Just a fluffy moment between two of my favorite characters. Mr. Fellows may own them but he needs to figure out that these two belong with each other.


They had been making their way home from the village after going in to post some letters. He had asked her to accompany him seeing as the weather was so fine. She of course had agreed. Elsie was eager to spend a few quite moments away from the house especially as it was just the two of them. They so rarely got to spend time alone together aside from their evening glass of wine or tea that this was not an opportunity she was likely to miss.

He had offered her his arm and she had accepted. But somehow her hand had wandered from its original resting place in the crook of his elbow. She's not exactly sure how it happened but she makes no move to pull her hand away as it is now firmly grasped in his own. She's not even sure if he's noticed, he just keeps on walking as if nothing has happened, as if this was an everyday occurrence.

She can't help but smile. Her hand is so much smaller than his but there fingers link together perfectly. She knows it's silly, how happy she feels right now. She's not a young girl anymore and it's not as if she has never held a mans hand before. But she can't help but feel giddy knowing that he is holding her hand.

There has always been something between them. Ever since she had arrived at the big house there had been an underlying tension. A spark that would not go out even though neither of them had decided to act upon it. In her younger years she had dreamed of running off with the tall handsome valet but as the years had gone by and their promotions had been claimed those dreams soon seemed foolish and unrealistic. But now maybe those dreams are not so foolish and maybe they still have time to be fulfilled.

"Mrs. Hughes?... Mrs. Hughes?" She had been so preoccupied with her own thoughts that she had not been paying attention to him.

"Elsie are you all right?" he asks. They have stopped in the middle on the road and he is looking at her with such concern, but he is still holding her hand. She blushes, embarrassed, and looks down at their interlocked fingers.

"Perfectly." she replies giving him a shy smile.

"Good." he answers. His smile is tender and he gives her hand a little squeeze before they continue down the path together hand in hand.