Downton Abbey: The Risk Of Love

It Was Like Listening To A Fairytale, Mrs Hughes

Downton Village,
August 1920

"Are you certain this is the only way, aunty?" Alfred asked O'Brien as they stood outside of the building that housed the police.

"Of course it is, do you want Mr Barrow to be released?" She snapped at her nephew. "Stop being such a wimp, lad!" She furrowed her eyebrows and then motioned with her head to the door. "On with you now."

Alfred hung his head and then gave a nod — he needed to just man up and get it over with. He still would not say it was Jimmy who was the servant in question, he could not do that — but he hoped his eyewitness account of the night would be enough. Surely it would, wouldn't it? So he stepped inside and was met by the receptionist typing on a typewriter.

Alfred cleared his throat and it made them look up at him. "Yes? Can I help you lad?" They said with a quirked eyebrow.

"I — I'd like to speak to the Chief inspector." He said and then quickly took his cap off "It's about Mr Barrow."

The receptionist nodded and rose from their desk "Have a seat and I shall go inform him."

About ten minutes later they returned and gave Alfred a nod "He said he'd see you right away, he is in the back — open door, large desk, you cannot miss his office."

Alfred gave them a nod and thanked them before he hurried past a few desks with officers chatting or typing away. They all followed him with their gaze as he walked towards the office in the back where the chief inspector sat, reading some reports, and looked up at Alfred as he entered.

"I heard you had some information about Mr Thomas Barrow?" He spoke and put the reports down and offered Alfred a seat. "What's your name lad?"

"Alfred, Alfred Nugent, Sir" Alfred said and sat down, fumbling with his cap between his fingers. "Yes I have information, sir, about him — I —" Alfred took a deep breath " — I am the one who made the anonymous complaint about him."

The Chief inspector leaned back in his chair and pressed his fingertips together, eyeing the footman intently. "You made the call? Care to tell me why you kept it anonymous?"

"I was'fraid" Alfred admitted "because Mr Barrows is, was, is —" he shrugged " — the valet for Mr Crawley and I believe they are close friends due to the war and I didn't want anyone to think ill of me."

The inspector nodded and relaxed a bit. "Don't worry lad, I'm sure Mr Crawley will be grateful if you remove such a man from such an important position." The inspector waved over an officer and handed him a pen and paper "Now, Alfred, tell me about this information you have and spare no details."

Alfred did as he was told, he spoke about how at the fair a servant was there one moment and then gone as they went to the pub, he spoke of how he left before Thomas did and the servant was still nowhere to be seen. Alfred spoke of how he had been in the servants' hall as he saw Thomas enter and holding onto this servant who seemed completely out of it; how Thomas had left the room adjusting his jacket, wiping sweat from his forehead and wearing a smirk upon his face.

The officer wrote the entire report down while the chief inspector kept a thoughtful eye upon Alfred. He did not speak until the lad had finished and then he said: "You keep saying ' servant' but which servant was it? Blasted lad, can we have a name?"

Alfred shook his head. "I'm'fraid not, sir, I've tried to make him come forward but he's scared everyone will think of him that way too — and he is not!" He added quickly when the inspector raised his eyebrow questioningly. "I know he isn't, sir, he is not to blame."