Chapter 1
A/N: I resisted for 3 whole days but I couldn't resist any longer! I know many of you will already be writing and planning fics that follow the proposal and I for one cannot wait to read them. A couple of lovely follow-ups have already been published. However, I thought I would also give it a go. The more the merrier!
Not sure if this will simply be a couple of chapters or something much longer- we'll see how it goes. Although I do want to write about everyone's reactions to this news, as well as how Mr Carson and Mrs Hughes adapt to being engaged. Thank you in anticipation of your support x
"Of course I'll marry you, you old booby. I thought you'd never ask," she replied with undiluted joy.
She watched him tenderly, as his look of utter surprise came and went, and then the dear man in front of her seemed to crumble, quite overwhelmed. He tried to smile through his tears yet was quite overcome. She reached out to soothe him, gently squeezing his arm as she smiled at him reassuringly. They stood for a long while, neither speaking but both perfectly content. Mr Carson finally broke this blissful spell of silence.
"Thank you," he whispered, his voice hoarse with emotion.
Two simple words yet two words that said so much.
Thank you for always being there for me. Thank you for your support, your care, your friendship. Thank you for standing by me when I was irascible, immovable and insensitive. Thank you for your patience in allowing me to reach this point, allowing me to love you. Thank you for waiting for me. Thank you for agreeing to be my wife. Thank you for permitting me to spend my remaining days with you. Thank you for making me happier than I ever dared dream. Thank you.
Mrs Hughes smiled radiantly at the Butler, as she continued to hold his arm. He placed his glass of punch on the sideboard and then discarded Mrs Hughes's glass to the side as well. Her hand moved gently down his arm until she was holding his hand. Her other hand joined this loving hold, as did his. The faint sounds of 'Silent Night' could still be heard upstairs.
"I still cannot quite believe that you asked me to marry you," she whispered, looking down at their clenched hands and then raising her gaze to meet his soulful eyes.
"I have wanted to do so for so long. I was …" his voice tapered away.
"Yes?" she prompted gently.
"… Scared … that probably sounds very silly?" he offered.
"No, not at all …" she reassured, stroking his hands with her thumb.
"Mr Carson … may I ask why you were scared?" she ventured, although she knew there was no simple answer.
He nodded with a loving smile, holding her hands a little more tightly and pausing as he tried to decide where to begin.
"Mrs Hughes, there were so many reasons ... as you know I find change unnerving at best ... and well … I was scared to acknowledge that my feelings for you deepened further every day, scared of how my heart leapt when you were happy and then ached when we disagreed …" his voice caught in his throat and he gulped, biting back the emotion that threatened.
He looked into her glistening eyes, at the wondrously compassionate smile on her lips; it gave him the confidence he needed to continue. She always managed to boost his confidence and make him feel steady.
" … I was frightened of risking everything we know, our positions, our friendship, our lives ... risking everything we have ... but then, when our plans for buying the house together were no more, I realised that the thought of not spending my life with you, the possibility of not being with you each and every day, was considerably more terrifying than taking a risk and declaring to you my greatest desire, my greatest wish for you to become my wife …"
Tears silently trailed a path down the Housekeeper's cheeks as she listened to his heartfelt words.
"Oh Mr Carson," she said shakily, through her tears.
"Of course I was also scared you would say no …" he joked lightly.
She shook her head with a teary smile.
"Never," she replied with certainty.
He took a sharp intake of breath at the conviction of her reply. She had never had any doubts at all. Why should this surprise me? Elsie Hughes is a woman who knows her own mind, he thought proudly.
"I can assure you Mr Carson, I would never have said no. Never. However, I truly thought you may never ask …" she continued.
There was not a hint of bitterness or accusation in her words, only truth.
They gazed silently at each other, warm smiles adorning their lips.
"But you did ask …" she added, eyes twinkling.
"Yes I did and you said yes," he triumphed, a playfulness to his voice.
She laughed delightedly, as he allowed his thumbs to smooth back and forth over her knuckles.
"I did," she replied fondly, squeezing his strong hands in hers.
There would be plenty of time to discuss their feelings further but for now both were happy to return to their more usual affectionate teasing.
"In fact … not only did you say yes but, as I recall, you also called me an old booby!" he chuckled, raising his eyebrows in that knowing way.
She bit her lip at this recollection, an embarrassed smile on her face. She laughed and let go of his hands, raising her hands to her cheeks to cover her blush.
"Oh my … whatever made me say that!"
He stepped closer to her, stroking her arm lovingly.
"I liked it," he beamed.
"Did you?" she asked, her eyes lighting up as her happiness poured out of her.
"I did," he said, lowering his head to place the most delicate, chaste kiss to her forehead.
Mrs Hughes let out a little whisper of pleasure as his lips brushed her skin so sweetly. It seemed the most natural thing in the world to lean forward just an inch, placing her hands and her cheek against his chest, the weight of the last few months finally leaving her, as she allowed joy and hope to fill her heart.
His arms tentatively wrapped around her and pulled her gently to him. She closed her eyes as he held her softly to his chest, his chin resting on her hair. As she enjoyed this cosseted moment, she reflected happily that his steady heartbeat was the most beautiful sound she had ever heard.