A/N so I thought I've spent some time writing this, I've had this going round since the beginning of the new season. There's some references to the past.
A short backstory here, what I've written actually happened to someone I worked with in real life. I work at Heathrow Airport for an airline and I'd like to think I helped save my colleagues life when I found her in the back office suffering immensely. It was the most terrifying experience of my life and the reason why it happened to her greatly affected me and still does to this date. Fortunately she's fully recovered but has rendered herself unable to work for the rest of her life. Needless to say her reason has changed his way of life with her for good. So this will be in a few parts. Please go easy on me!
It was half past two in the afternoon and the family were out for the day visiting another house and it's family. Lord Grantham had mentioned to Mr Carson that he and the rest of the staff were to have a chance to take it easy on this rare occurrence and enjoy the fact that everyone was out for the whole day until the evening.
After delivering this message some staff chose to go into the village but some remained in the servants hall chatting or resting.
Mr Carson found himself sitting at his place on the table reading the newspaper, while Mrs Hughes was sitting next to him sipping a cup of tea at the same time leafing through an account ledger. Mr Carson was the epitome of calm however this wasn't the case for his wife, he was completely oblivious to the situation she was feeling.
It was 1am and Elsie found herself awake with a searing headache, careful not to wake her sleeping husband next to her she got herself somewhat heavily out of bed wincing at the cool temperature. Clad in her dressing gown she slowly headed downstairs for some pain relief and water.
Suddenly out of nowhere she felt lightheaded and stumbled lightly gripping the side of the door she righted herself. She composed herself wondering what on earth was happening and putting it down to a migraine. Taking some medication to try and soothe her headache she decided to head back upstairs and lie down for a little while longer.
Charles descended the stairs to their cottage to the sound of the kettle whistling on the stove and the sounds of his wife gathering some plates.
"Good morning dear, I hope you slept well" said Charles as he bent to kiss Elsie on the cheek "morning Charles, I had a bit of a headache but I'm alright now" she didn't want to upset her husband this early by giving him details, but she still felt rotten. "I've made you some toast I thought maybe you would like to eat something before we left for work?" Elsie said with a smile "well actually I think I'll have some breakfast at the house, I'm sure Mrs Patmore has done a cooked breakfast, bit more substantial than toast I think" Charles said as he poured some hot water into the teapot "very well then just some tea" said Elsie trying her hardest to please her husband she picked up the plate of toast and put it on the side "perhaps the birds can feast on this then".
5:30am and they were leaving the cottage "I think I'll be polishing silver this afternoon Elsie, I'll need some new cloths" Charles said as he pulled the door shut, Elsie wasn't ignoring him she just was in so much pain that she didn't respond straight away to Charles' conversation "did you not hear me Elsie? I need new cloths" "oh sorry Charles I was away with the fairies, cloths for what?" She responded trying her best to sound normal "polishing, I'll be polishing all afternoon" Charles said a bit too sternly.
Mrs Hughes sat at the table trying her best to will her headache away, but the truth was she had so much to do what with Lady Cora holding a dinner party for 10 guests and The Dowager Countess utilising Mrs Hughes' skills in organising a luncheon for some hospital board members and lastly Lady Mary had descended on her with a 'fundraising charity gala in aid of war victims'. Not only that she was trying to decide what to cook for her husband and make him happy who right on cue "what with the family away for the day to the evening, we may as well go home for dinner as they'll only be going to bed by the time they get in" said Charles as he put his newspaper down "you're not expecting a banquet are you?" Elsie said trying to lighten her mood "I'm expecting a meal cooked by the fair hands of my beautiful wife" Charles said proudly while looking at her "there's a threat somewhere in there" Elsie said while sipping her tea "no of course there isn't, well, I think I'll go and start some polishing since its quiet" Charles said getting up "alright then well I'll come and check on you later" his wife said as he left.
"Oh Mrs Hughes, have you a moment I need to order some more tinned fruit for this dessert we are making for that dinner party can you come and check to make sure it's the right one" said Mrs Patmore bustling into the dining room, she noticed Mrs Hughes rubbing her temples but thought nothing of it "of course Mrs Patmore I'll be right there" Elsie said as she got up "Mrs Hughes" it was Anna calling her "I need some more thread to finish mending one of Lady Mary's dresses, I need to get it finished and I can't use any that Miss Baxter has, you know the one to order?" Anna said "yes I'll make sure I get some for you Mrs Bates I'll put a call in today it should arrive tomorrow morning" Mrs Hughes replied as she wrote it down on her notepad to remember "Mrs Hughes do you have a moment?" Mr Bates caught her just as she was going to the kitchen "we've run out of boot polish, they need their boots for tomorrow when they head out for the shoot" "we've run out? Gosh I normally order plenty, still I'll make sure we get some today" Elsie replied as best she could "very well Mrs Hughes thank you" said Mr Bates as he left the hallway.
"Mrs Hughes!" Shouted Mr Carson from his pantry door, Mrs Hughes winced as her head was pounding "yes Mr Carson? Is everything alright?" She mustered as best she could "the polishing cloths? I said I needed new ones?" "Oh! Oh I am sorry Mr Carson, I'll go up to the linen closet and collect some, I completely forgot I don't know what's wrong with me today" she said levelly and genuinely sorry "yes well I can't do this unless I have those cloths, have you had any thoughts on dinner? What will you delight us with this evening" he said with a knowing grin "well I hadn't really given it any thought, I'm sure something will come up" she said a bit worriedly "I don't want to disappoint you again, so I'll think extra hard" "good well I'll need those cloths then please" he said turning back to his silver.
She had been so disappointed in herself that she wasn't able to make him happy at the dinner table the last few weeks since they were married. She'd seemed to make a hash of everything and deserved his harsh comments, to her defence she was trying and she had tried to be a good wife to him. The problem was that there was barely any time what with finishing work and starting early, it was beginning to catch up with her and she hadn't been feeling herself lately, she didn't want to bother him with her ailments so she chose to get on with it just as her mother taught her too. "Mrs Hughes!" Shouted Mrs Patmore "are we going to get them tinned fruits?!" "Yes of course I'll go and put the order through now" she said turning into her sitting room. Just as she shut the door an overwhelming feeling too difficult for her to understand came over her. She sat down taking some deep breaths and pulling out an order form trying to pull herself together. She picked up her pen and that's when the trouble began, she didn't know what she was feeling the pen fell to the ground as did her arm, she could feel pins and needles but as she tried to call out her voice was slurred and not loud enough and then her eyesight it went dark, she couldn't hear anything. The next thing she new she was on the floor having slid heavily out of her chair pulling the ink pot with her.
So it will be continued...I'll try not to keep you waiting too long. Sorry for the angst I am a nice person really and it will get better. I just need to figure out how to use this thing. Drop us line if you fancy it.
