"You know, you still haven't returned my book," Thomas said to Jimmy one evening after they'd served dinner. Thomas had lent him David Copperfield months ago, and hadn't seen it since. "It shouldn't take you this long to get through it. Supposing you can read, that is," Mr. Barrow teased.
Jimmy rolled his eyes and said,"I'll return it. It's been sitting in my room for ages." He'd finished the book long ago, but for some reason he enjoyed having it with him. Jimmy would never admit that he'd looked it over several times, thinking about the fact that his hands were in precisely the same place that Thomas' had been. "I'll get it to you later. I promised Ivy I'd teach her that rag I was playing on the piano yesterday." Jimmy's eyes shone with that slightly mischievous glint that Thomas was so used to. It happened whenever Jimmy mentioned one of the girls, despite nearly everyone downstairs warning him not to lead Ivy or Daisy on.Thomas grumbled to himself, rolling his eyes at the very thought of Ivy sitting at the piano with Jimmy, their bodies close together on the small bench.
The gesture didn't go unnoticed by Jimmy, and he looked sidelong at Mr. Barrow. "If you're so keen on having it back, why don't you go get it yourself?" Jimmy asked, his tone as teasing as ever, as if he were challenging Mr. Barrow.
"Fine then, I will," Mr. Barrow said, and turned on his heel to make his way upstairs before Jimmy could say another word. Jimmy stood in the hall for a moment, watching him go and wondering if he should be worried. He trusted Mr. Barrow, and decided that there was no reason to worry. It wasn't a very involved task, and since Mr. Barrow was the one who wanted the thing back, Jimmy decided he could get it himself. Jimmy headed toward the servants' hall where Ivy was waiting for him, pushing Mr. Barrow from his mind.
Thomas climbed the stairs to the servants' quarters, wondering why Jimmy was always so difficult about the oddest things. There was no getting the man to do anything he didn't want to do, and that was a dangerous quality in a footman. It had cost Jimmy several times before, and Mr. Barrow guessed that he could always count on overhearing the man getting told off by Carson. Mr. Barrow stopped at Jimmy's door, just down the hall from his own. It had been nearly two years since he'd set foot in Jimmy's room, and it had only been for a moment that night. Ignoring the memories that came to mind, Thomas pushed the door open, telling himself that he was only there to get his book, which he had permission for, anyhow.
The room, unsurprisingly, looked nearly identical to Thomas' own, with a bed (probably too small) against one wall, and a few other standard furnishings. Thomas glanced around, letting the door swing nearly closed as he scanned the room. Finally he found his book on the nightstand, among a few other odds and ends. Thomas wondered how long the young man would have kept it if Thomas hadn't remembered it that evening. He snatched up the novel, then took another look around the room. It was unlikely that he'd have another chance like this; a free pass into Jimmy's room, with no one around to see him. Mr. Barrow couldn't resist letting old instincts get the best of him.
He started with Jimmy's nightstand, taking a closer look at what was there. On top was an alarm clock, a book that didn't look halfway interesting, and a small double-portrait frame depicting people who could only be Jimmy's parents. Both of them had light hair, and the man definitely had the same nose that Thomas had made fun of so many times. Thomas smiled, wondering what life had been like at the Kent household when Jimmy was growing up-- he resolved to ask Jimmy about his childhood some day.
Mr. Barrow rifled through the drawer in the nightstand, but found nothing of interest. As far as personal effects went, Jimmy had fairly little, and Thomas found himself disappointed. He made his way to the wardrobe in the corner, not expecting to find much. Inside were Jimmy's few street clothes, along with two pairs of shoes and a hat. Thomas looked up at the top shelf and felt a smirk spread across his face.
