And women must weep (Anna & Mrs. Hughes, S2E1 spoliers)
Not major spoilers by a long shot, but as this is a "missing scene," it will make more sense if you've seen episode 1 of the new series. Also prompted by something in the E2 promo, which had better have been out of chronological order.
Sort of a sequel to the drabble I wrote for the pre-airing thread on lovebelowstairs. It at least takes place in the context of the backstory I've developed there as well as in my previous C/H story, The Bohemian.
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She found Anna at the window of one of the bedrooms. "They're off?"
"Yes. I'll get back to work now, Mrs. Hughes."
"No. Go upstairs, have a lie-down. You don't look well."
"I'm fine."
"I'm the housekeeper, Anna. You're fine when I say you're fine."
"I still have to pack Lady Sybil's things."
"I do know how to pack a lady's things. Now go upstairs. Have a good cry without that silly Ethel around."
"Thank you, Mrs. Hughes. It's very kind of you."
Mrs. Hughes turned to leave. Anna stayed at the window.
"It's not just kindness, Anna," she said, turning back. "I know how you feel."
"With due respect…"
"I wasn't always housekeeper, Anna. I once had a follower."
"The man we saw you with at the village fair before the war?"
Mrs. Hughes sniffed. "Joe Burns? I should think not. No, this was -- this was not something I'd care to have repeated."
Anna turned away from the window. Was there something more than just pity in Mrs. Hughes's eyes?
"There was a man," she continued. "He and I, we had an understanding. Much like you and Mr. Bates, if he's the sort of man I think he is."
"Was he married, too?"
"In a way. Not to a woman, but to a life. To things that pulled him away from me, like your Mr. Bates has been pulled away from you. It does get better, Anna."
"Does it? Does your heart stop beating? Do you learn not to love?"
"You learn to be content. You learn to be glad you were that loved once in your life. Not everyone has that. You learn not to regret what might have been -- at least not too often. Now go upstairs like a good girl and I'll go deal with Lady Sybil."
Anna let her get nearly to the door before she answered. "Thank you, Mrs. Hughes, but it's not the same thing."
"No, it's not. Mr. Bates is no longer in the same house as you are. I can only imagine that will make a difference."
It was hours later when Anna thought she understood what Mrs. Hughes meant, and she wasn't sure whether it made her want to laugh or to cry.
Sort of a sequel to the drabble I wrote for the pre-airing thread on lovebelowstairs. It at least takes place in the context of the backstory I've developed there as well as in my previous C/H story, The Bohemian.
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She found Anna at the window of one of the bedrooms. "They're off?"
"Yes. I'll get back to work now, Mrs. Hughes."
"No. Go upstairs, have a lie-down. You don't look well."
"I'm fine."
"I'm the housekeeper, Anna. You're fine when I say you're fine."
"I still have to pack Lady Sybil's things."
"I do know how to pack a lady's things. Now go upstairs. Have a good cry without that silly Ethel around."
"Thank you, Mrs. Hughes. It's very kind of you."
Mrs. Hughes turned to leave. Anna stayed at the window.
"It's not just kindness, Anna," she said, turning back. "I know how you feel."
"With due respect…"
"I wasn't always housekeeper, Anna. I once had a follower."
"The man we saw you with at the village fair before the war?"
Mrs. Hughes sniffed. "Joe Burns? I should think not. No, this was -- this was not something I'd care to have repeated."
Anna turned away from the window. Was there something more than just pity in Mrs. Hughes's eyes?
"There was a man," she continued. "He and I, we had an understanding. Much like you and Mr. Bates, if he's the sort of man I think he is."
"Was he married, too?"
"In a way. Not to a woman, but to a life. To things that pulled him away from me, like your Mr. Bates has been pulled away from you. It does get better, Anna."
"Does it? Does your heart stop beating? Do you learn not to love?"
"You learn to be content. You learn to be glad you were that loved once in your life. Not everyone has that. You learn not to regret what might have been -- at least not too often. Now go upstairs like a good girl and I'll go deal with Lady Sybil."
Anna let her get nearly to the door before she answered. "Thank you, Mrs. Hughes, but it's not the same thing."
"No, it's not. Mr. Bates is no longer in the same house as you are. I can only imagine that will make a difference."
It was hours later when Anna thought she understood what Mrs. Hughes meant, and she wasn't sure whether it made her want to laugh or to cry.