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...
Oops! This image does not follow our content guidelines. To continue publishing, please remove it or upload a different image.
It was a calm and peaceful time at Downton Abbey. Thomas was grateful for the peace and quiet that allowed him to spend more time with Ellie. He enjoyed teaching her new things, taking her on walks in the gardens, and reading her bedtime stories. They had a strong bond that could not be broken by anyone.
However, little did he know that something sinister was about to happen that would shatter his world.
~
Ellie giggled as Thomas tickled her. "Daddy, stop! You're tickling m - me too much!" she said, her face lighting up with joy.
Thomas smiled and pulled her into a hug. "I'm sorry, my darling," he said, kissing her forehead. "I just love hearing you laugh."
For the past few weeks, Thomas had been enjoying some much-needed downtime. Life at Downton Abbey was usually hectic, with constant demands from the Crawley family and their guests and their current guest was no exception.
The arrival of Mrs Ida Kirkpatrick at Downton Abbey had kept the household staff busy, and Thomas had been assigned to assist with serving meals in the dining room as usual. She seemed to take an unusual interest in Ellie. Thomas had noticed her watching Ellie whenever she could, and had caught her trying to hold Ellie's hand when she thought no one was looking.
Thomas was walking through the gardens with Ellie when the guest approached them. "Hello there, little one," she said, crouching down to Ellie's level. "What's your name?"
Ellie didn't respond and hid behind her fathers legs, but Thomas stepped in. "This is Ellie," he said, a little curtly.
She smiled. "She's a lovely little girl," she said, reaching out to stroke Ellie's cheek.
Thomas felt a wave of discomfort and protectiveness wash over him as he picked his daughter setting her on his hip and taking a step back from Mrs Kirkpatrick before she could touch her cheek. "I'm sorry, but I think it's time for us to head back inside," he said, turning to go back into the house.
She only ignored him and followed them. "Actually, I was hoping to spend a bit more time with Ellie," she said.
Thomas stopped and turned to face him. "What do you mean?" he asked, his tone sharp.
"Well, I just think she's a very special little girl. I'd love to get to know her better."
Thomas felt his hackles rise, defending and protecting her like a wolf would with it's cub. "She's my daughter," he said firmly. "And I don't think it's appropriate for you to be spending time with her."
Mrs Kirkpatrick's smile faded. "I didn't mean to offend you," he said. "I just think that Ellie is a remarkable child."
Thomas shook his head. "I appreciate the sentiment," he said, "but I don't think it's necessary. Ellie has everything she needs, and she's surrounded by people who love her."
She seemed to take the hint, and left them alone. But Thomas couldn't shake the feeling that he was being watched. He would catch glimpses of Ida following them, or peeking through doorways to watch Ellie playing.
Later that night after putting Ellie to bed, Thomas sought out Mrs. Hughes, the housekeeper. "I don't want to cause any trouble," he said, "but I'm starting to feel uncomfortable around this guest."
Mrs. Hughes frowned. "What do you mean?"
"She seems to be taking an unusual interest in Ellie," Thomas said. "I don't like the way she looks at her, or the way she tries to keep Ellie with her."
Mrs. Hughes sighed. "I'll keep an eye on things," she said. "But we can't exactly kick her out without cause."
Thomas nodded, knowing that she was right. But he couldn't shake the feeling of unease that settled in his stomach whenever he thought of Mrs Kirkpatrick he couldn't help feeling like she was trying to take Ellie away from him.
That night, Thomas couldn't sleep. He kept thinking about Ida and her strange behavior. Was he being paranoid? Or was there something more to her interest in Ellie?
The next day, Ida came to Thomas and asked if she could take Ellie for a walk in the gardens again. Thomas hesitated, but eventually agreed. He watched as Ida took Ellie's hand and led her away.
As he watched them walk away, Thomas felt a sense of unease wash over him. He couldn't shake off the feeling that something was off about Ida and her interest in Ellie.
When Ellie returned from her walk with Ida, she seemed agitated and upset. Thomas asked her what was wrong, but she couldn't tell him.
