DISCLAIMER: The characters herein are used without permission. No infringement intended.
SPOILERS: Vague spoilers up to the middle of series two.
ARCHIVING: Only with the permission of the author.
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Eavesdropping
By CharmedLassie
Even with all the extra trouble occasioned by the patients and the nurses, Cora still rarely ventured into the lower regions of the house. There was no need for it. Today, however, she had need of a confidential chat with Mrs Hughes about some liberties the nurses were taking with the household linen. As she went in search of the housekeeper, though, she stumbled across a conversation in the servants' hall and, hearing her name, felt compelled to listen. In the most unladylike fashion, she flattened herself against the wall and paid close attention.
'All I'm saying is that it's good Her Ladyship and Mrs Crawley are at each other's throats. Keeps me well out of the firing line.' That was Thomas; Sergeant Barrow as he was known now.
'You don't half talk rubbish sometimes.' O'Brien. The sound of her voice invoked the same flutter it had since the beginning of the war but this time it was tempered by the alarming prospect of O'Brien saying something about her similar to what she'd said about Matthew several years ago.
'Would've thought you'd be happy. Stops Her Ladyship going on at you, doesn't it?'
Cora felt her heart drop – she'd always assumed O'Brien enjoyed working for her, particularly in recent years.
'She doesn't go on,' O'Brien snapped.
'Who rattled your cage?' Thomas asked.
'You have.'
'What for – telling the truth?'
'The truth,' O'Brien said coldly, 'is that Her Ladyship's the best soul in this house, even with all those righteous nurses wandering around like they own the place. This is her house! She opened it up out of the goodness of her –'
'She opened it up because Mrs Crawley and Lady Sybil wouldn't let it alone,' Thomas interrupted.
'If you know what's good for you, you'll close your mouth or I'll black both your eyes before you can spit,' O'Brien retorted.
Cora had to cover her own mouth to prevent an impromptu laugh spilling out and alerting them both to her presence. Gathering herself, she stole back up the stairs and didn't pause for breath until she was safely ensconced in her own bedroom.
Was it her imagination or was O'Brien being more attentive than usual this evening? It was hard to tell given how wonderful she was in small ways every day but Cora certainly thought she discerned a difference tonight. Was it in any way related to her earlier confrontation with Thomas? Cora decided to test the waters.
'How are things downstairs?' she asked casually.
'Much the same, milady.'
'Nothing to complain about?'
'If there were, I wouldn't bother you with it, milady.'
'Oh, I'd hope you would,' she answered, aware her tone had dropped to something close to insinuating and scandalous.
There was a long moment with no movement or sound. Cora chanced a look at her maid in the mirror – Sarah O'Brien was staring back at her with unblinking eyes. Cora felt a rush of heat through her body, though she endeavoured to hide it. Unconsciously, so it seemed, O'Brien's hand drooped onto her shoulder. The intimacy of this commonplace action surpassed even the moments when O'Brien undressed her with unsteady hands. The moment stretched and Cora believed she might burst. She lowered her eyes but made sure to touch O'Brien's hand lightly as she withdrew it.
'On reflection,' she said softly, 'I don't think it would be quite right to black both eyes of an ex-footman, even one as impertinent as Sergeant Barrow. Don't you agree, Sarah?'
When she glanced up her poor maid was stupefied. Eventually, O'Brien swallowed and managed a quiet, 'Quite right, milady.'
Cora heard the quiver in her voice. Standing up on a pretext, she placed a chaste kiss on O'Brien's cheek.
'Thank you,' she murmured warmly as Sarah stared in wonder at her.
The End