Barrow's Boy - A Downton Abbey Fanfiction

The Infamous Lewis Saffer

     "Abi, how often do your parents fight?" Everett sat in the circle with the rest of their group in the shed Abi had found a few months ago. 

     "Not too often," She replied, not looking up from what she was drawing in her notebook. Art had become Abigail's new passion, and Teddy wasn't complaining. She was very good at it, in his opinion at least, and she seemed to enjoy it. It was very similar to his love for words, and, although he hadn't used them for writing stories of his own yet, he thought it might be something he would enjoy.

     "Why do you ask?" Percy sat between Teddy and Everett in the circle, currently holding the deck of cards the boys were playing with, shuffling them.

     "It's no big deal really." Everett shrugged, watching as Percy dealt out the cards. "It's just that my parents have been arguing all the time. It's just gotten worse and worse."

     "Really?" Teddy asked, grabbing his cards and looking at them before looking back up at Everett. "What about?" He couldn't relate to Everett's problems with his parents, but he knew a few people at Downton who got into arguments regularly. 

     "Anything and everything." Everett sighed, drawing a card from the deck. "The most recent one was a couple of days ago. Papa thinks Mama's too soft on me, apparently."

     "Is that why you were upset that day?" Teddy asked, the realization dawning on him. He took the card that Everett had just placed down, swapping it with one in his hand. 

     "It's part of it," Everett confessed. "There's just been a lot going on."

     "Well, if you need someone to talk to, we're here." Abigail glanced up from her sketch at the boys, giving Everett a small smile. He smiled back and nodded.

     "I know." He said, turning his head to look at the group. "Thank you. All of you." 

     "That's right! Thank us! Worship us, Everett!" Percy exclaimed, causing an outburst of laughter from all four of the friends.  

     It became clear to Teddy that what had happened between them and Everett was a thing of the past and, although he recalled his father's words from the day before, he decided not to worry about that with Everett right now. 

     Lewis Saffer was a boy who attended the same school as Teddy and his friends. Being two years older than them, a solid twelve-years-old at this point, they hadn't interacted with him much, if at all. But, the children were well aware of his existence. Not only did his father own the local general store, but Lewis constantly made his existence known to those around them. From picking on younger children, to loudest boasting about himself and his accomplishments, it was hard to live in the area and not know of him.

     It was just their luck that, as heading back home for the day, Teddy, Percy, Everett and Abigail happened to run into Lewis, who stood with a few of his cronies in front of his father's store. 

     Now, two years may not seem like that big of a difference, but to a group of ten-year-olds passing these older boys, who were both taller and stronger than them (although smarter was debatable), it was very intimidating.

     Lewis did not fail to notice them, letting out what was a strange mixture of a snort and a laugh. He strutted over to the group, who moved a bit closer together at his approach, and looked down at them.

     "So, the four misfits come back together after their little fight on Thursday." He said. Teddy stopped himself from groaning. It was just his luck that Lewis had seen what had happened. He wouldn't be surprised if the entire school knew of it by now. "I must say, the Honourable Everett Rainford can throw a good punch. You got servant boy good."

     "Excuse me?" Teddy asked, suddenly feeling very aware of his eye, which had faded more but still had not completely healed. "Servant boy?" Teddy honestly didn't mind the name too much, there were much worse things he could be called, but perhaps it was the fact that the name came from Lewis' mouth that made his blood curdle. 

    "You work for Lord Grantham up at the big house, don't ya?" Teddy shook his head.

     "My father did. Before the war." He corrected, crossing his arms. "Why does that matter, anyway? I'm not the only one with a parent in service." Abigail pulled on his sleeve in warning as a sneer crossed Lewis' face.

    "Maybe. But you're the only one I know of that lives there," Teddy didn't know how or why Lewis knew this much about him, but that didn't matter now.  

     "Let's get out of here," Percy said quietly and, in agreement, the three others turned to continue their walk down the street.

     "That's right. Listen to the slave." It seemed as though they all froze at Lewis' words. Everett was the first to move, turning right around and storming towards him.

     "Don't call him that!" This was a large change from what had happened a few days ago, and, although Teddy didn't entirely understand it, he was glad to see it.

     "What? Suddenly changed your mind?" Teddy walked over towards Everett and, noticing the stance his friend was taking, put a hand on his shoulder.

     "Come on. He's not worth causing trouble over." He said, grabbing Everett's arm and practically pulling him away. Everett didn't seem to happy about this but allowed himself to be led away from Lewis and back to where Percy and Abigail had been waiting. 

    "Alright, follow midget then." Teddy honestly couldn't say anything about this name as he was the shortest of his friend group, including Abigail. As he had just told Everett, Lewis wasn't worth the comeback anyway.

     So, together, the four friends all walked as far away from Lewis as they possibly could.

     "Wait, I'm confused. Is he Patrick Crawley or not?" Teddy was in his room with his father, who had just finished telling him of some of the upstairs drama that he had overheard.

     "I don't know. No one truly does." He said, shrugging off the coat of his uniform. Teddy walked over and took the coat from Thomas, hanging it on the back of the chair. 

     "But does the family believe him?"

     "I don't think so," Thomas said, moving on to untying his shoes. Teddy, already changed for the night, sat on the edge of his bed, intrigued. "Lady Edith might, but I'm sure none of the others do."

     "So, no luck for Mr. Gordon then," Teddy said, although he couldn't entirely sympathize. After all, he couldn't remember anything about Patrick Crawley, he wasn't sure he was even here yet during his last visit. Besides, for all he knew, this was just an imposter trying to inherit a title and great fortune. 

    "That seems to be the case," Thomas confirmed. "Now, get to bed. We have work to do tomorrow." Teddy gave his father a smile before climbing under the covers of his bed. He lay there for a moment before sitting up again.

     "Dad?" Thomas, who had gone to hang the coat up in the wardrobe, turned to look at Teddy.

     "Yes?"

     "Hypothetically, if someone was calling you and your friends names, what would you do about it?"

     "Well, hypothetically, I would probably come up with some names for him. Or punch him. Or both." 

     "But, what if, hypothetically, he's older and much larger than you?"

     "Who's calling you names?" Thomas asked. Theodore shook his head.

     "I told you. It's just hypothetical."

     "No, it's not." Teddy sighed, adjusting his pillow so that he was comfortably sitting upright.

     "It's just this kid from school, he picks on a bunch of kids. He's a couple of years older than us." He told Thomas, who slowly nodded, clearly waiting for more information. "Today was the only day he's ever bugged us. It's probably nothing." Thomas didn't look convinced, so Teddy continued; "Really. I was just thinking in case he did it again. But he won't." 

     "Alright. But if he does anything to you again, I want you to tell me, alright?" Teddy nodded, which seemed to somewhat satisfy his dad. "Good. Now get to bed."