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 felt his heart breaking, and his mind was consumed with thoughts of what could have happened to his daughter. As the sun began to set, Thomas couldn't bring himself to eat his dinner in the servants' kitchen. He knew he had to keep searching for Ellie, even though he was exhausted and the woods were vast.
With a heavy heart, Thomas grabbed his coat and set out to the woods to look for Ellie once again. He hoped against hope that he would find her safe and sound, but as he searched, the reality of the situation hit him hard. The thought of losing his daughter forever was unbearable, and Thomas felt shattered.
As he trudged through the woods, calling out Ellie's name, Thomas couldn't help but think about everything that had happened leading up to her disappearance. He couldn't shake the feeling that Ida Kirkpatrick had something to do with it, and it made him sick to his stomach. The fear and uncertainty of not knowing where his daughter was, coupled with his suspicion of Ida, made Thomas feel like he was losing his mind.
As the light faded quickly and it grew dark he called out to her hoping and praying he would get an answer.
"Ellie, where are you?" Thomas called out into the darkness, his voice trembling with emotion. "Please come back to me, my darling. Daddy is here, and he loves you so much."
~
By the morning the search for Ellie continued, but there was no sign of her. The entire household staff, including Lord and Lady Grantham, were involved in the search, and everyone was feeling the weight of the situation. They all knew how much Ellie meant to Thomas and how devastated he would be if they didn't find her soon.
There was no sign of Ellie. Thomas was heartbroken, and his suspicion of Ida Kirkpatrick only grew stronger. He couldn't shake the feeling that she had something to do with his daughter's disappearance.
Thomas struggled to keep it together. He felt like he was losing his mind, and his heart ached for his missing daughter.
"Ellie, please come back to me," Thomas whispered. "I need you, my darling. Please, please come back to me."
But as the hours passed, and there was still no sign of Ellie, Thomas felt his hope slipping away. He had searched everywhere he could think of, and the thought of not finding her was unbearable. "Please, please let her be okay," he whispered to himself, tears welling up in his eyes.
Just then, Anna came running towards him. "Thomas, we've received word that Ellie has been found with Ida in the next village. They're getting ready to board a train, you need to hurry!"
His heart skipped a beat as his breath caught in his throat, finally after two long difficult weeks without her he finally had the chance to take her back, to see his daughter again, his own flesh and blood that he had brought into the world three years ago and as he saw her tiny face for the first time as she was placed in his arms from that moment on it changed everything, turned his world upside down and changed his life for the better and he was made a better man for it and he knew that.
He had to find Ellie, and he had to find her now. Lady Mary, overhearing the conversation, offered her horse, Diamond, to Thomas. He gratefully accepted, and didn't hesitate. He ran to the stables, not caring that he was still in his footman uniform, and mounted Diamond, and galloped off, hoping to catch the train before it left.
The wind whipped past his face as he urged Diamond to go faster. "Come on, boy," he spoke, "we have to get there in time!" Diamond responded with a burst of speed, his hooves pounding the ground with a thunderous rhythm.
As he rode, he could feel Diamond's powerful muscles working beneath him, carrying him forward. He was grateful for the horse's speed, as he knew that time was of the essence. "Please, Please get me to Ellie," he whispered urgently.
As he approached the train station, he could see the train in the distance. With all the strength he had left, he urged Diamond to go as fast as he could. The horse responded, stretching out its legs and covering the ground in giant strides.
As Thomas arrived, he saw Ida and Ellie standing on the platform, waiting to board the train. He leaped from Diamond's back and ran towards them, tears streaming down his face. "Ellie!" he cried, scooping her up in his arms, "Oh, My girl," he whispered.
Ellie clung to him, her small arms wrapped tightly around his neck. "Daddy, I m - missed you," she said, her voice soft and sweet.
Thomas held her close, tears streaming down his face. "I missed you too, sweetheart," he said, his voice breaking as he gently pressed a kiss to her forehead.
In that moment, he felt a sense of relief wash over him, knowing that his daughter was safe and sound in his arms. He looked up to see Lord and Lady Grantham, Mary, Edith and the rest of the household staff arriving at the station, all relieved to see Ellie safe and sound.
Thomas mounted Diamond once more, placing Ellie in front of him on the horse. Together, they rode gently back to the house, Thomas holding his daughter close.
Ellie snuggled against her father's chest, feeling safe and loved in his embrace. "L - love you, Daddy," she whispered, her voice filled with the innocence and trust of childhood.
Thomas smiled down at his daughter, tears of gratitude and joy streaming down his face. "I love you too, darling," he whispered back, his heart filled with the fierce love of a parent for their child.
