Downton Abbey question

[Blueuggboots]

Can someone please tell me what Thomas Barrow has over the new lady's maid and why he thinks she has to tell him everything?
It's doing my head in and I feel like I've missed something!

I don't think anyone knows the answer to this yet.

Ah, ok then.
Thought I was just being thick!

We don't know yet. I suspect this will come out at Christmas.

In an interview with Rob James Collier, he said that Thomas brings in a new lady's maid half way through series 4 without a reference and uses that as a way of manipulating her. I guess he knows something about her employment history that isn't quite clean which is why she doesn't have a reference.

DH and I have discussed this. Why is Berrow so intent on nastiness? What does he hope to gain by it? It doesn't seem to have done him very much good so far, he just seems generally disliked and avoided by everyone.

My money is on she being his mum & had to give him up to keep it secret, unmarried etc. it might be plausible ifcshecwas very very young when she had him? Either that or she has a conviction for something?

Nah, she can't be his mum. Wasn't that storyline directly from Gosford Park? Surely Julian whatsit wouldn't shamelessly rehash plots like that. Oh hang on...