A/N: The mess with Green seems to be hanging around longer than I'd intended; damn man. Thank you to all of you still reading, commenting, etc.

"Let me take that," a young man said as he smiled at Elsie and gently took her bag from her hand. "You and your lass seem tired from your journey."

Edith broke in before Elsie could get out the correction the young woman knew was coming the minute she noticed the older woman open her mouth. "We are, thank you. Mum didn't rest well for watching over me." She smiled sadly at the young man. "She's worried over me and the babe," she whispered as she subtly moved her hand across her abdomen before moving to pull her gloves off.

The young man nodded. "I'll take care of your things, Missus. Mr. Fraser will see to your check in."

Elsie started to object again, but Edith's hand squeezing hers stopped her. Frowning at the young woman, she waited for the young man to leave then turned to face Edith. "Why did you let him believe I'm your mother? My Lady," she started then stopped when Edith shook her head.

"It works better this way."

"I don't understand how, My Lady." Elsie whispered.

"Because you can stay with me instead of another room, possibly on another floor. I don't want you away from me." Edith studied the woman. "Hughsey, you've been hurt. I just would feel better with you near."

Elsie sighed and shook her head. "I'm too tired to argue."

Edith clasped the older woman's hand. "Come on then. We'll go up to the room and rest. And, please, let me ask for a doctor?"

Elsie shook her head. "No, Miss Edith. How would we explain? It's only the veil on my hat and the scarf about my neck that kept the young lad from noticing my bruises."

Edith sighed at the older woman's stubbornness which mirrored her own. "You could well be my mother," she mumbled.

"Darling lass." Elsie whispered. "Come along. I'm not the only one who needs rest."

EEE

Edith blinked to clear her eyes of sleep and frowned as she tried to figure out what had woke her from her nap. Hearing the noise again, she sat up and looked over to Elsie's bed. Feeling her eyes well with tears, she got up and moved to sit beside Elsie and gently shook her shoulder. "Hughsey," she whispered. "It's a dream. He's dead."

Elsie jerked awake and blinked then stared up at Edith. "What is it?"

"You were dreaming." Edith answered quietly. "I'm sorry."

Squeezing Edith's hand, Elsie smiled tiredly at her. "No need, My Lady."

"If you're to be my mother, calling me My Lady isn't going to work." Edith bit her lip then looked down at their hands. "If I were yours, would you have a pet name for me?"

Elsie cupped Edith's face, smiling when the young woman looked up at her. "I have a pet name for you, and you aren't mine."

Edith smiled. "Miss Edith," she whispered.

"Yes." Elsie nodded. "But if you were my daughter, Love or Lass, would probably be the pet names I'd use."

"I think I like Lass."

Elsie laughed and shook her head. "You just like to hear my accent."

"Guilty." Edith smiled. "It's soothing."

"Then I'll do my best to talk to you as much as I can, Lass." Elsie winked. "Now, why don't I go see if I can find us a bit to eat? You need to keep up your strength."

Edith stood up and moved to her own bed. "We'll both go out. A walk would be nice, and if we're to live here for the next few months, we'll need to know about places to eat and shop."

"We'll have plenty of time to look about while we find a cottage."

Edith nodded and fussed with her stocking. "Dreadful things," she mumbled.

Elsie shook her head as she fixed her own twisted stocking then stood up and moved around to Edith's bed. "Your hair is mussed. We'll have to fix that before we go out."

"Mrs. Hughes." Edith whispered as she lifted her hands to stop Elsie. "I can fix my own hair." Looking up at the older woman, she smiled. "We aren't at Downton anymore. You aren't my housekeeper. I can dress myself and fix my own hair." She sighed and looked down at her still mostly flat stomach. "At least for the time being."

"Mr. Carson would not approve."

Edith laughed at that. "No, Hughesy, he most certainly wouldn't."

EEE

Elsie watched Edith as she slept, her own mind too busy to sleep. She was amazed at the thoughts that were keeping her awake. For the first time since the attic, her thoughts were filled with Charles Carson. Her joke about him not approving had started the thoughts, and now she could do nothing to stop them.

She missed his booming voice and stubborn refusal to accept change.

She missed sitting with him at night after everyone had gone to bed, sharing their quiet thoughts about the day over a glass of wine or a cup of tea.

She just missed him.

He was her best friend aside from Beryl.

She'd hated leaving without saying goodbye, but she'd had no choice. He would have asked questions she couldn't give him answers to once he saw her face and neck. The questions would have led her to lie, and though she could lie to him and make him believe her, she didn't want to. She didn't want a lie being one of the last things she said to him.

She'd wanted so many times to tell him what was happening, to
ask him for his help, his guidance, but she couldn't. It was bad enough she'd told Bates, though she'd been forced into that. Then she'd had to tell Lady Mary to keep Bates from having to leave Anna when His Lordship had to go to America. She couldn't break Anna's trust again just to help herself.

Moving from Edith's side, Elsie stood at the windows, staring out at the darkened street the hotel sat on. Her mind went back to Downton, wondering what was happening.

She was sure they'd tried to contact her and Lady Edith after Green's body was discovered. And she was positive that they'd learned neither of them were where they'd said they would be.

For Lady Edith, it wouldn't be anything more than a worry to the family that she was missing.

For herself, it was another matter entirely. Her being gone meant that she would be the main suspect in Green's death due to the confrontations they'd had, confrontations that several people had witnessed.

Reaching up she wiped at a tear.

Long after she sent Edith home, Elsie knew that she'd never be able to go back.

If she went back, she'd surely be hanged.