Chapter 10
A/N: This is quite a short chapter as I am about to go away for a couple of days. I promise to post a longer chapter as soon as I get back. Thank you once again for the reviews.
They wearily made their way to the last hotel on their list. With no train back to Downton until the morning, they had no choice but to stay overnight in Ripon. The train guard had given them the names of 4 local inns where they could stay for the night. However, they had already visited 3 of them, only to find that none of them had any rooms available. They had telephoned his Lordship to update him. As expected, he had been very understanding but that did not make Mrs Hughes or Mr Carson feel any better about missing the ball. However, that was something to deal with later, for now they just needed to find two rooms for the night.
Both were feeling drained after the day they had experienced. They had spoken few words to each other since they had arrived back in Ripon. They simply walked along in silence but, unlike earlier, now the silence was not comfortable at all.
"This is it". Mr Carson said as they approached the last inn. Mrs Hughes looked up to the night sky, closed her eyes and made a silent prayer that this inn had rooms for them. All she wanted was a nice warm bed to sleep in, to put this day behind her.
"Good evening" said the man behind the front desk.
"Good evening" replied Mrs Hughes and Mr Carson in unison.
"How may I help you?"
Mr Carson explained, "Unfortunately we are unable to get home this evening, home to Downton, as our train broke down and had to return to Ripon. Therefore, we find ourselves in need of a room tonight. Two rooms!" Mr Carson added speedily so there was no misunderstanding at all, "… and you are our last hope" he added.
"I am sorry but all of our rooms are booked tonight. There is a horse fair in town tomorrow, you see, and so many of the traders are staying overnight this evening. I am very sorry".
Mrs Hughes was the first to respond, "No need to be sorry. Thank you very much for your help anyway". She gave a defeated smile and turned to walk back outside, Mr Carson dutifully followed her.
"Oh wait!" the man shouted. Mrs Hughes and Mr Carson turned around sharply.
"It's not ideal but there is the attic room. We don't usually let that out to guests; it's where my sister and her husband stay when they visit us. However, if you would like it, it is yours".
Charles and Elsie both turned to face each other; both looked equally gob-smacked and stood in disbelief. He was suggesting they stay in the same room!
As a silence had settled, the innkeeper looked across at Mr Carson and spoke again, "Mr?"
"Carson", Charles muttered.
"Mr Carson. You and Mrs Carson are very welcome to stay in my attic room tonight. It is only a small room but I think you'll find it cosy".
Charles suddenly developed a terrible cough. His body shook with loud, rasping coughs. He actually thought he might choke until he finally got some control over himself. Elsie couldn't quite believe what was happening. She is proving no help at all Charles thought, she was just looking at him in astonishment as if he had lost the plot! Charles finally gained some sort of control over his speech, although it was not his most lucid contribution,
"Oh no. No, we couldn't. We couldn't possibly. That is very generous of you. Very kind indeed. However, we couldn't. It just wouldn't be right for us to stay … to stay... We really couldn't but thank you … thank you but we really couldn't … … …". Mr Carson thought he may as well stop as his brain was refusing to cooperate with his mouth.
"You explained that beautifully Mr Carson. Thank you for that", Elsie said with a heavy dose of irony as she shook her head, and rolled those eyes at the Great Butler of Downton Abbey.
"What Mr Carson was trying to explain was that we are very thankful for your kind offer but we cannot accept the room. We are not Mr and Mrs Carson. I am Mrs Hughes and we are colleagues not man and wife. So as you'll understand, we cannot accept your kind offer". That was the second time today someone had mistaken them for husband and wife, Elsie thought. She laughed inwardly, they couldn't even remain friends without having a huge falling out, they would have no chance as man and wife.
"Oh I am sorry. I just presumed you were married".
"No. No. Definitely not married! Definitely not!" said Elsie with a heart-hearted laugh in her voice. Charles wasn't at all sure he liked the tone in her voice when she said that, it was as if she thought that them being married was the most preposterous idea in the world. Surely he wasn't that bad? However, when he thought back to how he had behaved today, perhaps she was right to sound so perturbed at the idea.
They offered their thanks once more and headed back outside. They both stood on the pavement outside the inn, not even sure what direction to walk in next. They were both mentally and physically exhausted from the day they'd had. They must have walked miles, from inn to inn.
"Any ideas Mrs Hughes?" Charles asked. Elsie looked up at Charles, into that handsome and maddening face and gave a big sigh. He then watched with utter amazement as she spun around, walked back into the inn and said,
"We'll take the room".