Downton Abbey - The Story of Emma Barrow

Playdate with Dad (June 1918)

They walked hand in hand along the village street, observing the bustling activity around them. Emma would occasionally gaze in fascination at the shop windows until she suddenly stopped in front of a toy store. Her eyes sparkled with excitement as she spotted a beautiful dollhouse with tiny furniture and figurines displayed in the window.

Thomas lovingly watched his daughter. He recognized the subtle desire in her eyes and expression. He knew that Emma longed for the dollhouse, but was too shy to voice it aloud.

"Do you like it?" Thomas asked, and Emma nodded timidly.

"Come on, little dwarf," he said gently, leading her into the toy store. They entered the shop, and Emma looked around curiously. There were colorful toys and exciting things to discover everywhere. The Victorian dollhouse spanned three levels, but from the numerous numbers on the price tag, she knew they could never afford it.

Emma let out a small sigh and lowered her gaze. She didn't want to appear pushy or embarrass her father by asking for the dollhouse dream to be denied.

Thomas placed a gentle hand on Emma's shoulder and leaned down to her level. "Would you like to have a dollhouse?"

Emma nodded again, nervously biting her lower lip. "It's too expensive," she sadly concluded.

Only now did Thomas's gaze shift to the price tag. The dollhouse was indeed not a bargain, but if it would make his child happy, he would find a solution.

"It's okay, Daddy. We don't have room for a dollhouse anyway," the girl realized.

However, Thomas wasn't willing to give up so easily. His little dwarf wanted a dollhouse, so she should have one. The lack of space was indeed a big problem. Thomas pondered for days on where he could place a dollhouse. The room was simply too small. And Mr. Carson made it abundantly clear that Emma would not be getting her own room. The bedrooms were intended for the staff, not as a playroom.

Thomas usually preferred a tidy room, which was quite challenging with a child, especially since Emma had a talent for leaving her clothes everywhere. As he opened the bottom drawer of the chest of drawers, an idea struck him. This drawer was already storing only discarded clothes that had become too small, and Thomas hadn't found the time to dispose of them elsewhere. It could have been possible that one of the dresses might still be useful as fabric for new clothes or for repairing the new ones, although that had rarely been the case so far...

Meanwhile, the little girl sat on the kitchen counter. While Emma read aloud William's letter, Mrs. Patmore and Daisy listened attentively, bustling around the kitchen. The scent of freshly prepared food filled the room.

"And then William writes that he hopes to come home soon and see us all again," Emma announced with shining eyes. "He misses us so much, just like I miss him."

Mrs. Patmore set aside her kitchen knife. "Oh, that's so lovely, dear. We all hope he returns safely soon. He's a brave young man," she said, wiping a tear from the corner of her eye before scolding, "These darn onions."

"Did he write when he's coming back?" Daisy asked hopefully.

Sadly, Emma shook her head as Thomas appeared at the threshold. "Come with me," he said, and Emma followed him silently to the bedroom.

Emma stared in surprise at the bottom drawer of the chest of drawers. Well, the drawer wasn't there anymore, but it was like an open shelf. Small furniture and figurines sat on the shelf, inviting her to play with the dollhouse.

"I know it didn't turn out to be a house, but rather a little flat," Thomas explained.

Emma could hardly believe her luck as she saw the lovingly crafted dollhouse shelf. It had been furnished with such care and effort by her dad that it looked like a real little apartment.

"Thank you, Daddy, it's beautiful!" Emma exclaimed enthusiastically, her face beaming with joy. She couldn't wait to play with the doll figures inside and create her own stories.

As Emma immersed herself in her own little world of play, Thomas looked at her with pride and affection. In that moment, a wave of gratitude and love overwhelmed Thomas for his daughter. He could hardly believe how much love he felt for her. It was a love that was so deep and unconditional that he couldn't put it into words. Thomas reflected on fatherhood and how much his life had changed since that day. He remembered the uncertainty, the overwhelm, and the fears he had initially felt, but also the immeasurable joy she had brought him. Emma was the first person ever to show him unconditional love.

"Would you like to play?" Emma asked, completely pulling her father out of his thoughts. Thomas looked at the small outstretched hand holding a figure.

"Better not, I'm not very good at it," he tried to excuse himself.

Emma grinned, "But Dad, that doesn't matter! It's just about having fun."

Thomas smiled. A quick glance at the clock revealed that he still had a few minutes to play before he had to go back to Dr. Clarkson. "Okay, I'll play, but only if you show me how it's done."

Emma took another doll figure and enthusiastically explained the rules of their imaginative game. Together, they delved into the world of the dollhouse and let their creativity run wild. They imagined the figures having little adventures, forming friendships, and sharing happy moments together.

Time flew by, and Emma and Thomas had an incredible amount of fun together. They laughed over and over again when their figures got into quirky situations or unexpected twists occurred in the story.

Thomas knew that these moments with his child were extremely rare. His work hardly left any room to spend his day with Emma. It would be much easier to build a relationship with Emma if he had more half-days off.

What father and daughter didn't realize was that Mrs. Hughes was indeed looking for Thomas, as Major Clarkson sorely missed him at work. The housekeeper had peeked through the small crack in the door. The little scene warmed her heart so much that she was willing to give the little Barrow family some time.

"I'm afraid Mr. Barrow is down with the flu. He'll certainly be out for a day or two," Mrs. Hughes explained.

"A rather inconvenient moment, considering it's not flu season," Major Clarkson muttered.

"He must have caught it from his daughter. You know, children are very susceptible to such illnesses."

"I suppose I should take a look at the child then..."

"Oh no, please don't! You're needed here. Healthy and hearty. I can look after Mr. Barrow and Emma, and if their condition worsens—which won't happen—I will make sure you're notified."

Thanks for your comments. Just a short story about Thomas and Emma and how they spend a rare day together. The idea has been in my head for the past few days, and I thought I'd write a little bonus chapter before continuing with the main storyline along the series.