A/N: I thought I was gone for ages but it was only just over a month since I have updated this story. I've just been busy. 😅
—
Emma goes into the Village with Anna, Mr Bates, Gwen and Gemma to watch the setup of the fair that had come to town.
"Isn't this exciting!" Emma exclaims excitedly. The others laugh but come on they don't get to do anything really outside of our duties.
"When does it open?" Gwen asks.
"Tomorrow afternoon." Mr Bates says.
"Well, let's get up a party in the evening after we've had our dinner," Gemma says.
"Yes, if Mrs Hughes lets us." Gwen agrees.
"You're right. It doesn't come often and it doesn't stay long." Anna replies.
"What about you, Mr Bates?" Emma asks the man.
"I don't see why not."
"Well, there's Lady Mary," Anna speaks, causing them to glance over to said woman not far from them. Anna then grabbed Emma's arm. "You three go on ahead. We'll see you back at the house." Well, guess she's saying hello to Lady Mary too.
"Right you are, then," Gwen says as Anna and Emma walk over to Lady Mary
"Good day, milady. Is Her Ladyship all right? Has she recovered from...?" Anna tentatively asks as they walk along.
"If you think she'll ever recover from carrying the body of Mr Pamuk from one side of the house to the other, then you don't know her at all." Lady Mary remarks.
"Well not exactly recover, but just... get past it. Is she coping?" Emma pipes up.
"She won't do that either. When she dies, they'll cut her open and find it engraved on her heart."
"What about you? What about your heart?" Anna softly asks.
"Haven't you heard? I don't have a heart. Everyone knows that."
"Not us, milady." Anna softly reprimands her. Emma nods.
—
The new chauffeur is turning up to say since the previous one, Taylor, has gone off to run a tea shop as his retirement.
Emma spots him as he comes down the stairs to the downstairs area. Likely after meeting Lord Grantham.
"Are you the new chauffeur?" She calls drawing his attention as he reaches the bottom of the stairs to where she's standing by the entrance to the Servants' Hall. "Emma Byrne." She says gesturing to herself.
He smiles. Emma can't help but think he looks rather nice actually.
"Yes. Tom Branson." He sticks out his hand for her to shake. "Byrne? That's Irish, isn't it?"
"Yes, from my paternal grandparents." It didn't feel harmless to let slip some information and let him make up his own mind about when exactly her grandparents came over to England. "Most people don't notice that." She smiles at him.
"Well, most people are all English." He quips cheekily.
"Technically I am as well." Emma quips back with a smirk on her face. It felt very easy to talk to him.
"Sort of. Your Irish blood makes up for it even if you sound very English." He replies.
Before Emma can reply, Gemma calls her name from the stairs. "Emma, I need you to help me with this stain on Lady Sybil's dress!" She glances at Mr Branson curiously.
"Yes of course," Emma says to her as she walks off to where she would find the cleaning products.
"Got to go and help," Emma says to Mr Branson.
"Of course. I should get back to my own job. Can't mess up on the first day." He chuckles.
Emma laughs. "No, we can't have that." She rushes after Gemma knowing she's probably getting annoyed at waiting for her.
—
The next day there was a kink in their plans when Anna began sneezing and coughing and just generally being all stuffy.
"Ugh." Anna groans as she walks into the Kitchen from the direction of the Servants' Hall, past Mrs Patmore at the stove and Daisy at the sink. Other Kitchen staff potter about.
"You've got a cold, I want you out of here." Mrs Patmore tells her as Emma walks into the Kitchen.
"She's right, you're not being sanitary," Emma says.
Mrs Hughes enters the Kitchen from behind her. "Anna, there you are. You know I'm out tonight because I don't want to come home to any surprises."
Mrs Patmore laughs. "That'll be the day."
"Well, we thought we might go to the fair later. You'd like that, wouldn't you, Daisy?" Emma says turning to Daisy who had been quiet this whole time.
"You ought to go. She's been that down in the mouth since the death of poor Mr Pamuk." Emma shifts uncomfortably at Mrs Patmore's words.
"Don't say that." Daisy mumbles.
"She has."
"We could all walk down together after the service dinner if that's good…" Anna breaks off to sneeze.
"You won't be walking anywhere. She's got minutes to live by the sound of it." Mrs Patmore quips.
"Go to bed at once." Mrs Hughes orders.
"Yes, Mrs Hughes." She leaves the room.
"I'll bring up a Beecham's powder." Mrs Hughes turns to Mrs Patmore, "Right if there's anything you want to ask me, it'll need to be before I go."
"What would I want to ask you? I'm preparing a meal for Lord and Lady Grantham and the girls. No one is visiting. No one is staying." Mrs Patmore digs. The tension with the key for the Store Cupboard once again.
"Well… that's settled, then." Mrs Hughes mutters before leaving.
—
Since Anna is ill, Miss O'Brien has been roped into helping Emma with looking after the girls as only they are trained as lady's maids.
But at this moment, all the girls were busy so Emma has a moment of rest and she's sitting in the Servants' Hall with Mr Bates, Thomas and Miss O'Brien when William walks in.
"Is Daisy going to the fair tonight with the others?" William questions Mr Bates nervously. He has this hopeless crush on the young girl and said girl is completely oblivious about it.
"Why don't you ask her? She needs taking out of herself." Mr Bates says before noticing Thomas staring at him. "What's it to you?"
"Nothing," Thomas mutters.
Daisy then enters and begins cleaning up.
William turns to her. "Daisy, I was hoping that—"
But Thomas interrupts. "Would you like to go to the fair with me, Daisy? There's a few of us going later on." Emma glares at Thomas who grimaces slightly at her look and Emma smiles proudly inside.
"Do you mean it?" Daisy says hopefully. Oh, dear Daisy he really doesn't care about you.
Mrs Patmore then calls her. "Daisy, don't let it get cold. Come on, come on, come on, come on, come on!" Daisy quickly darts out of the room.
"You bastard." Mr Bates snaps. Thomas just simply blows out some cigarette smoke but he shifts uncomfortably when he glances over to Emma and sees the darkened look on her face.
—
Thomas asks Mr Carson for the okay to go down to the fair after dinner, who gave it and after dinner, they head down. So the large group of them all head down after the family has finished eating and the women have gone into the Drawing room. Mr Carson did not seem to argue about Emma leaving with them despite leaving only Miss O'Brien to look after Her Ladyship and the girls or maybe he just had not noticed due to seemingly being a bit lost without Mrs Hughes. There were whispers between them as to where Mrs Hughes why had headed off.
"An evening of mystery," Thomas remarks as he, William, Daisy, Gwen, Gemma and Emma all stroll through the fair. "Mrs Hughes out on the tails, all dolled up like a dog's dinner. Then Mr Crawley hurried into the Library followed by His Lordship."
"What are you suggesting?" Gemma asks. Emma listens but doesn't really speak as she's still miffed off about Thomas' behaviour towards William and it does not help that he has Daisy on one of his arms.
"Who knows? There are more things in heaven and earth Horatio." Thomas replies.
"Who's Horatio?" William asks. Thomas simply drops and rubs out the cigarette he has been smoking with his shoe and sighs irritably before grabbing Daisy's hand.
"Come on Daisy." He says dragging her off and pulling her onto a fair ride.
"Cheer up. It may never happen." Gwen says, trying to comfort William. Emma lets out a snort. Gemma gives her a look.
"It already has," William says sadly. "Who is Horatio?"
Aww, William. Emma opens her mouth and begins explaining to him. "Well…"
—
They got their answer on what is going on with Mrs Hughes when they spot her later on with a man that is about her age giving her a prize he had won in a game.
"What did I tell you? She's found her Romeo." Thomas remarks.
"That might be her brother," Gwen suggests.
"She hasn't got a brother, I would know it by now, just a sister in Levinson Sands." Thomas corrects.
"You know everything, don't you?" Daisy says with stars in her eyes. Thomas smirks and walks to one of the stands to have a go at one of the games.
William scoffs. "Everything, my foot. You're hiding behind him, but he's not what you think he is."
"Oh, go on, William, if you're gonna be such a spoilsport." Daisy retorts uncharacteristically.
"All right, I will." William marches off.
"Oh, come back, she didn't mean it!" Gemma calls after him.
"She did. She's just being cruel." Emma snaps. Glaring at both Daisy and Thomas, well more his back, as she mostly blames him for Daisy's behaviour.
—
Other than the business with William, Thomas and Daisy, the fair was actually a lot of fun. It is interesting to see how simple entertainment used to be.
Gemma and Emma are laughing and chatting when they walk through the back door and into the downstairs area. Some other maids Anne and Jean ahead of them.
"Goodnight, Mrs Hughes." They call to her as they pass her. Said woman nods and smiles at them. The two of them linger by the doors to the Servants' Hall where Mr Bates and Miss O'Brien stand.
"Goodnight, Mrs Hughes." Emma hears Thomas call from behind her; he stops, along with Daisy, by the rest of them. "I was right when I said she was looking sparkly-eyed."
Mr Carson suddenly emerges from his pantry. "I beg your pardon, Thomas?" Before stepping back in.
"He can disapprove all he likes, Mrs Hughes has got a fancy man," Thomas murmurs recovering from being caught by Mr Carson.
Daisy snorts. "Him? A fancy man?"
"Don't be so nasty, Daisy, it doesn't suit you." Mr Bates walks away. Gemma and Emma glance at each other and leave to their rooms.
—
The next morning, Emma, along with Miss O'Brien, are in the Kitchen collecting the trays to go upstairs. The Kitchen staff are darting about them.
"Daisy? Chafing dishes, now!" Mrs Patmore calls.
"They're right in front of you, Mrs Patmore."
"Are you trying to trick me?" Well, no cause they are actually right in front of her. Clearly, something is going on with Mrs Patmore.
Mrs Hughes walks in interrupting. "Anna's still not well. O'Brien, you'll need to help Emma dress the girls this morning." By the look on her face as she walks out of the Kitchen, Miss O'Brien is not pleased with this idea.
Emma quickly darts past her with one tray almost bumping into Thomas. Emma barely glances at him and she goes up the stairs. The two of them have been barely talking recently as she's still angry over his recent behaviour and he is too prideful to beg for her forgiveness. He is probably worried that she might spill his wine stealing secret.
—
Managing to get all the trays upstairs, she's dashing between rooms, with the ever eager help of Miss O'Brien, to get the girls dressed to go down for breakfast, which by then it is practically midday.
Gwen enters as Emma is in Lady Sybil's room fixing her hair.
"Gwen?" Emma asks curiously. Lady Sybil also turns to look.
"Yes, Gwen?" She asks kindly while Emma does the bow in her hair finishing it.
"This came today." Gwen hands Lady Sybil a letter. The young girl grabs it and reads it.
Emma looks at Gwen confused. Gwen sees and explains, "Lady Sybil encouraged me to apply to a secretary job."
Emma smiles widely. "And do they want to see you?" This whole situation reminded her of when she first began applying for jobs in her own time. So much panic over one interview and the worry of rejection.
Lady Sybil nods and answers instead, "They do. I knew they would want to."
"Well, it's your reference what's done it," Gwen says modestly. "But how am I going to get there? They won't let me take a day off."
Lady Sybil perks up with an idea. "You're going to be ill. They can't stop you being ill."
"What?"
"No one has seen Anna for a whole day. They won't notice if you vanish for a couple of hours."
"I'll help cover for you if need be." Emma offers. All three of them smile at each other with conspiring looks on their faces.
—
Emma bumps into Mr Branson in the servants' corridor after he had taken Lady Sybil to measure for her new frock. She may or may not have given her some ideas for it.
"So, I hear you are using your position to influence His Lordship's daughters?" He asks, smirking.
"Whatever do you mean?" Emma says with obvious fake innocence given the smile on her face.
"I was talking to Lady Sybil in the car and it seems you have introduced her to politics, specifically women's rights. Whatever would Lord Grantham say?" He questions sarcastically.
"Nothing wrong with trying to improve the world," Emma remarks.
"No, I quite agree. I'm quite political myself."
"Quite opinionated for a chauffeur. Whatever would Lord Grantham say?" She quips back, enjoying the conversation.
He laughs. "Well, he lets me read books on politics and history from his Library so he really can't complain. Though I would like to discuss more with you." She smiles at him in agreement.
—
Emma passes the Kitchen to hear Mrs Patmore trying to awkwardly explain to Daisy why Thomas will never be interested in her.
"He's not for you, Daisy."
"'Course not. He's too good for me, I know that." Emma rolls her eyes at this. Daisy can be incredibly annoying sometimes.
"No. He's not too good." Oh, Mrs Patmore.
"What then?"
"He's not the boy for you, and you're not the girl for him."
"I'in't that what I just said? And why would he be when he's seen and done so much and I've been nowhere and done nothing?"
"Perhaps Thomas has seen and done more than is good for him. He's not a lady's man."
"But i'in't it a blessed relief?"
Emma decides that this is the moment to interrupt. "For god's sake Daisy. Thomas does not like you and never will. Nothing to do with you personally." She then walks off not waiting to hear more.
—
Emma is in Lady Edith's room with said woman and Lady Sybil while Anna is finishing off Lady Mary.
Lady Edith is sitting down at her dresser as Emma unclasps and fastens a necklace around her neck.
Lady Sybil paces the room. "Golly, my corset's tight. Emma, when you've done that, would you be an angel and loosen it a bit?"
"Mmh." Emma nods.
"The start of the slippery slope." Lady Edith comments.
"I'm not putting on weight." Lady Sybil remarks.
"It didn't shrink in the drawer."
Lady Mary enters. "Are you coming down?" As she speaks, Emma moves over to Lady Sybil and begins helping her with her corset.
"I don't know why we bother with corsets. Men don't wear them and they look perfectly normal in their clothes." Lady Sybil complains. Emma can't help but agree with her but at least she gets the glamour out of it.
Lady Mary snarks, "Not all of them."
"She's just showing off. She'll be on about the vote in a minute." Lady Edith warns.
"If you mean, do I think women should have the vote, of course I do." Lady Sybil declares. It's always weird being in the middle of their conversations but not part of it.
"I hope you won't chain yourself to the railings and end up being force fed semolina." Lady Edith says.
"What do you think, Emma?" Lady Mary asks.
"I think those women are very brave for fighting for their cause. Someone needs to do something." Emma speaks. Lady Mary pulls a face.
Lady Sybil is pleased, "Hear, hear."
—
The next day Emma spots Gwen staring disappointedly at an open letter as if its contents are not pleasing.
"Gwen?" She calls, causing her to straighten up as if to pretend nothing is wrong but relaxes when she sees it is her. "What's wrong?"
"N-nothing." She tries to say but Emma raises her eyebrows at her. "I-t's just that I'm not going to the interview. They've found someone more suited for the post and better qualified."
"So, this time it didn't happen. But you have to keep pushing Gwen. Someone will see your potential."
She looks hesitant but nods gratefully at her.
Further on in the day, Mrs Patmore goes on a rampage demanding the key to the Store Cupboard so Mrs Hughes was quickly sent for. Those two women are in a constant battle over that key. Mrs Hughes better not leave for that man she was with at the fair.
—
That evening, Emma can say that she is actually quite excited to help Lady Sybil into her new frock.
It consists of billowy blue trousers closed in tight around the ankles with a beaded bandeau headband across the forehead instead of the usual perched on the crown of the head. The new outfit followed the new harem style by someone called Paul Poiret and Ballet Russes Scheherazade.
Emma thinks, don't take her word for it! She's just trying to remember what Lady Sybil told her.
Anyway because of her investment and encouragement, Emma is there to get Lady Sybil into her new frock for her family to see.
Emma helps her into her dress and fetch her shoes. Lady Sybil giggles as Emma fixes a cloth in her hair. She shows off the complete look to her and Emma cannot help but giggle. Lady Sybil rushes down the stairs to meet her family as she is quite late down.
Emma is only sad she can't be there to see their faces.
—
Later that night, Gemma turns to Emma in the Servants' Hall.
"I heard about Lady Sybil's new frock."
"Oh, yes?" She says as innocently as she can.
Anna raises an eyebrow at her. "You encouraged her didn't you."
Emma purses her lips to contain her smile. "No idea what you are talking about."