A/N: Thank you for all you kind reviews - I'm really glad you're enjoying this story. It's providing quite a challenge for me as I have to try and get into the heads (and voices) of the other characters. I hope I'm succeeding. I haven't got the time at the moment to reply to each of you individually, but do know that I really do value your comments.

Thanks also to olehistorian for being a fantastic beta - somehow she managed to take my garbled turn of phrase and make it sound ten times better!

Chapter 2: Lord and Lady Grantham

They decided not to tell anyone else their news until the day after Boxing Day. Their decision was based partly out of respect for the family; they didn't want to encroach on their celebrations, and partly because they were enjoying having their little secret.

They would have been happy to leave it until the New Year, but Mrs Patmore had nearly let the cat out of the bag twice that morning. Luckily Mrs Hughes had been there on both occasions to silence the cook with a stern glare.

"I'm afraid if we don't do it today, she'll give us away Charles," Mrs Hughes had told him half way through the morning.

Mr Carson had pulled on his waistcoat, a nervous habit that he had developed. "You're right; we need to grasp the nettle. He's in the drawing room at the moment." He motioned to the door. "Shall we?"

Mrs Hughes had steeled herself and led the way.

Mrs Hughes had hoped that by the time they arrived at the door to the drawing room, Mr Carson would have recovered from his nervousness. Alas, it appeared he had not. Boldly, she curled his fingers around her hand and squeezed lightly before they entered. The contact only lasted a few seconds, but it galvanised Mr Carson; her presence and the thought that whatever happened on the other side of the door, he would be marrying the woman he loved, steadied him in a way nothing else ever could.

"Might I have a moment, milord?" Mr Carson asked, as they entered.

"Of course, Carson." He looked up from his desk, his eyes registering surprise at finding Mrs Hughes there as well. "Please don't tell me there's a problem with tonight's dinner?"

"Not at all milord. The preparations for tonight are coming along nicely."

"Then what can I do for you? Is there a problem downstairs?"

"No milord. I wish to speak with you about a personal matter."

Lord Grantham's eyes flicked to Mrs Hughes, wondering why she was above stairs at this moment. The more he thought about it, he realized that Mrs. Hughes was standing with Carson, not merely present in the room. "You're not ill are you Carson?"

"No milord. However a change has occurred in my personal life and I only feel it right to inform you." He paused for a brief moment and noticed that his employer looked worried. "I hope you'll agree that it's a happy change, milord. You see, I'm getting married."

Lord Grantham failed to hold back a scoff. "Married?" He looked at his butler as if he'd lost his mind, but the expression on his face told Lord Grantham that he was in full possession of his faculties.

"Yes milord."

"I see and am I right to assume, due to your presence, that you are the person Carson intends to marry, Mrs Hughes?"

"I am milord," she replied with a respectful smile.

Lord Grantham remained silent as he tried to formulate an appropriate response. He had hoped that, with the return of Bates and the end to the police's enquiries into Mr Green's death, the house could return to some state of normalcy. It appeared he was wrong. First Tom and Sybbie and now this.

"I am not quite sure what to say Carson." He was shocked, by both the announcement and the timing of it.

"We know it is a surprise Milord, but we thought that we should inform you as soon as possible so that you could make a decision as to our future employment. We realise that employing a married butler and housekeeper is unusual but we would both prefer to stay if it is at all possible. If it is not, we will bring our retirement forward and leave as soon as we have trained our successors."

"I suppose there's no point in asking you to wait a while until you are both absolutely ready to retire?"

"I'm afraid not, milord," Carson answered firmly; trying to hide the offense he felt at being asked to do such a thing. He loved Mrs Hughes and therefore wanted to marry her, as any man in a similar situation would. He wondered how his Lordship would have reacted had he been asked to postpone his wedding to save inconveniencing others.

Lord Grantham nodded. He understood their reasons, but it was just so damn inconvenient. He thought of all of the reasons for allowing them to stay on. Carson was extremely loyal to the family and was well connected, so could therefore be relied upon to quell any rumours about Lady Edith and Marigold, should any ever surface. If he left, he wouldn't be in a position to help protect the family or warn them of any coming scandal. Both Carson and Mrs. Hughes had been loyal employees, valued and trusted, why shouldn't they be allowed to marry and remain at the Abbey? After all it was 1925 and times were changing. For a moment, the thought crossed his mind of village gossipers like Mrs. Wigan, the postmistress. Women whose tongues wagged about the scandalous things both real and imagined. What would they make of a house who had both a married butler and housekeeper and a married valet and lady's maid? He sighed again. He needed time to think. "You understand that I will have to discuss this with Lady Grantham before I make a decision on this matter?"

"We do milord," nodded Mrs Hughes, chancing a sideways glance at Mr Carson. It wasn't exactly the reaction they'd been hoping for, but they both knew it could have been a lot worse.

Lady Grantham's reaction was the exact opposite of her husband's. "I think it's sweet."

"You don't sound very surprised," Lord Grantham observed.

"Well that's because I'm not. I've always thought there could have been more than a professional relationship between them."

Lord Grantham's eyes widened. "Cora, what exactly are you implying?"

"I'm not suggesting anything improper Robert, honestly! This is Carson we're talking about. But even you must have seen how well the two of them work together, and how they've cared for each other over the years."

"I still think it's a damn poor show! When a man becomes a butler he should give up all thoughts of marriage." Lord Grantham grumbled.

"You didn't say that to him?!"

"Of course not! I feel I was extremely reasonable given the circumstances."

"It will be difficult, to lose them both at the same time."

"Hmmm."

"Robert?" asked Lady Grantham questioningly; there was clearly something he wasn't saying."

He sighed. "They've asked if they can stay on."

"Well that's wonderful!"

Robert scoffed. He loved his wife dearly but she was decidedly too American when it came to situations like this. "A married butler and housekeeper? It just isn't the done thing. We'll be the talk of the county."

"That's a small price to pay to keep the house running smoothly."

"Is it?" Lord Grantham looked out of the window pensively; he was not convinced.