Something borrowed
A/N More spoiling Elsie….Hope you like it, x george
o-o-o-o
With their wedding day only weeks away now, Mrs Hughes began to get nervous. She had wished for nothing more but a quiet ceremony with just the two of them and her sister and his two brothers present, but it seemed a lot of people didn't agree. The fuss about her wedding suit had only been the beginning.
o-o-o-o
'Mrs Hughes, Anna and I would like to fit your suit. Might we come to your room this evening?' Miss Baxter had asked her earlier that evening.
'Is that necessary? Don't you have my measures?' she'd answered.
'We do, but still a fitting is required Mrs Hughes. We have it cut and in pins and now we need to see it on you before we proceed.'
'Oh alright then. At nine? I had planned an early night, with the garden party tomorrow and all the guests…'
'Nine is fine.'
Now they're were gone, and she smiled to herself as she was preparing for bed. While she had been standing still with her eyes closed she had been listening to the two women.
'Almost perfect,' Miss Baxter had said. 'You're an excellent student, Anna. But look at the waistline…we could make an even better fit I'd say, what would you suggest?'
'Perhaps these seams? A bit more narrow here and then wider over here, towards the chest…' Anna answered and began to replace pins.
'Excellent,' she could hear the smile in Miss Baxter's voice. 'Very well! We're done Mrs Hughes, we'll have you out of it…careful for the pins.'
She had always believed Anna to be her successor but it had appeared the girl had other plans. She really was a talented seamstress, good enough to make it her job. And this kind of work could easily be done at her home, should there be a little Bates, someday…
So the new housekeeper was going to be Mrs Quinn instead of Mrs Bates. Mrs Quinn was fully qualified and experienced, but the most important part was she got along with Mrs Patmore very well.
o-o-o-o-o
The garden party the next day was a success. The weather was beautiful and the kitchen staff had outdone themselves. Lady Grantham came to find her and complimented her on her work, telling her to pass her words on to the maids. She was kind and thoughtful and always remembered to acknowledge the staff's hard work on occasions like this, Mrs Hughes mused. She was enjoying a moment's rest, when Miss Baxter came to see her.
'Have you seen Lady Mary's dress, Mrs Hughes?' the Lady's maid asked. She nodded, she had been admiring it. Lady Mary was wearing a beautiful dress in deep burgundy and looked even more lovely than usual.
'Anna made it,' Miss Baxter smiled proudly.
'Did she really? My word, I see why she wants to become a seamstress. That is a beautiful dress.'
'She did, and together we fitted lady Grantham's morning dress. So I wanted to thank you for having Anna make your wedding costume Mrs Hughes!'
The housekeeper laughed.
'Why, I should think I am the one to be grateful,' she said.
'Oh no, Anna needed the experience,' Miss Baxter actually chuckled. 'Don't you see? Lady Mary and her Ladyship, with all due respect, have the figures of matchsticks... To fit a dress on a woman with more curves was a challenge for her, and she did it well.'
Mrs Hughes felt her cheeks grow warm.
'Well, it's been my pleasure Miss Baxter,' she smiled a bit shyly.
Mrs Hughes had only just recovered from this unusual conversation when Mrs Crawley walked up to her.
'Mrs Hughes, have you got a moment for me?' she said kindly.
Ever since she and Mrs Crawley had sorted things out for Ethel and little Charlie, they had been comfortable with each other. Not friends, their positions made that impossible, but both had sensed a kindred spirit in the other. Now however, Mrs Hughes had no idea why Mrs Crawley wanted to see her.
'Yes of course ma'am,' she smiled though. Quickly she scanned the grounds and the servants but nothing seemed out of place. But then perhaps Mrs Crawley had witnessed her scolding Mabel and thought she had been too hard on the girl. Well, she was the housekeeper and as such she had to make sure the maids did their job properly and as it was, Mabel was very close on her way out…
'It's got nothing to do with the party,' Mrs Crawley had noticed her anxiousness and reassured her, 'that's just brilliant. It's something more personal Mrs Hughes. Could we speak in your sitting room?'
o-o-o-o
She invited Mrs Crawley in her sitting room and was surprised when the door opened right after them and Mabel strode in, carrying a tray with tea and confectionery and dropped it ungracefully on the desk.
'There you are ma'am,' she said to Mrs Crawley and left, slamming the door shut behind her.
The two women looked at each other and laughed.
'I thought I'd offer her a last chance,' Mrs Crawley chuckled. 'But by all means, do kick her out Mrs Hughes.'
The ice being broken, they had tea and Mrs Crawley congratulated her on her wedding engagement.
'Thank you, ma'am.'
'You know, I had a conversation with Carson a few days ago. I told him about the Grigg situation and how looking after him had been the perfect remedy to pull me out of my grief. You told me on the occasion he didn't approve of you bringing his old friend to my house, but I didn't realise at the time you had arranged all of it more or less behind his back, and that he was livid at you for that.'
Mrs Hughes sighed.
'Oh but he was ma'am, very much so. And I suppose he was right in a way, because I took Mr Griggs' letter out of his wastepaper basket and then went to see him ... I invaded his privacy.'
'That you did,' Mrs Crawley nodded.
'He was extremely angry with me. He wouldn't speak to me for weeks.'
'That is what he told me,' Mrs Crawley said softly. 'But in the end, you were right in everything you did. Carson was able to shake hands with Mr Grigg and leave the past behind, and I was scrambling back on my feet. Not fully, not completely but as I told Carson, at the time I didn't even know I had any kindness or energy left in me anymore. It was your actions that shook me back to life.'
They drank their tea.
'So I want to thank you for that, Mrs Hughes,' Mrs Crawley said.
The housekeeper felt a little uncomfortable. 'I only did what I thought best, ma'am. I couldn't stand watching you wasting away any longer and when I was on the bus back home after my visit to Mr Grigg in the workhouse, I suddenly realised what a wonderful opportunity it would be for both you and him. I didn't think about Mr Carson or I would have abandoned the whole plan.'
'But you didn't, instead you bore Carson's wrath and I am so very grateful,' Mrs Crawley smiled. 'Therefore, Mrs Hughes, I want you to accept this.'
She took a small box from her purse and put it in her lap, then she took Mrs Hughes' hands in hers.
'Mrs Hughes, you and I have always been on the same side, in a way. In a few weeks you will be Mrs Carson and then we're free to be friends without Lord Grantham having a fit, that is, if you'd want that, too?'
'I'd like that, yes, ' the housekeeper smiled warmly.
'Good. Then you should call me Isobel from now on, when we're alone.'
'That's fine Isobel. And my name is Elsie.'
They laughed together and then kissed each other on the cheek.
'I'm so glad Elsie, because you're going to get married and to do that properly you need something borrowed, among many other things, but I would be very pleased if you borrowed these from me.'
She took the small box from her lap and opened it.
Elsie stared at the pearl necklace with matching earrings, shining snug and softly in their beds of dark blue velvet.
'Isobel, I can't wear that!'
'Of course you can. You're my friend and I want you to borrow them.'
'But they're…'
'They're beautiful and they'll look so lovely on you. Please Elsie, wear them on your wedding day,' she smiled at her friend.
'But what if something happens, suppose I lose an earring…'
'You won't dear, believe me. I've been wearing them for years. Anna showed me your wedding suit and I think these will go along perfectly.'
'I...well, thank you Isobel,' the housekeeper whispered.
Mrs Crawley smiled warmly.
'You deserve it, she said.
o-o-o-o