Downton Abbey - The Story of Emma Barrow

Flower Show (August 1913)

"Wake up, little sleepyhead," Thomas sat up on Emma's bed. The little girl curled up into a new sleeping position. Thomas sighed. It wasn't his idea that the child should be present during the staff's meal times. Otherwise, Emma wouldn't get breakfast. It was a rule set by Carson.

"Emma," Thomas urged. He was already dressed, but he still needed to dress the child for the day. Thomas ran his hand over her head before laying his flat hand on her narrow forehead. Emma was burning up. For a brief moment, he closed his eyes. He couldn't deal with a sick child right now. Emma only stirred slowly. She stared at her father with her big blue eyes.

Thomas sighed again. He had a true weakness when Emma looked at him with those puppy eyes,
"I think we'd better spend today in bed, huh?" Thomas reached for the blanket that Emma kicks off every night with her feet. He covered the blanket over Emma's small body again, "Rest, okay? Daddy will be right back," he said, before hastily leaving the room. He first looked for Mrs. Hughes. Although the housekeeper was not thrilled about the sick child, she showed understanding. Mr. Carson, however, still demanded that Thomas should serve at lunch and dinner, but he was initially exempt from his other duties.

Back in the bedroom, he brought the child a healing sage tea and a buttered bread. Emma immediately grabbed the cup. Thomas quickly responded and helped the little girl hold the cup correctly. Thomas was fascinated to see that Emma didn't actually need his help. She gripped the cup with both hands. A new milestone was reached.

"Look what Daddy bought you," Thomas showed a new picture book. On his last half day off, Thomas strolled through the village and stopped at the bookstore. Originally, he wanted to give her the book much later, but now that the child was sick and bored in bed, it was the perfect time for a new gift.

"This is a picture book with short stories about farm animals," he explained, showing her the book cover. Emma smiled with enthusiasm. And so, Thomas lay down in bed with her. Emma cuddled up to her father. Thomas opened the first page, where a dog and a cat were pictured.

"Woof," Emma mimicked and pointed at the dog.

"Do you know how the cat goes?"

"Woof woof," Emma grinned.

"Meow," said Thomas, causing Emma to giggle.

"Oh, you find that funny?" With his free hand, he tickled his daughter's belly. Emma couldn't stop laughing, "D-dad-dy," she laughed, followed by a barking cough. Thomas stopped, realizing for a moment that he had forgotten why he was with his child. Emma needed rest now.

"Take a sip," Thomas instructed as he carefully brought the cup to her lips. After all, Emma was still clutching her chest painfully with both hands.

He spent the rest of the day reading and showing her the new picture book. On day three, the fever suddenly disappeared, and a small rash appeared on her neck. And so, Mrs. Hughes' suspicion of a harmless three-day fever was confirmed.

Two weeks later, Thomas sat thoughtfully on the stairs.

"What's the matter with you?" O'Brien wondered.

"Nothing," he spoke quietly.

"I hear his Lordship blames Mr. Napier for spreading rumors about Lady Mary, but it was you, wasn't it?"

"Why would you say something like that?" Thomas jumped up from the step. O'Brien took the first step down when she saw the looks of her partner in crime. Thomas looked up the stairs, where the toddler was slowly crawling down the steps.

O'Brien decided against continuing her descent, Thomas probably wouldn't follow anyway, so she changed the subject, "Since when can she walk up and down stairs?"