A/N wow! Thank you for your wonderful reviews/likes/story following - I did not expect this at all because it was a one shot with an opening at first and not supposed to be a real story. It's not the kind of stuff I usually write. But here comes the second, silly chapter. This one is for kouw! 3
The First Battle
Alfred came running down the stairs a moment later. This time he knocked on the door and waited patiently for Charles to allow him in.
"Mr. Carson, you are needed upstairs. The two ladies…" He was so out of breath that the rest of the sentence was an incomprehensible stutter.
"Alfred slow down and repeat what you wanted to say." Charles looked his new footman directly in the eye, sternly and decidedly. The young man was a few inches taller than him but Charles Carson was a person that radiated respect and a certain strictness so he never had a problem reprimanding those under his jurisdiction. Yet one particular member of the staff had problems suppressing her laughter behind him.
"The Dowager Countess and Mrs. Levinson, it is like a war!"
Elsie could no longer control her amusement and snorted.
"I will be upstairs in a minute. You, Alfred, hurry! You should not even be down here."
The footman immediately turned around and ran upstairs again taking two steps at once.
ooooo
"It is like the last time." Elsie had herself under control now. "And I am sorry that I could leave this scene uncommented, Charles."
He rolled his eyes and let out a deep sigh.
"One moment we wonder how much this woman knows about us and the next I have to try my best to act as referee."
Elsie tugged the two rings back underneath her dress and closed the gap between them, her left hand over her heart and her right one reached out to touch his cheek.
"Charles, you are the only one that can reconcile their fight. Maybe it will be of advantage to be on Mrs. Levinson's good side?" Her thumb gently stroked his bottom lip. "Whatever happens while she is here, she will not separate us."
Elsie saw how Charles' gaze was fixed on her other hand where he knew their rings were concealed.
"And we will find out how and why she knows."
He kissed her hand and then went upstairs to the battlefield.
ooooo
Alfred had not exaggerated his account of the heated discussion between Martha Levinson and Violet Crawley. The two ladies sat across each other at the large dining room table. On Mrs. Levinson's left her daughter tried to smile and calm down her mother. To the left of the Dowager Countess, Lady Mary bit her bottom lip in an effort not to laugh whereas Lord Grantham's face was red with anger.
"So you say that Britain should "get rid" of its aristocracy and of course also of its servants?!"
Charles eyes widened when he entered the room and heard Lady Violet speak. He also picked up the look Lord Grantham threw at him. An urgent request for help.
"Let us not exaggerate what I said, dear Violet. I merely pointed out that such grandeur", she pointed at the room in general, " Is no longer suitable, necessary and of course not tolerable."
Alfred hid behind Lady Violet, not ready to her the next blow. Charles noticed that the Dowager Countess finally realized that he was in the room now. She fixed his gaze before she answered.
"In other words, dear Carson can look for a new employment. And the same would apply for Mrs. Hughes or the footmen? Where should they go?"
Lord Grantham calmed down a bit, now that his mother had came up with this argument. The luncheon had stopped being of importance anyway. Charles saw that the plates were still half filled with the cold roast beef and asparagus Mrs. Patmore had prepared as a welcome for Martha Levinson. And Alfred still held the decanter with red wine in his right hand. There was no point in continuing with the luncheon and so Charles remained standing behind Martha Levinson and waited for her answer.
But when the American spoke again, turning her head around to take a look at him, he momentarily forgot how to breathe.
"I am sure that especially Mr. Carson and Mrs. Hughes would have no problems with a life outside of service."
Charles flinched. He knew exactly what Martha Levinson was implying and he hoped desperately that the other members of the Crawley family did not pick up her hint.
"Mother, I will not tolerate this anymore!"
Mrs. Levinson turned around again, away from Charles, to face her son in law.
"Carson and Mrs. Hughes are our employees, yes. They serve us, yes. All of this is true but they also chose this as their profession. They are not our slaves. And I think you cannot speak for them and decide upon their future."
To ease the heated atmosphere in the room, Charles motioned at Alfred to quickly refill the glasses while he started to clear away the main course. Lord Grantham had saved him at the last minute.
TBC
(sorry it is short but I thought better a fast update than waiting longer for a 2000 word chapter ;))