for you out front".
Thomas strolled around to the front very unhappy at the prospect of even more work when he was halted by the sight of one of the most beautiful men he had ever seen.
"Mr Barrow I take it? I'm Freddie Reid, Lord Cartwright's valet"
"I am" said Thomas in awe "but please call me Thomas".