The next two chapters will focus on answering the question as to why Larry referred to Tom as a "grubby little chauffeur" in 3x01. Granted, he's a complete snob and a big jerk, but I wanted to explore what may have brought him to that way of thinking-after all, prejudice isn't something people are born with, they learn it, so that is what this chapter, and the one that will follow it will try to explore. THANK YOU AGAIN FOR THE REVIEWS!
Seeds Are Planted
July 1902
He's never seen a dead body before. But he's looking at one now, lying gray and still, the lid to the coffin open so people may come and pay their respects.
He remembers receiving the telegram as if it were yesterday. His cousin Jonathon, who fought in the Boer War, who was a decorated soldier, who was hailed a hero by the British Army, was dead.
Dead…from malaria.
He didn't even die valiantly on the field of battle, but in a hospital bed somewhere in South Africa. Larry isn't sure which part disgusts him more, the fact that his cousin, who in truth he idolized because he didn't have any brothers, died in such an inglorious manner, or that he died surrounded by dark savages and bastard Afrikaans.
At least that's what his father mutters, but that's good enough for him.
He vows to himself as he gazes at the dead body of his cousin that if he ever goes to war, he won't die like that. He won't die at all, but he'll kill plenty of enemies that try!
He finds himself hoping there will be a third Boer War so he can go to South Africa and have his chance at killing the savages, both white and black.
"Hello, Larry," he hears a voice speak behind him. He turns and stares in surprise at seeing her. She's there, her two sisters just behind her, and he sees behind them, Lord and Lady Grantham offering condolences to his aunt and uncle, who stand by his parents. His aunt is weeping, clearly embarrassing his uncle with her blubbering, but really, what can be expected? She's a woman.
"Larry?" Sybil murmurs, and he looks down at her once again. "I'm very sorry."
He stiffens at her words and feels his jaw tighten.
He's sorry too; sorry that his cousin is dead before he could come back and tell him all about his adventures in Africa, the stories behind his medals, the details about the enemy that he punished and humiliated. Yes, he truly wishes he could hear those stories right now.
It's embarrassing, the way his cousin died. Soldiers aren't supposed to die from disease—soldiers are supposed to be strong, especially British soldiers!
Larry always wanted to be a soldier. But now he's not so sure; and he blames his cousin's death for that.
No, no, he blames the grubby foreigners for that. They took his cousin from him with their filthy lifestyle and diseases.
He gasps when he looks down and realizes that she's touching his hand.
He yanks it away from her as if it were a hot coal.
"It's alright to be sad, Larry," she murmurs in a voice that is well beyond her years. "Mary told me she was sad when my grandfather died."
"I'm not sad!" he lies.
Mary puts her hands around her Sybil's shoulders. "Let's leave Larry alone," she whispers. Good advice.
No, he's not sad. He's more than sad.
He's angry.
I didn't know much about the Boer War, including the fact that it was TWO wars, the first being from 1880-1881 and the second from 1899-1902. I'm not sure if it was ever mentioned in show which of the two Robert fought in. I also don't know if we ever learned how many siblings Larry had (not that it was an important part of the episode) so I decided to write it where he has no brothers, hence why he idolized his cousin. I apologize if the words I used to describe Larry's inner thoughts about "foreigners" offended anyone; I hope you understand that I wanted to express the prejudice he was feeling and how that would taint his view on people who were different from himself.