Anna was walking along the corridor, hoping to find some peace, when she saw something coming out from under a door. She kneeled in front of it and saw that it was a bright red pool of blood. It was as if her heart just stopped, and she run to the dinner room, where all the guests and servants were supposed to be. She opened the door and everyone turned to look at her.
-Mr. Carson, is every guest here?
-Of course Mrs. Bates.
-And everyone from the staff?
-Yes. Everyone is...
-No Mr. Carson- Daisy cut him, and Anna's heart stopped- Mrs. Hughes is not here.
-Oh my God!
-What's wrong Mrs. Bates?
-There's blood in the corridor downstairs, and I can't open the door.
Mr. Carson's face turned white and he run downstairs, knocking off everything that was on his way. He stopped in front of the door and tried to open it.
-Elsie? Open the door! Elsie, please!
No-one answered him, so he quickly hit the door with his body. It fell open and his world, just as he knew it exploded, broke into small pieces of glass that was his heart.
Elsie was tied to the wall, with her mouth covered by a piece of her own dress, which had been ripped off. Mr. Caron could see her legs perfectly, that had cuts all over them; her breasts, because her blouse had been ripped off, and her pale arms, that had also cuts all over them. Her shoes where on the other side of the room, her knickers had been ripped into pieces and laid next to her and what was left from her stockings laid against the desk that was next to the door. A pool of bright red blood surrounded her, and Mr. Carson felt how his own blood disappeared from his veins. He run to her and felt her heart that was beating slowly, but still beating. Hope rose inside of him, and he tried to stay calm. He carefully untied her and turned to face Anna.
-She's still alive, but she won't if you don't run for Dr. Clarkson.
Anna run out of the room and left them alone. Charles took the piece of clothing from her mouth and run his hand along her cheek.
-Please Elsie, I love you. I can't live without you. Just please open your eyes. Just that.- A few seconds after he spoke Elsie opened her blue eyes, and looked at him.
-That's it my girl, don't close them, alright?- She nodded lightly and smiled at him.
-What happened to you? Who did this?
-I'm afraid- Elsie's voice was nothing more than a whisper.
-Don't be. I'm here. I'm not leaving you.
-Charles, I was attacked.- She stopped for a moment before carrying on. - But I don't know if it matters now. I'm going to die so...
-No, my girl. You're going to be alright. I'm sure of it.
-You know Charles, I was afraid, but now that I know that you love me, I just want you to know that I love you too. I want you to know that before I die.
-Elsie Hughes, you are not going to die! You cannot leave me. I plan to marry you and have children with you, and I can't do that if you are dead.
-You want to marry me? The old housekeeper?
-Yes. That is why I love you, because I know you can be rigid, and I saw you being rigid; but I want to see you as a mother and as my wife.
-Why couldn't you just tell me as soon as you found out that you loved me?
-Because I was afraid. Afraid that you may not love me too.
-Well, now you know. I wish we could have had more time to spend together.
-Don't say that- Charles's eyes were full with tears, and he tried to keep clam. He tried not to break down.- Please don't say that.
-Charles, be realistic. I lost most of my blood. I'm dying.
-NO!- Charles's tears run freely through his cheeks- You are not going to die! If you die whoever did this to you will die too!
Her Ladyship was standing against the doorframe, watching them. Her heart ached with love and saddens. The scene was horrible and at the same time beautiful. He was holding her, crying, while trying to keep her awake. Suddenly heavy footsteps were heard along the corridor. She turned and saw Anna with Dr. Clarkson and Lord Grantham. She quickly moved away from the door and let them get inside.
-What happened? - Dr. Clarkson kneeled beside them and looked at her cuts.
-She was attacked. I don't know anything else.
He nodded and started working. He took care of the wounds (Charles had to take really good hold of her because she tried to back away from him, screaming in pain), put bandages around them, and took care of her bruises and swollen lip.
Charles took her in his arms and carried her to her room. He placed her gently on the bed and looked at her. She was all covered in bandages, some of them already red from the blood that was still trying to escape from her body. Her Ladyship helped Charles and Anna take her clothes off and put a nightdress on. Dr. Clarkson entered the room after that and looked at them.
- She lost blood, but not enough to die. I want someone with her all the time in case she needs anything. And I want to know, when she's ready to tell you, what happened. For now, let her rest.
He looked one last time at her and left with the saddest look on his face Charles ever saw. Her Ladyship wished goodnight to Charles and Anna and then left the room. He sat on the bed, taking Elsie's hand on his.
-You see? You're going to be alright. Just fine. - She opened her eyes and smiled at him.
-I see. I see that you haven't proposed to me yet, as you promised you would.
-Wait a minute here, because I've got the ring in my room. Just hold on, ok?
She nodded and watched him leave. He was really happy. He run to his room took it from his closet and run back to her room. She was smiling at him, the sweetest look on her face.
-Elsie Hughes, I've loved you since that first day you came to Downton Abbey wearing that old dress and that smile on your face and beautiful blue eyes. I remember that I asked you, as a gentleman, if you wanted me to carry your luggage, and you almost slapped me across the face telling me that you could do it. Since then I knew we would get on just fine.
I know that Sybil's death hit me harder than I thought it would. I was really grateful that you were there for me. You are the only one who knows what things I adore, what things I hate and were my loyalty stands. I've always taken care of myself, and the only thing I want is to be able to grow old with you, to be able to have children with you, maybe not as much children as I wanted but still, and to see that you can take care of me when I no longer can.
And because life hasn't been kind to you. And you deserve a little bit of happiness in your life. That's why, Elsie Hughes, I'm telling you that I love you, that I would shout it on the streets of Yorkshire if I had to. I don't love you Elsie; I adore you as much, or even more, as my own life. That is why I'm asking you to marry me.
Elsie's eyes filled with tears, as she heard his words, and when he finished his little speech they were running freely through her cheeks.
-I've never thought that you would talk to me like that and about that.
-I just want to take care of you, like I'm doing now, the rest of our lives.
-If I could move I would kiss you, but I can't.
-I think I can do something about that.
He climbed in bed with her, placed both hands on her face and slowly approached her face to his.
-I'll be careful with your lip. – He whispered against her mouth.
She felt his warm breath against her mouth as he slowly pressed his lips on hers. He tasted like wine, and she smiled thinking how she would taste the best wines just by kissing him. She tasted like chocolate and honey. He was enjoying the kiss when suddenly she pulled away from him. He looked at her and saw a look of fear in her eyes.
-I'm sorry Charles. I didn't mean to pull away from you. I really mean it.
He looked at her. Her swollen lip, the bruises in her arms, legs, and waist; her knickers, her stockings, her blouse and skirt ripped apart, and how ashamed she looked of herself.
-You got raped.
The room was full of silence and she looked at him. Her tears running through her cheeks and the fear in her eyes answered him before she did with words.
-I just… didn't want… you… to…
-You got raped- He repeated simply.
-I'm sorry Charles. I wish I were dead.
Anna looked at her and remembered that Mr. Green was staying in the house.
-He did it again didn't he?
Elsie turned to see Anna standing next to the bed.
-Who? Do what? - Charles blood was boiling, and he felt how his cheeks and ears turned red.
-Mr. Green. – Anna said it before Elsie did.
She screamed and covered her face with her hands, crying, and nodded at Anna's statement.
-Mr. Green raped you before?
-Mr. Carson, he raped me.
-And why you didn't tell us?!
-Mr. Carson, Mrs. Hughes knew it. She was the only one.
-Then how on earth he got the chance to rape you Elsie?!
-God, Charles, you sound like if it was my fault! - Elsie was so angry and so scared.
-I'm sorry. I didn't mean to give you that impression. But how did this happen?
-I found him in the same room where you found me. I tried to scare him, but before I knew it, he had moved to the door and had locked it. He then approached me and held me by my arms. I tried to escape but he wouldn't let me go. I hit him with my shoes on his stomach and tried to escape again, but he hit me hard on the face, I fell to the floor, and before I knew it he was tying me to the wall. He took my shoes off, and… and…
-He raped you then.
-Yes. He had ripped my stockings and my knickers off me, and had opened my blouse with such force that he broke it. He took my corset off and I don't know what he did with it.
-And how did you get all those cuts?
-Well. He knew that I would tell her Ladyship what happened, so he wanted to make sure I took that secret with me to the grave.
He looked at her for a moment, marveling at how she survived such a horrid thing; before she pulled him to her, hugging him, crying in his chest.
-It's ok Elsie, you cry as much as you want.
Anna was crying, with her hand covering her mouth. This was much more horrible than her own experience.
-Mrs. Hughes, if you think its ok, I would like to tell this to her Ladyship and my own experience to her too.
She nodded, still crying in Charles chest. Anna quickly left; making sure the door was properly closed. She run downstairs, to the dinner room.
-I'm sorry to disturb m'lady.
-No need to worry. How is she?
-Mr. Carson and I know what happened to her.
-And?
-She got raped by Mr. Green. And then he tried to kill her.
-That's not possible.
-It is m'lady. He raped me too. Last year, m'lady.
-Robert, call the authorities.
He was holding her, not saying a thing. When he felt that she had stopped crying he looked down at her. Her blue eyes were red, and he could see the rivers the tears had caused.
-Elsie, don't worry. I'm not leaving you. And if you think that something like this is going to stop me from marrying you, you're wrong.
-You really want to?
-I do. And don't worry about this, her Ladyship and his Lordship will take care of it.
-What if he comes back?
-Then he will have to deal with me.
She smiled at him and hugged him. This was just a warm embrace between the both of them.
-You're very good to me Charles.
-You deserve it. Now sleep my love, I will stay with you from now on.
She slowly closed her eyes and soon after that she fell asleep. He laid in the bed, with her head on his chest, looking at her with a small smile.