Friends but not lovers

What's a gay man in rural Yorkshire in 1921 to do? Especially when the man is an under-butler who must spend most of his waking hours tending to the upper crust at their estate. There are, of course, no rural bars anywhere near Downton Abbey. I've read that there was only one in all of England at that time, and its presence was strictly secret. Committing a homosexual act was grounds for imprisonment.

Rob James-Collier as Thomas Barrow

That's the situation facing Thomas Barrow, a servant at the estate, who was outed and nearly arrested for his advances on another male co-worker. In the next-to-last episode of Downton Abbey, the scheming Thomas was brought down by the even more devious Miss O'Brien, a lady's maid who was once Thomas's ally. Season 3 concluded on Sunday evening.


Thomas finally seems to be reaching out favorably to his co-workers. His nemesis, O'Brien, is away tending to the Crawley clan as they visit Scotland. At the estate, there is no sign of friction between Thomas and Carson, the butler. And, as we saw in last week's episode, Lord Grantham decided that, despite the commotion over Thomas's outing, he would stand by him.

But Jimmy (or James, as he is known upstairs) is another matter. Jimmy, the object of Thomas's affections, remains deeply uncomfortable. When the servants attend a local fair, Jimmy refuses Thomas's offer of a drink even though Thomas had extended the same offer to everyone.

Ed Speleers as Jimmy Kent

Their relationship soon takes a new twist. When two rowdies at the fair attack a slightly inebriated Jimmy for his money, Thomas rushes to his aid. Thomas gets a severe thrashing while Jimmy runs away, fetching the doctor. 

Later as Thomas lies alone in his bedroom, recuperating from his injuries, Jimmy enters. He said Thomas was brave for taking on the muggers while he is ashamed for fleeing. Jimmy wonders, though, why Thomas had been following him. Thomas explains that he felt Jimmy had had too much to drink. When Jimmy asks why he was so concerned about him, Thomas replies, "You know why." Jimmy emphasizes that he can never reciprocate Thomas's desire for him. Thomas says he understands that but would like to be friends. Jimmy consents and, to show his good faith, begins reading a newspaper to the ailing Thomas.

And so ends Season 3 for the only gay servant downstairs at Downton Abbey. Will Thomas ever find any love interests? Perhaps elsewhere on the estate, maybe a field hand? A farmer? A visitor to the estate? Will he really regard Jimmy as a friend, or try again for something more?

And what happens when O'Brien returns from Scotland; will she seek revenge against Thomas? She must realize, after all, that it was Thomas who revealed the secret that forced her to call off attempts to have him fired and arrested.

So many questions. We'll have to wait another 12 months for answers.

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