Mr. Carson was now thoroughly convinced that the telephone was a device invented for the soul purpose of torturing him. That was the only possible explanation. It had taken almost an hour for the operator to finally get him trough to Oban, the seaside village Elsie's sister now lived in.

"How can I help ye?" A thick brogue accent asked, denoted a lack of any interest in actually helping him.

"I need to speak with Elsie Hughes." Charles said in his clear, crisp English tones.

"Ain't no one 'ere by that name." The gentleman on the other end said.

"Actually she is there, she's visiting her sister Mary Campbell."

"I'm fairly certain she ain't here sir. If she was I'd know." Said the voice on the end of the phone with much insistence.

"Well can you get Mrs. Campbell and find out for certain. I need to speak with Elsie Hughes, it's an emergency."

"Sir I'm Mr. Campbell and I'm fairly certain if my sister in law was visiting I'd know. She hasn't been out to visit us in over twenty years."

"What?! Where could she be?" He asked partially to himself.

"I've no fucking clue, good day." And with that the other end of the line went dead.

Charles sat there stunned, here they were in the middle of a crisis and Elsie was no where to be found, but what was worst, she'd lied to him. Every year for the past twenty shed told him she was going to Scotland to see her sister but she hadn't. As his mind shifted through the various places she could be he hit on one so painful it couldn't be true.

No Elsie, don't do that to yourself, don't do that to me. He thought.

With that he picked up the receiver.

"Yes operator can you please put me through to the George and Dragon inn in Ipswich?"

He waited patiently wondering what he would do if she was there, what on earth he could say to her.

"Hello George and dragon inn." Said a sweet womanly voice.

"Hello, I was wondering if a Mrs. Elsie Hughes was staying there."

"She is indeed, whom shall I say is calling."

"Mr. Carson of Downton Abbey."

"One moment sir."

His mind began to reel, his breath quicker, he felt faint, suddenly he didn't know why he was calling her, the only things that filled his mind were the burning memories that still filled his dreams.

"Hello?" It was her, clear as fay, her.

"Elsie..." He said completely unsure what to say.

"Charles...how did you...is something wrong? Why are you calling me?" She said, at that exact moment a scream came from somewhere downstairs and the main purpose of his call returned to him.

"Elsie we need you to come home, something bad has happened to Anna. Clarkson's here now, he says there is something wrong with the baby and Anna wants to see you."

"Oh god! Charles...I'll...tell Anna I'll be on the next train back." She said fighting the panic rising within.

Not my sweet girl, she thought, don't do this to her.

"Elsie, when you get back we'll have to talk about this."

"Charles-" She started.

"If I wasn't so concerned about Anna I'd be livid right now Elsie." He said, silent tears coming down his face.

"Charles, I can explain." She said, fighting her own tears. "But not now, let me come home. Anna needs me." She said sadly.

"Yes she does."

Two hours later Elsie was on the train, her mind reeling. What had happened to Anna? Would she be okay? Would the baby? She knew Anna would have a difficult time with this; she wanted that baby very much. They'd intentionally planned it, it hadn't been a total surprise like…Elsie stopped herself there, she couldn't think about that. Not now, not on her way back to Downton. Not with Anna to comfort, and Charles to deal with. She'd never told him the truth behind her little vacations, the lie had always sufficed. He didn't need to know she was hurting, it wouldn't help anything. This time was best spent apart, she would deal with it her way, he with his. It seemed almost amusing to her, they were best friends, they stood side by side for almost everything. Supported each other as no one else could but when it came to this, this one thing, this deep, dark sadness they couldn't be together. They needed to be apart. She silently prayed that he would forgot about it all, that he would forget where she had been, forget about the lie. That they could resume the façade of two uninjured persons. Maybe he would just let it go, just like he'd let her go.

"Mrs. Hughes!" Anna screamed, "I want Mrs. Hughes!" she was rolling around on the bed, John had never seen such anguish.

"Anna, love, she's on her way." He said, trying his best to comfort her, reaching his arm out to her, she pulled back like a mad woman.

"Go away! Oh John just go away! Where is Mrs. Hughes!" She screamed.

The first thing Elsie heard as she got to the top of the stairs was Anna's screaming, and, though her body was tired and weak she ran to her.

"Anna!" She called running down the hallway, she threw open the door to the most heartbreaking sight she'd ever seen. Anna was rolling around the bed in agony. John sat on a chair in the corner of the room, his head in his hands and Charles stood over Anna, fighting back the tears.

"Mrs. Hughes!" Anna cried, looking at the older woman, the closest thing to a mother she'd ever had.

Elsie rushed over to her, sat on the bed and pulled Anna into her arms. Anna laid her head on the older woman's breast and began to weep.

"He's gone Mrs. Hughes! My baby is gone!" She cried. Elsie rubbed Anna's back as she began rocking her, trying to give the grieving woman whatever comfort she could.

"Gentlemen, why don't you leave us for a while."

With that both men nodded and left the room, John's shoulders hung low, Charles giving him a reassuring pat on the back, sometimes women just need other women, Charles thought.

"Anna, I'm so sorry love. I'm so sorry! I know how terrible this is." Elsie said, rocking Anna even harder.

"No you don't Mrs. Hughes. You don't know what this is like at all!" Anna cried.

"Yes I do love, I've never told this to another living soul in this house, except for Mr. Carson but, I know what it's like to lose a child. My babe died in my stomach twenty two years ago."