Multi chapter fic! Will be updating as and when I get the chance to write, hopefully once a week :) I hope you like it as I'm still relatively new when it comes to Downton fic writing, but I had good comments on my one-shot which spurred me to write this!
Reviews welcome :) -Sophie x
Carson and Mrs Hughes had been living in their cottage together for a couple of months when she came downstairs to find her husband laid on his back, head under the coffee table huffing and muttering to himself.
"Charles Carson what in the name of God are you doing?" Elsie exclaimed, nearly tripping over his long legs as she carried a tea tray into the living room.
"I'm trying to fix the drawer on this useless lump of wood." He muttered from the floor before shuffling out onto the carpet. "It squeaks and it irritates me."
"You worked with Mr Barrow for enough years and you didn't try stop him annoying you." The woman raised an eyebrow before offering him her hand. She helped him to his feet before pouring a cup of tea.
"Yesterday you polished all our shelves for the third time this week, the day before you dusted all the cabinets and the day before that you inventoried all our pots and pans!" Elsie looked at her husband over her steaming tea cup. "What's going on?"
Charles sighed, putting his own cup back on its saucer before looking up at his wife.
"I don't know, I guess I'm just… out of things to do." He gestured vaguely around the room. "I'm used to being in a big house 24/7! Not a small cottage with only 4 rooms."
"Goodness, you can't be bored with retirement already?"
The man didn't answer, and Elsie's mouth fell.
"We've only been retired 4 weeks!"
"I know I know!" He groaned. "I know. I just don't know what to do with my time anymore."
Silent with pure surprise, the woman blinked.
"Find yourself a hobby or something. Learn to paint, learn to fish anything- just please stop tinkering about the house doing needless this-and-thats." Through her shock, she managed to smile.
"I do love you you know but you can be a bit… bumbly, sometimes."
"Bumbly?!" He said indignantly. "That's not even a wordI don't know what that means but I know I am not it!"
Elsie threw her hands up in the air before getting to her feet.
"Whatever you say Mr Carson but you at least realise you need a hobby?"
She looked at him with pleading eyes. The cottage was her pride and joy and from their very first visit, Charles realised this. She loved it almost as much as she loved him.
"Yes, ok, fine. I'll go to the post office tomorrow and make some enquiries about societies. Will that make you happy Mrs Hughes?"
Her eyes softened as she clasped her hands together.
"Immensely my dear. Right; finish up what you're doing here quickly because the Bates' are due for luncheon any moment. Chop chop!"
She flashed him a heart-warming smile before leaving the room, going to make up the sandwiches and a fresh pot of tea whilst her husband mumbled to himself once again. He may not be perfect but he was hers, and she loved him with all her heart.
