Downton Abbey: All Is Fair In Love And War

We are with you Cap'tn'

Downton Abbey,
August 1918

"My Darling,

Thomas sat outside the servants' hall, upon an overturned wooden crate, reading the last letter that had just arrived for him from France.

I don't know if I will find time to send this before we advance, I fear a great battle is about to take place. They are more frequent at this point and I'm afraid bullets are flying over our heads as I write these words — but your picture keeps me company in the nights, and the memories fill me with hope. Don't fear the worst, for I don't and when this battle is over I will take my leave and see you again, straight for Downton Abbey I will go.

I have often thought of your smile and your latest letter brought a smile of my own — because few truly know how sweet your heart can be. Don't be too hard on the servants though, sweetheart, war affects us all even if they aren't on the frontlines fighting. Just think of Mrs Patmore, losing her nephew and Daisy, whose sweetheart is right here with me. Don't take too much of your anger out on them, for it won't be long until we are once again in the shed, in our own world.

Now I must end this letter, and I don't think one from you can be delivered for quite some time, but don't worry your raven-haired head, I'll glance at your picture each time I enter no man's land and fight for King and Country.

All is fair in love and war,

M"

Matthew told him not to worry, but could he not when he described the bullets flying and the battles were intensifying? Thomas wished he could rejoin the fronts, something he didn't think he would wish at the start of the war — he had not even wished to be at the front to start with.

"Is that from Matthew?" Sybil asked, a bit too loudly, as she emerged from the path that led to the garage and Tom Branson's eyes followed the youngest Crawley sister as she walked towards Thomas.

Thomas glanced around, furrowing his eyebrow and pressing a finger to his lips to respectfully tell her to hush. He didn't speak until she stood next to him. "It is from Matthew."

"Why are you so sorrowful? I thought there is nothing more sweet to you than the letters he sends" Sybil sat down next to Thomas' with her hands in her lap.

"He tells me that the fighting is getting worse, that a big one is about to take place where he is" Thomas stroked the words on the paper with his thumb before folding it up and pocketing it. "Everyone can show their concern, their worries about him and wear it on their sleeves — Lady Mary shows her love for him so openly that Sir Carlisle sees it, and fears it"

"Don't speak ill of my sister in such ways, she cannot help her love anymore than you can." Sybil told Thomas' off and he did apologise, even if Sybil didn't believe in its sincerity.

"I never asked how you knew it was Matthew, how you knew it was him I was writing to?" Thomas asked the lady-turned-nurse.

"It was not hard to see while working with you each day. You would leave a letter on the pile of the rest and it always carried Matthew's name — I simply put two and two together." Sybil said and patted Thomas' knee "Don't worry, I haven't told anyone nor will I — just like how you have kept quiet about Tom Branson's feelings for me."

"And your feelings for him, Sybil, it is not hard to see, '' Thomas said and felt awfully close with Lady Sybil at that point, even more so than before. "Is your mind made up?"

"I said I cannot leave before the war has ended and that has not changed, but I know in my heart that I will be happy with him — but I have to face it, regardless of papa's reaction" Sybil said and took Thomas' hand to give it a squeeze "Aren't we just two people, foolishly in love with what should be forbidden to us?" She said with a smile but before Thomas could answer the door opened and Daisy stood there, looking at Sergeant Thomas' and Lady Sybil before she hurried back inside, with the bucket still filled with the water she had intended to throw out.

"Thomas," Mr Carson's deep voice said behind Thomas' back as he stood with a clipboard in the library, inspecting the officers sitting there.

" Sergeant Barrow to you, Mr Carson" Thomas spun around and gave the butler of Downton Abbey a condescending grin "What can I help you with?"

"I heard talk in the kitchen of indecent behaviour between you and Lady Sybil and I must say it's completely unacceptable" Mr Carson said and puffed out his chest to himself look grander than the former footman.

"You can say whatever you like, Mr Carson, but I am no footman no more — in case you forgot and I can be indecent with whomever I like" Thomas threw him a nasty look before turning his back to Mr Carson who stood there, red faced and speechless from the audacity Thomas showed.

"Just keep your hands to yourself, we don't need you dirtying Lady Sybil with your foulness." Mr Carson said and spun on his heel and stomped across the floor to return to tending his Lord and Ladyship.

Thomas let out a heavy grunt and made his way towards the kitchens to have words with Daisy — but he bumped into her by the staircase and grabbed her by the wrist. "I would appreciate it if you didn't spread rumours of me, Daisy"

"I did no such thing, Sergeant Barrow!" She said with wide, doe-like eyes.

"Then tell me how Mr Carson heard about my meeting with Sybil" Thomas let her go and held up a finger and pointed it warningly straight at her face. "Don't speak of what you know nothing about silly girl, if you know what is good for you."

The kitchen assistant hurried down the stairs and Thomas watched her leave, his anger fading slowly as the letter felt warm in his pocket, with the words Matthew had written " Don't be too hard on the servants though, sweetheart, war affects us all even if they aren't on the frontlines fighting." Thomas almost wished to run after Daisy and apologise, but instead he walked up the stairs and towards his room to retire for the night. Of course there was no sleep for Thomas, not with the state his mind was in. All that passed by his eyes were thoughts of Matthew and the fear that this great battle would be his last.

Battle of Amiens,
August 1918

Matthew needed to be strong for his fellow soldiers — he was a Captain after all. He also had not been wrong, this was to be the battle of battles; he felt in his bones. Matthew looked at the watch in his hand that he held, along with the photograph of Thomas Barrow. It was nearly the hour of attack and he wanted to fill his mind with the sweetest memories before they charged into no man's land. He had not wished to, in his latest letter, to speak of how he feared dying here on the battlefield. What good would it do to instil those fears in Thomas as well? Instead he had sent words of hope, words to make the Sergeant think of his return and smile instead.

The arrow on the clock moved and, with a kiss to the photograph, Matthew put it in his pocket along with the watch. He turned to the soldiers and spoke to them with as much hope as he could muster up. 'We are with you Cap'tn' some of them said and he patted their shoulders before looking at William, hoping that he would make it through alive — to return to his father and Daisy. He shouted for the men to ready their bayonets and with a deep breath Matthew put the whistle in his mouth: this was it. Matthew blew on it hard. Unaware of how back in Downton a Sergeant dropped his teacup in the servants' hall with a chill going down his spine. Unaware that in the kitchen, William's sweetheart stopped in her movements and said 'someone just walked over my grave'.

The soldiers shouted as they climbed up the trenches, shooting wildly into the dust of no man's land. Matthew fired his gun again and again. A bullet came flying; hitting the soldier next to him and Matthew shouted in sorrow for the loss of his man. They pushed forwards, more and more shells came flying through the air, but they were nearly there — they had almost passed through no man's land and the German trench was within their reach.

"LOOK OUT CAPTAIN!" William shouted and from nowhere shells came flying but towards Matthew, William came flying instead; protecting him with his body. They both fell into a ditch. Matthew heard his back crack and he felt darkness take him over with William lying lifeless on top of him. The last thing he did, before fading into unconsciousness, was to reach into his pocket and with muddy fingers he grasped the photograph of Thomas Barrow and saw the memory of him smiling — sitting on a wobbly chair with a cigarette dangling from his lips.