This is a gift for NothingMadeMeHappen as part of the Chelsie Holiday Exchange on Tumblr. She gave me special permission to share her gift with everyone, she's generous and special that way. Love ya babe! Happy Christmas!
Charles paced in his office, her words playing over and over in his mind. "Who says I'll live to retire?" What could she have meant? Was she ill? Is that what she'd meant?
He'd always assumed she would push him into retirement. One day she would announce she was leaving. The next he would do the same, ask her to marry him and they would live happily ever after. He wanted to spend the rest of his life with her. But perhaps it would be the rest of her life.
He stopped pacing at the thought. He couldn't bear to think of her not by his side. Even when they were at odds he rested easy just knowing she was here. What would he do if she wasn't? He'd always assumed they had time, now it seemed they didn't.
He tore out of his office in search of her. He had to know. Her voice echoed in the hallway from the kitchen. Following it blindly he stood in the doorway watching her talk with Mrs. Patmore. She was laughing about something, looking lit from within. It was hard to imagine she was ill.
Clearing his throat he got their attention. He almost didn't want to interrupt, Mrs. Patmore was only just speaking to him again. Both women turned to look at him. Elsie smiled, "Can we help you with something Mr. Carson?"
Suddenly he didn't know what to say. He knew what he wanted to say just not particularly how, "I just need to ask you a question. It's no hurry, whenever you have a few moments."
She looked at him expectantly, "Well gone on with it."
He swallowed, looking nervously at Mrs. Patmore, "Perhaps you could come see me when you have a moment."
Rolling her eyes, "Fine, I'll be along shortly."
He nodded, tugging at his waistcoat, "I look forward to it." He turned and left the kitchen, their laughter following him. Once back in his office he leaned against the door, banging his head against it. How foolish was he? She probably thought him a complete idiot.
He leaned there lost in his own foolishness and was startled at her knock. Leaping away from the door he tried to look busy as she opened the door. She was the only one who entered without being told to.
"Mr. Carson, you had a question for me?"
Lost in her eyes he thought of all of the questions he wanted to ask. He blinked once, shaking the cacophony of questions away, "Yes, Mrs. Hughes, I was wondering if you would have a glass of wine with me tonight or tea if you prefer."
Rolling her eyes she turned to leave, "Well I'm not sure what all of the formality is about but yes, I will join you tonight. But perhaps after the week we've had we could make it something a bit stronger. I've some nice whisky my sister sent me. If you think you can handle such strong spirits, perhaps it would serve us better."
He laughed, she could always relax him. "I think I might be up to the challenge Mrs. Hughes. Your place or mine?"
She looked over her shoulder at him, surprised at his words, "Since you did the asking Mr. Carson, I think your place."
The day seemed to drag on, with no end in sight. He couldn't remember the last time he'd been this anxious to see the end of a day. Shortly after she'd agreed to join him he'd run into the village to purchase a few pastries from the tea shop. He could have asked Mrs. Patmore for something but he wasn't 100% sure he trusted her not to tell Elsie.
The pastries were sitting on a tray next to the whisky glasses he'd borrowed from upstairs. There was a fire in the fireplace. Looking around he suddenly missed candlelight. It was softer, romantic. He shook his head. He shouldn't think those thoughts. For all he knew she didn't think of him that way. He knew she cared but was it any more or less than she cared for anyone else under this roof.
He hoped it was. He'd been almost certain, after the day by the seaside, she did. But lately he wasn't as certain. They'd been at odds more than ever before. It seemed they were no longer quite in sync. As if somehow holding hands had shifted the earth beneath them.
Her knock at the door pulled him from his reverie. He turned just as she opened the door, a tray balanced carefully as she pushed the door. In a flash he was across the room taking the tray from her. He laughed as he looked down at the tray. She looked at him quizzically.
Nodding his head towards the tray he'd set out, "It seems we were of the same mind Mrs. Hughes."
Looking around him she smiled, "Those don't look like they came from our kitchens."
He stepped back letting her come in, "No, I confess I ran into the village. I wasn't sure exactly how much Mrs. Patmore had forgiven me."
She smiled up at him, "You might be right. I'm not sure you are fully back in her good graces."
Chuckling he set her tray on his desk then transferred the whisky and desserts to the tray in front of the fire. He motioned for her to sit then poured them each a healthy measure of whisky. Handing her the glass he sat in the chair he'd placed, just a hair closer than normal, next to hers.
They sat awkwardly for a moment, sipping their drinks. "Thank you Mrs. Hughes for joining me."
She hid a smile behind her glass. Curious about his formality she couldn't help but tease him, "Thank you for inviting me Mr. Carson."
The awkwardness returned as they sat in silence, "Mrs. Hughes…" " …"
They looked at one another laughing. The laughter eased some of the tension. He nodded at her to continue, "Is there a particular reason you asked me to join you tonight?"
"I hope I don't need a reason to want to spend an evening with you Mrs. Hughes."
She blushed, wondering to herself if it was the whisky or his words, "Of course not Mr. Carson, it just seemed as if you had something more on your mind than just passing the time."
He took a deep breath, "As a matter of fact, I do." She smiled at him, encouraging him to continue, "I have two questions to ask you."
"Curious and curiouser Mr. Carson, should I freshen our drinks before you continue?"
He drained the last of the whisky from his glass and shook his head, "Not for me, I want to be as clear headed as possible." He placed his glass on the tray then took hers from her and did the same. He turned back to her suddenly more nervous, "Elsie, do you mind if I call you Elsie?"
She smiled at him then nodded, "It's fine, Charles. I would like it, very much."
He swallowed and looked at his hands, "There are moments in a man's life which stand out, moments where you know your life is about to change." He looked up at her, locked eyes. "Earlier today I had one of those moments."
"Go on."
"You said something when we were at Mrs. Patmore's cottage."
She raised an eyebrow, a sly smile playing across her face, "I am the cause of this epiphany, Charles?"
He gently took her hand, "Yes, Elsie, you are."
She looked down at their hands, surprised and delighted by his touch, "What did I say?"
"For the moment, it's not important. What's important is what it made me realize?"
"And what did you realize?"
He squeezed her hand, reaching into his waistcoat with his other hand, "I realized I want to spend the rest of my life with you Elsie Hughes. And not here in the walls of this house. I want it to be in our own cottage." He held up the ring, smiling hopefully, "Will you marry me Elsie Hughes?"
Tears filled her eyes, her mouth hung open. "Are you serious?"
He nodded, "I've never been more certain of anything in my life. I love you Elsie Hughes and I want to live out the rest of our days in a quiet little cottage." He paused suddenly uncertain, "If you'll have me, that is."
With her free hand she gently stroked his cheek, "As if there was ever a doubt, I've been waiting forever."
Tears slipped down his cheeks as he slipped the ring on her finger. He kissed it reverently before looking up at her, "Thank you."
Laughing she pulled him to her and kissed him, softly at first then deeper, more passionately. When the kiss ended they were both slightly breathless. She whispered against his lips, "You have to tell me what I said."
Suddenly nervous again he tried to pull away only to be held fast by her, "When I asked if you could see yourself in a place like Mrs. Patmore's when you retire. You made a comment suggesting you might not live to retire."
She looked at him knowingly, "And you thought I must be dying?"
Again he tried to pull away and she wouldn't let him, "I don't want you to think it's why…"
She kissed him again, pulling herself into his lap. Her arms wrapped around him and she moaned into his mouth when his arms surrounded her. She softened the kiss as he began to press into her before resting her forehead against his, "I know Charles. And, for the record, I am not ill."
He nuzzled against her, "Then what did you mean?"
Nipping at his lower lip she laughed, "I knew you wouldn't ask me to marry you until you were ready to retire. And you don't seem to be in any great hurry to do so." Pulling her closer he laughed. "What's so funny?"
He cupped her cheek, leaning in to lightly kiss her, "Because I always assumed one day you would retire and my plan was to retire the very next day and ask you to marry me."
She smiled, "So all of this time you've been waiting on me?"
He nodded, "Yes my love. And all of this time you've been waiting on me."
"A fine pair we make."
His hand tightened on her hip, "Seems we deserve each other."
Pulling him tighter to her she kissed him tenderly, "It would seem so." She pulled back slightly so she could see him clearly. Her hand stroked his cheek as her thumb traced his lips. "I only have one more thing to say."
He nipped at her thumb, sucking it lightly into his mouth, "What's that?"
Blue eyes met brown ones and she smiled, "I love you too." As he sighed with pleasure she leaned forward and kissed him. Those were the last words spoken for a very long time and the desserts were never eaten.