'Lady Aurelia wants me to do what?!' Mr Carson said to Mrs Hughes long after everyone else had gone to bed, as they sat in Mrs Hughes' sitting room with a glass of wine in their hands. 'But who'll look after the house?' He added.
'Ella has asked his Lordship and he has permitted Mr Molesley and Anna to stand in our absence. When was the last time you and I took a holiday Mr Carson, I mean a real break away?' She asked him. She really was desperate for him to attend with her; she yearned for his company and the thought of having a whole month off to be alone with her daughter and her friend was the best thought she'd had in a long time.
'But isn't it a bit unconventional for them to want us with them on their honeymoon?' He flustered.
'Mr Carson, since when has Ella ever been conventional?' Mrs Hughes replied with a proud laugh.
Mr Carson raised his eyebrows in defeat but secretly revelled at the chance to be with Mrs Hughes and he was so pleased that she was going to get to spend so much time with her daughter, that he actually found the thought a little overwhelming. Finally brow beaten by Mrs Hughes, he threw his hands up in the air and walked out of her sitting room and headed off to bed. Mrs Hughes accepted that as a yes.
She too parted for her bed, at peace in the knowledge that her earlier fears had been ridiculous, but at the same time she now carried more love in her heart for her daughter than she thought imaginable. There was an excited knot in the pit of her stomach for tomorrow's wedding; so much so, she couldn't ever remember being this excited or nervous about an event in her whole life and then she was going to get to spend a whole month with her daughter, without fear of being overheard or having to keep it all a secret.
Aurelia was just as excited. She was finally going to marry the man she adored and loved above any other and, at his request, she was going to spend a whole month with her mother and Mr Carson, another man she adored and thought of as a second father. She had been exceptionally surprised when Henry had suggested that they go to London for their honeymoon and damn right gobsmacked when he suggested taking Mr Hughes with them.
He had barely known for a week that Mrs Hughes was his future wife's natural mother and when he had sat with Aurelia and talked about how she felt about Mrs Hughes, his heart had ached as she described how restricted she felt at Downton sometimes, as she couldn't get enough time to spend quality time with her mam.
'I just sometimes wish that I could take her away from here so we can be together for just a few days, where we don't have to fear being interrupted or caught out, or so that she isn't constantly thinking about all the work she still needs to do.' She had said in earnest.
So that had sewn the seed into his mind and it seemed like the most perfect wedding gift, for the most perfect bride. And not only was he willing to accept Mrs Hughes there with them, he had also graciously accepted Aurelia's request for Mr Carson to accompany them too. She had explained her plan to him in great detail as to why she wanted the butler to attend with them, but it wasn't one he understood exactly; however, he trusted her judgement explicitly and had agreed to go along with it regardless.
As the sun began to tinge the sky a deep amber colour, Aurelia began to stir. She tried to roll over and ignore the approaching morning, but suddenly she remembered that today was her wedding day and she propped herself up in her bed, delighted with everything. She stayed sat for an hour or so, watching the beautiful black night give way to the fire of the new day and it seemed to replicate her mood; any darkness that she had ever had in her life was now gone and behind her, with the fire and passions she felt ahead of her.
She heard a knock on her door which then opened wide and in walked someone hidden behind a very large vase of flowers. Mrs Hughes stumbled into the room with them and put them down on Ella's dressing table.
'These arrived for you yesterday but we were told not to give them to you until today.' She said as she handed Aurelia the card attached.
'Thank you for making me the happiest man alive; God bless my darling, until we meet at the altar.' She read aloud and had the biggest grin she could manage.
At that moment, Cora, Mary, Edith and Sybil all arrived with equally broad grins; today they were going to have the enjoyment of helping her get ready. The three girls all approached Ella and they sat together and chatted excitedly as Cora and Mrs Hughes stood near the door and watched their daughter.
'I'll leave you ladies to it.' Mrs Hughes whispered as she turned to head out of the door, only to find Cora stopping her.
'You should be here too.' She whispered back and received a stunned smile from the housekeeper.
'Thank you Milady, but this is your time now.' She replied quietly and left genuinely happy. She didn't mind allowing Cora time to spend with her daughter, especially since both she and Aurelia had agreed to remain respectful to Cora as Ella's mother and since Cora afforded Mrs Hughes the same respect, it was only right that she allow Cora this time. Besides, the next day they would be leaving for London and then she'd get all the time in the world to spend with her child.
Cora joined her daughters on Ella's bed and couldn't believe that her girls were now all grown up. As she sat and watched them her mind wandered back to when they were children. She had tried to be as much of a hands on mother as she could, more so than her own mother had been, and had told her children how much she loved them; but, in time, as she became more of a part of the aristocratic world, she had begun to follows their ways and their expectations, until she became the Lady that she was now. Although she didn't regret her family or her life, she did sometimes regret that her life had changed her from the American girl she once was.
'Come help me put on my dress.' Aurelia said, bringing Cora out of her thoughts, as they all helped her into an absolutely stunning wedding dress.
It was a very simple white, A-line dress with a white sash around the middle and long sleeves that tapered to a point at her wrist. Embroidered into the fabric was various swirls of pattern, decorated with very fine beads. She had a head band made from the finest silver and decorated into flowers made from diamonds, which was then finished off nicely with her veil. Cora was overcome with awe as she looked at her baby girl, a grown woman about to embark on a new life.
'Ella you look stunning!' Mary said with pride as she stood back to look at their handy work.
'Absolutely Aurie; but I think it's time we got dressed as well.' Sybil replied as she kissed her twin on the cheek and returned to her own room.
Both Mary and Edith also kissed their sister on the cheek and left Ella and Cora alone.
'Come here my baby.' Cora said as she held her daughter in her arms. 'You look so beautiful.' She whispered.
'Thank you Mama.' Aurelia replied as she tried not to get too teary, she didn't want to spoil her make-up.
'Now is there anything you want to ask me?' Cora asked awkwardly and Ella's brow creased in confusion.
'What do you…' She began to say before realising what her mother was trying to say. 'Oh do you mean…oh don't worry Mama; I might not know much about life, but I don't live in a sack.' She added with her cheeks tinged a little red.
Cora gave her daughter one last hug before she too left the room and Aurelia was left on her own to revel in her final hours as a single woman. After a while she pulled the cord by her bed and waited patiently for Mr Hughes to appear, who gasped in delight when she saw Aurelia standing in her dress.
'You look absolutely stunning.' She whispered as tears of elation filled her eyes.
'Do you think Henry will approve?' Ella asked with a mischievous grin.
'I would say so.' Mrs Hughes said as she approached her daughter and looked at her properly. 'I hope you will be very happy together.'
'I think we will be very happy; I do adore him and I know he loves me. He's everything I ever wanted and more.' Aurelia replied. 'Anyway, enough of that before I start to cry; I have something I want to show you.' She took a couple of steps back from her mam, who looked at her daughter with confusion as she lifted the bottom of her dress up slightly to reveal her shoes.
Aurelia was wearing a pair of white shoes very similar in style to her dress, but she had a tartan bow on each foot as her way of giving a little nod to her mother and to her heritage. Mrs Hughes' heart was fit for bursting with pride and couldn't believe that Aurelia would have thought of doing such a nice thing for her.
'It took me a while to find some Hughes tartan, if I'm honest I didn't realise you actually had your own tartan, but I managed to get it in time.' Aurelia explained and Mrs Hughes couldn't find the words to express.
Eventually Mrs Hughes made her way down to the servant's quarters where they were all getting ready to head to the church. The family were all gathered in the entrance hall as they waited for Aurelia to come down and Robert felt his knees almost buckle when he saw her come down the stairs. After everything they had all been through in recent months, today really was the end of that journey and the start of another chapter in their lives.