The Perfect Gift
A/N: This story is dedicated to MrsDickens713 as part of the Chelsie Secret Santa Gift Exchange. I hope you will enjoy it and that it brightens your Christmas! Love & Hugs!
Summary: The children were nestled all snug in their beds, or at least that's what Charles and Elsie thought! Sometimes, the innocence of a child can weave the most powerful Christmas magic of all.
Elsie sat at her desk waiting, rather impatiently this evening, for Charles to return from his upstairs duties. She had hoped they might retire earlier this evening. It was Christmas Eve after all. The children had been given their supper hours ago, been tucked into their warm cots after a treat of warm milk and biscuits, and Mary and Edith had even retired for the night, according to Anna and Madge. Yet, she still remained at her post, in her sitting room, waiting for him … her very own butler … to return for a nightcap.
Over dinner, they had discussed plans for their evening. They had chosen to share the leftover wine as they sat by the fire in her sitting room. She'd purposely added another log so it would be nice and toasty when he arrived, but that had been over an hour ago and the once roaring fire was now rather low. She toyed with the idea of adding another, much smaller, log but decided against it. With the growing lateness of the hour, she wouldn't be comfortable leaving her sitting room if the fire was still of any great strength.
She had long abandoned her ledgers and all thoughts of actual work. While waiting on Charles, she had decided to occupy her time with the Dickens novel he had loaned her again this Christmas. Over the years, it had become something of a tradition between them. They had both enjoyed the book, A Christmas Carol, immensely so Charles would read it during the beginning of December then, once he was finished and had been duly reminded of the lessons taught by the three ghosts of Christmas, he would pass it along to Elsie. But, tonight, she found her concentration lacking. She'd read the story countless times, and she knew how the tale ended. She only had one chapter remaining to read, but her heart wasn't into it this evening.
Her mind kept wandering back to a sunny day at the beach. The breeze caressing her hair, the warmth of his hand, the cool water lapping at her ankles … she closed her eyes and could almost hear the seagulls off in the distance begging the beachcombers for crumbs. She was so engrossed in the memory that she failed to hear Charles slip into her sitting room.
He stood a few feet away from her, admiring her lovely features and the blissful look on her face. He wondered, briefly, if she was asleep or merely resting her eyes. Deciding that either way he would have to rouse her from her rest, he spoke softly as he knelt down in front of her. "Elsie, love, are you awake?"
She never opened her eyes but reached instinctively for his hand. "Mmm, about time you arrived. I thought you'd gotten lost in this big house or that Lady Mary had asked you to read her a bedtime story," she teased.
Charles scoffed and patted her knee. "This is the season of love and kindness, Elsie Hughes! You, of all people, should remember that." He leaned forward and kissed her softly on the lips. "And for the record, I have been attending His Lordship and Mr. Branson. They were having a brandy and discussing the plans for the new cottages next year. Seems they were keen to have my input on the designs and plans. I was flattered to be asked."
"And they were right to ask you, Charles. I cannot think of anyone better to give them insight into what really needs to be in one of those cottages. I only hope they will take your advice," she said, leaning up to cup his cheeks in her both of her hands, caressing his lips with her thumb. "But, why on earth would they need to have this discussion tonight … of all nights?"
"They're meeting with the builder on the 27th, and they knew that tomorrow and Boxing Day would be busy, I suppose. Anyway, it's done now, and I think I was able to be of some help."
"And what did you tell them about the cottages?" she asked, patting the seat beside her. Once he was settled, she curled herself into his side and rested her head on his chest, her arm draped lazily across his stomach.
He wrapped his arm around her and hugged her to him. "Don't get too comfortable, love. I still have to lock up the house," he reminded her gently before answering her question. "I merely told them things that I would deem important for a cottage: indoor plumbing, large bathroom area with a decent sized tub, modern kitchen, and two bedrooms of a reasonable footage. Basic things but something that, perhaps, His Lordship takes for granted or has no clue about … like the kitchen for example."
Elsie leaned up and kissed his cheek. "All very sensible answers, Charles. I'm so very proud of you and the tenants of these new cottages will be very lucky, indeed. And they'll have you to thank for their good fortune."
"Not me, exactly, but it was nice to be able to help in some small way." He cradled her cheek in his large hand and drew her lips to his, giving her a soft, sensual kiss. "What would you say if I asked you to accompany me on my evening rounds so we can spend a little more time together? We can walk through the house then come back here for that wine or just a cuddle, anything you want, really."
She stood and tugged on his hands until he was standing, too. "I think that's a lovely idea. Let's make the front hallway our last stop, though. I'd like to see the tree still lit while the rest of the house is plunged into darkness."
"Then that is exactly what you shall have, milady." He gave her a low bow then offered her his arm in a gentlemanly fashion.
She swatted his arm playfully, then extended her hand, palm facing upwards, to him. "I was hoping you'd hold my hand to make me feel steady," she said with a quick wink.
He clasped her hand in his and brought it to his lips, brushing his lips across her knuckle. "I'll always be here to hold your hand, to keep you warm and steady, Elsie."
"Get away with you!" Her cheeks tinged a flattering shade of pink as the blush infused them. "We'd best be off or we'll never get back in time for this lovely wine I've been waiting for all night."
With that, the two heads of the household set off on Carson's nightly rounds. Together, they took a leisurely stroll through the house, checking windows, locking doors, putting out the lights in various rooms. There was a comfortable silence about the house reminding Elsie of the line from the children's book about not a creature stirring, not even a mouse. But, as still and silent as the house was, they were still wide awake and tending to the last details of a very long day. As promised, though, the last stop on their rounds was the front hallway. With the main doors secured and locked, Charles and Elsie walked back towards the Christmas tree, still illuminated by hundreds of tiny electric lights.
"It's so beautiful," Elsie said softly, admiring the tree from a short distance. "All the pretty white lights, the glittering gold and silver decorations, even the smell of the tree enhances the beauty of it. I don't think we've ever had a tree this nice before."
Charles slipped behind her and wrapped his arms around her waist, drawing her back to his chest and resting his head on top of hers. "It is lovely. Seeing it at night, with all the other lights out only adds to its beauty. There's something magical about it."
Elsie turned in his arms and snuggled into his embrace, her eyes still firmly attracted to the tree. "Maybe it has less to do with the ornaments and lights and more to do with the fact that it's Christmas Eve, a night for magic and wonder."
"Or it could be the company that I'm keeping and how she makes everything around her seem more enchanting and beautiful by always seeking and finding the best in everyone and everything," he suggested in a soft tone of voice.
"Mr. Carson, you're very flattering," she teased.
"Well, Mrs. Hughes, perhaps I'm simply speaking the truth and hoping that my love will reward me with the favor of a kiss, despite a lack of mistletoe overhead."
"You need only ask, my kind sir. I have it on good authority that the lady in question is quite smitten with the man seeking the favor." She wrapped her arms around his neck and stood on her tiptoes to make it easier for him to claim his prize. Her eyes fluttered closed and her heartbeat quickened in anticipation. She could feel his breath upon face as his lips grazed her cheek, her nose, her …
Suddenly there was a wee gasp from somewhere behind them, breaking the spell which they'd been under. Springing apart, Mrs. Hughes turned quickly on her heels and was met with a most unexpected sight. "Miss Sybbie, what are you doing up at this hour?"
"Is that Father Christmas?" she asked, pointing to Mr. Carson who was veiled in the shadow of the darkened room.
Elsie knelt down and beckoned the child to come closer. When she was within arms' reach, Elsie drew her close. "No, lass, it's only Mr. Carson. We were checking the house before we went to bed."
Charles stepped into the light so Sybbie could see him fully, then he, too, knelt down by the child. She was dressed in her nightgown, barefooted, clutching tightly to the little doll Elsie had given her at least two Christmases ago. Despite having a nursery filled with expensive toys and dolls, Sybbie was attached to this particular doll from the housekeeper. It went everywhere with her, even to bed, and she was never without it for very long, so it was no surprise to either of them to find it here with her this evening.
"Miss Sybbie, shouldn't you be in bed sleeping? Father Christmas will be by here soon, and we wouldn't want him to find you still awake, now would we? He wouldn't be very pleased."
At that, the young child started to cry, and she flung herself into Elsie's arms, pressing her face against Elsie's chest. A silent question passed between Charles and Elsie, neither of them having the answer as to why the little girl was sobbing. Elsie scooped her into her arms and carried her over to a chaise longue, sitting down with her in her lap. "There, now lass, dry your eyes and tell me why the tears."
Charles knelt down beside them and offered Sybbie his pristine handkerchief. He rubbed soothing circles on the little girl's back in the hopes of calming her as best as he knew how.
With her tears now partially gone, she clutched her doll tightly, and in a very small voice, she answered. "I was hoping to see Father Christmas. I need to explain to him what happened today. If I don't, he won't leave me anything for Christmas because I've been very bad."
Elsie hugged the little girl tightly and kissed her forehead. "What on earth makes you think you've been a very bad girl?" Memories of the horrid nanny from years ago flashed through Elsie's mind and she was already willing to march upstairs and sack the current nanny if Sybbie confirmed her worst fears. One look at Charles's eyes told her he felt the same way and was thinking back to Nanny West and the discovery Lady Cora had made.
Sybbie ducked her head and started to cry a little harder. "I wasn't very nice to Marigold today and Nanny told me I wasn't being nice because I wasn't sharing."
Elsie still felt she was missing a large part of the picture so she continued to question the child. That was when she learned the whole truth of the story. "So, let me see if I understand you correctly, and you tell me if I'm wrong." Sybbie nodded, agreeing to listen and correct Elsie if necessary. "Marigold wanted to play with your special doll, the one I gave you. And she's your favorite one so you took it from her and put it on your bed. When she went to get it from your bed, you took it from her again, and that caused her to cry. At that point, Nanny came over and took the doll from you, saying it was nice to share and since both of you couldn't play with the doll, you wouldn't get it back until bedtime. Is that correct?"
Sybbie nodded and began to cry again which seemed to break Charles and Elsie's hearts. Charles patted Elsie's leg and she moved over on the seat, giving him a little room to sit beside them. Without any warning, he slipped Sybbie into his lap and gave her a little kiss. "Miss Sybbie, I can promise you that you don't have a thing to worry about tonight. Father Christmas understands that we all have our favorite things, and we sometimes accidentally hurt the feelings of others. But, he knows, and so do we, that you're a very sweet young lady, and you'd never hurt Marigold or George on purpose." He patted her leg and smiled. "If it will make you feel better, Mrs. Hughes and I can speak to Nanny about the incident in the morning. I'm sure once she understands how special the doll is to you, she will make certain she's kept separate from the other toys in the nursery."
"But, Mr. Carson, suppose Father Christmas heard that I made her cry? That's why I wanted to see him. I needed to tell him I'm sorry and that I had a good reason. I didn't want her to take my doll. Mrs. Hughes can't give me another one like her, and she's my favorite."
Elsie smoothed the girls' dark brown curls and reached up to wipe the tears from her cheeks. "If you'll stop crying, I'll let you in on a little secret," she said, whispering softly and leaning in just a little. She watched as Sybbie's eyes grew wide and she leaned forward a little, as if trying to make sure she caught every word from the kind housekeeper's lips. "You see, I happen to know that Mr. Carson knows Father Christmas personally. I bet you if we get you into bed right now, and you go to sleep as quickly as you can, Mr. Carson can speak to Father Christmas and explain everything on your behalf. You'll be fast asleep, like all good boys and girls are supposed to be, and we can make sure he understands that you truly didn't mean to make your cousin cry."
Sybbie looked astonished upon hearing that Carson, the kind man who always gave her an extra biscuit when she visited downstairs and who often read to her in Mrs. Hughes's sitting room, knew Father Christmas. She stared up in wonder at Carson. "You know him? You've seen him?" she gasped, her bright blue eyes twinkling with excitement and wonder.
"I do and I have," he assured her. "How do you think he gets into the house on Christmas Eve?"
The wee lass turned to Elsie, her mouth hanging open. "Have you seen him, Mrs. Hughes? What's he like? Is that why you were really down here by the tree?
Elsie laughed softly. "He's a very lovely man, full of goodness and kindness. And I happen to know for a fact that he loves you very much and would do anything in this world to see you happy. You, my darling girl, have nothing to worry about. I give you my promise." Elsie tweaked her nose and smiled. "But we must get your into bed so he can come and visit. We wouldn't want to delay him this evening. He has a lot of other houses and children to visit," she reminded the young girl.
Sybbie nodded in agreement, but looked up at Charles. "Mr. Carson, would you give Father Christmas something for me?"
Charles looked at Elsie, who gave him a subtle nod of her head. "Of course, milady. What would you like me to give him on your behalf?"
"This," she said before placing a large kiss on Carson's cheek and hugging him fiercely. "Tell him I love him, and I promise to practice sharing, though just not my doll from Mrs. Hughes. Maybe you could make him understand that she's special, and I don't want anything to happen to her … ever."
Charles gave her a wink. "I'll be sure to tell him, though wouldn't Mrs. Hughes be the better person give Father Christmas a kiss? He might like a kiss from her instead of me."
She thought for a moment then giggled. "And she's prettier, too."
Charles and Sybbie laughed as Elsie stared at them in disbelief. "You two are terrible, just terrible," she said, leaning over and hugging them both. She pulled the girl into her lap for one last hug. "Right, time for bed, young lady. Tomorrow, if you'd like, you can come and see me in my sitting room downstairs and tell me all about what you received for Christmas."
"Can Mr. Carson come, too? I want him to tell me about tonight when he sees Father Christmas?"
"It would be an honor, milady. I'll bring the tin of biscuits from the top shelf in the kitchen if Mrs. Hughes will agree to make her delicious cocoa for us? We can have a little Christmas party in her sitting room, just the three of us."
She clapped her hands together and squealed with happiness. "I love you, Carson." She wrapped her arms around Elsie's neck and gave her a wet kiss to her cheek. "And I love you, too, Mrs. Hughes. You're my favorite person, next to Da."
Elsie was taken aback by the girls confession but returned her hug and kiss with enthusiasm. "I love you, too, darling lass. You've very special to me, and I want nothing but your happiness." After a lengthy hug, Mrs. Hughes stood, settling Sybbie on her hip, then slowly, the three of them headed upstairs to the nursery. Once she was tucked in tightly in her cot, Charles and Elsie kissed her on the forehead, then returned to the Christmas tree.
"I suppose the time for cuddles and wine has long passed us by tonight, love." Charles's voice was soft as he spoke.
The clock on the mantle chimed midnight, causing them both to pause in silence for a moment. "Oh, I don't know. I think I have a few more minutes to spare for the man who is very good friends with Father Christmas," Elsie teased, stepping closer to him and wrapping her arms around his waist. "After all, I did promise Miss Sybbie that I'd give him a cuddle and a kiss."
Charles chuckled and pulled Elsie tighter. "Come to think of it, so did I? Perhaps I could give you my kiss for him and you could relay the message. Would that be agreeable to you?"
Elsie slipped her arms up Charles's chest and wrapping them around his neck, her fingertips dancing lightly along base of his neck at his collar. "I think that's an excellent idea, Mr. Carson." Her voice was breathy and there was a distinct lilt to her accent which caused Charles to shiver in delight.
Slowly, he lowered his head to hers, breathing in the scent of her lotion and shampoo. She always smelled so good, so sweet, so very intoxicating. With his lips just barely brushing against hers he whispered, "I love you so much," before claiming her lips, effectively stalling any chance she had of a reply.
His soft lips moved against hers with practiced ease, tasting, nibbling, caressing. His large, warm hands travelled up and down her back, drawing her further into his arms, into the warmth they were creating together. Daringly, he slipped his tongue passed her lips, deepening the kiss and swallowing the soft sighs and moans of happiness and contentment. When he finally broke the kiss, he rested his forehead against hers and brushed his nose to hers. "Happy Christmas, Elsie. I love you so very much."
"Happy Christmas, Charles, my love."
With their eyes closed, they stood in front of the tree simply holding on to each other for a moment or two in silence. Charles was the first one to speak, though his usual commanding voice was filled with tenderness and love.
"You'd have made a wonderful mother to our children," he announced. "They'd have loved you and been the happiest children in the world. And our grandchildren … spoiled to their very core, but never to the point of being rude and pretentious."
Elsie was stunned. He'd never spoken of the children and grandchildren they would never have. He'd never even hinted at the idea of marriage, though she had assumed they would one day retire together, build a life outside of the Abbey walls. Somehow, though, she managed to find her voice. "You'd have been an excellent father. You would have seen to it that we were loved and protected by your strength, but you'd have shown us your softer side, the one that Sybbie and I saw tonight, the one that I see more often than anyone else under this roof."
"I suppose, in a way, we do have our own little brood of children. We have our downstairs children, each with their own gifts and faults, each needing something a little different from us. And no matter how trying they can be, we only want what's best for them in the end."
"Mr. Carson, I never knew you cared so much," she said with a gleam in her eyes.
"And if you ever tell them I said so, I'll tell Mrs. Patmore who's been using a liberal amount of her cocoa powder for late night chocolate drinks."
Elsie swatted his chest and raised her eyebrows. "You do that, and you'll have to answer to Sybbie Branson why we're not sharing cocoa with her during the cold winter days. You wouldn't want that, now would you, Mr. Carson? After all, she did say how very much she loved you."
"That she did, and she even gave me a kiss. I'd say it's best if we keep the little events of tonight a secret. Wouldn't you agree?"
"All but one. I will speak to Nanny about the doll and explain that it's her most important toy and she shouldn't be forced to share it with anyone, even Marigold."
"Agreed. I'll go with you when you speak to her. I'm sure she'll understand Miss Sybbie's reluctance to share if we explain everything. That should spare us any future incidents."
She reached up and caressed his cheek softly. "Well, friend of Father Christmas, I think it's time for us to retire," she said, catching Carson a little off guard. The look that crossed his face was one of confusion and slight panic.
"Why? What have you heard?" he asked, visibly flustered and unbalanced by the direction of the conversation.
"Only the clock striking midnight moments ago. What did you think I …? Oh, you thought I meant retire from service? Daft man! I meant retire for the night … as in going to bed. Silly man."
Charles took her hands in his and gave them a gentle squeeze. "And why is it so silly to consider retiring? Someone once told me that we were getting on and could afford to live a little. Or was that merely a guise to get me to paddle in the water with a pretty lady?"
She shook her head and blushed. "No, I meant every word of it. I still do, as much, if not more today, than that day at the beach."
Charles took a deep breath and released it slowly, staring down into her sparkling blue eyes, which were enhanced by the soft glow radiating from the Christmas tree. "Elsie, I have something to tell you. I was going to wait until later tonight, when we exchange our gifts, but this moment seems too perfect to pass up."
"Goodness, Charles! Don't tell me you're also best friends with the tooth fairy and the Easter bunny," she teased to hide her bundle of nerves now settling in the pit of her stomach.
"I'm serious, Elsie." The sincerity in his voice silenced her and he continued, seeing that he had her full attention. "I did speak with His Lordship and Mr. Branson earlier tonight about the cottages, though I was not completely truthful about the reason. You see, I informed His Lordship that in the very near future, I had hopes of retiring, of building a life outside of service. He assured me that I would be given a cottage on the estate and a rather large annual pension on which to live."
"I see. Well, that was very generous of him," she answered, clearly unsettled by the sudden news of his thoughts on retirement. She had often hoped and dreamed that they would marry and retire together, though he had not made any hints in that direction.
"They wanted to know what I wanted, exactly, in a cottage, what I'd need, what I'd most like to have. You see, they're planning to build brand new cottages near the lake, just a few and with enough land between the houses that they're not on top of one another like the others. It'd be a good ten minute walk to Mrs. Patmore's cottage and maybe fifteen to the village, but there would be enough space for a vegetable garden, some flowers, and a nice swing. It could be quite cozy, a quiet little place to spend lazy days in front of the fire, down by the lake, reading in the swing."
"Goodness. It sounds like a lovely little dream you're planning. I'm sure it will be absolutely wonderful, and you're very fortunate that they're asking you before they start the building."
"It is a beautiful dream, though it's far from completion. You see, there's one important piece missing, the one thing that could make this dream a perfect reality."
"Oh really? And what that might be?" she asked, her a little breathless as her heart pounded in her ears.
Without another word, Charles Carson slipped down to one knee and kissed the back of Elsie's hand. "Elsie Hughes, no dream of mine would be complete without you to share it with me. No cottage would be a home without you by my side, no winter's night as cozy as one spent cuddling with you. I love you, you see, and while I have loved my life here at Downton, I want to devote the rest of my days to loving you and living life to the fullest." He pressed a soft kiss to her hand and looked up into her eyes. "Elsie, will you do me the great honor of marrying me?"
Tears sprang to her eyes as she looked down into his big brown eyes shining with love and devotion. She suddenly grasped his face in her hands and kissed him long and hard on the lips, rendering them both breathless.
"Can I take that as a yes or was that simply you giving Father Christmas his gift from Sybbie?"
"That, my dear man, is a resounding yes! Yes, I will marry you, and together we can start dreaming of our future. And what better day to start dreaming than Christmas Day … a day of love and joy, peace and celebration." She helped him back to his feet and hugged him. "I love you, Charles Carson, more than I've ever loved anyone. Let's go back downstairs for a toast, then I think we should be off to bed. We have a big day ahead of us."
Charles nodded and unplugged the lights on the tree before guiding Elsie through the door and down the steps. If he could only hold on a few more hours, until he and Elsie exchanged gifts, he would be able to present her with a beautiful engagement ring. His plan had been to propose over sherry on Christmas night, but the moment upstairs had been too magical, too picture-perfect, much like the woman beside him.
On his next trip into the village, Charles Carson would make a special purchase for two little girls who had helped him, unwittingly, to set the perfect mood for his midnight proposal. While Miss Sybbie would never give up her favorite doll, Charles could buy new clothes for her cherished toy. For Miss Marigold, he would find a pretty little doll to give to the newest addition to the nursery.
As for his favorite girl, his one true love, he would give her the moon, the stars, and all the flowers in the gardens on a warm summer day. After all, she had given him the best Christmas gift he'd ever received. She said yes!
The End!