Barrow's Boy - A Downton Abbey Fanfiction

Family Ties

     Miss Baxter's eyes were on the sewing machine, although there was a smile on her face as Teddy gaped at what she had just revealed. 

     "You knew my mother?"

     Baxter smiled, nodding. She watched the bear as the arm was slowly sewed back into place, replying as she did so.

     "I won't say that your mother and I were close, exactly. Cordial, yes. I was the same age as her sister, Martha, and knowing that woman made me want to stay away from the Knighton house.  I never had anything against Eliza though."

     "I don't blame you for wanting to avoid Martha," Teddy replied, to which Baxter quietly laughed. "I'm glad to hear that my Mum wasn't like her."

     "They were as different as night and day."

     Teddy smiled at the thought. He may have only ever met his aunt once, but he had no desire to meet her again. 

     "Thank you for fixing the bear for me. It's not like I still sleep with it or anything, but it's still very important to me."

     "Understandably so," Miss Baxter replied. The sewing machine stopped and the bear was handed back to Theodore. He inspected the arm, smiling as he did so. 

     "It's perfect. Thank you very much."

     "I'm happy to help. If you ever need anything else, just ask."

     "I will. And the same goes to you," Teddy responded, giving the new lady's maid a last friendly smile before going to bring the bear upstairs, back to its proper home in his room.

     Lady Edith's silence was not helping Teddy's nerves. He sat across from her, watching as she read from the pages her had given her. He pulled his sleeves over his hands, only able to stare as she flipped the page over and continued. 

     Rose was in the library too, although she stood a few feet away, looking at the books on the shelves, despite showing no interest in any of them. 

     Teddy watched her for a moment, then looked back to Edith. She was nodding along to one of his paragraphs. Nodding was good, wasn't it?

     Finally, Lady Edith spoke, reading from the pages. 

     "In a time where a generation has been lost to the violence of war, the next generation must step forward and bring new voices and ideas to the table. It is with the youth that we can grow and flourish in these new times instead of reverting back to the old ways. It can be a new world where we are not defined by gender, race, or other uncontrollable pieces of identity, but by our character." 

     "Is it too much? Because I'm happy to edit if necessary-"

     "Teddy," Rose cut him off. "That was wonderful."

     "Rose is right. I think it's perfect," Edith agreed. She looked at the papers in her hands, straightening them. "Of course, it will be up to our team in the end. But I'll bring these to them and let you know what they say."

     "In that case, I look forward to hearing what everyone has to say, milady."

     "Good." Edith stood, which meant that Teddy stood too. "Thank you for this, Theodore."

     "Thank you," Teddy responded. Rose quietly laughed, and Edith bid them bother farewell before leaving the room.

     "Golly," Rose said once they were alone, "you must have been incredibly nervous. I thought you were about to faint in the beginning."