Of all the money that e'er I had
I've spent it in good company
And all the harm that e'er I've done
Alas it was to none but me
And all I've done for want of wit
To memory now I can't recall
So fill to me the parting glass
Good night and joy be with you all
Of all the comrades that e'er I had
They are sorry for my going away
And all the sweethearts that e'er I had
They would wish me one more day to stay
But since it falls unto my lot
That I should rise and you should not
I'll gently rise and I'll softly call
Good night and joy be with you all
A man may drink and not be drunk
A man may fight and not be slain
A man may court a pretty girl
And perhaps be welcomed back again
But since it has so ought to be
By a time to rise and a time to fall
Come fill to me the parting glass
Good night and joy be with you all
"Charles, if we stay on you've to promise me one thing."
He turned to face her. She was sitting in bed, hands resting atop her stomach, which stretched forward with such ferocity that he couldn't fathom how they still had several more weeks before the baby would arrive. He let go of the doorknob, taking a few steps toward the bed.
"Alright," he said, his eyes softening. She sighed, letting her gaze fall from his. She lifted a hand from her stomach and ran it along the backside of her neck, which had begun to ache.
"The child must go to school. They won't go into service."
He held her gaze for a moment, careful not to let her see that he was hurt by her certainty — he detected, perhaps, a slight resentment. "Schooling I most certainly agree with but. . ." he licked his lips thoughtfully, "Why do you feel so vehement about service?"
"If I'm going to bring a bairn into this world, a world that's changing so fast Charles, they've got to be able to survive —" she exhaled a shuttered breath, "Long after we've gone and there's no one in the world to look after them."
He sighed, sitting down next to her on the bed. He carefully placed a hand on her stomach, "And you don't think they'd find that in a house like Downton? Didn't we?"
She offered him a small smile, "I suppose we did — but I don't know that there are any other houses like Downton." She placed her hand atop his. The baby kicked and they both looked up, catching each other's eye. They both looked wide-eyed at one another for a moment until finally, relieved and also quite tired, Elsie dissolved into a fit of giggles. She leaned forward, trying to catch her breath, and pressed her forehead to his.
He wrapped his arms around her, nuzzling her neck.
She smelled faintly of sandalwood and honey.
