In joy & sorrow

Nearly a year passed since Elsie and Isobel found happiness. Despite all the difficulties they manage to see each other rather frequently and enjoy every minute they spend together. Sometimes they would go for a walk in the park or make a trip to Ripon, where everything began but most of the time they just stayed at Isobel´s. Cook lunch together, have a chat or listen to some music. And not rarely do they end up upstairs.
But this is not the only change in their lives. Dr Clarkson became a dear friend to both of them. Isobel thinks, that her relationship to Elsie is the actual reason for this, because now the fronts are clarified and Richard no longer lives in hope that Isobel might return his feelings one day.
The other change, that makes Elsie like walking on clouds, is, Anna´s pregnancy, which seems to have change the relationship between Anna and Elsie as well. Sometimes Isobel has to remind her, that she isn´t the grandmother of this unborn child because she feels to protective and proud of Anna. But Isobel loves how Elsie beams with pride when she talks about the young woman.

It´s the morning of the annual flower show and only a handful of servants are still downstairs before they leave for the show.
Elsie comes out of the kitchen with another cup of tea in her hand, when she sees how Anna wants to walk upstairs with some fresh towel for the servants bathroom.
"What are you doing, Anna," she asks sternly, walking over to the staircase. "I hope you don´t want to climb all the steep stairs? You know very well what Dr Clarkson said. You have to save yourself during the last couple of days."
"I know very well what Dr Clarkson said, but these are only towel and I promise not to climb all the stairs at once, Elsie." Not only did become Dr Clarkson a friend of Elsie but also Anna and when the women are alone, Elsie and Isobel agreed, that Anna could call them by their first name, afterall it was Anna in the end, who gave Isobel the nudge to admit her feelings for Elsie.
" I could go with her, Mrs Hughes," comes from behind the women.
"Miss Baxter, you are still here? I thought you already left. Well, yes. I would feel better, when you accompany Anna upstairs."
Anna hands Miss Baxter the towel and together they walk upstairs. Elsie looks after them and shakes her head. She knows, that she sometimes pampers Anna too much but after everything Anna has been through, she rather wants to be safe than sorry.
Elsie looks at the at the clock over the door to the servants room. "Oh, I better get ready."
Elsie is about to put her hat on, when she hears a loud noise coming from upstairs and only seconds later, Miss Baxter calls for her. Elsie takes to her heels and climbs all the steep stairs in no time, praying that everything is alright with Anna but when she reached the top of the stairs, she knows her prayers haven´t been answered. Anna leans heavily against the wall, a puddle of water between her legs, her face white as a sheet.
"Her water just broke," Miss Baxter pointing out the obvious, feeling rather helpless in this situation.
"Yes, I can see that." Elsie walks over to Anna and sighs deeply and tries not to make any remonstrance because what´s done is done and they wouldn´t be very helpful right now.
Anna grits her teeth, leaning on Miss Baxter now.
"Okay... erhm... good. Can... can you walk, Anna? The room over there is unoccupied. Just a couple of steps and then you can lay down."
"I´ll try but -" Another contraction. Miss Baxter and Elsie exchange concerned glances.
Elsie and Miss Baxter take Anna between them and they slowly make their way to the unoccupied room.
Elsie gets some pillows and blankets out of the wardrobe and hands it to Miss Baxter. "I better get Mrs Crawley. Mr Carson said, that they are leaving around ten. I hope it´s not too late." Elsie looks at Anna, who seems to relax a bit, now that she´s laying down.
Elsie takes Anna´s hand. "Anna? I´ll be right back. Hopefully with Mrs Crawley. She´ll know what to do until Dr Clarkson is here. And I´ll send Mr Bates up."

Elsie enters the hall after she informed Mr Bates and told Mr Carson to call Dr Clarkson. She finds Isobel standing with Tom and Edith at the front door, waiting for their car to drive up.
Elsie walks over to the little group. "Oh good, you are still here, Mrs Crawley." All three of them turn to the agitated housekeeper.
"Mrs Hughes. What can I do for you?"
"I´m sorry to interrupt you, Mrs Crawley." Elsie nods at Edith and Tom." It´s Anna. Her water broke."
Isobel is immediately alarmed. "When and where?"
"Minutes ago and she is in one of the empty servants rooms. Could you please come with me and take a look at her?"
"Yes, yes, of course, Mrs Hughes. I´m coming with you."
"Shall I come with you? Maybe I can bring her to the hospital," Tom offers.
"I doubt it but why not."
"And I´ll tell the others what happened and that you won´t come." Edith climbs into the car and drives off.
"What was Anna thinking? Climbing all these steep stairs in her condition," Isobel mumbles, when they walk upstairs, hoping that they are lucky and Tom can bring Anna into the hospital.
"I told her not to go upstairs but she insisted. At least Miss Baxter was with her. Miss Baxter and Mr Bates are with Anna now, despite Mr Carson´s objection."
"But I´m sure that you have convinced him otherwise." Isobel looks briefly at the other woman and a warm smile appears on her lips.
They can already hear Anna outside in the corridor, when they finally reach the top of the stairs.
Isobel hurries into the room, finding Mr Bates sitting at the edge of the bed, holding Anna´s hand and judging by the look on his face is he in pain as well because of sitting in this uncomfortable position.
Miss Baxter, who has been kneeling on the other side of the bed, immediately gets up when she sees Isobel and the others. "Thank God, you are here, Mrs Crawley."
Isobel takes off her hat and coat. "Did you take the time between the contractions, Miss Baxter?"
"Yes, it´s three minutes now."
"Okay," Isobel rolls up the sleeves of her blouse," I was hoping, that we have a bit more time before Dr Clarkson arrives but obviously someone is in a hurry." Isobel walks over to Anna and takes her hand. "Anna? I´ll take care of you until Dr Clarkson arrives." Anna nods and suddenly grabs Isobel´s and Mrs Bates´s hand very tight when another contraction is on its way. Isobel waits till its over.
"It... it hurts so much, Isobel. Where is Elsie?"
Tom, who is standing in the door frame, looks puzzled at Miss Baxter, when he hears this informal address, but she only slightly shakes her head, hoping that he thinks that this was just a slip of the tongue due to the circumstances.
"I know that it hurts, my love. But I´m here to help you and Mrs Hughes is here as well." Isobel is brushing a strand of hair from Anna´s sweaty forehead and makes room for Elsie, who is immediately by Anna´s site, before she turns to Mr Bates. "Mr Bates, I suggest that you better leave now." Isobel rounds the bed and puts her hand on his shoulder. "I´m sure Dr Clarkson will be here soon." Mr Bates looks at Isobel and she can see the concern in his eyes but he also knows that Anna is in good hands now. He looks back at Anna, leans down and plants a kiss on her forehead. Mr Bates has some difficulties to get up but he doesn´t allow anybody to help him.
"Please take care of my Anna," Mr Bates whispers to Isobel.
"I will, Mr Bates." Isobel smiles at him.
"Why don´t you come with me, Mr Bates? This will take a while and I think you can use a strong drink," Tom says and Isobel looks thankfully at him before they leave.
"Now, Elsie, I need water and towels and Miss Baxter, could you please help me to get Anna out of her dress?" Isobel being in her nurse mode now.
It has been a show of strength for both women to get Anna out of her clothes but they have covered Anna with a thin blanket and tried to make it as comfortable as possible for the expectant mother, when Elsie comes back into the room.
"Can I help you with anything else, Mrs Crawley?" Miss Baxter offers.
"No, thank you but I think Elsie and I can manage." Isobel looks at Elsie, who nods.
Isobel looks at Elsie, who is kneeling next to Anna now, wiping the sweat from her forehead and whispering to her that everything will be alright. She is nearly overwhelmed by the affection Elsie shows for Anna. Isobel knows how much the young woman means to her but at this moment she can clearly see that Elsie feels motherly love for Anna. Isobel turns away, blinking the tears away while she puts the apron on, Elsie gave her. Isobel is carefully washing her hands and takes a deep breath before she turns around again.

Hours later
"Anna, one last push and I can pull the baby out," Richard says, who arrived only half an hour ago because he has been called to an emergency and Isobel was more than glad when he took over.
Isobel is kneeling next to Anna now, holding her other hand. "Did you hear that, Anna? One more push. Elsie and I will help you." Anna nods exhausted and only moments later a bloodcurdling scream fills the room.
"It´s a boy, Anna," Richard announced.
Isobel can see the pride in Elsie´s eyes, when she looks at Anna. She gets up and walks over to Richard´s bag, getting the necessary equipment he needs for cutting the umbilical cord.
"Anna, he is beautiful and his head is full of hair." Isobel gets a towel and Richard is placing the little boy carefully in her arms.
Elsie is watching how gently Isobel is holding the baby, while trying to calm him down with sweet words and discreetly wipes some tears away.
"Do you have a name for him?" Isobel wants to know, when she puts the little boy on Anna´s chest.
"Yes, Michael Jonathan. After my grandfather and John´s father." Anna looks down at her son as if she still can´t believe what just happened.
"He is indeed beautiful," Elsie says, carefully touching his little fingers and smiles when he grabs her finger. Elsie looks up and sees that Isobel wiped a tear away as well. They look at each other and both know that they have experienced something very special today.
"Anna, I have to examine you and Michael." Anna hands Michael back to Isobel.
"Well, I think it´s time for your first bath young man. Elsie, would you like to help me?"
"Yes, I would love to but first I should tell Mr Bates and the others the good news."

Isobel carefully puts Michael into the lukewarm water Elsie just got. Elsie dips the flannel into the water and much to their amusement is he pulling faces, when Elsie gently wipes his face. Both women smile at each other.
"I think he has enough," Elsie says, when Michael becomes fretful. Isobel puts him into Elsie´s arms who is wrapping him into a towel. She looks at him again, kissing his hair. A little tear runs down her cheek, Isobel can´t help herself and wipes it away. Elsie leans forward and gives her a light kiss. Richard discreetly clears his throat and they both realise, that Anna and Richard must have witnessed this scene and blush. Although Isobel and Elsie don´t hide their feelings, when they are around both of them, they never showed any form of physical affection.
They look at him embarrassed. "I guess you would like to exam Michael, right?" Elsie asks, handing the baby over to Richard.
"I think it´s time that Michael meets his father," Elsie says after she and Isobel helped Anna to get presentable and put some fresh linen on the bed. All three stand at the end of the bed and are looking at Anna. "Thank you, Isobel. Elsie and you of course, Dr Clarkson," Anna says and as if he would like to thank them as well Michael makes a little noise. All four adults laugh.
"I think we should leave now. Would you like to have a cup of tea, Isobel?" Elsie offers. Isobel smiles at her, when she feels Elsie´s hand on her lower back.
"Yes, I would love to but I would rather have a glass of the sherry you are hiding in your desk because that was definitely too much excitement for my taste today."
"Sherry it is then. Shall we go?"
"Yes, I´ll just freshen up a bit." Isobel takes of the bloodstained apron.
"Maybe I should borrow you one of my blouses," Elsie says pointing at the blood stains on Isobel´s sleeves.
All three say goodbye to Anna and her sleeping son, promising to come back later.

Mr Bates, Miss Baxter and Tom are waiting impatiently outside of the room.
"And Dr Clarkson? Are both alright?" Mr Bates asks nervous.
"Yes, Mr Bates. You have a healthy and beautiful son."
Mr Bates grins from one ear to another. "And Anna? What about her?"
"No worries, Mr Bates." Richard puts his hand on his shoulder. He can see the concern in his eyes and he can´t blame him after all the troubles Anna had to get pregnant. "I just examined her and she is perfectly fine. She is tired of course and has to rest the next couple of days."
A huge stone is falling from Mr Bates´ chest when he hears that. The last couple of hours have been a torture for him. Knowing that his Anna is in pain and he couldn´t do anything about was nearly unbearable for him but Miss Baxter and Tom somehow managed to distract his mind.
Mr Bates looks at Isobel and before she knows what happening, is he taking her into a big hug.
"Huch, careful, Mr Bates."
"I... I´m, sorry, Mrs Crawley. But... but thank you for helping my Anna." Mr Bates has tears in his eyes and everyone is equally touched, because when comes to Anna, Mr Bates is not shy to show any emotions.
"You don´t have to thank me, Mr Bates. You should thank Dr Clarkson. He was the one you delivered your son."
"Don´t be so modest, Mrs Crawley. You didn´t unlearn anything," he says with a smile. Isobel is blushing and can feel Elsie´s hand on her back again. She looks at her and they smile at each other. Only an experienced observer, like Miss Baxter, can see, that this is not an usual smile between friends.
"Mrs Hughes, I have to thank you as well. May I?" Mr Bates asks shyly before he also hugs the housekeeper. "I know it means a lot to Anna that you have been by her side. Thank you. And thank you for having an eye on her during her pregnancy." Elsie can hardly hold back her tears when she hears these words from Mr Bates. Now it´s Isobel, who is discreetly putting her hand on her back, comforting her.
"I think you should go and finally meet your son," Tom says.
"Well, I better be off now. And Mrs Hughes, if there is anything please don´t hesitate to call me." Richard smiles at both women.
"Would it be helpful when I get Sybbie´s old cradle from the attic, Mrs Hughes?" Tom offers.
"Yes, that would be very nice but what will Lady Mary say?"
"Oh, don´t worry about that. You know how fond she is of Anna. I´m sure she´ll pay her a visit later."
"Can I help you with the cradle, Mr Branson?" Miss Baxter offers.
"Of course when its not too heavy for you," Tom smiles at the her. "Shall we go?"
"And I better clean myself." Isobel leaves in direction of the servant´s bathroom.

Elsie enters the bathroom with one of her blouses and finds Isobel leaning against the washbasin.
"Tired, my love?" Elsie asks and puts her hands on Isobel´s waist.
" Yes, a bit but also very happy for Anna." Isobel puts the towel aside. " Thank you for your help, Elsie."
"Why? I didn´t do anything. You had all the work and responsibility."
"No, you have been a great support for me and especially for Anna. Don´t underestimate this." Isobel is brushing her lips over Elsie´s, gently kissing her.
After Isobel changed, the two women leave the bathroom and make their way downstairs, which takes longer than usual because they hold up again and again by servants, who are already back from the flower show and want to know how Anna and the baby are. They repeat over and over again that both are fine but need their rest until they are finally downstairs.

Mischivious eyes follow the women from the servant´s hall. An eybrow is raised when Elsie smiles at Isobel, when she defer entering the room to Isobel.

Isobel sits down with a deep sigh on Elsie´s little settee while Elsie pours them a glass of Sherry. They toast to Michael and kiss again, this time without witnesses.
Isobel puts her glass down and rests her head on Elsie´s shoulder, closing her eyes for a moment until the silence is disturbed by a knock on the door. Both women set up straight and Elsie moves to the other side of the settee before she answers the door.
Much to both womens´ surprise is it Matthew. Isobel gets up and greets her son. "Where is Mary?"
"Oh, she´s upstairs. She couldn´t wait to see the baby," Matthew grins. "And I´ve heard all about your heroic act, mother."
Isobel is blushing. "Stop it, Matthew. And I wasn´t the only hero today." Isobel looks over at Elsie and smiles at her. "Mrs Hughes was a great help."
"I´m sure she was," Matthew replies. "Listen, Mother, do you want me to drive you home? You must be exhausted."
"I am but thank you Matthew, I rather walk home and have a breath of fresh air."
"Really? It would be no trouble at all for me."
"Thank you, Matthew, but I would really like to walk home."
"Good, then at least let me see you out."
"Why don´t you go ahead because I have to talk with Mrs Hughes about Anna."
After Matthew left, Isobel turns to Elsie. "Am I going to see you tomorrow?"
Elsie wraps her arms around Isobel. "Of course."
"Well, then I put a bottle of champagne on ice and we can toast properly to little Michael."
"Mmm, you are spoiling me." Elsie grins.
"Only the best for you, Nurse Hughes," Isobel grins, stealing a kiss from her lover.
"Be careful on your way back home. It´s already dark outside."
"I´m always careful, Elsie." Isobel is caressing Elsie´s cheek, looking deep into her eyes, before they kiss goodbye.

Mischievious eyes appear in the gap of the door of the bootroom, when Isobel leaves. Paying extra attention to the subtle smile on Elsie´s lips, when she watching Isobel walking upstairs.

Half an hour later, Elsie serves Anna a strong broth with best wishes from Mrs Patmore, when the baby starts to cry.
"You eat your soup and I´ll take care of him."
Elsie bends over the cradle and carefully picks the baby up, gently rocking him and humming until he calms down. She gently plants a kiss on his forehead - at this moment she couldn´t be happier.

At the same time, a car turns into the main road, driving too fast, being unable to shun the person, who is crossing the road. Squeaking tyres break the vespertine silence.

tbc