What happened to Thomas Barrow ⎹ Downton Abbey⎹ Explicit 18+⎹ M/M⎹ Gay ♥ FanFic⎹

... To teach you a lesson.

Cousin Jane was obsessed with Thomas, and made a show of it at dinner. Thomas remained cool and composed and absolutely professional, thinking of how proud Carson would be of him at this moment. As he surveyed Esther serving the dishes, Cousin Jane wouldn't stop glancing at him. She even winked at him, and was determined to flash him her most sparkling smiles.

Thomas didn't want to vomit all over his Lordship's china, so he filled his mind with a picture of his Lordship instead. His sculpted face, his subtle chin dimple, his sandy hair, his unflinching sharp blue eyes, looking at him with dazed, loving eyes.

However, the real Lordship was staring at him and at his cousin with the same wrinkled nose and ferocious eyes. There was nowhere to escape. Thomas drifted his thoughts toward something lighter, and he couldn't refrain to smile when he realised that Cousin Jane made him think of the Lady Anstruther, and how she had once caressed Jimmy in front of everyone, as he was serving diner at Downton.

He then shook his head in disbelief. He had not driftted towards memories of Lady Anstruther. Cousin Jane was actually talking about her while chewing on her salad.

"Yes, yes Adam, remember her. No, no perhaps you have never dined with her. I did. She is so much fun. Are you sure we never partied with her? She is always in the mood to party. Pray, I think we met her with the Duke a couple of times."

The Viscount was squinting at her, probably assessing whether or not to stab her with his fork. Lady Westforth snapped her fingers, making him jump.

"Yes! Yes!" She cried. "Of course we know her. Darling-" she turned to him- "She's the one who had a thing with her footman."

Thomas felt the blood leave his cheeks. His Lordship scoffed, raising a glass to his cousin.

"Well, a toast for this brave footman then." He emptied the glass, almost chocked on the wine.

Thomas moved swiftly to refill it.

"Do you know what happened to them?" Her Ladyship asked.

"No I don't!" Cousin Jane was ecstatic to have everybody's attention. "He's not working for her anymore. There was this rumour that she came back from France to try to get him back, but he refused to go! He was only sixteen! The scandal. I heard she was left heartbroken. I hope it's the truth. She makes me cringe."

Lord Westforth chuckled and threw his head back. "What did she expect," he said in a mocking tone. "A Lady and a footman. Preposterous, even after the war." He sounded drunk already.

Cousin Jane nodded maliciously. "I agree. I never go for anything less than a butler, these days."

Thomas gasped for air as Lady Westforth coughed to repress a laugh. His Lordship stared coolly at his cousin, then smirked and raised his glass again.

"Whatever floats your boat," he said. "Yet how the mighty have fallen."

*

Cousin Jane cornered Thomas as he was headed toward his Lordship's room to prepare him for the night. He was carrying a glass of vodka on a fine silver tray, still dreaming of a better Lord Westforth who would hold him, and love him, when a jewelled hand appeared out of nowhere and grabbed him roughly by the arm. He stumbled back, losing his balance. The glass fell to the carpet with a soft thump, spilling its contents on the fabric. Thomas rolled his eyes and bit back a curse. He looked around for the one responsible for this mess.

"Madam," he said, drawing a long breath. "What can I do for you?"

"Oops!" Cousin Jane squeaked. She was buzzed. "Sorry about that!" She looked at him from head to toes, a hand on her chin, evaluating him like some kind of a race horse, blushing in the process. "His Lordship doesn't need it anyway. He has a hidden stash somewhere in his bedroom."