September 7th, 1927~

A week or so ago Tom Branson and Lord Grantham stopped into the Pub on their way home from London. It was, as always, a pleasure to see them. It does my heart good to see how far they've come from where they started, and it didn't take much convincing for me to sit down and visit.

We were talking about how well business was doing and I happened to mention that we were considering buying an automobile to fetch guests from the train station to the hotel, as an added service. It was something we had always planned on doing but the timing was never right. That, and the fact I don't know how to drive. I'm sure I could do it though. My knee rarely bothers me any more. Some days I even forget and leave my stick at home.

His Lordship and Mr. Branson exchanged conspiratorial smiles and Mr. Branson says, I think we might be able to help you out there. That piqued my interest. He continued, We've been looking to sell the '24 Austin.

That's right, continued His Lordship. There's not a thing wrong with her other than it's not driven often enough. Lady Edith liked to drive it but she's mostly in London now. It would be perfect for you! I could make you a very good deal on it. What do you say?

I knew the car well, and had in fact been with His Lordship when he purchased it, so I knew what he paid for it and knew it was well out of our range, therefore I was pleasantly surprised when he wrote down a price on his card and passed it to me. We could do this! I'll need to speak with Anna first, of course, but yes, I'm very interested, I told him.

So, the deal is done, with the stipulation that Mr. Branson will give Anna and I both driving lessons this very afternoon. I wanted Anna learn too and she loved the idea because she's fearless and always up for an adventure. I have no doubt she'll be a better driver than I am. I would have preferred to have our first lesson on some country backroad, but Mr. Branson has so much confidence in us that he says it will be fine to start out right here in front of the hotel. I'm not quite as confident as he is. If I know Caleb and Archie they'll be selling tickets to watch the show.

I'd better get some work done now.

~ John Bates

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~ Ah-Ooo-Gah! ~

Tom placed his driving cap firmly on his head, clearing his throat. He smiled over at Anna, giving her a reassuring look as she gripped the car's steering wheel between her hands and tried out the pedals.

'Are you ready, Anna...' the former chauffeur began.

Anna nodded her head and grinned

'Then start 'er up and do as I told you,' he said.

'Uh...maybe...' from the backseat, John leaned forward and poked his head in between them, '...I should get out?'

His wife rolled her eyes. 'You wanted to be here when I drove so you will be here.'

'I was just saying that because maybe...' John thought for a second as Anna turned and shot him a look.. 'Do you really want to learn with someone - me - looking over your shoulder? I don't want to make you nervous.'

'Don't worry, Mr. Bates,' Tom told him, trying to hold back a chuckle. 'Anna has nerves of steel. She'll do just fine.'

'If Lady Edith did it I can do it too,' she said resolutely

'I'm not doubting your - oh my, here we go!' John couldn't help but gasp audibly .

The motor was running and the car jerked into gear. Anna's tongue peeked out of her mouth and she began to follow Mr Branson's instructions step by step.

'Press the clutch, Anna, down to the floor.'

'Like so?'

'Very good!' Tom cheered. 'Now you can gear higher as you slowly let off the clutch and go a bit faster, if you want...slow down before the curve right there and then do as I told you.'

'Yes,' she whispered focusing on his words, her feet pressing the right pedals and the car was at an almost stable rhythm now, with only a few jerks and grinding of gears.

John was sitting nervously in the back, one hand on either side of his legs, pressing hard on the leather of the car's seat. Every time Tom made an observation or gave an order to Anna, he would mimic her movements as if he was the one driving, concentration written all over his face.

'I must say you are a faster learner than Edith was...' Tom smiled before looking back at John. 'You've married a chauffeur Mr. Bates. A few more lessons and your wife will be able to pick up the guests at the station all by herself.'

'There's nothing Anna can't do, Mr Branson,' John concurred.

'Of that I am sure!' the younger man replied, smiling at Anna as she navigated another turn. They'd always been friends, the three of them, and he would never forget the time when he was no more than a chauffeur and Anna and Mr. Bates were two of the people he most trusted.

Anna's lips formed into a confident smile and John couldn't help but feel a huge sense of pride in his wife, even when, a moment later, she gave a blast on the horn, AH-OOO-GAH! and slammed down on the brakes, killing the engine as a cat shot across the road in front of her. 'Lucky cat,' Anna whispered under her breath as she calmly restarted the car and proceeded on her way.

'You're drawing a crowd, Anna,' Tom Branson pointed out as they drove past the village square. Some people turned and gawked in surprise to see Anna Bates in the driver's seat. A couple of women actually applauded.

'Alright, now you stop there,' he pointed ahead. 'And we are going to park the car, and then we are going to back to the hotel. Remember what I told you about reverse?'

'I do, Mr Branson,' Anna answered. 'Should I park between those two?'

'Anna, maybe you should park over there,' John suggested. 'There's nothing in your way.'

'But that's not the point, is it? The point is to learn how to park properly and at the station there's always something in the way,' she told her husband.

'Maybe...Mr. Bates is right,'cautioned Tom. 'Maybe we should leave parking between two cars for the next lesson.'

'No, I will do it now,' Anna said with decisiveness and the men looked nervously at each other. Even Mr. Branson was none too sure about this. She saw their exchanged looks. 'If you both are too scared, if you don't think I can do this, you can get out of the car.' She slowed to a halt, 'I won't leave here today without parking in that spot.'

'No, no, we'll stay,' Tom said. 'I don't want you alone just yet.'

'Good.' Anna nodded. 'I have to be parallel with that car, right? Before reversing to the space?'

'That's right,' Tom said, unsure.

John swallowed hard in the back seat.

'I thought so,' she pressed the clutch hard to the floor and got in gear seamlessly. Tom wondered if this had really been the first time she had driven in her life.

'Are you sure you've never driven before?' he asked her.

'No, but I bought a book about motorcars the other day,' she replied and with that she eased down on the accelerator and pulled ahead.

'Now Anna...Anna... Slow it down. Be careful of that car - ' John said anxiously from the backseat.

'I can see what I'm doing, John!'

'Just a little more...' Tom said. 'A little more.' The car moved slowly ahead. 'Perfect!'

'But it's not very good.' Anna wrinkled her nose as the three looked at the car, now from the outside.

'It's perfect, Anna!' John said.

'No...' she shook her head. 'It's crooked.'

'Anna, believe me, it's much better than my first parking attempt!' Tom remarked excitedly. He had never seen such a good first time drive and he was really impressed with Anna's skills.

'If you say so…' she continued eyeing the car with some doubt, but deep inside she could barely contain her pride. She did it! If she could go back in time and tell housemaid Anna she would one day drive her very own car and drive it well, she would never have believed it! Mr. and Mrs. Bates' car! She let out a throaty laugh, clapping her hands together.

'I did it! I love driving, John. I did it!' she squealed, turning toward her husband.

'I don't know what I was worried about...forgive me for doubting,' John said, as he wrapped his arm around her shoulder. 'Deep inside I knew you would be splendid.' He gave her a squeeze and placed a loud kiss on her temple.

'Maybe I can be the one fetching the guests from the station. Not yet, but in the future...Sarah or Daisy can see to the children while I do it!' she thought aloud.

'I don't see why not, sometimes, if you really want to,' John said.

Anna grabbed her husband's face in both hands and kissed his cheeks.

Tom grinned at the happy couple before coughing loudly to get their attention.

'Very well, what about you drive the car back to the hotel, Mr. Bates?' he suggested.

'Uh...Maybe Anna better do that. I would rather drive without such a big audience my first time out.' John smiled shyly.

Tom looked around, seeing about ten or twelve spectators. The former chauffeur laughed good-naturedly. 'As you wish, Mr. Bates. Anna, let's pull out of the parking space, shall we? Take it to the hotel and we'll tell everyone how well you did? Sam owes Lord Grantham and me two pints.'

Anna and John looked at Tom questioningly.

'Lord Grantham set the bet. He said Anna would drive the car with no trouble at all...Sam wasn't so sure about that.'

'That Sam...' John pursed his lips.

'Sam said you would do terribly, in fact,' Tom said and Anna giggled. 'And that Lord Grantham didn't know what he was talking about. He may have said something about women being allowed to drive.'

'What? There's a reason Sam's never married. He has a lot to learn about women. I'd enjoy seeing Mrs. Patmore teach him a thing or two,' John huffed.

'What? Mrs. P. and Sam? Seriously?' Tom laughed aloud.

All three hopped in the car again. Anna pulled from the parking space, having only a bit of a problem, but nothing that some patience and persistence didn't solve. They returned without incident to the hotel.

That was Anna's first day as a driver. John's was yet to come. Who from the two would be the best driver in the family? Bets were being made in the pub that night, and any hopes that Mr. Bates had of driving without an audience were dashed.

Bets placed: Twelve to three. Anna over Mr. Bates.

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Oh, what a fun day! I never thought I would live to see it but here I am!

Today I drove a car for the very first time. Oh my goodness, I can hardly believe it, even now. I drove our lovely new car from the hotel to the square, past the church and Mrs Potter's house, and around the edge of the village...it was such a wonderful experience.

Mr. Branson was there to teach me, of course, I would never venture to drive myself without experienced hands by my side. Tomorrow is John's turn. We'll be practicing three times a week until Mr. Branson's sure we're good enough to drive by ourselves. He's coming after lunch as he always has a few hours to spare until tea.

Anyway,... I parked and everything! And Mr. Branson said I did very good for my first time, and truth to be told, I really think I did. John was a bit frighten at the start. He probably thought I was going to hit something, the silly. But it was his idea that I learn. Of course I didn't hit anything! Almost did, that silly cat, but didn't, and that's what matters.

I am waiting for John now. John should be home soon and dinner is almost ready. Finn and Fee are sound asleep. And William has found the most perfect spot to hole up, under our kitchen table.

According to Daisy, who spent part of the day with the children while I was away, he's been there all afternoon. I might not have mentioned this, but Will is going through a phase where he loves playing in homemade tents and forts. Daisy placed a sheet over the table and William crawled under it, pretending it was a tent. I think it's a very good idea actually, it will spare me from having to haul out all the pillows and blankets I have to tie around the settee when he wants to make a fort.

I asked him if I had permission to take the sheet off while we had dinner, so I could use a proper tablecloth, but permission was not given and I thought well, it won't hurt if we eat on a clean white sheet. I mean, we're not having guests...I suspect he will want his dinner served on the little box he's using for a table in there. We shall see. I might even join him.

I can see John through the kitchen window. He's smiling. I think he's seen me too. That, or he's day dreaming about our earlier driving adventure. Maybe it's both.

~Anna Bates

The journal entries are written by handy for the bus & terriejane.

We'd like to thank the lovely annamays (aka fuzzydream) for being our beta.

Thank you for reading :) please review