Sorry for the delay, I had trouble writing the next chapter and ended up splitting it in two. I'm not really happy with it. Hopefully I'll get the other part rewritten tomorrow and will be able to post it without too much delay.

"I brought you some tea." Mrs Travis said approaching Carson's desk with a tray.

The last thing Carson wanted was more tea. "Oh uh, thank you Mrs Travis but I uh…" he suddenly wanted to be somewhere else, "I have to go out." He stood up.

"Out?" Mrs Travis asked surprised.

"Yes." Carson started to put on his coat.

"Is something wrong Mr Carson?" Mrs Travis asked concerned.

"No, no. It's just an errand I forgot." He forced a smile but she continued to look at him worriedly.

"I don't mean to pry but… did you and Mrs Hughes have a falling out?" Mrs Travis asked.

Carson looked up sharply. "What makes you ask that?"

"You were both quite subdued when you returned." She smiled. "And I've known you long enough now Mr Carson to know when something is bothering you."

"We were just disappointed that we had to cut our day short." He replied. "I'll be back by dinner time."

He left before Mrs Travis could say another word.

As he approached the tea room he saw Miss Healy exiting. She saw him and smiled brightly.

"Twice in one day Charlie! Doesn't happen very often." She said. "Mrs Hughes not with you?" she asked.

"No." he said somewhat grimly. "Are you finished for the day?" he asked nodding towards the tearoom.

"Yes. Grace can manage the rest of the day. What's the point of being the boss if you can't take time off for yourself?" she grinned.

"I'll let you get on then." Carson said and turned to leave but she pulled at his arm.

"I don't have anything planned, I'm just going home." She said gently. "You're welcome to come join me."

Carson looked hesitant as he glanced towards the door which lead to Miss Healy's flat over the tearoom. Miss Healy rolled her eyes.

"I could take offence at your reluctance." she linked his arm and pulled him towards the door. "But seeing as I've never had any trouble getting you to come in before I'm going to put it down to whatever's bothering you."

"I'm just not sure it's appropriate. It's the middle of the day, people mi.." Carson glanced around to see if anyone was watching.

"Oh you only feel comfortable visiting with me at night?" Miss Healy cut him off and teased as she opened the door.

"No, no! That's not what I…" Carson flustered.

Miss Healy just laughed as they went inside and shut the door.

Mrs Hughes stood in the doorway of Carson's office and was disappointed to find it empty. She had hoped to clear the air after the afternoon's tension.

"Can I help you Mrs Hughes?"

Mrs Hughes turned to find Mrs Travis eyeing her beadily.

"I was hoping to have a word with Mr Carson." Mrs Hughes explained.

"He's gone out." Mrs Travis said gruffly.

"Oh." Mrs Hughes turned away from the office.

"I'm sure he'll be in a better mood when he returns." Mrs Travis said cryptically.

Mrs Hughes raised an eyebrow. It was obvious Mrs Travis had something to say.

"And why's that?" she asked resignedly.

"He often goes to that tearoom on Dorchester Street. And he always comes back from there in a good mood." Mrs Travis answered with a smirk.

"What makes you think he's gone there?" Mrs Hughes asked, trying to keep her tone neutral.

Mrs Travis shrugged. "Just a feeling." She gave Mrs Hughes a smile and walked away.

Mrs Hughes felt a knot in the pit of her stomach. Stop it, she told herself, he can go wherever he wants.

"Mr Carson had a face like a smacked backside…uh, forgive my language M'Lady." O'Brien glanced apologetically at Lady Grantham. "He didn't look very happy and they were only back barely an hour when he took off out again."

"I wonder what happened." Cora mused.

"Dunno. But I haven't seen Mrs Travis this cheerful since she heard the Harrington's housekeeper had been sacked for…" O'Brien paused again to rephrase what she was about to say in a more polite way, "well, that business with the milkman."

Cora bit her lip. That had been quite the scandal.

"I do hope Carson and Mrs Hughes haven't fallen out." Cora said.

"Hmm." O'Brien wrinkled her nose slightly. She didn't really care if Carson and old Hughes had fallen out, the only reason she had taken any interest was because it had made that trout Mrs Travis impossibly smug. O'Brien disliked Mrs Travis on the best of days but when Mrs Travis was cheerful, O'Brien really disliked her!

"Well Miss O'Brien thinks they've had a falling out." Cora told Robert later on in the drawing-room after he commented on the butler and housekeeper's early return.

"And where's he gone now?" Robert asked.

"No one knows."

"Huh." Robert looked thoughtful. "I'm sure it's nothing. O'Brien does have a tendency to exaggerate."

Cora ignored his comment. She knew her husband wasn't overly fond of her ladies maid but she knew her better and never listened to Robert's grumbles about Miss O'Brien.

"Come on then," Miss Healy said resting a hand on Carson's as they sat at the table, "if all you wanted was tea you'd have gone in downstairs."

Carson couldn't meet her gaze.

"Did something happen with Mrs Hughes?" she asked.

Carson sighed. "I don't know. I honestly don't know."

Miss Healy smiled gently. "I thought things looked a bit sour between you when you left earlier."

"She just went cold. I have gone over it in my head and I cannot figure out what I did." Carson said.

Miss Healy smiled again. "Well that's interesting." She said enigmatically.

"It is?"

"Yes." She laughed a little at the look on his face. "Don't tell me you've never fallen out before?"

"We've had disagreements, of course, it's only natural after all the years we've worked together." He admitted.

"And do you always look like a scolded puppy when it happens?" she asked.

Carson straightened himself and looked offended. "I beg your pardon?"

"What's different between this falling out and all the other times?"

Carson's forehead crinkled as he thought. "I suppose, usually, I know what we've fallen out about. It's usually something regarding the house or the staff but today…" he sighed again.

Miss Healy watched him quietly for a moment. Carson became aware of her silent study and began to feel foolish. He felt perhaps he had spoken out of turn about Mrs Hughes.

"I shouldn't be burdening you with this, I'm sure you have better things to do." He apologised and made a move to get up but she kept her hand on his.

"Charlie." She said softly. "You have never been a burden. Why don't I get us something a little stronger than tea?"

"Why do you put up with me?" he asked watching her fondly as she went to get them a drink.

"We put up with each other." She replied. "Who else would?"

He laughed. "As I recall you were never short of offers of gentlemen willing to put up with you!"

She scoffed loudly. "I've had some offers in my day, I'll admit that, but they weren't from any gentlemen!" she returned with two glasses of brandy. "Well, there was one gentleman." She handed him the glass and grinned.

"Now, how are we going to cheer you up?" she asked.

Carson raised and eyebrow.