1903, October
The dead leaves by the road rustled under Jesse’s shoes, and the pale morning sunlight peeked through the trees. It was a nice, crisp autumn morning and Jesse would have enjoyed it more hadn’t he been so nervous.
Jesse checked his watch and supposed he should be arriving soon; the man in the village had said it was around twenty-minute-walk from the train station. He had been wishing the walk would help him calm his nerves but it wasn’t really working. His stomach was still twisting unpleasantly, so much so that he hadn’t even been able to eat the breakfast sandwiches his mother had packed for him for the train. Now the sandwich package was squished somewhere in his suitcase.
Jesse switched the case from one hand to another (it was quite heavy) and hurried along the road. It took a slight curve to the right and he saw that the trees suddenly gave away to vast grassfields and–
Then he saw it.
Behind the trees the enormous building finally came to view, and with its towers, countless windows and spiky roof, to Jesse it looked like an actual royal castle. In the glowing morning sun it sure looked majestic.
Downton Abbey. His new workplace. (His stomach turned yet again.)
Jesse cautiously approached the estate along the road that led towards what he supposed was the main entrance. He was wondering whether he should enter there? Or perhaps there was some kind of back door for the servants? He slowly inched closer to the building, still marveling at the facade and the size of it all. It was so huge. How could he ever learn his way around all the rooms and corridors…
“Um, hello?” came a voice behind him, startling Jesse. He spun around.
He saw a guy around his age with a beautiful chestnut horse that he seemed to be walking across the yard. Judging from his clothes, he was a servant of some kind. He looked at Jesse curiously.
“Hello,” Jesse greeted hurriedly.
“Can I help you with something?”
“Uh, I’m supposed to start working here today but I don’t know where I should enter…”
The guy’s face brightened up. “Oh, you’re the new footman!”
“Yes.”
“Follow me, I can show you where the back door is,” the guy gestured at him, smiling, and turned the horse around. Jesse wondered whether he should be flattered or scared that his arrival was so expected, but the guy seemed friendly enough so Jesse followed him (and the horse).
The guy took Jesse around the estate to the backside, where there were immediately more people around: a newspaper boy on his bicycle, a farmer delivering vegetables and eggs to the kitchen, some maids and servant boys hurrying about.
”That’s the servants’ entrance,” the guy pointed at an open door, through where people exited and entered.
”Just go in and ask for Mr. Inohara, the butler.”
”Thank you so much!” Jesse said, relieved. ”I’m Jesse, by the way, nice to meet you.”
”I’m Shintaro,” the guy said, touching the brim of his cap as a greeting. ”Welcome to Downton! Now I need to get going but we’ll see each other later for sure.”
With a wave, Shintaro walked away with the horse and Jesse turned towards the door. He took a deep breath and stepped in.
Jesse came to a long narrow corridor, passing multiple doors and smaller rooms as he walked on. The morning flurry seemed to be on, judging from the servants running around, voices calling out and dishes clinking in the kitchen somewhere. Jesse felt somewhat lost and he’d already forgotten the name of the butler he was supposed to ask for.
”Excuse me!”
Jesse jumped and flattened himself against the wall, letting a bunch of maids and servant boys pass him. He let out a small huff when suddenly the wall he’d been leaning on disappeared behind his back.
”AAH!”
Jesse staggered and stumbled backwards into a room — the wall had been a doorway — and somehow miraculously managed to avoid falling over. His heart now somewhere in his throat, Jesse found himself face-to-face with a young man by the door. The stranger looked at him with surprise and maybe some annoyance, too.
”Who are you?” the man asked. He was lean and had a narrow face with high cheekbones and quite piercing eyes, Jesse thought. He was wearing a neat tuxedo so he had to be one of the footmen. Or could he be the butler?
Jesse straightened his posture and his coat, like the first impression could still be saved somehow. ”I’m Jesse Lewis, the new footman who is starting here today, sir. I’m looking for the butler.”
The man raised his brows. ”I see. Well, you can actually wait here, Mr. Inohara should be back at any moment.”
”Thank you, sir,” Jesse nodded his head a bit.
Now the man looked slightly amused. ”You don’t have to ’sir’ me, I’m a footman like you. My name is Juri.”
“Nice to meet you! And forgive me, I’m quite bad with all the titles and ranks.”
Jesse finally put down his suitcase and, trying to be discreet, quickly wiped his palms on the hem of his coat. The hustle and bustle of the other servants could still be heard from the corridor. It was all rather overwhelming, and he was barely inside. But at least, Jesse thought, he hadn’t fallen over in Juri’s feet like a complete idiot.
”Is it your first time in a big manor like this?” Juri asked. He was watching Jesse fixedly.
Jesse nodded. “I’m not really used to anything like this, where I’m from.”
”Don’t worry. You’ll get used to it and learn. I did, too.”
“How long have you been here?” Jesse asked curiously. Juri looked around his age, and he was also a footman so Jesse wanted to hear everything about him.
“It’s been around–”
“JURI! Come here AT ONCE!”
They both jumped at the loud voice. Juri made a face at Jesse.
“Not long enough to avoid that,” he said quickly in a low voice and sighed. “Sorry, I have to go… Though, you can come with me, you wanted to see Mr. Inohara. Follow me.”
Juri left the room with Jesse in tow and took him to the end of the long corridor next to a spacious kitchen area, where the cook and maids were preparing breakfast. There by the kitchen door stood a stern-looking older man, who couldn’t be anyone else but Mr. Inohara. He started lecturing Juri about the morning papers but stopped as soon as he noticed Jesse lingering behind Juri.
“Who is this?” Mr. Inohara asked promptly.
“Jesse Lewis, the new footman,” Juri answered.
Mr. Inohara’s expression and voice changed so quickly it was almost comical. “Is that so? Excellent!”
He cleared his throat and gave Jesse an apologetic smile. “Excuse me for the earlier. Welcome to Downton. I’m Inohara, the butler.”
“Nice to meet you, Mr. Inohara,” Jesse said, a bit cautiously.
“Do I remember correctly that you are able to start working right away?”
“Y-yes, sir!” Jesse agreed. “I’m prepared for that.”
“Great,” Mr. Inohara looked pleased. “We can go to my office to fix the contract and then I can find someone who can–”
“Mr. Inohara, I can show Jesse his room and the way around the house,” Juri offered quickly.
“Alright then,” the butler said slowly. “Now follow me. But don’t think I’ll forget about the newspapers because I won’t.”
He fixed a pointed look at Juri, who looked sheepish. But when Mr. Inohara turned his back at them, Juri gave Jesse a quick grin before following the butler. Jesse decided he liked Juri already. If Juri helped him, maybe he would be fine.