Chapter 10
Elsie walked ahead of Richard, as he guided her into his sitting room. She realised that she had never been in his home. As she looked around the room, she thought how distinctly Richard it was; very orderly, quite sparse in decoration but with a couple of hints of Scotland that made Elsie smile. Richard noticed her gaze as it settled on a painting of Loch Lomond on the wall.
"A nice reminder of home …" he smiled.
"Indeed … and the tartan cushions are a nice touch!" she joked kindly, as Richard laughed.
"Won't you take a seat Mrs Hughes? I will get us some tea …" Richard said confidently, although his heart was racing as he watched that beautiful smile light up the room.
"Thank you … but Dr Clarkson …" Elsie began, as she sat on the sofa.
"Yes?" Richard asked.
"I don't really fancy tea … how about a night cap?" she smiled mischievously. The cider was finally wearing off and Elsie needed some Dutch courage to get her back to Downton.
Oh dear god, Richard thought, that smile. Things became even more problematic for Richard as he watched Elsie remove her coat and gloves. That dress really is wonderful, he reflected, as he noticed some wisps of her dark brown hair had fallen around her face. You are her friend Richard Clarkson, her friend, and you would do well to remember that, he told himself. Stop looking at her lovely arms, her tempting neckline, her beautiful blue eyes … stop it for heaven's sake, he told himself.
"A night cap … yes … brandy? Or perhaps whisky?" he stuttered.
"I think whisky don't you? In honour of home …" she smiled.
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Charles was back at Downton. He had hoped Elsie might still be awake and in her sitting room when he arrived back at the House. However, there was no sign of her and so Charles presumed that she had already gone to bed. He would have to wait until morning to speak to her, to apologise for the way he had behaved; and to wish her well in her romance with Dr Clarkson. If that is what she wanted then, as his dear friend, he had little choice but to support her.
As he sat down at his desk, he took the bottle of brandy out of his bottom drawer; the one that he left there for emergencies. He poured himself a large serving and settled back in his chair. He wondered when his feelings for Mrs Hughes had begun to change. He smiled remembering back to their day on the beach, was it then? Certainly they had become even closer since the summer and had spent more and more time together, just the two of them. Yet even when Alice appeared back in his life, he had not realised. He had been pondering his relationship with Alice, even discussing this with Mrs Hughes, he thought wryly. How could he have thought that Alice was still his love, when his true love had been beside him for the last twenty years? Charles almost choked on his brandy as this momentous thought occurred to him; he loved Mrs Hughes.
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"… and the tray hit him on the head?" Richard laughed, as Elsie finished her story.
"Yes! Poor Mr Molesley did not know what had happened!" she giggled.
The two has settled comfortably on the sofa, with Richard delighting in hearing Elsie's tales from Downton. They were drinking their second whisky now and both were certainly warmed by the liquor.
"Dr Clarkson … may I ask you something? It is quite personal …" Elsie said seriously, belying the light-heartedness of minutes earlier.
Richard immediately recognised the seriousness in her tone.
"You may ask me anything Mrs Hughes … however may I suggest you call me Richard … we are good friends I hope?" he said sincerely.
"Yes of course we are … dear friends … Richard …" she smiled in return. It felt so lovely to finally call the doctor by his first name. She could think of one other man whose first name she had never been allowed to use, even after twenty years of friendship.
"… and you must call me Elsie … " she added.
"… that would be an honour … Elsie …" he grinned, loving the sound of her name on his tongue.
"I was wondering … you obviously care for Mrs Crawley very much … and yet you have had to live and work alongside her as she courts another man …" Elsie said nervously, not wanting to cause Richard any pain at all.
Richard nodded solemnly.
"How do you cope with that? How do you manage? I cannot imagine what I will do if Mr Carson and Alice get closer … how do you bear it?" she asked, a crack in her voice.
He reached out to take her hand in his, as Elsie moved closer to him on the sofa, curling her legs underneath her.
"I cannot lie; it has not been easy … to see Mrs Crawley fall for Lord Merton before my eyes has been painful. I had hoped that she and I … one day … I had hoped to marry her … that probably sounds ridiculous?" he said sadly. The whisky had certainly loosened his tongue; he was not used to talking this freely about his innermost feelings.
"No … no … of course that doesn't sound ridiculous … oh Richard … you love her … I had not realised how much … I am so sorry …" Elsie said, reaching upwards to stroke his cheek. She then moved her hand to his hairline, softly stroking his hair as she felt him rest his face against her palm.
As he continued to be soothed by her touch, he continued,
"I almost proposed once … but she stopped me … very kindly … to avoid any embarrassment …"
Elsie was stunned. She had no idea Richard and Mrs Crawley had been so close.
"Oh Richard … I don't know what to say … I had not realised … I knew you liked her very much … but marriage … you must be heartbroken …" she said tenderly, reaching up to plant a tiny kiss to his cheek, as her hand continued to caress his face. As he murmured in contentment, she continued to place tiny, sweet kisses across his cheek and his brow.
She then nestled into his side, hugging him tightly, just as she had held him in the car.
"You poor thing … and here's me keep blethering on about Alice and Mr Carson … I am so sorry …" she whispered, as she let her hand rest on his chest, on his heart.
Richard had never felt so cherished, so cared for, as Elsie snuggled even closer to him. He could not stop himself; he ran his hands up and down her back, pulling her closer and loving the feel of this beautiful woman against his chest. Elsie sighed happily as Richard kissed her hair. He was now holding her so closely that he knew this would be deemed improper but she felt so good and she had instigated this closeness; surely therefore it was ok to respond? He continued to kiss her hair, the scent was divine, but he realised that he needed to speak. He did so without loosening his grasp at all.
"You have nothing to be sorry for Elsie … it has been very difficult for me … I admit … as it has been for you watching Mr Carson and that woman … however having such a wonderful friend at my side has helped … it really has …" Richard said lovingly, kissing her hair once more.
Elsie leaned back from his chest, and smiled warmly at him.
"It has helped me too Richard … you are a truly wonderful friend …" she beamed, as she reached up and kissed him on the cheek again.
She noticed that one of Richard's hands had slid a little lower on her back, gently caressing her. Her face was resting very close to his; as she glanced at his lips that were only a breath away. She then caught his gaze and a charged look passed between them. Neither moved; they just stared at the other.
Suddenly a loud knock on the door broke them from their spell. They jumped apart. The banging on the door continued.
"Oh my goodness … who is that?" Elsie said shocked.
"Don't worry …you stay here … my bet would be the husband of a lady about to give birth …" he smiled calmly.
Elsie marvelled at Richard's calm demeanour, particularly given the tension of moments earlier. However, she realised that this was the norm for him; being woken in the night to deal with some medical emergency. Although tonight; he had not yet gone to bed. Elsie listened from the sitting room, as Richard answered the door.
"Dr Clarkson it's Jennifer … she is in labour … I came straight to get you …" a voice said, panicked.
"Well Mr Jones that is good news … now have the labour pains just started?" Richard asked.
"Yes … well about an hour ago …" he replied.
"Good … good … well you get back to your wife … and I will collect a nurse from the hospital … as well as some supplies … and I will come across to your farm very soon … " Dr Clarkson said evenly.
"But Dr Clarkson? Don't you think you should come immediately?" Mr Jones asked anxiously.
"Don't worry Mr Jones … your wife is just in the beginnings of labour … we are a long way off yet … but I will be there within the hour … now you just keep her comfortable in the meantime …" the doctor replied kindly.
"Ok … ok … see you soon Doctor …" he panted.
Elsie heard Richard close the front door. He returned to the living room.
"Don't you think you should go straight to the farm?" she asked.
"I want to get you home safely first Elsie … and then I will attend to Mrs Jones …" he smiled.
"Don't worry about me … I can walk home …" she said.
"You will certainly not walk home … it is almost 1 o'clock … I will drive you home and then go to the hospital to get everything I need for Mrs Jones," he said confidently.
Elsie nodded. However, she felt she needed to say something despite this not being a very good time.
"Richard … about earlier …" she began.
"Elsie please do not worry about earlier … " he interrupted, although he was looking at his toes whilst he spoke.
"Richard … you are a dear friend to me … you have been such a support … I love spending time with you ... however I cannot ignore how I feel about Mr Carson …" she said softly.
"I know that Elsie … I know how much you love him … don't worry …" he said kindly, finally catching her gaze.
"I apologise if I gave the wrong impression Richard … I know you have had to put up with me draping myself all over you this evening ... it just felt so lovely to be held … to be touched so lovingly … I needed this affection so much … but I realise now that I may have led you to believe …" Elsie explained, her voice cracking, as Richard gently reached out and held his fingers to her lips to stop her saying anymore. She felt dreadful, the last thing on earth she wanted to do was cause her friend more pain.
"You do not have to say anymore Elsie … I craved this affection also … I won't lie … it felt wonderful to have you in my arms … and well … you are a beautiful woman … I would not be a normal man if some feelings did not emerge … however I understand that we are friends and that is all … and I would not want to lose your friendship …" he finished.
"Oh Richard … I would not want to lose your friendship either … you are precious to me …" she smiled sincerely.
"Well then, that is all sorted … now let us get you home ..." he said cheerfully.
He then added, " ... and Elsie … in future when we go to a fair … I think less cider and whisky for both of us … less stroking my face … no more smiling up at me with those lovely blue eyes ... and don't wear such a fabulous dress!" he joked, trying to lighten the mood.
Elsie laughed with her friend.
"No problem ... and for your information Richard … less of the gorgeous cologne … no more whirling me around the dance floor like Prince Charming … less kisses to the hair ... and try not to look quite so handsome!" she jested in return.
"There we are … all sorted," he chuckled, as she giggled.
"Thank you Richard … and if Mrs Crawley does not come to her senses very soon and realise how truly wonderful you are … I will tell her myself!" she added protectively.
"And if Mr Carson does not realise what a perfect gem he has right before his eyes … I will punch his nose!" Richard replied, with a wink.
The friends laughed happily as they walked to the front door.
A/N: Thank you so much for your continued reviews – they are much appreciated x