Downton Abbey - The Story of Emma Barrow

Fair & Another Baby (September 1921)

Emma was thrilled when she found out that Tom would be dining with them. It had been far too long since Tom sat with them.

"I'll stay here and keep watch," announced Tom.

"Don't tell me you're not coming with us," Edna exclaimed in horror, "I thought you could drive us," she corrected her statement. Thomas looked at her with a raised eyebrow.

"There's no need to be rude," Mrs. Hughes remarked.

"You're right. I'm happy to drive you, but who will stay here?"

"I'll stay here," Carson declared, bringing cheerful smiles to Alfred and Jimmy's faces.

"Tom, can you tell me more leprechaun stories later?" Emma asked curiously. Carson grimaced slightly but didn't comment on Emma's question. Emma should have said Mister Branson instead of Tom, but the child had a long-standing friendly bond with the former chauffeur. It couldn't be blamed for disregarding social norms.

"Of course," smiled Tom. And that's exactly what he did. He told her the new adventures of the leprechauns, and later they talked about Sybbie and how much the little girl would soon love the stories. Emma kept asking when Sybbie would be old enough to play, but it seemed like ages until the little baby was old enough.

The fairground music rattled up and down. Carousels spun. Children jumped around joyfully. Emma wasn't sure when she last visited the fair. It must have been after the war, so it had been at least three years. She reached for her father's hand. With an eyebrow raised, he looked at her surprised. At first, she didn't understand why because she often grabbed his hand, but she felt that Thomas' hand felt different. It was his gloved hand. The hand Emma was never supposed to reach for. She didn't squeeze his hand tightly and saw no reason to switch sides.

"Can I ride the merry-go-round?" she asked excitedly, "Oh, and I want to ride that one too!" pointing to the carousel with the horses. Internally, Thomas wondered if it was such a good idea to take a 9-year-old child to a fair. Knowing Emma, the girl would simply want to try all the attractions, which in turn meant spending half of his hard-earned money. But Jimmy had already made a bet and entered the Downton team into the tug-of-war competition.

"We'll win, and then you can ride as much carousel as you want, alright," said Thomas, tipping his hat to his daughter. Emma nodded in agreement as he also placed his jacket in her slender arms.

Emma stood between Daisy and Ivy. Together they cheered on the Downton team and cheered for their victory when the referee loudly announced, "I hereby declare the Downton team the winner!"

"Dad," Emma looked at him with her legendary puppy eyes. Thomas immediately knew what she was getting at, "Which carousel first?" he asked. Emma looked at him with a 'You-know-exactly-what-I-want' look. "Of course, the merry-go-round," he answered the question himself.

Together they made their way to the carousel, sparkling in the sun and filling the air with the sound of turning wheels. As they sat on the colourful seats of the merry-go-round and prepared to conquer the sky in circles, Emma beamed with joy. Thomas couldn't help but share her joy as the carousel slowly started to move. Emma laughed and gripped the handle, while the carousel spun faster and faster. Thomas couldn't help but laugh too, seeing the radiant face of his daughter.

After an exhilarating ride, they landed safely back on the ground, and Emma beamed with excitement. "That was amazing!" she exclaimed, pulling Thomas along to the next carousel. It was followed by a fun day filled with drinking soda, snacking on sweets, and carousel rides. Thomas enjoyed every moment to the fullest, watching Emma soak up the joy and fun of the day. Nevertheless, he remained vigilant, frequently observing Jimmy, who was consuming vast amounts of beer.