A/N: Howdy! I was in serious need of something a little bit fluffy so I quickly threw this together! It's set in series one, episode four. Yep, the return of Joe Burns!
As always, I unfortunately don't own any of the characters! We'd be hearing a lot more of that Scottish accent if I did!
Merry reading! (Update: I've edited a couple of typos out!)
Elsie tossed and turned in her sleep. She hadn't had a nightmare since she was an adolescent but tonight she'd had numerous. Her sheets were damp with perspiration and her hair clung to her face. Her arm jolted, hitting her bedside table and causing her to wake up.
She threw the sheets off of her and walked over to the window and looked out, willing all bad thoughts to escape her mind.
It was no use. Her thoughts would not leave her be tonight. She decided to walk down to the kitchen and warm herself a cup of milk to see if that would aid her with a more peaceful sleep.
When the milk had heated on the stove and she had poured it into a cup, Elsie took it to the table in the servants' hall. She knew that as soon as she sat down, her mind would return to what was troubling her. The man that was troubling her. The man that was named Joe Burns.
She sighed. He was such a lovely man. He had such a warm heart with a smile that matched. He was still very much the man she knew when she was younger. And there lay the trouble. Where he had hardly changed at all, she had changed completely. The person she was before would have gladly accepted the idea of being a standard housewife with a loving husband and family but the person she was now had come to accept that she would never have that. And she didn't mind. She was a strong, independent woman who loved her job. Sure, there were bad days but isn't there wherever you find yourself?
Elsie knew that Downton was where she belonged and so she had refused Joe Burns' marriage proposal. Although she knew that she had made the right decision for herself, she still couldn't stand to hurt him. The memory of the look in his eyes when she had told him her answer caused a tear to fall down her cheek.
She felt something soft being pressed into her hand that rested by her cup on the table. It was a handkerchief. She lifted her head to see Mr Carson looking down at her.
"How did you know that I was up?" She asked him.
"With so many young footmen living under this roof, Mrs Hughes," He began to explain. "One's hearing is trained to match that of a bat."
She smiled and used his handkerchief to wipe the tear from her cheek.
"Now," He said as he took the seat next to hers. "Are you going to tell me what is upsetting you?"
"I'll be fine in the morning, Mr Carson. There's no need to wor-"
"Elsie." He interrupted her.
She knew it took a lot for him to use her first name and so she sighed and told him the story of Joe Burns.
He placed his hand atop hers and said, "Life's altered you as it's altered me."
She nodded as another tear fell.
He took the handkerchief from her and lifted it to her cheek, "And where would we be if we didn't let life change us?"
She closed her eyes at the feel of the soft material against her cheek.
"You did the right thing, Elsie." When she opened her eyes, he explained further, "It wouldn't have been fair. On either of you."
"I suppose not."
He gave her a sympathetic smile, "You wouldn't have been happy and he would have noticed."
She nodded and looked down to her lap, "I'm just not that farm girl anymore."
"No," Charles put his hand on her knee to comfort her. "You are my housekeeper."
She quickly looked up at him and he pulled his hand away. "Yours?"
"I… I…" He stuttered.
"Yours?" She repeated.
He saw the slight smile in her eyes and so he simply replied, "Mine."
She took hold of his hand and squeezed it, "Then I definitely made the right decision."
Charles brought her hand to his lips and placed a tender kiss on her palm, on her wrist, and in the crook of her elbow before pulling her to him to place a kiss on her lips.
"Definitely."
A/N: Thank you very much for reading! Reviews are rewarded with biggg smiles!