His Two Miracles | Thomas Barrow

Chapter 29

After breakfast they had received news that a guest was expected to arrive shortly, with a small sigh Thomas reluctantly handed Ellie over to the new nanny, who was also taking care of Lady Mary's son George and Tom Branson's daughter Sybbie.

"Here you go," Thomas said, as he gently passed Ellie over to the nanny. "Take good care of her."

"I will, Mr. Barrow," the nanny replied with a smile. "Don't worry, she'll be in good hands."

Thomas couldn't help but feel a pang of guilt as he walked away from his daughter. He hated being separated from her, even if it was only for a few hours. Thought he knew that it was all down to anxiety since the fire, and she had gotten the burn on her lower cheek, he was more clingy with her and protective of her when he wasn't confident enough to leave her with anyone hence he was but he knew that he had to focus on his work especially today.

As he made his way outside, Thomas saw that the staff and the Crawley family were already gathered at the front of the house, waiting to greet a guest. Lord Morrison was his name, and Thomas had heard that he was an important dignitary from London.

Thomas stood back, feeling somewhat out of place among the grandeur of it all, but he knew his duty and kept a respectful distance.

As Lord Morrison's car pulled up to the house, Thomas watched as Mr Carson, stepped forward to greet him. "Welcome to Downton Abbey, my lord," he said, his voice oozing with deference.

Lord Morrison stepped out of the carriage, a tall, imposing figure with a stern expression. He glanced around at the staff and the Crawley family, taking in their finery with a critical eye.

There was a murmur of assent from the group, and Carson stepped forward again, this time to introduce each member of the household. "May I introduce Lady Mary Crawley, Lord Grantham's eldest daughter," he said, gesturing towards a tall, elegant woman who smiled warmly.

"And this is Tom Branson, the estate manager," he continued, indicating a younger man who looked somewhat uncomfortable in his formal attire.

As Carson made the introductions, Thomas stood back, trying to make himself as inconspicuous as possible. But when Carson gestured towards him, he knew he couldn't avoid the scrutiny of Lord Morrison any longer. "And this is Mr. Barrow, our first footman," Carson said, his voice carrying across the courtyard.

Lord Morrison turned to regard Thomas, his eyes narrowing as he took in the younger man's appearance. Thomas could feel his cheeks burning as he stood there, feeling completely exposed under the older man's gaze. "Ah yes, Mr. Barrow," Lord Morrison said, his voice tinged with disdain. "I've heard about you. A bit of a troublemaker, aren't you?"

Thomas felt a surge of anger at the insinuation, but he knew better than to respond. Instead, he forced a tight smile and nodded respectfully. "Despite what is said I am no longer that person and I do my best to serve the family."

~

Since the birth of his daughter Ellie, his heart had softened and his priorities had shifted.

As a single father, Thomas had quickly learned to balance his duties at the Abbey with the demands of parenthood. He had become an expert at polishing silverware with one arm and, holding her in the other all while humming lullabies to soothe his precious baby girl.

But despite his newfound sense of responsibility and tenderness, Thomas still faced challenges.

The arrival of Lord Morrison, a wealthy and somewhat rude guest, only added to his frustrations.

Lord Morrison had only been in the house a few hours and Thomas quickly noticed that he had a habit of belittling the staff and making unreasonable demands. His comments were often laced with condescension, and he seemed to take pleasure in making others feel inferior.

As Thomas was carrying Ellie in his arms, he crossed paths with Lord Morrison in the hallway. The older gentleman looked down his nose at Thomas and remarked, "Is that your daughter? How charming. I hope you're not neglecting your duties here to attend to her."

Thomas gritted his teeth and forced a polite smile. "Of course not, my lord."

Lord Morrison snorted. "Well, it's a shame you had to burden yourself with a child at all. It's not exactly conducive to a successful career, is it?"

Thomas felt his blood boil at the man's callous words, but he bit his tongue and continued on his way, not before giving the man one of his hard stares as he walked down the hallway.

The rest of the day passed by in a blur of duties and obligations. Thomas found himself stealing glances at Ellie whenever he had a spare moment, relishing in the warmth of her tiny body against his chest.

But as the evening wore on and everyone retired to their rooms, Thomas found himself face-to-face with Lord Morrison once again. This time, the older man was even more irritable than before, complaining about the quality of his dinner and the state of his room.

As Thomas tried to placate him, Lord Morrison sneered, "I don't know how you manage to juggle your duties as a father and a footman. I suppose it's only a matter of time before you make a mistake and jeopardize your position here."

Thomas felt a surge of anger rise within him, but he swallowed it back and responded evenly. "I assure you, my lord, I am perfectly capable of handling both my personal and professional responsibilities. And I take pride in doing so."

Lord Morrison snorted again and turned to leave. But as he walked away, Thomas couldn't help but think that the older man's words had struck a nerve. He couldn't help but worry that his duties at the Abbey were interfering with his ability to be a good father to Ellie.

As he settled into bed that night, his mind racing with worries and doubts, Thomas made a vow to himself. He would prove Lord Morrison wrong, and he would be the best father and footman he could possibly be. No matter what anyone else thought or said.