Mr Bates has a house and they intend to open a house, so he's sorted and Thomas COULD eventually find a job; it's still possible.

Carson is sixty nine now; ten years, twenty if he's lucky and he'll be dead and buried.

Could, yes. We saw how he could. Ten years or more? Are you saying that he would retire after the eighty? Unless Mrs. Hughes murder him first for lack of patience. And I'm hoping for that and then Miss Fisher would join to investigate.  

Gosh I really like them in past seasons and now that they are married he's acting like Bluebeard! Poor Elsie. 

No, I'm saying that he could be dead within ten years, twenty if he's lucky.

Oh, sorry, I thought you had answered my question about how many more years of service he had. So he can retire now and spend his last years with his wife leaving the role of butler to another. 

He could, yes. He won't, but he could. He's unlikely to be able to find another job at his age.

Thomas could, Andy could, Anna could, Daisy could.

Probably we do not see the same show, as Fellowes absurdly decided that homosexuality is something that Thomas has written in his face and then he will always be opposed by new employers (as we saw with the plump man with the walrus mustache). Daisy, done the exams, can always work on the farm with Andy. The problem that I presented is another: why lay off young people and keep the old who barely climb the stairs if they have to carry trays or other heavy loads. And to me it doesn't seems that they have all this overabundance of staff downstairs given the size of the building. They want to do as at Lady Violet's house: a butler and a maid?

I think that by this point we all feel sorry for Barrow after all he has been through this series. Especially when he is sobbing alone in the dark. I hate Carson and Mrs Patmore.

I've already read posts on tumblr about how he deserve such tratments, so not everybody feel sorry for Barrow who's also been labeled a pedophile for the amount of time he spent with Master George. I would't see that I hate them, at least not mrs Patmore because she only mean well, but still I think that Fellowes should calm down and read EM Forster, Virginia Woolf and Wilde, because if he continues to demonize homosexuality making Thomas the only gay in the midst of the aristocracy and the common people in the totality of Yorkshire, I'm afraid that Thomas could also consider the idea of suicide. After all, last season he had gone close to that. Where's his big sister Baxter when he needs her? 

And what about my other question about Daisy? Any ideas? 

Thank you both for the answers, by the way!

i was wondering about daisy too, maybe she is jelouse or so. i always thought she is not a bright character even after she started to study. in her own way she is quiet narrow minded. i am also puzzled about marys and toms further fate. i cannt imagine tom staying at downton till his death and i pray that the bunting wont appear again. and where is marys relationship with talbot heading to, nowhere i think. i noticed that napier looked upset when she left the restaurant with talbot, but again i dont see mary and napier togheter either.

I really wonder where they are headed with Thomas.  It's obviously very stressfull for him, but I hope it's to gain him some sympathy - a plot device.  (I see the Thomas hate, which I don't hate him, but I see people are holding grudges for his past behavior, while forgetting he did a lot of good things too.  but even some of those people are starting to feel sorry for him).  So the whole plot with him about to be kicked out, may be part of the sympathy building.  (regardless of what really makes sense!! ) I think there would be a point in keeping him so they could replace Carson, unless of course they just don't like him.  But I've been thinking after the last episode that maybe there is a different career out there for Thomas. Like is there other professions where he could find an easier time?  I'm sure there were gay men who found happiness in the 1920s, so maybe he needs to get the hell out and find happiness elsewhere.  I just want Thomas to find happiness, that's all.  (I'm afraid though.  I hope he doesn't die.)