A/N: This story was originally written for the 2011 Downton Abbey Mistletoe Challenge. I've included it here as Chapter 1 to provide background and continuity for any future chapters.
The Mistletoe Protocol
Mrs. Hughes was working in her parlor trying to finish up the few accounting tasks that fell to her each month before going to check on the preparations for the festivities happening later in the evening. During the week leading up to Christmas, it was tradition at Downton to hold several dinner parties and social events beginning with the installation of the Christmas tree and decking the halls. This was a tradition that her Ladyship had brought with her from America where family participation...especially of the children…was deemed of special importance in the celebration. The butler, Mr. Carson, and the footmen were upstairs working to affix the tree and hang the wreaths and swags in advance of the decorative pieces that the 'children' – Lady Mary, age 9; Lady Edith, age 7; and Lady Sybil, age 5 – would place with the assistance of their parents later in the evening.
It was her third try at adding the long column of numbers scratched into the ledger in Mr. Carson's spidery script when she finally noticed that she was humming along to a small choir of voices outside in the servants' hallway.
Here we come a-wassailing among the leaves so green,
Here we come a-wand'ring so fair to be seen.
Love and joy come to you and to you your wassail, too,
And God bless you, and send you a Happy New Year,
And God send you a Happy New Year!
She rose from her desk chair and opened her parlor door a crack to peek out and see what the ruckus was. There she spied the three young Ladies of the house leading Mr. Carson down the hallway towards the servants' dining room where they came to a stop and finished the last chorus at the tops of their lungs. She couldn't help but smile as she pushed the door open and leaned against the doorframe.
Mr. Carson caught sight of her and pulled his shoulders back into his dignified butler personae before answering the quirk in her eyebrow, "The Ladies felt that it would only be fair to deck the servants' hall with the requisite mistletoe, same as above stairs, and decided that they would insure the installation themselves."
"We need to make certain that it is working properly," declared Lady Mary with a determined look on her face.
"Oh, of course, and I guess the first task is to hang the mistletoe in the appropriate place. Now, where would you recommend, Mr. Carson?" she asked with a flirtatious smirk on her face. "Above the door to the butler's pantry?"
"Hmph," he began clearing his throat and casting a pleading look from behind the girls.
He was saved when Lady Edith piped up, "That won't work!"
"Oh? And why not?" asked Mrs. Hughes innocently.
"Because nobody ever goes in there…except for you and Mr. Carson," she replied as if Mrs. Hughes should have recognized that fact for herself.
"Quite right," replied a solemn Mrs. Hughes nodding her head in agreement.
Lady Mary turned to look up and down the hall, "It's got to be someplace where everyone will walk through at some point."
"Everybody has to come here to eat in the dining room," came the quiet voice of the youngest member of the group.
"Good idea, Sybil," said Lady Mary looking above their heads at the top of the doorframe. "How can we get it up there?"
"If you will trust me, I may be of some assistance," said Mr. Carson bowing slightly to the young Ladies.
Lady Mary held out the bough of fir with the mistletoe fastened to it with a red velvet ribbon. Mr. Carson was the epitome of decorum, taking it from her with great care. He then stood and reached above his head to fasten the bough using the hooks that were hung above the doorframe to hold the mistletoe every year.
"There, that should do the job," he said brushing a few fallen fir needles from his white gloves.
"How will we find out if it is working properly?" asked Lady Sybil with the innocence of her age.
"Hmph," winking at Mrs. Hughes and clearing his throat again, "If I may be so bold, since Mrs. Hughes is here to chaperone, may I be of some assistance in testing the mistletoe?"
The three young Ladies looked at each other and finally Lady Edith shrugged her shoulders and said, "He is a boy!" Mrs. Hughes coughed slightly to hide the giggle that tried to escape in response.
Lady Mary seemed to hesitate a bit but finally agreed, "I guess it would be alright." She took Mr. Carson by the hand and led him to stand under the mistletoe where they both faced into the hallway where Mrs. Hughes stood with the other two girls. Mr. Carson stood solemnly at attention having a hard time keeping his face neutral. Lady Mary stood looking down at the floor, nervously scuffing one shoe along the floorboard.
"Mr. Carson," said Mrs. Hughes with a twinkle in her eye, "I believe it is customary for the boy to kiss the girl?"
"Right you are, Mrs. Hughes!" he said enthusiastically as he turned to smile down at Lady Mary. He then bent slowly at the waist and kissed her on the cheek causing her to blush and giggle. "Seems to be working just fine," he said straightening up.
"I'm not so sure, Mr. Carson," said Mrs. Hughes with a decidedly grim look on her face. "There was that long pause where you had forgotten the 'mistletoe protocol.' I think perhaps you should test it again," she said with a slight motion of her head in Lady Edith's direction.
"You may be right, Mrs. Hughes," he said holding out his hand, "Lady Edith, if you would be so kind?" Edith gave him a shy smile as she placed her small hand in his and allowed him to lead her under the mistletoe. As soon as they turned to face the hallway, he bent and kissed her gently on the cheek.
Beaming ear to ear, she looked up at him, "Happy Christmas, Mr. Carson."
"Happy Christmas to you too, Miss Edith," he said returning her grin.
"What about me?" exclaimed Lady Sybil feeling a bit left out.
"Not to worry, yours is to be the deciding kiss," soothed Mr. Carson.
"The deciding kiss?" asked Lady Sybil
"Yes, the third time is the charm, as they say," he replied taking hold of her hand and leading her under the mistletoe. She reached up her arms indicating that she wanted him to pick her up.
"Papa always holds me in his arms when he catches me under the mistletoe," she said expectantly.
"Mustn't upset the mistletoe protocol," he said as he reached down and boosted her up so she could place her arms around his neck. She leaned in and kissed him on the cheek and hugged him tightly. "Happy Christmas, Miss Sybil," he said quietly enjoying the warmth of her hug.
"It's your turn now, Mrs. Hughes," said Lady Sybil as he set her down on her feet.
Both Mr. Carson and Mrs. Hughes began to protest but it was the voice of Lady Mary that came through, "If he kisses you, we'll know for sure that it's working properly."
Mrs. Hughes wasn't sure if she should take offense at the off-hand remark implying that he might not want to kiss her, even under the mistletoe, but decided to ignore it and stepped up in front of him to claim her kiss. He didn't touch her with his hands but conveyed how very much he wanted to in the loving look that he gave her just before he leaned over and kissed her on the cheek.
"Happy Christmas, Mrs. Hughes," he said softly. Suddenly he felt a small hand on his wrist as Lady Sybil pushed his arm up around Mrs. Hughes' waist.
"Not like that!" exclaimed Lady Sybil. "Grown-ups put their arms around each other and kiss on the lips."
"I'm not sure that is appropriate," grumbled Mr. Carson beginning to wish that he'd never made his offer to the young Ladies.
"That's the way that Papa always kisses Mama when he catches her under the mistletoe," said Lady Edith emphatically while Lady Mary nodded her head hesitantly in agreement.
"Do you mean like this?" asked Mrs. Hughes coyly as she reached her arms up around Mr. Carson's neck, gently rubbing the skin just above his collar. He grimaced and moved his head just a little as small darts of pleasure headed south along his spine. He lay his hands lightly at her waist, pulling her gently against his chest. He could see the smug look of triumph in her eyes as he bent his head to kiss her gently on the lips. She immediately sucked his lower lip between hers and gave it a gentle nibble to let him know that she wished their kiss could be something more but she released it quickly and began to pull away.
He held her against him as he whispered in her ear, "Is that peppermint I detect?"
"I purchased a new bag in the village just to keep by the chair in my parlor," she whispered seductively before raising her voice so the girls could hear, "Happy Christmas, Mr. Carson."
"Hmm?" he murmured remembering the last time they had shared peppermints in her parlor. "Oh yes, Happy Christmas to you, Mrs. Hughes." He released her and turned to face the three young Ladies. "I think that it is just about your lunch time." He gestured for the three girls to precede him up the staircase.
"Mr. Carson?" Mrs. Hughes detained him with a hand on his arm. "I have couple of issues that will require your attention if you might be available after luncheon?" She let her hand trail down his arm and gently caressed the skin on the inside of his wrist with her fingertips.
"Yes, Mrs. Hughes," he said giving her a wolfish grin, "I believe I can give you an hour of my undivided attention this afternoon." She turned to walk down the hallway to her parlor.
"Happy Christmas, to me" he whispered to himself as he tore his eyes away from her gently swaying hips to finish escorting the young Ladies upstairs to lunch.
The End
A/N2: The aforementioned peppermints shared in Mrs. Hughes' parlour are direct references to Onesimus42's story "Peppermint" which can also be found on FFnet.