Barrow's Boy - A Downton Abbey Fanfiction

Find the Voice

     Teddy walked through the woods, approaching the shed that he and his friends had chosen as their meeting spot. As he came closer, he could hear their voices from within. 

     "Have you gotten very far into it?"

     "No," Percy responded to Everett, "we're just a few pages in."

     "We're taking it slow," Abi added. 

     Teddy was well aware that they were discussing the journal that was currently in his hands. He took a deep breath and opened the door, and walked into the shed to join them. 

     "Sorry I'm late," he said, sitting down with them, filling the space they had left. "Mr. Carson seems to think that I actually work for him."

     "What'd he make you do this time?"

     "Oh, you know, just cleaning boots and getting knots out of the laces," Teddy replied, rolling his eyes. "I swear he thinks I'm a free hall boy."

     "Why do you keep doing it then?" Everett asked, drumming his fingers on the floor. Theodore shook his head, not sure how to explain. 

     "It's a reputation thing, I suppose. Or association."

     "You don't want Mr. Carson to be mad at you and, as a result, mad at your dad," Abi concluded, to which Teddy nodded. 

     "Exactly." 

     "Well, you're free now. So, get reading. I want to hear what's in this journal you've all been telling me about!"

     Teddy nodded, opening up the book to the page they had left off at. "We're in the middle of an entry, so bear with us."

     "It seems that my grandfather hasn't been as lonely as my parents seem to think he was. In fact, he's made a friend in a boy who lives across the street, the clockmaker's son. I overheard them having a conversation earlier today. I believe it was about a Tennyson work. I'd questioned him about it later and discovered that it had started with my grandfather paying him to run little errands for him around the town. One day, grandpapa had sent the boy to retrieve a book, and when he came back, they both got into a conversation about literature. They've discussed it, and a variety of other things, frequently ever since."

    "My grandfather seems to think that this boy and I would get along. Martha is strongly against it, but I much prefer to listen to grandpapa instead of her. I would very much like to make a friend while we're here, and if it's meant to be this clockmaker's son, then I welcome the thought with open arms. And if Martha doesn't think it appropriate, then she can go and complain to someone who actually cares, for that someone is not me."

     "I love your mum!" Abi said between laughs. Everett was also laughing, shaking his head. 

     "I hate that I'm missing this! This is much better than Eton!" He exclaimed, motioning towards the book.

     "Ev, you've only heard a little bit of it," Percy said, putting his hand on Everett's shoulder. "You should have heard what she thinks of this widow who lives down the street."

     "Hate to spoil it for you, but she does not like her," Abi added, causing Percy and Theodore to laugh.

     "Can we go back? I need to hear this!"

     With Rose away in London yet again and Lady Edith there with her, Teddy had no clue what Rose was planning. He just had to hope that it would work.