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 stirred awake as the first light of dawn crept through the curtains. He took a deep breath and opened his eyes, feeling the weight of his daughter, Ellie, snuggled close to his chest. He smiled as he looked down at her, taking in the sight of her tiny hands clutching his shirt. He could feel the warmth of her body against his and the gentle rise and fall of her chest as she slept peacefully.
For a few moments, he just lay there, watching her and enjoying the calmness of the moment. But soon, Ellie started to move and whimper in her sleep, and Thomas knew that he needed to comfort her.
"Shh, it's okay, Ellie," he murmured softly, his voice low and soothing. "Daddy's here. Everything's alright sweetheart."
He rubbed her back gently, trying to soothe her back to sleep. Ellie's little eyes fluttered open, and she looked up at him with a confused expression.
"It's okay, little one," Thomas repeated, kissing her forehead. "Go back to sleep."
Ellie let out a soft sigh and snuggled closer to him, her tiny fingers curling around his shirt once again.
Thomas smiled and hugged her closer with her head tucked under his chin.
After a short while of basking in the warmth of his daughter's presence, Thomas got out of bed and began to get ready for the day. He put on his footman uniform, making sure that every button was fastened and every crease was in place. He was a stickler for detail, and he knew that Lord Grantham expected nothing less from his staff.
As he finished getting dressed, Thomas turned to Ellie and smiled. "Good morning, little one," he said softly, picking her up and holding her close. "Are you ready to start the day?"
Ellie cooed in response, and Thomas took that as a yes. He cooed and talked to her as he changed her diaper and dressed her in one of her many little dresses .
"There we go, all fresh and clean," he said, picking Ellie up and cradling her in his arms. "Now let's go see what the day has in store for us."
Thomas carried Ellie down the stairs and into the kitchen, where Mrs. Patmore was already hard at work preparing breakfast. She smiled at the sight of Thomas and Ellie, and Thomas felt a sense of pride swell in his chest. He may have been the first footman, but he was also a father now, and that meant everything to him.
As Mrs. Patmore bustled about the kitchen, Thomas sat down at the table and held Ellie close. He fed her a bottle of milk, watching as she drank eagerly and snuggled up against him.
"You're a good girl, Ellie," he whispered, kissing her forehead. "You're going to be a strong and smart young lady someday, I can feel it."
~
For the rest of the morning, Thomas carried Ellie around with him as he went about his duties, he let her sit on his lap as he polished silver.
She gurgled and babbled as he worked, making all sorts of noises that brought a smile to his face.
"Hello my darling," Thomas said, his voice soft and gentle. "What are you chattering about today?"
Ellie responded with a coo, reaching up to grab at her father's finger. He couldn't help but laugh at her enthusiasm.
"You're becoming quite the talker, aren't you?" he said, leaning back in his chair to get a better look at his daughter.
Thomas had known that being a father would change him, but he had never anticipated just how much joy Ellie would bring to his life. Even the most mundane tasks, like polishing silver, felt more meaningful when she was there with him.
Ellie, for her part, seemed content to simply be in her father's arms. She babbled and cooed, occasionally kicking her legs or waving her arms. Thomas watched her with a sense of wonder, marveling at how much she had already grown and changed since her birth.
For the rest of the morning, Thomas worked diligently on the silver, occasionally stopping to talk to Ellie or make silly faces at her. He knew that he had a lot of responsibilities as first footman, but he also knew that his daughter was his top priority.
"Alright, my little chatterbox," he said, scooping Ellie up into his arms. "Time for us to go see what trouble we can get into next."
