Chapter Text
22/7/27
Dear Mr Barrow,
Approximately three quarters of an hour have passed since I alighted from the train at King's Cross, and six or so since we said our farewells at Downton. I trust given the feelings expressed at that juncture you will not find my writing so soon untoward — I had the mind to begin penning this letter on the train, but decided in the end that sleep ought to take precedence. Perhaps you can understand why that may be. I don't have much time at the moment, duty calls & we of the Royal Household are not known for being gracious where lingering is concerned, and I can assure you I do my best not to make a habit of being tardy, whether or not you see fit to believe me. Admittedly you do have no evidence of this.
On that note, I happen to have had a very pleasant ride to the station this morning. Mr W. gave me an earful for lining up at the last minute. I've done the same at every house for the duration of the tour — having now mentioned this I reckon I'm doing a very bad job of convincing you of my sincere efforts to be à l'heure — but did not have a good reason for doing so until this morning. The unfortunate thing is that the only real excuse I've got is one that cannot be shared. Isn't that just the way! In coming up with an explanation I rather put Mr M. in the line of fire, but, fair-weather friends we are, I'm confident he'd do me the same favour and in fact he has done. Regardless I received quite the lecture. Given your reluctance to blame me for what happened yesterday evening I'd say it was one much deserved, though I'd rather it have come from you. You seemed to have no qualms about giving me unsolicited advice with your tongue in your cheek until last night. Feel free to pick that up again; it is awfully charming. You're already a much needed counterbalance in my life and I've known you for less than a week. To quote someone I know, I feel I've finally found…
I'm sure it will delight you to learn that I will face absolutely no consequences for my actions beyond the verbal reprimand. H.M. likes me and it would embarrass W. immensely were anyone with a title to find out the domestics weren't ship-shape and Bristol fashion a century in advance of our needing to be. From all you've told me about your previous overseer I can guess this personality will not be unfamiliar to you; given your own competence in running a household, however, I can guess also that were I in your charge you would find my habit of sewing nine stitches to be vexing.
Mind I don't mean literally. I take pride in my tailoring.
Add to that, it's never much a problem in Royal residences, but there is just something about the countryside that seems to clear away the cobwebs from my head and make all this we do feel like needless pomp and circumstance. I took a morning away from Bolton Castle a few weeks ago — you must think me dreadfully undisciplined for all of this time off of work, but the truth is I'd taken nary a half day since New Year's until then, although to someone who hadn't taken one in eighteen months until yesterday I suppose that means very little. (And given yesterday, it would be impolite at best for me to advise you to get out a bit more in future, so I hope you've got someone down at the Abbey to do that in my stead.) — to visit with my cousins and grandparents, father's side. They're farmers in a hamlet west of and about halfway between Richmond and Leyburn that I doubt you're familiar with. Saw proper dales for the first time in half a decade. I don't suppose you'd have any attachments to them not being from the area but I have plenty. In another life where we could get away from work whenever we pleased I'd be making plans about now to show them to you. I did a terrible job showing you York, but there's less trouble to get into in the uplands. But that's a castle in the sky for now, isn't it? The truth is I miss all that comes with being in the North Country, land, things and people alike, and now I've another of the latter to add to the list. You might have met him.
So I got away with lingering is the point I'm trying to make here, and I hope you did, too. I hope while we were out front standing at attention and bowing our heads you were having a much needed cuppa and holding that chain in your hand and thinking about how we said goodbye.
We got away with quite a bit in Downton, you and I did.
Speaking of getting away with lingering, I am pushing my luck here.
I am also,
Most sincerely yours,
Richard Ellis