A/N Wow, so many reviews! you are killing me! Thank you! I know I said this was the last chapter but then... plotbunny happened and I could not leave out a certain part.

Please tell me if this story takes a wrong direction or if there is anything you don't like. I feel like I am getting lost somehow ;))

Important Questions

The servants that remained at the big house during the season were already sitting around the table, eagerly waiting for their bowl of stew. When the housekeeper and butler entered the servant's hall chairs were shoved aside and everyone was on their feet quickly. Except for William. Charles simply nodded and allowed them so sit down again. From his seat at the head of the table he observed William from a safe distance. He sat on his usual chair next to the piano, staring at his empty plate, not paying attention to the lively chatter that had arose once again around him.

All his own worries were suddenly so meaningless compared to William's grief. Losing a parent so early in life when you did not even know your own place in society, could easily break you. And the young footman had a kind and gentle soul that was not used to handle sorrow. Elsie had been right. The boy needed his comfort, advice and help although he would most likely not acknowledge it.

He risked a quick glance in her direction and noticed that she bit her lip while keeping her gaze fixed on the boy. He wanted to reach out again, touch her, take away her sorrows but hesitated for a moment before he let his hand slid underneath the table and touch her knee. He did not know if this was the right thing to do because he could feel how she startled at his touch, turned her head in a sudden movement to look at him. All these intimacies he had longed for so many years were now so overwhelming for both of them and Charles had to remind himself not to overdo it. He wanted to take it slow, to cherish every moment, to give her time so he decided to withdraw his hand slowly again. But then he felt her fingers atop of his, encircling his hand that was so much larger than hers, holding it tight down onto her knee. They sat like this for a while until Daisy entered the servant's hall carrying a large bowl of stew.

ooooo

She allowed him to touch her, her hand, her knee. A small exchange of intimacies hidden from view but so important and needed at the moment. Without them she would have been as lost as William. How did she manage to suppress her feelings for the past ten years? Why did she never allow them to take the lead when the simplest touch from his hands was capable of taking away so much of her worries at once?

When dinner was served she let her leg touch his underneath the table to substitute the feeling his hand had left on her knee. He held his spoon a bit tighter than usual, let his eyes catch her gaze more often in return. The constant smile on his lips told her that she had done the right thing. Yet it was replaced by worry at the end of their meal when William was the first to get up and leave the room.

"He needs some time on his own now." Her hand held his arm down, prevented him to follow the boy immediately. "I found him in the backyard earlier, crying." The memory of their encounter still caused her heart to ache and she felt how fresh tears welled up. "Please be sensitive when you talk to him."

"I will." He gently removed his arm from underneath her touch and left the hall, his shoulders sagged, his steps not as determined as usual. Even from afar Elsie could feel how much he cared for the boy and it made her love him even more.

ooooo

She waited impatiently in her sitting room for his return. Outside the sun began to set already, many of the lesser servants had already gone to bed. Through the open door she could hear how Mrs. Patmore sent Daisy up to her room to get an early rest, followed by Anna's light step when she passed along the corridor outside her room.

"Good night Daisy," the head housemaid called out and an answer from the cook followed.

"You should also go to bed. You look tired."

"Thank you Mrs. Patmore but I'm fine."

Elsie smiled when she heard the reply. Anna was one of the few servants that got along with the cook rather well. Perhaps it was her kind and patient personality that made it easier for her to weather the verbal attacks Beryl sometimes released. Mr. Bates would get a wonderful wife one day and Elsie could not deny her jealousy when she thought of the couple. Anna had listened to her heart early enough, ignored all the rules, had not hesitated and was now awarded with the prospect of a good marriage.

She reached for the golden chain and revealed the locket from underneath her dress. Her hand encircled it, held it tight. She closed her eyes and concentrated on the feeling of the warm round object in her hand, thought of the words it contained and what these words had induced. If they meant a secret love within the walls of their home, Downton, she would accept it.

A faint knock ended her reverie.

"Mrs. Hughes?" Anna stood in the doorway, carrying a tray with two cups and a pot of tea. "I am sorry to disturb you. I thought you and Mr. Carson would enjoy some tea after the day's events?"

Elsie let go of the locket, decided for a split second to hide it again underneath the collar of her dress but it was too late anyway. Anna had already entered her room and she saw how her eyes got attracted by the golden glow of the piece of jewellery.

"This is a beautiful locket." She observed, putting the tray down onto the small table at the door. "Was this the gift from Mr. Carson?"

There was no use of denying it now so Elsie stood up and crossed the room to stand next to Anna. "It is, Anna. Thank you for the tea. That was a very kind gesture. Mr. Carson will definitely appreciate it a lot." She hoped that the housemaid could not see the engraving on the locket in this rather dimly lit corner of her room. It had taken her so much courage already to admit her feelings to Charles, she could not talk about it to anyone else at the moment. Although it was Anna, probably the only person in this household who would understand.

Anna had the decency to not take a closer look at the locket. Perhaps she already knew, Elsie thought. "Do you happen to know where Mr. Carson is?"

"The last time I've seen him was at dinner." Anna shrugged her shoulders. "Maybe he is still with William?"

ooooo

He had followed the boy upstairs, found him lying on his bed, crying. Under the usual circumstances he would have told him to stop this childish behaviour and act like a respectable footman rather than like a child. But not today. He let himself into the room without knocking and sat down on the bed next to William.

"Leave me alone, Mr. Carson." He mumbled into the mattress, turning his head away from him.

"No I won't William." His hand reached out and patted the boy's shoulder. "You should not be alone today and it is all right to cry. There is no need to feel ashamed."

They had sat like this for nearly an hour, Charles' hand on William's shoulder, the young man crying and sobbing uncontrollably but without making another attempt to turn away from the older man. Finally the sobbing subsided and William sat up, red faced and completely exhausted.

"Feeling a bit better?" Charles asked although he knew that the pain would never completely go away and that even after crying ones heart out, one did not really feel better, just empty.

"A bit," William lied and searched the pockets of his jacket for a handkerchief to wipe away the last tears on his cheeks. "Why do you care so much, Mr. Carson?" his voice was small, almost that of a child afraid to ask a question.

Charles sighed. William always saw him as a superior, the head of staff, the stern butler that allowed no mistakes and always pushed him to the limit. "As I've told you before, I've been through this myself when my father died. And I had no people that took care of me back then."

William looked at him, his mouth half open in surprise. "I am sorry, Mr. Carson. I did not know that."

He ignored what was said and went on. "Here at Downton you are often far away from your family and although it might seem a place with a lot of rules and restrictions it does not mean that people do not care about each other, William."

A moment of silence followed. "Thank you," the young footman whispered finally.

ooooo

Just before she was about to blow out the candle that already burned low underneath the pot of tea, his large shadow appeared in the doorway, followed by his low and rumbling voice. "I am sorry. This day turned out to be more eventful than I thought." The door closed behind him and he stood in front of the small table, waiting for a sign from her obviously.

She stood only a few steps away from him and as always had to tilt her head back to look into his eyes. Her hand played with his gift that still hung around her neck, visible to everyone's eyes now. They were finally alone, had time to talk, unobserved and undisturbed. She took one hesitant step towards him without averting her gaze. All day she had unconsciously waited for this moment, but fled from it when he arrived hours ago, then managed to allow her heart take over, only to be disturbed by Daisy. The rest of the day had been overshadowed by work and the concern about William. And now he stood there, looking at her, smiling, in her room, the door closed, the sun almost set outside. Just the two of them with time to talk, an opportunity to answer all the unanswered questions and remove the last doubts.

She wanted to say something, ask whether William was all right and if this was what had taken him so long. But her voice failed, only her mouth opened.

"I have kept you waiting all day." He whispered, then took one step forward and closed the gap between them. His hand reached out to touch her cheek. She could feel his thumb at the corner of her mouth. "And I've promised to take away your sorrows earlier, haven't I?"

And then she felt his lips again, kissing first the corner of her mouth, then her bottom lip until they finally found her mouth and covered it fully in a gentle kiss. He had cupped her cheeks with both his hands and Elsie almost lost her balance. Her hands tried to find a hold on his hips and she managed to draw herself closer without breaking the kiss that increased in intensity now. She could feel how his tongue touched her lips and instinctively opened her mouth a bit. What happened next totally overwhelmed her. This was nothing compared to the quick kisses she had shared a lifetime ago with Joe or the hesitant kiss they had exchanged earlier.

A small moan escaped from the back of her throat, her knees felt suddenly too weak to support her body and she started to shake. He slowly pulled away from her.

"Elsie, are you all right?"

She panted and rested her head against his broad chest, let her arms encircle his waist to keep herself upright. "I am fine", she whispered, "fine." Her eyes were closed and she took a moment to catch her breath before she risked looking up into his face again. The concerned look that greeted her caused Elsie to smile. "You kissed my sorrows away."

Her smile was answered and sealed with another small kiss on her forehead. "Do not tell me no one has ever kissed you like this before."

Elsie could feel how she blushed. "No one ever has."

A strand of hair had found its way out of her always impeccable hairdo and he tucked it away tenderly. "Then I am glad to have been the first."

ooooo

Time had no meaning anymore. She could not tell how long they had stood there, Charles resting his chin on her head, she pleased to be held tight to his chest, listening to his heartbeat and absorbing his warmth. "Charles", she spoke into his shirt, took a deep breath, trying to calm down even more before she continued. "What happens next?" These were the words that had haunted her all day whenever she had thought of their future. This was the important question that needed to be answered, discussed, and considered thoroughly before they could go on with what they had been doing today.

She held her breath, eagerly waiting for his answer.

to be continued