The cook ch 4
A/N Chelsie, finally!
o-o-o-o
'Enter,' Mr Carson murmured when he heard a knock on his office door late that evening.
'Nice to see you, too,' Mrs Hughes remarked when she came in. He smiled sheepishly. 'I'm sorry, I just didn't know who to expect,' he explained.
'At this hour? Who else were you expecting?'
'Well, I assume you have heard about the small kitchen crisis,' he said.
'Do you mean Mrs Patmore leaving the kitchens before starters were served? I know about that and I have to say I'm glad she took an early night for once, she's been looking a bit off the past days. But has there been a crisis because of that? I certainly didn't notice anything wrong. And who would visit you about that at this hour?'
He smiled.
'Well, there is my young friend Daisy.'
'What?'
She stood agape.
He rose from his chair and walked around his desk to take her hand.
'I believe your sitting room has a comfortable settee, my love. It's a long story and I want to hold you while I tell you.'
o-o
They had moved to her sitting room and settled themselves on the settee. Mr Carson had put aside a half empty carafe of white wine that was left over from the family's dinner. It was a delicious Italian wine and he would not have it wasted, so he'd carefully chilled it and prepared to enjoy the two glasses left with his beloved.
'There you are dear.'
A side table was pulled near the settee so they could put their glasses down and Mr Carson had gone to the kitchens to fetch them a small plate of Cheddar and nuts.
Mrs Hughes took a sip of the wine and closed her eyes in delight.
'Mmm Charles, what is this? It's delicious!'
He chuckled.
'I knew you'd say that, that's why I saved the leftover for us. To be honest it was wasted on half of the dinner guests.'
She laughed out loud.
'Charles, I'd never thought I'd hear you say anything disapproving about the upstairs!'
He looked sheepish. 'Well, you know. Some of the guests really didn't know what they were having. Might have served them dish-water as well. His Lordship appreciated it, though and I'm glad you do, too. It's a Grillo, from Sicily. Rarely imported. Goes well with the Cheddar, don't you think?'
'It's perfect,' she had to agree.
They spent a quiet half hour on the settee, enjoying their wine and each other's company. Mrs Hughes had pulled up her legs and had nestled herself in Mr Carson's embrace.
He stroked her shoulder and kissed her forehead, and she reached up to kiss his lips, buried her face against his neck and curled up in his arms.
He smiled and waited for the question, it had to come within minutes now. And indeed he felt her take an deep breath and there it was.
'Tell me about Daisy. Do I have to worry?'
He pulled her a bit closer, chuckling against her hair.
'Elsie! Do you really mean you think me dashing enough to court a young girl like Daisy?'
She raised an eyebrow.
'Well yes, I do think you very dashing, and young girls are often attracted by handsome, older men.' It was said lightly, but he heard the anxiousness in her voice. He sighed inwardly. What had happened to her to make her that insecure?
He wrapped her in his arms. 'But I have you, Elsie. And yes, I know you aren't as young as our Daisy anymore, and I don't care one bit. You are my sweet darling girl and I love you very much. Never doubt that, my dearest.'
'I'm sorry…' she muffled against his chest. He gently lifted her face up and kissed her lips.
'It's all right love. Now let me tell you about young Daisy and me.'
o-o-o-o
'Och Charles, that poor lass… If only I'd known of whom I reminded her in those days,' Mrs Hughes sighed when he finished his tale. 'I always felt she was afraid of me, but I didn't understand why. Good thing you found her there. Imagine what would have happened had it been me... good heavens.'
He nodded. 'I think she might have fainted from utter fear. She was so unhappy and confused at that time.'
'So in a way she replaced your baby sister?'
'I suppose so,' he had to admit.
'I am glad. She was able to bring out your soft side and if I'm not mistaken, at that time there wasn't much for you to be soft about.'
'You're right,' he said.
'And you two are the best at keeping secrets I'd have to say,' she smiled. 'Does Beryl know? She suspects you have an ally in finding her supplies of chocolate and almond biscuits, but she thinks it's me.'
'Has she noticed?' he asked her.
'Of course she did,' Mrs Hughes chuckled.
'Well, actually it's Mrs Patmore I wanted to talk to you about, because I too have noticed she's not quite herself the past weeks and this morning Daisy asked my help. She believes she knows what's irking Mrs Patmore and I think she might be right.'
He told her about Daisy's suspicions and she felt her eyes start to shine.
'I think Daisy's right too Charles, in fact I'm pretty sure she's right,' she said.
The clock chimed midnight and they parted reluctantly and got up from the settee.
They both had to rise at six the next day and they had to get some much needed sleep. Charles held her hand while they climbed the stairs to their small attic rooms and when they reached the door that parted the male and female servant's corridors, he gently pulled her in his arms for a goodnight kiss.
'I hate this, you know,' Elsie whispered against his neck.
He stroked her cheek.
'Only two more months love, and we'll never have to part like this again,' he whispered back. 'Sleep well dear. I'll see you in my dreams.'
'Sweet dreams then, my love,' she smiled.
o-o-o-o
Two days later, on a quiet Sunday morning, Charles was busy in his office. The family were spending the weekend in London and with no cups of tea to serve and no bells to answer, he finally had time to get up on his paperwork. He was making good progress and enjoyed his elevenses, just brought in by Daisy who took a small break to have a cup of coffee with him, when a knock on the door sounded and the housekeeper entered the room.
'Charles, I think…' she began and cut herself off when she saw he had a visitor and blushed fiery red.
'I'm sorry Mr Carson, I'll come back later,' she said but he shook his head.
'No no Mrs Hughes, come in please. Daisy and I were discussing the situation in the kitchens that I told you about,' he explained. 'Sit down, please. Daisy, is there any chance of more coffee and another cup?'
'Of course Mr Carson, the girl grinned and went to the kitchen to fetch more supply.
'I'm so sorry Charles, I didn't think you'd have a visitor or I wouldn't have barged in like that, what must she think, me addressing you by your given name!' Mrs Hughes said, looking embarrassed.
'She probably thinks a lady is allowed to call her fiancé by his given name,' he answered with a grin, but his words only made her blush more heavily.
'What?' she whispered. 'How did she guess…does anyone else know…'
'Don't panic,' he reassured her. 'Daisy and I agreed a long time ago never to have secrets for each other. I'm sorry, I should have told you. And no one else knows.'
'Only Beryl,' Mrs Hughes had to admit at that. 'I told her, she's my best friend, you know.'
They smiled at each other and Daisy came in with a fresh pot of coffee and an extra cup for the housekeeper.
'Good idea, Daisy,' Mr Carson nodded approvingly. 'We might as well start making plans now that we've got the time. If you agree, Mrs Hughes, Daisy?'
Both women nodded.
'Very well,' Mr Carson began.
o-o-o-o
TBC soon, x george
