"It really is quite beautiful." Mr. Carson stood in the doorway of the library and watched Mrs. Hughes hang the last ornament on the enormous Christmas tree gracing the gallery of Downton Abbey.
"I found a box that was missed." She stepped back a few feet from the tree to take a better look.
Mr. Carson crossed to meet her. "I know I was against the electric lights, but I admit, they are quite effective."
Mrs. Hughes fought the urge to say "I told you so," and simply nodded in agreement.
"Are you too exhausted for a glass of port, Mrs. Hughes?"
Noting the stiffness in the muscles of her back and shoulders from all the ornament hanging, she decided port was just what she needed before heading to bed. "That would be lovely, Mr. Carson. Let's leave the lights on for now. I want one more look before bed."
Mr. Carson nodded in agreement and the two set off for a much deserved libation.
One glass of port became two and two became three as the butler and housekeeper chatted easily about the day's activities and the upcoming Christmas celebrations.
Mrs. Hughes looked at her time piece and was shocked to see that it was almost one in the morning. "Mr. Carson, it is so late. I am sorry to have kept you up."
"Don't be silly." Mr. Carson stood up and had to immediately take hold of the table to his right. "I stood up too quickly."
Mrs. Hughes experienced a similar wave of dizziness. "You may have stood up too quickly, but I had too much port."
Mr. Carson gave her a smile. "We mustn't forget the Christmas tree lights."
Their balance regained, they set off up the stairs. Mrs. Hughes put her hand on Mr. Carson's arm as he started towards the tree. "Wait. Let's see what it looks like with all the lights off."
Mr. Carson crossed and flipped the light switches. The glowing tree was magnificent.
"Did you ever see anything more beautiful, Mr. Carson?"
"It is quite lovely."
They slowly made a tour of the circumference of the large tree.
"I have an idea." Mrs. Hughes eyes twinkled.
Mr. Carson watched the housekeeper gingerly lower herself onto her hands and knees.
"What on earth are you doing?"
"Come along, Mr. Carson. Live a little."
"I might if I knew what you were doing."
"Trust me."
Mr. Carson stared at her.
"Come on!"
"Shhhh. You'll wake the whole house. " He let out an exasperated sigh and carefully got on his hands and knees. "My pants…"
"Oh, hang your silly pants. Come on."
Reclined onto her back, Mrs. Hughes moved her head under the lowest limbs, carefully working the upper half of her body under the tree.
"Mrs. Hughes?"
"You must see this, Mr. Carson."
He lay on his back and worked his head and shoulders under the tree next to Mrs. Hughes, all the while muttering under his breath, "Of all the inane things you have come up with…" He was quickly silenced as he looked up. The weaving of the lights up the expanse of the giant tree was mesmerizing. It was as if they were in the heavens.
Mrs. Hughes looked over at him and smiled, "You were saying?"
His mouth hung open in wonder.
"Careful. You'll get pine needles in your mouth."
He closed his mouth and turned towards her. "Whatever made you think to do this?"
"I don't know. It was just so beautiful on the outside, I wondered what it would look like inside."
Mrs. Hughes turned her gaze heavenward. Mr. Carson played her answer over in his head as he studied her face. Her eyes were filled with wonder and a gleeful smile crossed her lips. It was as if she was a little girl again. She suddenly turned and looked at him. "Mr. Carson?"
He quickly turned his head away and looked at the lights.
"Are you all right?"
"Too much port, I think."
Mrs. Hughes turned her head back towards the tree, but was aware that Mr. Carson was watching her out of the corner of his eye.
They lay in silence for a few minutes.
"Mrs. Hughes?"
"Yes, Mr. Carson?"
He reached over and took her hand., "Thank you."
She looked over at him in surprise. "For what?"
"For this. For…for being the kind of person who would think to do this."
"Don't be silly, Mr. Carson…" She was interrupted by his tightening his grasp on her hand.
"I mean it. You are a very special person, Mrs. Hughes."
She felt a deep blush begin to bloom. She gently squeezed his hand back. "So are you, Mr. Carson."
It was his turn to blush. He took a deep breath and whispered, "Do you mind if I hold your hand a little longer?"
The space between the tree limbs and their bodies allowed Mrs. Hughes to turn on her side and look at Mr. Carson.
"Of course not."
He searched her face.
"What is it, Mr. Carson?"
He thought she looked like an angel, the lights glowing around her head. He reached up with his hand and gently cupped the right side of her face. "You are quite beautiful."
She couldn't help but smile as she closed her eyes and tucked in her chin.
"Elsie."
Her raised position allowed him to pull her towards him. She placed her free hand on his chest as he drew her face to his.
He whispered, "May I?"
She swallowed and nodded her head.
He lightly pressed his lips to hers. He felt her body relax against his. He gently rubbed his bottom lip along the crease of her mouth and pushed his fingers up into her hair. He felt her mouth open slightly as he gently sucked her top lip.
Mrs. Hughes slowly pulled her face back and looked at him. He slid his fingers from her hair and brushed his knuckles along her cheek.
"Are you all right?" She nodded and blinked away tears.
"Elsie…" He tenderly wiped the tears from her cheek. "What is it?'
"I just wanted this for so long. I believed it would never happen." She laid her head on his chest.
He stroked her hair. "Oh, my dear."
They maintained this intimacy for several minutes until she broke the reverie. "Charles?"
"Yes, love?"
"I certainly don't want to, but we need to get up. I can hardly imagine what we look like with our legs sticking out from under this tree. "
She felt his body rumble with laughter.
They slowly worked their way out from under the tree and used each other as leverage to stand upright.
They took a moment to look at one another. Charles delicately removed a sprig of pine from Elsie's hair. She lightly dusted needles from his shoulder. He took her hand, crossing to the switch that controlled the tree lights.
With the tree lights extinguished they were enveloped in the privacy of darkness. He pulled her into an embrace and whispered into her ear, "Would you care to meet me here tomorrow night? We can look at the lights and talk about what happens next."
Elsie beamed at his suggestion. "It is a date."
"Very good."
He took her face in both of his hands and kissed her deeply.
The end. Merry/Happy Christmas!