I'm currently curled up in bed with 3 hot water bottles in a room so cold I can see my breath. Plus I have no WiFi so I chose to so some work and update a fanfic or two.

I know I didn't plan to write another chapter but a lovely girl (who stayed anon!) posted a review asking for another one and I couldn't deny such a charming review so I wrote one for her. She knows who she is so this is dedicated to you.

Elsie took her usual place at the breakfast table, the Christmas atmosphere still hung in the air as the entire household had the day off for Boxing Day. She casually observed the younger staff convey their excitement to one another with what they might do without their usual responsibilities.

Glancing to her left she saw Mr Carson watching them intently, a slightly amused expression on his face,

"Ahh to be young again." He remarked.

She rolled her eyes at him but they laughed softly together, she thought to herself that sometimes he really did say the most ridiculous things, but he always saved them for her. However silly he could be, she was glad to be the one he shared it with.

Mrs Patmore entered the hall, placing down a fresh tray of tea, she made an observation that had yet to be noticed.

"Where's Anna this morning?"

They abruptly stopped laughing and looked over at the girls' empty seat, as did most of the servants.

"Perhaps she's not well, Daisy?" Elsie called to the Kitchen maid who appeared behind Beryl. "Go and check on Anna please." The girl nodded and hurried up the stairs and before leaving the cook shot Elsie a suspicious look.

She ignored the worry and let it cluster in the back of her mind, she'd watched Anna carefully as she'd gone about her duties, the girl was the one she'd taken under her wing, the one who was always a faithful and obedient member of staff, yes she could have easily loved Anna the way she would a daughter, and since the death of her husband, she had felt an overwhelming urge to try to protect her.

She looked back to find Charles studying her face, as if to find some clue he didn't know of:

"Maybe she's just not up to coming down today." She offered casually, his concerned look warming her heart.

She'd just taken a sip of tea as Daisy rushed back down the stairs, cheeks flushed, hair falling out of its bun.

"Mrs Hughes! She's not there, the bed's made and there's nothing in the wardrobe or drawers!" The girl rambled, staring at her senior staff in terror.

"What?!" Charles had stood up, the colour drained from his face and his fists clenched as they rested on the table, his shouting had attracted everyone's attention. "Well, where is she?!"

"I don't know Mr Carson truly, I swear I don't know." Tears had begun to form in her eyes as he shouted down at her.
Seeing her fear he calmed slightly raising a hand to his face.

"It's alright Daisy it's alright, just, go and check upstairs just in case she's already up." The girl all but fled from the room as he sat down again with a deep sigh.

"Where could she be?" He was almost talking to himself as he leaned back in his chair, but he looked over at her. "Mrs Hughes?"

Her name jerked her from of her thoughts, she hadn't said a word since Daisy had returned, simply stared ahead willing herself to attracted as little attention to herself as she could.

"I think…I think I'll just go to my sitting room." Though she'd had nothing to eat, she hurried from the room. Where was her girl? What had happened? The house couldn't lose yet another valuable member of staff and more importantly, she couldn't lose another member of her family, even if it was in her mind.

She closed her door and leant back on it taking deep breaths to compose herself. She longed to be able to think of things to reassure her and had Daisy not mention her belongings missing she'd be able to do it, but not now. There was no other reason, even if the others couldn't see it, Anna had gone. She'd spoken of it and Elsie had done all a housekeeper, a woman, a mother could to convince her to stay, be protected, be loved, whatever she was offering. She could never say any of this to her, not properly, she'd taken the girl in her arms but only as a final comfort for her tears, that's all Anna thought of her, a loyal confidant when things were tough.

Her eyes fell on the cream envelope sitting on her otherwise immaculate desk, the bright colour contrasting the dark wood, her own name on the front in shiny black ink, small curved letters she knew all too well from one person.

She could barely open the letter, her hands shook, tears already threatened to spill onto her cheeks. All her mind repeated to her was 'there's no other explanation, there's no other explanation, there's no other explanation.' She didn't even need to read the letter, knowing who it was from, what it entailed, did she want to force herself to read it?

Yes, she had to, she needed to know why her girl had left her.

Her trembling fingers finally pried open the envelope and she let her eyes read the words and her heart read the sentiment.

She read the words repetitively, trying to take them in. Anna had spoken of the impression she had made on her, she really had made an impression on someone, finally. Though hurt and utterly devastated, she couldn't help feeling something inside, a sense of pride for this girl that she'd seen grow in strength and maturity.

Her tears stained the letter, the sentiment mixing in the little pool of sorrow. This must be what mothers felt when their daughters found husbands and left the nest, except her daughter had lost her husband to an evil punishment sentenced by an unfair trial.

She let the letter drop to the floor and herself into her armchair, life was going so terribly wrong, she couldn't have Charles as a husband, he didn't love her, she couldn't have Anna as a daughter, she left her, she couldn't have William as a son, he'd passed away and the boy she had considered a grandson was far away from.
She curled up, kicking off her shoes so she could pull up her feet beneath her. She willed for all the hurt to go away, all the loneliness, everything, she wanted to lie there and forget it all, let life continue on without her, she longed to just stay curled up where nothing could hurt her.

Splitting this story into 3 chapters now. Please review if you can! xXx