When the upstairs table was cleared after dinner, much of the household staff at Downton Abbey had a brief respite before the guests left, there was more cleaning to be done, and a family to ready for bed. A few of the servants sat talking and joking about various things as they waited for the bells to be rung and call them to their duties upstairs.

"Tell them what you told me before, Thomas - you're so funny, " Daisy said with a somewhat dreamy look in her eyes. "Tell them what you said about Her Ladyship."

"Your onto Her Ladyship now? Is there no one you won't speak ill of?" Mrs. Patmore said. "Keep it up and you may well find yourself out on your ear."

"I wasn't speaking ill of anybody." Thomas said with a sly smile. "I just said she'd have a smacked bottom if she wasn't careful." There were many gasps and a few giggles at the thought of the prim and dignified Lady Cora Crawley receiving a slap to the backside. Thomas noticed the third footman, William, was predictably embarrassed by the idea. "What's the matter, William? Does thinking about Her Ladyship get you hot under the collar?"

"No, it's just that nobody would do that to someone that's grown," William said awkwardly, "and especially not Her Ladyship." Everyone in the room smiled at the young man's discomfort.

"I'll bet she'd like it," Thomas muttered. There were more gasps.

"Why do you have to be so dirty-minded?" Anna said with a roll of her eyes. "That kind of talk will get you sacked."

"Put her over a knee and hike that fancy dress up around her waist," Thomas continued in spite of the protests of his colleagues. "I'll bet she loves it like that." William's face reddened and his eyes widened as his mind visualized what he was hearing.

"What's going on here," Carson's voice boomed as he entered the room. Everyone but Thomas froze. "Something that shouldn't be, I take it." The bells began ringing and the room emptied with unusual speed even for such a well trained staff. The butler shook his head as he too headed up the stairs. He had heard it all, of course, and was furious that any employee of Downton Abbey would speak in such a crude manner about the the lady of the house. He would have to tell His Lordship.

William was on his way back downstairs when he noticed Lady Crawley walking down the hall. Just then her bracelet dropped off her arm. As she moved to pick it up, William remembered what Thomas had said and he couldn't help but stare at her and at her bottom specifically. Unfortunately, he hadn't stopped walking and he crashed into the wall beside the door he'd been headed for. Cora heard the commotion behind her and came to check on the young footman. She knew that his mother was very ill and that fueled her own maternal instincts. He was such a sweet boy after all.

"William, are you alright? Oh, look at your forehead," Cora said as she gently touched the red bump on his head. His heart was pounding. She was so close, he could smell her perfume. "Be sure to put some ice on it when you get downstairs." She smiled kindly and noticed his embarrassment which she assumed was due to her status. "Is there something wrong?" she asked placing a caring hand on his arm.

"Yes, M'lady, err, no, M'Lady. Goodnight, M'lady," William stammered as he rushed downstairs as quickly as he could. Cora smiled to herself as she made her way up the stairs.