A/N: Season's Greetings from Hogwarts Duo!
It was my absolute pleasure to write Two Turtle Doves for the round robin story. I hope you will enjoy this little glimpse into the lives of Charles and Elsie Carson on this, the second day of our story.
Wishing you all a wonderful holiday season, whatever you celebrate! Love & Hugs!
Two Turtle Doves ~ December 25, 1926
Elsie Carson rolled onto her side and stretched, raising her hands above her head and pointing her toes towards the far wall as she inhaled deeply. With a very contented sigh, she lazily opened her eyes, fully expecting to see Charles in the bed beside her, hoping she could curl up in his arms for a few more hours of sleep. Instead, the sight that greeted her was a blazing fire in their fireplace and an empty space where he should have been.
She glanced over at the clock on her bedside table and was surprised to find it was still early, much too early, in fact, to be out of bed on Christmas morning considering there were no children in the house. His pillow was cold, as was his half of the bed. She was just about to move from the warm blankets to go looking for him when the most delicious smells began to invade her senses.
Bacon and sausage smells were the first to pique her curiosity, causing her stomach to give a little growl. And there were other familiar scents, too, though she couldn't readily identify them despite their familiar tug on her memories. And then she heard the tell-tale sound of cupboards being opened, dishes being removed, and the silverware drawer squeaking a little. She smiled to herself, wondering when Charles was ever going to get around to fixing it. She'd only mentioned it twice a week for the last two months.
With sleep a thing of the past for now, Elsie decided to join her husband downstairs, if for no other reason than to appease her curiosity. With her dressing gown pulled tightly around her and her slippers keeping her feet warm against the chilly bare floor, she opened the bedroom door and stepped out onto the landing. As if on cue, she was greeted with the rich voice of her husband as it floated through the house and warmed her heart.
Still through the cloven skies they come
With peaceful wings unfurled
And still their heavenly music floats
O'er all the weary world;
Above its sad and lowly plains
They bend on hovering wing.
And ever o'er its Babel sounds
The blessed angels sing.
The opportunity was too good to pass up. With his back turned to her, he began to hum the tune to It Came upon the Midnight Clear and she immediately missed his singing. "I didn't realize blessed angels had such resonating voices, but clearly my angel does," she said sweetly as she stepped off the stairs and crossed the room to his side. She could see by the redness on the tips of his ears that she had embarrassed him, though that was not her intention.
He turned around so quickly at the sound of her voice that he nearly dropped the plate filled with bacon and little sausages. "Elsie Carson! You should know better than to sneak up on a man when he's holding a plate of bacon in his hands. I could have dropped it," he gently scolded before leaning down for a quick "good morning" peck to her lips.
One arm slipped around his waist as she took the opportunity to deepen the kiss while skillfully taking the plate from his hand and easing it onto the counter. She pressed the length of her body against his, and she wrapped him up in her arms. With his hands now free, he was able to return her embrace fully, to their mutual delight. Several warm kisses were shared between them before Elsie finally stepped back, though instantly feeling the loss of contact with him. "So, would you care to tell me why you're up so early on Christmas morning? I believe we're a little old to be racing downstairs to check stockings and presents left by Father Christmas," she teased.
"Well, if you must know, I was planning to surprise my lovely wife with breakfast in bed, though that plan seems to be ruined since she's standing right in front of me. And, judging by the firmness of my stocking hanging from the mantle, I'd say Father Christmas thought I was a very good lad, indeed."
Elsie couldn't help but laugh at his enthusiasm. "You mean to tell me that you are out of bed on a cold Christmas morning, before the sun is up, I might add, to cook breakfast and to check your stocking? And here I was hoping for a nice, leisurely start to the day … perhaps a delightful cuddle with my handsome husband."
"Believe me when I tell you that there will be plenty of time for that plan later, love. Obviously, you haven't looked outside this morning."
"No, I haven't," she replied, stepping fully out of his embrace and making her way to the window. Pulling back the curtain, Elsie was surprised at the sight which greeted her. During the night, a hefty amount of snow had fallen, covering everything in a blanket of purest white. Small breaks in the grey clouds allowed tiny moonbeams to dance along the snowflakes, causing them to glitter like diamonds. "Charles, it looks so beautiful," she gasped. "It's like a painting."
He came to stand behind her, wrapping his arm around her waist and drawing her against his body. He pressed a light kiss just behind her ear before resting his chin on her shoulder. "It is a perfect Christmas morning, wouldn't you say?"
"But there's so much snow. We are supposed to meet everyone for church this morning and then go back to the Abbey for lunch."
"I hate to tell you this, but we won't be going anywhere. The snow is too deep, and I am guessing that most people will stay home today. I certainly don't want to risk you getting ill by walking all the way into town, then back to Downton, then home again in all of this snow. Once they've had time to get settled, I'll phone the house and let them know we're not coming and they won't be seeing us at church, assuming they'll even be able to go."
"Better to be safe than sorry, I suppose," she said, turning in his arms and hugging him tightly for a moment. "Shall we have breakfast now before it gets much colder?"
He kissed the top of her head then guided her to her seat at their little table. "You pour the tea, and I'll cook the eggs. Then, we'll be all set."
"What, exactly, did you cook? I could smell the bacon and sausage upstairs but there were other delicious smells that I couldn't place readily."
He grinned and gave her a little wink. "A full breakfast, love. Bacon, sausage, beans, toast with jam, and now eggs." He puffed out his chest and gave her a rather proud look. "And I'll have you know that I didn't burn the first slice of toast, even with your toaster behaving oddly."
"My toaster does not behave oddly! It works perfectly fine when I use it. You're just too impatient and raise the dial too high. That's why it burns."
"Hmm, so you say! But, no matter because I didn't burn it at all. Look," he said, placing a plate of rich golden brown bread on the table in front of her. "Perfectly toasted, just like you like it." He dropped a kiss to the top of her head then busied himself with the task of cooking the eggs.
After enjoying a delicious breakfast and doing the washing up together, Charles and Elsie made their way into their little sitting room. The tree was lit and there were a few presents peeking out from beneath the branches. "Shall we open our gifts now?"
"Let's take care of the stockings first. I don't like the idea of them hanging there at the mantle. I want to build a large fire to stave off the chilliness of the room. And, if I'm correct, the heat won't do much good for what's inside your stocking, Mrs. Carson." He kissed her sweetly then rose from his seat beside her to retrieve their stockings. "You first," he said, handing her the little stocking she'd embroidered with her name.
She kissed his cheek then began to remove the items one by one. An orange, some nuts, cherry flavored hard candy, and … "a chocolate bar!" she exclaimed with excitement. "I will have to ration this to make it last. Now I know why the fire wasn't as impressive as it normally is in here when I first came downstairs."
"Couldn't take the risk of a melted mess. Besides, I didn't think it would help the orange much, either, and I had planned on bringing breakfast upstairs to you. That's why I added extra logs to the fire before I left you to brave the cold kitchen."
"I'm sorry I ruined your plan. I think having breakfast down here was lovely, too … and no toast crumbs in our bed," she laughed. "Go on, then. Let's see what Father Christmas left you."
Charles grinned and dumped the contents of his stocking into his lap. Nuts, an orange, peppermint sticks, and a pair of knitted socks in the softest wool. "When did you have time to make these?" he asked, running his fingertips over the design and marveling at the softness.
"You'll have to ask Father Christmas about that when you see him. I wouldn't know a thing about it." She gave him a little wink before snuggling into his side. "A woman has to have some secrets, Charles, otherwise the mystery would be gone."
Carefully, he placed the contents of their stockings on the little table in front of their sofa and drew Elsie into his arms for a heated kiss. "The mystery for me is how you ever fell in love with me, and that, my dear, is something I shall never know nor understand."
"Don't talk like that, Charles, especially not today. I fell in love with you. You fell in love with me. And now … we're here. Let's just enjoy it, hmmm? No need to question the how or why of things. Let's just enjoy each day to the fullest."
He brought her left hand to his lips and pressed a kiss, first to her ring finger then to her palm. "Shall we go upstairs for a little nap? I think I should very much like to enjoy a leisurely afternoon with my wife in our warm bedroom in our crumb free bed."
"I thought you'd never ask," she replied, taking his hand and pulling him up from the sofa.
It was much later in the day after a very enthusiastic celebration of their love that the two finally roused from their little nap. Burrowed beneath layers of blankets to keep them warm, Elsie pressed against Charles's side and lightly kissed his chest, her nails grazing his side and causing him to squirm.
"You know that tickles," he growled before rolling over and pinning her beneath him.
"Ah, you're awake. Oh good," she said with an infectious laugh. "I was thinking we might want to get dressed and go downstairs for something to eat and to open our presents."
"Hungry, Mrs. Carson?" He lowered his lips to her throat, placing tiny kisses anywhere he could reach.
"Ravenous, Mr. Carson, "she purred, rolling her head to one side so he could nuzzle the spot just below her left ear. "And, if I'm honest, I'd like to see what I have beneath the tree."
"I have an idea. I was thinking about it this morning before you scared the life out of me, to be honest." He silenced her with a quick kiss to her lips then rubbed his nose against hers. "We don't have a Christmas feast like they'll have at the Abbey, but we could have a rather nice little picnic in front of the fire. What do you think?"
"A Christmas picnic in our cottage sounds lovely. I'd enjoy that very much, love. I'll take care of the food if you'll get a nice bottle of wine and some blankets."
"I love you, Elsie. Thank you for making this house a home and for filling it with warmth and happiness."
She blushed at his compliment. "It takes both of us to make this cottage a home, love, and together we each do our part to fill it." She kissed the tip of his large nose and ran her nails down his sides. "Now, if you don't let me get up, we won't be filling our bellies and mine is growing rather loud at the moment." As if on cue, her stomach gave a rather boisterous rumble causing them both to dissolve into a fit of laughter.
After a very filling picnic of leftover chicken, bread, cheese, fruit, and a perfect wine, Charles and Elsie snuggled in front of the fire, taking warmth from it and each other.
"I was a little upset this morning about being snowed in today, of all days. But, we've spent a lovely Christmas together, no interruptions, no demands on our time. I've enjoyed it more than I have any Christmas in memory," Elsie admitted softly. Her head was pillowed in the crook of Charles's arm, her body pressed against his, and her leg draped over his. "Thank you for making this such a lovely day and for all of my gifts. You spoil me."
"With all my worldly goods I thee endow," he reminded her. "Along with loving and cherishing you, it's part of my husbandly privilege, and I take those vows very seriously." He tipped her head back so he could capture her lips with his for a tender kiss filled with love and devotion. When he pulled back, he rested his head on top of hers and hugged her tighter. "I am happy you've had a lovely day, and thank you for my gifts as well. I'm excited to start my own wine ledger for our cottage. It won't be anywhere near as impressive as the one at Downton, but it will be ours."
"I love the sound of that word … ours. It means so much and holds so much promise." She was about to lean over and kiss him when she spied something nestled at the back of the tree. "Charles, what's the little box with the blue ribbon on it? I don't remember wrapping that, and how did it get here?"
"Oh, I'd forgotten about that," he said, moving away from her and retrieving the small package. "I ordered this for you from one of Mrs. Patmore's catalogs. I asked Miss Baxter to wrap it for me as a surprise for you." He handed Elsie the gift and watched with excitement as she carefully unwrapped the item.
Nestled inside the box was a pair of porcelain turtle doves with gold thread so they could be placed on the Christmas tree. Elsie gasped as she took them in her hand, marveling as their beauty and delicate nature. "Charles, they're lovely. They're … they're us," she said as a single tear slipped down her cheek.
"Two turtle doves … in our own little nest, or cottage as it is," he replied softly, kissing away her tear of happiness. "I thought they would be appropriate since turtle doves mate for life, and they're supposed to be a symbol of love, friendship, and faithfulness, all of which we have in abundance, my dear."
"I would completely agree, Charles. Help me up so we can hang these on our tree. I want them right at the front so we can see them every single time we look at our tree."
Standing behind Elsie with his hands on her hips and his chin resting on her shoulder, he watched as she placed his gift, their turtle doves, in the center of their tree. "Happy Christmas, my darling Elsie."
She turned in his embrace and wrapped her arms around his neck, drawing him down to her. "My happiest Christmas yet, my husband."
Christmas Day 1926 would forever remain one of their favorite memories. Each year afterwards, the turtle doves would be gently placed on their tree, no matter how large or small, in a place of honor to remind them of that snowy Christmas and all the love they shared.
