This is just a little blip I wrote that was inspired by a picture of Mrs. Hughes's chatelaine on tumblr, painted by the lovely carryonlaughingandpainting!
This is totally unbetaed so any and all mistakes are mine!
She remembers the bruise she had for the first month she was housekeeper. The keys smacking her leg as she did her rounds had left a black and purple contusion the size of the palm of her hand. She remembers the tenderness of that spot had served as a reminder of just how far she had come in her career. That's not saying there weren't times that she lay in bed at night thinking about a family, little bare feet pattering through a little house. But for the most part, she was happy.
Becky was happy. Her mum had passed away three years ago, and Elsie had been forced into a decision. Leave service and be a pauper, or she could continue working and pay for the best care possible for her sister. So she had inquired at the home in Lytham St. Anne's and she had packed Becky up and taken her. Becky had adjusted well, and Elsie had worked out a suitable payment and visitation schedule.
Elsie had never taken her job lightly. She enjoyed the work, enjoyed being in charge. She liked taking care of people. Doing rounds with her keys tinkling with every step was a joyous thing and it gave her a certain contentment.
But then she started falling in love with the butler. She would feel flutters in her stomach every time they sat down for sherry or tea. She wanted to look nice, she wanted him to think of her on the lonely nights in his bed, because she certainly thought of him on those particular nights.
She had wondered how it would be to fall asleep against his chest. To sit with him on a settee in front of a roaring fire listening to him read to her. She wondered if he would hold her hand in church...her grandparents had. (They had that love that one reads about in novels, like those of Austen.)
She stares at the keys that had been attached to her hip for the past 25 years laying on her desk. In three days time she will be retired and married to the man in the room next door. She supposes she is being a bit sentimental as her eyes tear up at the thought of leaving her home behind. But she will build a new home, with a man who loves her, who has offered to bring her sister to live with them in their cottage. She had shaken her head slowly, no, Becky was happy, it wouldn't do to change her world more than it already was, they were to visit and he was to be introduced after the wedding and then they would go from there.
The knock on her door brought her out of her reverie, and she looked up with tear filled eyes at her husband to be.
He paused,looked at her keys on the desk, and then his expression softened.
"I know, I know, there's no need to be sentimental," She said with a teary laugh.
"Oh Mrs. Hughes, Elsie, there is every need," he replied quietly.
She stood and went to where he stood and let herself be gathered to his solid presence. She smiled knowing that while this chapter was closing, a new one was opening, and she was going to be just fine, without her keys.
Let me know what you think!
Much love
Samantha