Chapter 4

C*E*C*E*C*E*C*E

After their little adventure into the garden, Charles had escorted Elsie back into the house. Elsie had reluctantly returned to her sitting room to work on the linen rotations while Charles had suggested he might make use of his time in the wine cellar. His excuse was that it was also much cooler there than in the servant's hall or his pantry.

"Thank you, again, Elsie. I cannot begin to say how happy I am knowing you have my heart in your safe keeping." Before she could reply, he had brushed his lips across the back of her hand and was taking long strides towards the cellar door.

Elsie was rooted to the spot, only bringing her hand up to her lips and pressing them against the spot which still tingled from his caress. She knew that with him adequately busy with the wines downstairs, she would have a few minutes to repay a bit of his kindness, which he wouldn't discover until much later. Then, she would start on the linen catalog.

For the remainder of the afternoon, Elsie worked diligently. She wanted as much of her work completed as possible so that she could afford to spend more time with Charles. She hadn't asked him how long he would be at Downton. In truth, part of her didn't wish to know just yet. She was only too happy to have him at home, spending time with her, and moving forward in this new relationship. It would be so much more difficult when he returned to London, but these days with him would surely give her happy memories to keep her sated until he returned once more.

"Mrs. Hughes?" A timid voice sounded softly from the doorway, snapping Elsie from her thoughts.

"Yes, Rachel. What is it?" The unusually shy girl never said more than necessary, always did her work promptly, and gave Elsie no cause for complaint. It was highly out of the ordinary for the young girl to start a conversation without a purpose in mind.

"It's the settee in the sitting room. Only, I noticed when I was plumping pillows that it looks like Isis has been on it again. There's a little spot beneath one of the pillows, and I was going to ask you how best to clean it. You see, I didn't want to make the spot bigger."

Elsie rolled her eyes and sighed. "They never believe me when they return and I tell them Isis has been all over the furniture, and you girls do such a good job of removing all the evidence that I doubt they will ever believe me." She stood and smiled softly at the young maid. "Show me the spot and we'll find a way to get it clean ... again."

Charles listened to every word from the top of the cellar stairs, and he was smiling broadly as he heard Elsie and Rachel's footsteps grow softer and softer as they ascended the staircase. Only when he was assured that the coast was clear did he slip from his hiding spot, a bottle of wine in his hand and humming once again.

"Is everything ready, Daisy?"

"It is, Mr. Carson. I had some of the younger boys set up everything just like you asked. I've got dinner in the oven, and I'll plate it for you just before we leave. All you'll need to do is get Luke to bring out the tray a few minutes before you're ready." Daisy flashed him a huge smile. "I still can't believe it, Mr. Carson. It's all so romantic, isn't it?"

"I hope so, Daisy. As long as Mrs. Hughes believes so, then I'm happy. And thank you again for all your help. I don't believe Rachel ever would have helped me had it not been for you coming to my defenses. Apparently, I have a bit of a reputation around here."

Daisy shrugged. "Maybe, but we all know you mean well. Sometimes, we just need a little reminding that we've work to do or that you're harder on us because you know we have potential. At least that's what Mrs. Patmore says."

"She's a very smart woman, and you would be very wise to listen to her ... and Mrs. Hughes."

"Oh, I do, Mr. Carson. They're the only mothers I've ever really known, and they've been good to me."

Charles smiled and nodded. "Well, I'd love to stay and talk, but I have things to do before she returns with Rachel." He placed a half crown coin on the table and gently pushed it towards Daisy. "My way of saying thank you to you and Rachel. Enjoy the movie and the popcorn tonight, and see that you both have a grand evening."

Daisy's eyes sparkled with excitement. "Thank you, Mr. Carson. Thank you so much."

He waived his hand and smiled softly at her before leaving her to the last of the dinner preparations. When he was safely back in his pantry, he took a moment to mentally go over his list, leaving nothing to chance. Everything seemed to be in order. Now, all he had to do was give Elsie a small bit of information and pray everything else fell into place.

"Mrs. Patmore said you wanted to see me, Mr. Carson." Elsie's demeanor was just as he would expect on any other working day.

"Yes, briefly." He invited her into his office and closed the door behind him, being careful to keep a respectable distance from her, lest she convince him to confess all his plans. "I've decided to give the staff the evening off. There is a movie playing in town, and I thought it might be a nice surprise for them. It is the summer, after all, and they have been working exceptionally hard today."

"Oh, that's a lovely treat. I'm sure they'll all enjoy the outing. What time will we be leaving, then? And what about dinner?"

"Dinner has been arranged for them. They're taking sandwiches with them so they don't miss the start of the movie. But, you and I won't be joining them for this particular show. I thought we might have a nice meal here, nothing fancy," he said rather casually.

Elsie was a little disappointed to hear that they wouldn't be joining in the fun in the village, but she tried her best to hide it. "That sounds lovely, then. We can enjoy our sandwiches and have a nice chat over dinner." Try as she might, even to her own ears that enthusiasm sounded contrived. "I think I'll just go up and have a bath before dinner. The girls will want to use the facilities when they return, and this way I won't be in their way."

Charles felt a lump in his throat knowing that she was disappointed. However, he had to remind himself that it wasn't simply a dinner of sandwiches and conversation. Her mild disappointment now would hopefully give way to elation when his plans were revealed. "That sounds lovely. Tell you what, let's forego the formalities this evening. With everyone away, I think I'll change into something a little less restrictive ... a shirt and trousers. Why don't you put on something lighter and we can step outside for some air, maybe go sit on the bench later?"

She reached out and gave his arm a light squeeze. "I'd like that very much. Now, if you don't need me to inform the staff or to send them on their way, I think I'll go see about that soak in the tub."

"Leave everything to me, Mrs. Hughes. I shall be waiting for you in the kitchen when you're ready." The longer Elsie took in her bath, the better organized Charles felt he would be. He was fairly certain Elsie wouldn't be disappointed once she knew his plan, but until then, he hoped she wasn't brooding too much on the missed opportunity.

An hour later, the house was eerily quiet. All the normal chatter was missing, and the only sound came from the ticking clock on the wall. He wondered, briefly, if he should dash upstairs to check on Elsie. She'd been gone far longer than he would have expected. Fortunately, their dinner would keep and the longer the wine breathed, the better it would taste. He was about to lose his resolve to wait when he heard her footsteps on the stone steps.

She descended the stairs slowly, trying to reign in her emotions. She had been excited when he had mentioned the movie, but in the very next breath he had announced that they would not be attending. It wasn't even that she wanted to see that particular film. It was more about missing out on the rare outing. Still, she trusted Charles, and an evening with him was sure to be better than sitting with the younger staff and Mrs. Patmore, watching Valentino.

The moment Charles looked up and saw Elsie descending the stairs, he lost all ability to think and the air was stolen from his lungs. It wasn't until she reached the bottom step that he realized he had actually moved from his seat and was offering her his hand. "Elsie, you look beautiful," he managed to say.

She was wearing a pretty pale blue shirt with a navy skirt, and they were, indeed, new. She had noticed the pattern in the catalog during one of her visits to the village and decided she might splurge a bit on the fabric and the sewing pattern, too. She had been saving the outfit for the first Sunday when the family was back, but she decided that tonight was more special and she wanted to look pretty.

Her cheeks colored a little from the praise and the obvious admiration in his eyes. "Thank you. You look very handsome, yourself, too. I'm not used to seeing you without a jacket. This is a rare delight, indeed."

"I wouldn't get used to it, I'm afraid. While it's more comfortable in this summer weather, there's no justifying the lack of formal attire when others are present. However, I think this new outfit of yours suits you perfectly. It brings out the colors of your eyes.

She felt a surge of confidence wash over her. He found her beautiful and he was paying her compliments on her dress and her eyes. She was at a loss for words so she said the only thing that came to mind. "I actually made the skirt and blouse myself. I'm rather pleased with the results, though I'm sure with some additional practice, my sewing skills could greatly improve."

"Nonsense! You look wonderful." He held out his arm and invited her to take his as he began to lead them down the short corridor towards the back door.

"Charles, where are we going? I thought you said we would eat here. Aren't the sandwiches in the kitchen?"

He laughed. "And here I thought Mrs. Elsie Hughes, Housekeeper of Downton Abbey knew everything that went on under this roof. You mean, I have managed to capture her completely by surprise?"

She swatted his arm playfully. "You mean we are going to the movie with the others?" The curiosity and anticipation was evident in her voice.

"No, I'm afraid that bit is true, but if you'll allow me, I did plan something rather special for this evening. I will admit, though, that I had a little help in arranging this, but the idea was solely mine and everyone worked from my instructions."

For a moment, she stared up into his face. She could read him like a book. He was nervous and excited, filled with apprehension, wondering if she would truly enjoy his plans for their evening. Stepping on the bottom step at the back door raised her to the perfect height. She leaned over and kissed his cheek chastely. "Lead the way, Charles. The night's not getting any younger, and I'm filled with curiosity."

Without another thought, he closed the distance between them and placed a light kiss to her cheek, took her hand in his, and led her out into the courtyard.

They walked the same path they had taken earlier in the day on the stroll through the garden, and Elsie had started to wonder where he was leading her. But she didn't have to wait long. As they rounded the shrubbery, towards her favorite part of the garden, she could just make out a soft glow.

In the center of that garden spot that Elsie loved so much, Charles had arranged to have one of the smaller tables set up for dinner. A few lanterns were placed on the ground, guiding their footsteps towards the table and chairs. Candles were illuminating the table, covered in a white linen cloth, and crystal wine glasses and the finest sparkling silver awaited their use. A small, low arrangement of flowers was situated between the two place settings and silver domed trays hid their meal from Elsie's gaze.

She gasped and her eyes widened as she drank in the sight before her. She had spent all her time in the bath ruminating on the evening ahead, what could have possibly been more exciting than seeing Valentino at the pictures, how unimpressive sandwiches in the kitchen sounded. But now, seeing all of this before her very eyes and knowing that it was all for her made her regret all that wasted time. She should have suspected something more, yet she had not trusted her heart. She had learned her lesson and hoped he could forgive her for her lack of enthusiasm.

"Charles ... it's ... I'm ... this is ... " She turned and hugged him tightly, murmuring her apologies over and over. "I should have known. You've been so wonderful. This is like a fairy tale."

He held her tightly and pressed a kiss to the top of her head. "Am I to take it that you approve of this outing more than the adventure with the staff?" he teased. She smacked his chest playfully and nodded, still having difficulty articulating her words. "Good. Then, allow me to escort the most beautiful woman to our dinner table."

As if he was helping any of the upstairs ladies during their dinner, he escorted Elsie to her chair, gingerly placing her napkin in her lap and pouring them each a glass of wine before taking his seat opposite her. "A toast to us, to new beginnings, to mended hearts, to falling in love with my best friend."

Tears formed in her eyes as she lightly touched her glass to his, drinking to the sentiments of his toast. "And to being the luckiest woman in the world to have found happiness at such a late date in life."

As they sat in the seclusion of the garden, everything around them seemed to melt away. Their conversation varied from the present, to the future, and finally turned to the past as they neared the bottom of the bottle of wine.

"Elsie, believe me when I tell you that I seriously considered taking you into the village for dinner. I want everyone to know that we're courting, and we will take an outing there before I leave for London. But, then I remembered that that's what your Mr. Burns had done, and I wanted to be so very different from him. I wanted to do something more special than buying you a dinner in the village. I hope this will suffice."

She reached over and took his hand in hers. "Charles Carson, you should never, ever compare yourself to Joe Burns. While he is a good and decent fellow, he cannot hold a candle to you in my estimation. We met there in the Grantham Arms because that's where he was staying. It was a convenient and very public place to meet, a place for old friends to catch up without the gossip that can go along with a more secluded venue."

"Oh God, Elsie, I'm sorry. I never thought how this might seem to you. I never meant to make this seem clandestine and ..."

"Sssssh, Charles, it's fine. I don't see it that way at all. I see this as a lovely, romantic dinner for two, planned to perfection and executed beautifully. As I said, I'm a very lucky woman, and I cannot thank you enough for going to all this trouble. It truly is like being whisked off into a fairy tale."

He leaned down and brushed his lips against the back of her hand. "It's no less than you deserve, Elsie. I just knew that when I started planning this, I wanted to be so very different from Joe." He held up his hand to forestall her comment. "No, please, let me finish. When he came to Downton and asked for your hand in marriage, I will admit that I was jealous. He had another life to offer you, something more than living day to day by schedules and rules. I realized that you must have been contemplating your choices, and I prayed, selfishly, that you would choose Downton, choose our friendship, over Joe. I had no reason for those thoughts, other than I didn't want to lose my best friend. Now, as we sit here tonight, I understand completely why he desperately wanted your hand in marriage, why he asked you twice, and what I stood to lose had you gone that other way." He quickly wiped at his eyes before his emotions got the better of him. "I can only promise you, this, Elsie. I will do my best to be the man you deserve in your life, to never give you any reason to even consider another path with someone else."

"Oh Charles! As if anyone could compare to you in my eyes. Part of the reason I turned him down was for you. I couldn't stand the idea of the harsh life ahead of me on that farm, giving up living here, leaving my friends behind, leaving you. I didn't call it love back then. I don't think even I recognized it at the time. I think we are simply lucky that fate guided us in our decisions which led us to this time, this moment." She gave his hand a squeeze, taking a deep breath before daring to ask the question burning the tip of her tongue.

"And what of Alice? She held your heart captive for so long, Charles. She wasn't even in your life anymore, hadn't been for decades, yet she held claim to it." Her voice shook a little as she uttered her next words. "You wanted to marry her so much you could taste it," she said softly. "Now, here you sit, with me, embarking on something warm and wonderful. But, I have to ask the question if I'm enough, if I come close to her in your eyes."

"No, you don't." He let his words hang in the air for a brief moment, just enough to make sure he had her full attention, but before her feelings could be hurt. "You don't come close to Alice, because you are so much more to me than that woman in my past. You're everything she was not, Elsie. You're kind. She was harsh. You're honest. She was deceitful. You're happy with your choices. She never made a decision without regrets. You see me for the man I am, not the man you hope to make me."

He stood and pulled her from her seat and into his arms, wrapping her safely in his embrace and guiding her head to his chest. "Never, ever doubt my love for you, Elsie Hughes. I may have loved her once, enough to taste, but that doesn't even come close to my feelings for you. Over time, I will prove that to you, over and over again, for the rest of my life. She left a bitter taste in my mouth but you reminded me that life can be sweet, savory, and positively delicious."

Charles knew there would never be a more perfect moment than here in the garden with Elsie. Slowly, to give her time to pull away, he closed the distance between them and lightly brushed his lips against hers, just enough to leave them both wanting more.

His lips were so very soft against hers, warm and inviting, and, he tasted of the wine they had shared. She could feel his breath on her cheek as he pulled back and rested his forehead against hers, neither of them daring to open their eyes for fear of breaking the spell. Her arms wrapped around his neck as she took another step closer to him, reassuring him that all was well between them.

"I hadn't planned that part of the evening, my dear," he said softly. "I hope I didn't offend you with my forwardness." He guided her head to his chest once more as he began to move slowly with her in his arms, as if directed by some soft music only he could hear.

"Don't ever apologize for kissing me, Charles Carson. And I've often heard that a little breach of propriety can be quite exciting for a girl," she said with a laugh. "Now, I can see why, and I wouldn't mind it happening again."

Charles laughed and hugged her tighter as they continued to move as one to the strands of a song that only existed in their hearts.

Later that evening, after he'd made sure everyone was back safely, locked up the house, and escorted Elsie to the women's corridor, Charles retired for the evening. He was rather pleased with himself for the successful evening and how happy everyone seemed to be, everyone from Elsie down to the youngest maid and hall boy.

As he slipped into his bed and settled in for the night, he ran his hand beneath his pillow, only to find something unexpected. It was an envelope and he grinned when he recognized the handwriting.

My dearest Charles,

You have no idea how happy you make me, but I hope to show you with my words, my actions, and my unending love. I never expected to be courted by such a kind and loving man, to be treated with the utmost respect and care, to be surprised and lavished with praise.

I want you to know that the notes, the flowers, and all the other things you've done for me have only made me fall even more in love with you. We started out as best friends, but now, I find myself imagining so much more with you.

My heart belongs to you, for now and always.

Sweet dreams, love!

Ever yours,

Elsie

A/N: Thank you for all of your kind reviews for the story. I'm happy that so many of you are enjoying the courtship and taking time to let me know your thoughts in your comments and reviews. You truly make it all worth the time and effort, and I appreciate it. ^_^