Downton Abbey - The Story of Emma Barrow

Lady Rose (29 November 1921)

Emma wondered as a car stopped beside her. Inside was Lady Rose. Not only did she wonder what Lady Rose was doing so early in the morning, but also why that lady suddenly stopped beside her.

"Hello Emma!" greeted Lady Rose, waving wildly. "What are you up to?"

Emma looked at her bewildered before answering Lady Rose's question, "I'm going to school."

"Do you have to go?" Lady Rose asked, a little disappointed with the response.

"My dad would never allow me to skip," Emma replied.

"He doesn't have to know you weren't there," she shrugged, "My parents don't know a lot of things either."

"But my absence will be noticed by the teacher, and without an excuse note from Dad, I'll get in trouble."

"Emma, rules are meant to be broken," Lady Rose lectured.

"Breaking rules?" repeated Emma, her eyes widening in surprise. She had never thought about simply skipping school before.

"I won't tell Mr. Barrow anything, and you'll surely come up with something for the excuse note. Come on, I want to spend a nice day in Leeds today," Lady Rose winked.

"Lady Rose, I don't quite understand," Emma hesitated, still not entirely convinced.

"Oh, you must really like school then?" Lady Rose sadly observed.

Emma quickly shook her head, "Absolutely not," she replied, "I don't like school at the moment."

"Even more reason for us to have some fun," said Lady Rose, patting the seat beside her. Emma's heart raced. Shouldn't she just decline and walk to school instead?

"Come on, Emma," Lady Rose smiled, "I want to do a little shopping, and you'd be the best company."

After a brief hesitation, Emma agreed. She was nervous about skipping school, but the idea of spending a day with Lady Rose outweighed her concerns. She got into the car and smiled shyly.

As they drove through the bustling streets of Leeds, Lady Rose began telling Emma about her excursions to different cities. She spoke of the exciting shops where they found designer clothing and exotic delicacies, and of the interesting people they had met.

Emma listened eagerly, momentarily forgetting her fears. She enjoyed chatting with Lady Rose and being infected by her cheerful energy.

Eventually, they reached their first destination, a luxurious boutique. Lady Rose led Emma through the elegant aisles, and Emma could hardly decide where to look first. She admired the sparkling dresses and intricately adorned accessories and felt like she was in another world.

"What do you think of this dress?" Lady Rose asked, holding up an elegant evening gown.

Emma admired the dress. It was beautiful, but she knew it was far beyond her budget. "It's beautiful," she replied finally, letting Lady Rose continue to lead her through the boutique.

Meanwhile, Mrs. Hughes sat in her sitting room surrounded by sewing. Her peaceful retreat was suddenly interrupted by the voice of Thomas as he entered the room. "Mrs. Hughes," he spoke, his tone carrying a certain seriousness that caught the housekeeper's attention. She looked up at him, setting aside her sewing. "Mr. Barrow. What can I do for you?"

Thomas cleared his throat and began to explain, "It's about Emma. She wishes to have her own room, but Mr. Carson is only willing to provide her with one if she works here as a housemaid."