This is the story of Thomas Barrow.
Thomas Barrow has been working as the first footman at Downton Abbey for years. He's always been careful to keep his personal life hidden from the prying eyes of the other staff members and the Crawley family. Bu...
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Thomas sighed as he lay in his bed, staring at the ceiling. His daughter, Ellie, slept soundly in his arms, her tiny fists curled up against her cheeks. He couldn't help but smile at the sight of her, she was the most precious thing in his life and he was grateful to have her by his side. But even so, he was starting to get restless.
It had been three days since he had given birth, and though Dr. Clarkson had advised him to have a week's worth of bed rest to recover, Thomas was starting to get tired of staying in his room. He longed to get up and move around, to stretch his legs.
Just then, there was a knock at the door, and in walked Anna. She was carrying a tray of food, and when she saw the look of boredom on Thomas's face, she smiled sympathetically.
"Good morning, Thomas. How are you feeling today?" she asked, setting the tray down on the bedside table.
"I'm feeling a little restless, to be honest," Thomas replied. "I've been cooped up in this room for three days now and I'm starting to go a bit stir-crazy."
Anna nodded understandingly. "I know how you feel. But it's important to listen to the doctor's orders and give your body time to heal."
Thomas sighed. "I know, I know. But I just can't stand being stuck in this room any longer. Can you help me get up and take a walk downstairs?"
Anna smiled. "Of course. Let's get you up and moving."
With Anna's help, Thomas slowly climbed out of bed and made his way down the stairs to the servants' kitchen. He settled into a comfortable rocking chair, with Ellie still cradled in his arms.
"Ah, this is much better," Thomas said, taking a deep breath. "It's good to be up and moving again."
Anna smiled. "I'm glad you're feeling better. Do you need anything else?"
Thomas shook his head. "No, I'm good for now. But thank you, Anna."
~
As he rocked back and forth, he couldn't help but feel a sense of comfort and peace.
"It's good to see you out of bed, Thomas," Mrs. Patmore said as she bustled around the kitchen. "And Ellie, she's just as pretty as a picture."
Thomas smiled and looked down at his daughter. "Thank you, Mrs. Patmore. I couldn't stay cooped up in my room any longer."
The other servants soon gathered around the kitchen table for dinner, and they were surprised to see Thomas and Ellie among them.
"Well, well, look who's here," Daisy said with a smile. "It's good to see you up and about, Thomas."
"Yes, it is," Mrs. Hughes agreed. "Ellie is just precious. How are you feeling?"
"I'm feeling much better, thank you," Thomas replied. "Being down here with all of you and Ellie is just what I needed."
The servants all nodded in agreement, knowing how much Thomas had been struggling since Ellie's birth. They were happy to see him in better spirits and grateful to have Ellie among them.
"It's just like old times, isn't it?" Bates said as he took a bite of his dinner. "All of us together in the kitchen, just like it used to be."
"Yes, it is," Thomas said, smiling. "And with Ellie here, it's even better."
As they ate and chatted, the servants were filled with a sense of unity and belonging. They were all glad to have Thomas and Ellie among them, and they knew that no matter what life threw their way, they would always have each other.
