Barrow's Boy - A Downton Abbey Fanfiction

The Uneventful Upstairs

     Teddy sat in a chair in the library, staying as quiet as he could, journal open in his lap. Lord Grantham and Mr. Crawley were discussing something to do with the estate and finances, Teddy wasn't really following. Mr. Branson was there as well, although he hadn't been adding much to the discussion. Teddy couldn't blame him, as this was terribly boring. 

     Branson walked over, sitting next to him, pretending to keep an ear on the conversation. "This is all a bit unamusing, isn't it?"

     "I don't wish to be presumptuous, Sir."

     "You don't need to worry about that with me." Teddy nodded, tapping his notebook with his pencil. 

     "Good to know, Sir." He replied, looking down at his book for a moment before looking back up at Branson. "If it's alright for me to ask, where are the ladies right now?"

     "Lady Grantham has gone out for tea with the Dowager." Teddy nodded, writing this down. "I believe that Mary has gone out for a ride and that Edith is working on a piece for her column." 

     "I see. Thank you." Teddy said, writing his last few words and putting down the pencil again. Branson gave him a nod, looking up at Mr. Crawley as he spoke again. Teddy was left to keep on pretending he was interested, wondering if anything exciting would actually end up happening. 

    "How's the reporting going?" Thomas asked once Theodore arrived back downstairs. Teddy gave him a very clear look. "That good?"

     "You want to hear every detail of Downton's finances? Because I could give it to you," He replied, sitting down next to Thomas and opening his notebook, going over everything he had collected since this morning. He had barely seen any of the ladies. He'd seen Lady Edith at breakfast, but other than that, it was mostly just passing each other as they went from place to place. 

     "No complaining from you. They've had me working like a dog all day," Thomas replied sarcastically, opening up the newspaper in his hands. "What do you have from down here?" 

     "That my father is pompous and no help to me." 

     "Excuse me?" Thomas looked over his newspaper at him. "You write that in your article and you're dead." 

     "Noted." Teddy took a look around, wondering what he could add to make this article a bit more interesting. He could always go into past events; Bates going to prison, or Lady Sybil running off with their Irish chauffeur. But, he didn't wish to just be spreading rumours. People already knew about all of that anyway. 

     He could start elsewhere then. What was happening now? This was supposed to be daily life at the Abbey, not the huge events that had happened here. He could mention the smells that seemed to always be coming from the kitchen, or how Jimmy sat playing the piano, a few maids listening - or just watching him, Teddy wasn't entirely sure. Perhaps he would mention how Mr. Carson and Mrs. Hughes kept the house running, he was sure they would like that. Or he could say that Anna was always willing to help others (and, for the best, leave out that O'Brien was the opposite.)

      He was writing all of this down in his notebook, at least, the parts he felt he could say, his father having gone back to the newspaper he was holding. 

      Teddy watched as the family was served their luncheon, James and Alfred making their way around the table. He'd been seated in the corner of the room, having been given the job of simply watching and gathering the information he needed for the article. Their discussion wasn't too entertaining, so Teddy wasn't going to bother the readers with having to get through it, but he did get a bit more than Downton finances, so he was happy with how it had gone. The Dowager Countess had been there, along with Mrs. Crawley, which made things a bit interesting. They'd exchanged a few words that he had been clearly told not to write, but they had made him a bit happier to be there. 

     He stood as the family went through, not leaving the room until all of them had. At this, Teddy left and walked through the corridors, on his way back downstairs. 

     "I promise you, there have been much more interesting times up there," Thomas said, watching as Teddy pulled out pieces of paper. He'd created a rough draft of his article in his journal, and now, with a pen in his hand, he just needed to transfer it onto paper to give to Ms. Gibson. 

     "It's alright. I got what I needed. I'm not sure we're looking for much drama." He had just started writing the title on the paper when Ivy came out from the kitchen, followed by Daisy. 

      "Is it true you're writing an article about us? I heard Mrs. Hughes and Ms. Patmore talking about it." 

      "Well, not you two specifically, but yes," Theodore replied, not looking up from his writing. 

      "An article?" Jimmy looked over at them from his game of cards with Alfred, seeming to temporarily forget that he didn't like either Thomas or Teddy after a certain moonlit event. "What kind of article?"

      "An article of clothing, obviously." Thomas gave Teddy a look that he pointedly ignored, going back to his writing. 

       "Why are you writing an article?" Alfred asked, laying down a card in front of Jimmy. 

       "School purposes." 

       "What's going on in here?" Anna asked as she walked in, followed by Mr. Bates. 

       "Teddy's writing an article about Downton for school," Daisy explained as the couple sat down at the table. 

        "An article? How interesting."

       "Yes, yes. He's writing an article." Thomas said, cigarette in hand. "Now can we leave him alone to actually write the bloody thing?" Mrs. Patmore started calling for Daisy and Ivy at that moment, well-timed, and both girls retreated back to the kitchen. The footmen went back to their card game, and Anna and Mr. Bates started their own little conversation, allowing Teddy to focus on his words and the paper in front of him. 

      The next morning, Teddy handed his article to Ms. Gibson with a smile on his face. "Here it is, Ms. I did my best with what I was allowed to say." 

     "I'm sure it's great, Teddy. Thank you." Teddy smiled and took his seat at his desk, getting ready for the school day that was about to commence.