After all the kitchen staff had gone to bed, Thomas found himself operating later than usual, attending to the meticulous organization of Lord Grantham's extensive wine cellar. As he catalogued
the bottles, he turned to retrieve his ledger just as he heard the tapping of a cane, paced every few seconds, the sound growing nearer and nearer to him.
Thinking it was Mr. Bates with his cane, Thomas' jaw tightened as he placed a bottle of wine back on the rack and sternly said "Mr. Bates, I understand we had our moments regarding this cellar when you first started, but I'll have you know I am a devoted steward of this house and I-..."
Thomas caught sight of a figure by the doorway of the wine cellar.
A man dressed in a suit, complete with a top hat and a cane stood by the old oak barrels. His face was partially obscured by the brim of his hat, creating an eerie silhouette that seemed both there and not there. Barrow felt his blood run cold. The figure lifted its cane, pointing directly at him, before vanishing into thin air, leaving a faint echo of footsteps that led to nowhere.
Thomas saw the man with the hat and cane wandering the halls almost every night, always at a distance and always disappearing just as he got close.