Ch 2- Homecoming

"I wasn't aware we raised hooligans Mrs. Carson." He said, raising an eyebrow as he watched his sons rush about the train car.

"They're not hooligans Mr. Carson, they're healthy, happy little lads who like a bit of adventure."

Carson, who was by far the most dignified member of his family, watched in horror as one of his sons hit the other on the head with a book. He cleared his throat, his eyes locking on the boy who stiffened up in an instant and sat at attention.

"Sowwy daddy."

Carson knew his sons were good boys, that they were indeed adventuresome but also respectful. Still, he was concerned about how they would be received in the world they were moving into: into his world. For most of their lives, their mother had allowed them to be louder and wilder than he approved of. Whether she realized it or not, they would have to learn to be little gentlemen at least some of the time. He sighed painfully, hoping the boys wouldn't be too much of a handful in that regard… or an embarrassment.

'It shall be… fine.' He rationalized.

"They are your sons." She reminded pointedly, looking down at the baby in her arms who sat quietly sucking his pacifier. "I'm sure there's some of that stiff upper lip in there somewhere."

"Yes Ms. Hughes… but it is also true that boys will be boys."

Carson knew his boys all had something of their mother's Scottish spirit. They had a zest for life, youth and wanderlust that he was mostly devoid of, save his ability to charm on stage.

"Daddy, daddy are we going so you can be cheerful Charlie?" Sam asked.

"No m'lad. In fact daddy would prefer we didn't discuss cheerful Charlie… not in the presence of anyone knew whom we meet."

"Awwwee." The boys said at once, disappointed when this caught their ears.

"Daddy, there won't be anymore cheerful Charlie for us?" Charlie Jr asked, his face falling at the prospect.

"Of course there will m'lads." He laughed. "You don't think I'd forget the fun to be had with my best little mates do you?"

Elsie smiled, watching her four boy's smiles grow a million miles wide. She knew nothing in the world met more to them than their daddy and that they were afraid the move would take him further away from them. Elsie knew the feeling. She'd fallen in love with cheerful Charlie and come to also adore his more stern side, whom she'd since named my curmudgeon.

But the boys were less familiar with this side of their daddy and were sometimes put off when they saw him. Despite being a strict disciplinarian and the stern man he was, Charlie did his best to humor his sons, to have fun with them, to play with them and make the most of their boyhood in a way his own stern father would've never dreamed.

"All my lads gather round. Daddy has something for you." He said. The boys abandoned their various activities and gathered round their father as he removed something from his jacket pocket. "I know there's a lot of change going around and we're all a little… apprehensive."

"Apre what?" Liam asked.

"A little afraid." Carson said. "Moving to a new place can be scary, and as we've learned in the past, any time mummy is preparing to give us a new baby brother can be a little aggravating."

"Aggre what?" Logan inquired.

"Frustrating." Carson laughed. "But just know." He said, handing each boy a piece of candy. "We're all in this together. Mummy and daddy, and all your brothers."

…

The family arrived at Downton station after four long hours on the train with five little boys all under the age of eight. Needless to say they were all exhausted and in the case of the Carson twins, overtired. Baby William had fared best on the train, spending the entire ride in his mother's arms where he got ample rest and all the milk he could ever desire. The chubby cheeked little boy was in good spirits when they disembarked and watched everything with wide, appreciative eyes that took in everything as being far grander than it was.

The infant was simply spellbound and although he didn't know it so were his brothers. None of them had ever seen or visited a place like Downton and although they didn't realize it, their mother was intimidated. Carson was excited as the carriage that picked them up, all the way from Downton Abbey itself, sped through town. He pointed out the various sites, the bakery, the pub, the church, the school (where the boys could not believe they'd be attending). Elsie noticed he was so casual about it all, and seemingly thrilled to be home. Something about it hurt her, making her wonder what she was doing there and with him.

She'd never been in a place like this and to her, a farm girl; it was big and overwhelming in some way. Was she too simple for him? Was the home she'd made for him not enough? Elsie's heart sped, her mind swimming with thoughts of inadequacy and a nagging doubt that ran so deep she thought she'd gag. She took a deep breath, remembering it was just the morning sickness that was making her feel this way and closed her eyes, almost screaming when he kissed her cheek.

"Welcome home, Mrs. Carson." He whispered, the sound of the horse's hooves echoing in her ears when her eyes met the cavernous, majestic abbey before her.

….

"Daddy we going to live here?" Logan asked.

His father chuckled as he lifted both twins into his arms and Elise motioned for Charlie and Sam to walk with her.

"No m'lads. Our home is just a few miles from here. We're here to meet Lord Grantham and his family."

"Oh." Liam blinked. "Daddy?" He asked as they stepped up to the gravel path. "When we get there can we play?"

"Yes of course you can play." He laughed.

Clueless about her fears, Carson looked over at his wife, wondering why she didn't seem so excited. In truth she was nervous in addition to everything else. She would've worn something far nicer and made sure to tidy up the boys had she known where they were being invited. In a way she couldn't believe it. Why would the Lord of the manor and his family wish to see the likes of them? Elsie had never met her husband's family and now wondered if there wasn't something more in his connection to Downton that he'd failed to inform her of.

Carson was grateful they wouldn't be going inside that first day, only saying hello to the new Lord Grantham and his family in passing. He'd known young master Robert well when the two men were much younger but had left Downton before his father died, leaving him the title. The two had got along well, almost more like friends even though such a notion was most inappropriate, and had served as confidantes for each other. Since they'd parted, young Robert had also married and had several children.

Carson didn't understand anymore than his wife did why the Lord might ask to meet like this and figured that he might just want to see him after all this time or to welcome them. He recalled Robert Crawley being a generous young man who might do such a thing. What he didn't realize is that he was being sized up for a special task; one the grand house had always thought him worthy of.

"Now." Carson said, putting the twins down. He said not another word and went straight to the work of lining his boys up in order of age. "I expect you all on your best behavior. Which means no squirming, running, hitting, jumping and certainly no tricks."

The boys looked up at their father questioningly but simply nodded, wondering if they were permitted to ask questions. Carson sighed, kissing his wife's cheek, thankful they wouldn't venture inside the abbey today. He knew the boys would oooh and awe and planed on having a separate discussion with them on the grandness of the place, just to ensure that they were prepared.

Elsie looked up, placing her hand on her son Charlie's shoulder when the abbey's grand doors opened and servants began to file out before them. It was a shock for a farm girl and her sons, who'd never seen anything of that life, but she noted the sight seemed to strengthen something within her husband; it was as if a pride swelled up inside of him. Once the servants stood at attention, the family came out.

"Ah Carson, you're home!" A man, who Elsie could only presume to be Lord Grantham smiled brightly, coming out and shaking her husband's hand in such a way that he nearly pulled him in for a hug.

"Your lordship, it's a great pleasure to be back."

"I hope you'll stay this time. Downton has missed one of its finest sons. Carson, I'd like you to meet my wife, Cora, er Lady Grantham." He introduced.

"How do you do." She said kindly, taking Carson's hand but smiling at Elsie.

The other woman made Elsie nervous. She'd never met anyone so grand, and certainly never met an American. She made her feel small, but something about her smile put her at ease, at once informing her that this Cora was a kind soul.

The little boys, however, were less taken with the Lord and Lady and more surprised by the three little girls their own age who stood before them. One seemed aloof, the other shy and the third very sweet. The older boys didn't quite know what to make of this, but the youngest caught the twins' eyes and an instant, leaving them to wonder if they could be friends.

"Lord and Lady Grantham, I'd like you to meet my wife Elsie."

"Your lordship, your ladyship." Elsie smiled nervously. "And our sons, Charlie, Samuel, Liam, Logan and William."

"How do you do, your lordship, your ladyship?" Charlie knew to ask. Cora and Robert greeted him kindly, impressed with his manners.

"Hi." The three younger boys greeted too shy or too preoccupied in thought to say much else. William simply hiccupped.

Soon the girls were introduced as Mary, Edith and Sybil and while the boys didn't notice, they were just as curious about them as they had been. Sybil, who was a year the twin's junior, was excited, immediately considering them as possible playmates, something she'd have to ask her father about, but was sure she'd get permission for. They were, after all, Carson's sons and for some reason Carson were very important to her father and always, always to be trusted.

Edith, who was terribly shy, found herself smitten with Samuel, something that made the seven-year-old girl simply blush. And then there was Mary. Charlie Jr hadn't paid much attention to the girl who was his age and didn't notice the pair of angry brown eyes transfixed on him or the heir of entitlement carried within them. Little Mary's thoughts and preoccupations were sophisticated for her age range and never would've crossed Charlie Jr's mind.

Until recently, little Mary had been under the impression that she was to inherit Downton and everything that came with it. Recently, she'd discovered that that wasn't going to be the case, simply because she was a girl and she was astounded, even disgusted. As a result, the subject of boys was a sore one for her and she resented that five of them had just been dropped on her doorstep. By her logic, which was for the moment horribly skewed by anger and confusion, any of these boys could inherit her money, title and heritage just simply by having been born male. Mary crossed her arms as her mother warmly made introductions, even suggesting that the children might play together, something that deeply surprised Elsie but to which she accepted, leaving snobby little Mary determined that all would not go well.

…

Elsie was tired and the boys restless as could be when they finally reached their own home. She brightened at the site of it, her eyes widening she looked back at her husband in disbelief.

"Charlie it's beautiful!" She cried, tears in her eyes.

Theirs was a big white two-story cottage at the foot of a lush green hill. Plenty of land spread out far and wide ahead of the house, with a garden off to one side and a barn at the other. Here Elsie felt in her element for the first time in days. Carson smiled deeply, enchanted by the joy in her eyes. For this had been his surprise when he'd told her they were moving: he'd known she'd love this house, that it would be her dream come true.

"Oh Mr. Carson it's beautiful!" She cried, tears in her eyes as the boys spilled out of the carriage and excitedly ran every which way.

She and her husband stood looking up at the giant house they now called home and she dried her tears.

"It's beautiful… it's simply beautiful and so big!" They'd been running out of room in their old place, it was something they didn't talk much about.

Carson smiled, proud of himself and relieved to see a smile on his nervous wife' face. He wrapped his arms around her from behind and held her close, kissing her cheek and then her lips before placing his hands on her slightly rounded belly.

"Yes it is perfect Mrs. Carson. Welcome home. I think we'll spend many happy years here."