Spoiler Warning! We are now in Season 3, Episode 5.
"I think I'd rather be in a city if I were to have a child," the new kitchen maid, Ivy, said as she collected the dishes, "where they have all the modern inventions."
Thomas listened to the newcomer with more or less interest. She had no idea what she was talking about.
"Far away from everyone you know and trust? I wouldn't want that," Anna said, folding her napkin after using it.
"Why not? You'd make new friends."
"But I wouldn't want to entrust my child to just anyone," Anna looked over to Thomas now, prompting him, "What do you think?"
"Have I entrusted my child to just anyone?" Barrow raised an eyebrow suspiciously. Here was the confirmation Anna wanted to hear. Emma's inner circle consisted only of Patmore, Hughes, and Anna. William was once part of it. Thomas learned from his mistakes and chose the babysitters wisely from that day forward. He didn't trust the hallboys and housemaids easily, so only a close core of the staff remained in question.
"Why are you talking about having children, Ivy? I think we should postpone that for a while. Thank you," Mrs. Patmore chimed in, handing Emma her packed lunch für school.
"It's not wrong to be prepared for everything," Jimmy shrugged. The teacup rested in his hand.
"I suppose you're always prepared?" Thomas teased.
"I try to be, Mr. Barrow."
"I don't like the direction this conversation is taking," Carson looked sternly at Jimmy, "Could we all please focus on the tasks of the day?" Suddenly, the servants got up. Thomas once again pulled Emma up by the sleeve, "And don't forget, Lady Sybil is in a delicate condition, so no commotion on the gallery."
After school, Emma sought out the housekeeper. The teacher had assigned them their very first homework in needlework, and Emma quickly realized that she had no idea how to neatly embroider her name onto a piece of fabric.
Mrs. Hughes smiled gently as she showed Emma how to skillfully guide the needle through the fabric. "Take it easy, Emma. You're doing just fine. Needlework requires patience, but you'll see, it can be a lot of fun once you get the hang of it."
Emma nodded seriously and tried to thread the thread through the fabric. "I doubt it can be fun," she sighed and dropped the needle. The fabric was already nearly riddled with her countless attempts. Emma simply had no patience. She would much rather be reading books.
"You just need a bit more practice," Mrs. Hughes encouraged.
Just as Emma was threading a new knot in the thread, the door to the sitting room opened, and Mr. Carson entered. "Mrs. Hughes," his voice sounded before the butler took a short pause, "I see you're busy," he cleared his throat, "It's nice to see you taking an interest in needlework, Emma Grace."
"Mrs. Hughes is showing me how it's done. I just haven't found the patience yet," Emma explained. Mr. Carson stepped closer and observed as Emma and Mrs. Hughes worked diligently on their sewing project. "It's already looking quite good, Emma Grace," he praised, "It's a beautiful picture."
"This is supposed to be my name," Emma sighed. But the embroidery did look a bit wild.
"Emma was given an assignment by the teacher to present a cloth embroidery with her name on it by tomorrow," Mrs. Hughes explained.
"Then you should definitely help Emma Grace, Mrs. Hughes."
"But I'm already doing that, Mr. Carson."
"Then try harder," he insisted, and Mrs. Hughes rolled her eyes.
"Why are you here, then?" the housekeeper asked with interest, as Mr. Carson wouldn't visit her sitting room without a reason.
"Lady Sybil's baby is on the way," he announced with a smile. Mrs. Hughes and Emma looked at each other with joy.
"That's wonderful news, Mr. Carson!" Mrs. Hughes said.
Emma grinned with excitement. She immediately set the sewing needle aside. "That's great! Can I visit Lady Sybil?" and she eagerly jumped up.
"When the child is born, and Lady Sybil can receive visitors, then you may visit her. But I think for the next few days, you'll have to wait. Lady Sybil needs plenty of rest," Carson explained.
Emma moved the yellow game piece across the game board. She had rolled a four and landed exactly on the position of the green game piece. She grinned and joyfully kicked the piece back to the beginning of the game board. She loved playing Ludo.
"I just restarted," Thomas complained, "You can't keep kicking your daddy out like that."
"You're in the way. I can't win like this."
"I know that expression," Thomas realized, looking at his daughter's thoughtful and questioning face. "What's wrong, little dwarf?"
"Everyone is talking about Lady Sybil having a baby, but how did the baby get in her tummy, and how does it come out, and it must be really boring to be in a tummy, isn't it?"
Whether it was Patmore, Hughes, Anna, or O'Brien, the female staff was eagerly waiting for an explanation. Because no matter if it was Alfred, Jimmy, or Thomas, the male staff suddenly became very quiet, if not entirely red-faced with embarrassment.
Thomas wished he could summon a cigarette to carefully consider his next answers. The 8-year-old stared at him intently and demanding. He sighed, "When a man and a woman love each other very much, are married, and really want a child, a baby is conceived."
"But that doesn't explain why babies grow in the tummy."
"It does explained it," Thomas stammered, "Look at the animals. Puppies also grow in the mother's tummy. It's warm and they are well-protected there."
"And how does the baby come out?"
"For that, a doctor is needed to help the baby come out."
Emma tried to process this information, but somehow her questions weren't really answered.
"Don't you want to have children with Mr. Bates, Anna?" she turned to the maid.
"Maybe. One day. I haven't thought about it yet, but Mr. Bates isn't here right now..."
"But I thought the desire is enough?"
"I'm afraid it's a bit more complicated," Anna said, "You'll understand when you're older."
Emma gazed thoughtfully at Anna as she absorbed her words. She still couldn't quite fathom how all of this worked, but she decided not to dwell on it any longer. Instead, she focused on the game, as it seemed the conversation had taken an uncomfortable turn.
Mrs. O'Brien decided to change the subject, "Do you wish for siblings, perhaps?"
Emma looked up and beamed, "Yes, that would be wonderful! I'd love to have a little sister!"
Mrs. O'Brien smiled mischievously, "That would be truly marvelous, wouldn't it?"
Meanwhile, Thomas observed his daughter, who was so carefree and happy. He knew that one day he might have to reveal the uncomfortable truth about himself to her. A hint of sadness reflected in Thomas's eyes as Emma nodded enthusiastically, "I could teach my little sibling everything I know, and I'd have someone to play with every day."
"Who knows," O'Brien chuckled, "Perhaps you'll have a sibling one day."
"That would be fantastic," Emma agreed.
"Dad? Could I have a sibling?" Emma asked.
A lump formed in Thomas's throat. What should he say?
"To have a sibling, I'd first need to find a wife," Thomas admitted quietly.
"That shouldn't be a problem. If necessary, I can find a wife for you," Emma said, then returned her attention to the game.
That was the problem. He didn't want to marry a woman. He couldn't love and make a woman happy. He longed for a man by his side.
Mister Carson entered the room, "It's done. The baby has been born," he announced gently and elatedly, "It's a little girl. You can go to sleep now."
Emma's eyes sparkled with joy. A little girl. Finally, there was a playmate for her here. And she was no longer the youngest in the Abbey. "It's a girl!" Emma was overjoyed and jumped up and down on the spot.
"Good news," Thomas announced with a smile. He took one last puff of his cigarette before extinguishing it in the ashtray.
"Do you like Lady Sybil?" Jimmy asked in surprise.
"Yes, very much. We worked together in the hospital during the war. That's why I know her better than anyone else," with a quick movement, he lifted his daughter into his arms, "Emma and Lady Sybil are also very close friends, aren't you?" Emma nodded with a grin, "Lady Sybil tells the best stories," she agreed with her father. "She's a lovely person," Thomas concluded.
Emma awoke to the gentle rays of the morning sun, but something felt strange. As she looked around, she noticed that she wasn't alone in her bed. Her father was lying next to her and seemed strangely distant. His eyes were red, as if he had been crying. Confused and concerned, she asked him, "Dad?"
Thomas stirred as if waking from a deep slumber and gently pulled Emma closer to him. His grip on her tightened, as if he wanted to protect her. However, he said nothing. Emma sensed that something terrible must have happened. Her heart started to beat faster, and she became restless. "Dad!" she called out again, louder this time.
Slowly, Thomas turned his head towards his daughter, and in his eyes, Emma saw a pain she had never seen in him before. He seemed to be searching for the right words. Back when William passed away, he didn't have to deliver the dreadful news. That task was handled by Mrs. Hughes, as far as he knew. But how does he gently tell his child that Lady Sybil has left them?
Finally, he broke the silence. "I love you so much, my little dwarf," Thomas's voice sounded broken, "I didn't want to wake you up."
Tears welled up in Emma's eyes, and she felt a lump in her throat. "What happened, Dad? Why are you lying in my bed? And why are you crying?"
Thomas swallowed hard and avoided Emma's gaze. He simply held his child closer once again before answering in a soft voice, "Lady Sybil has passed away