A/N: Thank you for your reviews! They really mean a lot to me and help me write this story! I'm sorry for delaying the update of this chapter – which is the last chapter of the story – but I had a little problem with my right hand and I couldn't write as I was in pain with every move I made! Now… on with the last chapter of our story!

Disclaimer: I don't own anything except from Elisabeth and her family!

Charles started to stir and reached out his hand to place it around his wife's waist but he opened his eyes when he discovered that the side of the bed was empty. He was a little confused and looked at the watch on his night-table at his side. It was seven o'clock in the morning and his wife wasn't in the bed next to him. They had gotten married only yesterday and instead of spending a wonderful morning in their bed in each other's arms, he had to get out of the bed in search of his wife as he didn't have a clue or hearing anything that would give him an idea of where she was.

He got out of the bed, put on his robe and slippers and left their bedroom. He went to the bathroom but it was empty, he went to the other bedroom but found it empty. He sighed and went downstairs to search. He went to the sitting room but found it empty with only the sounds of the fire, he went to the kitchen but it was empty as well. This was beginning to upset him and was ready to leave the kitchen when he caught something from outside the window with the corner of his eye. As he watched from the window he found her sitting in the bench in their garden with her robe and slippers on looking in the sky with a smile on her face.

The sight of his wife smiling and looking so happy made him love her even more. She was looking so beautiful with the rays of the sun enlightening her face. She had left her hair down and he noticed that she had only brushed it a little. He watched her as she closed her eyes still with her head looking up and took a deep breath as the flowers in their garden filled her nose with their aroma. At that moment a very nice idea came to his mind and he was going to make it real at the very first opportunity he was going to have in the near future. He decided to join her and enjoy together the lovely weather.

"Good morning, Mrs. Carson!", he leaned down and kissed her on the lips before sitting down beside her.

"Good morning, Mr. Carson!", she took hold of his hand and had a wide smile on her face.

They sat there in silence for a while enjoying the sun, the aroma of the flowers and the happiness. She had moved closer to him, placing her head on his chest and her hand over his heart. After a while she pulled a little back and looked at him in the eyes.

"Charles.", she said his name with such softness and love. "I would like to thank you for the patience you showed last night in order to please me and replace those horrible memories with happier memories of the two of us.", she let the tears of happiness fall freely. "I love you so much, Charles.", she said and lowered her head as the tears continued falling.

He heart melted with love upon hearing those words from her. He was very happy that he had this lovely woman as his wife and he could help her bury her past for once and for all. He lifted her head with his hand and wiped her tears with his thumb.

"I love you, Elsie. I didn't want to see you hurting anymore or being afraid of making love with me. I wanted, and I still want, to replace all those horrible memories of that night with memories of happiness and pleasure. Every time we will make love, I will take my time to learn your body, to discover what pleasures you the most and to treat you like you deserve. You are a beautiful, caring and kind woman, Elsie.", he took her face in his hands and placed the softest kiss on her lips.

She smiled at him and put her arms around him. He held her tightly to him feeling happy that they were going to leave all the bad behind and live the rest of their lives happy with their family.

/-00-/

The time passed so quickly and it was summer again. The family had gone to London for the season and Charles had to go with them. Elsie was feeling alone in the house without him by her side but she wasn't all alone at least. Daisy and Elisabeth were staying at Downton so they could cook for the family and the staff that they had stayed behind. Tom had decided to stay behind with his daughter and join the family later. The nanny had gone with the family to look after little George so Elsie had the opportunity to spend more time with little Sybbie as her father was working in the mornings. She had made something like a small bed for the little girl in her sitting room so she could have somewhere to place her when she would feel tired or fall asleep in the housekeeper's arms.

Tom was very thankful for her help to take care the little care while he wasn't at the house. He had eaten with them various times as he hated eating alone in the dining room upstairs. Elsie was very thankful that they were trying to lift up her spirits as she was missing very much her husband but she couldn't help it when the evening came and she retired to their bedroom at the house. She had decided to stay at the house during the season as she didn't want to walk alone to their cottage. She had slept a few times in the nursery as Sybbie had caught a simple summer cold.

She was speaking to Charles almost every day through the telephone but she wanted so much for the season to end so she could have her husband back. The family was expected to come back in a month when she received a very surprising letter from Charles. He had asked the family if she could go to London for a week to stay with them and they had accepted. They had given them a day off to go anywhere they wanted in London and he had a surprise for her. She informed Tom about the decision and he had decided to join her in the trip along with his daughter.

She was even more surprised when he had pulled her along with him to a car in the first class and was ready to protest but he stopped her by telling her that he had promised to the butler to take good care of her. Sybbie hadn't wanted to leave the woman's arms and had fallen asleep on her lap through their trip to London. She remembered when she was holding her daughter in her arms all these years ago and was surprised that the daughter of Lady Sybil loved her so much as Lady Sybil herself loved the housekeeper.

/-00-/

She didn't know what to expect as they were making their way to a direction. Charles hadn't told her where they were going as it was his surprise for her. She was becoming a little frustrated but she decided to drop it and just let him lead her wherever he wanted. She was surprised when they arrived at the beach where they had gone almost a year ago along with the other staff in their day off. He watched her as she run off towards the sea. She stopped before she could reach the water and placed her things on the sand. She took off her shoes and stockings and ran towards the sea. She was so happy and laughing as the water was wetting her feet.

He walked towards the spot where she had left her things. He took of his jacket, his shoes and his shocks. He rolled up his trousers and walked towards her. He sighed in relief at the water wetted his feet and closed his eyes. She turned to look at him and smiled.

"Come on.", she had his attention now. "I dare ya!", she told him with a smile as he smiled as well while they remembered that conversation they had almost a year ago. He decided to play along.

"But if I get my trousers wet?", he asked her with hesitation.

"If you get them wet we'll dry them.", she tried very hard not to smile widely at him.

"Suppose I fall over.", he said next.

"Suppose a bomb goes off, suppose we're hit by a falling star…", she tried hard not roll her eyes as she had done last time. "You can hold my hand. Then we'll both go in together.", she looked down as she blushed.

"I thing I will hold your hand. It will make me feel a bit steadier.", he said and walked towards her slowly.

"You can always hold my hand if you need to feel steady.", she was looking down at this.

"I don't know how but you managed to make that sound a little risqué.", he told her as seriously as he could.

"And if I did…", she gave him her hand and he took it with a smile. "We're getting on Mr. Carson. You and I. We can afford to live a little.", she told him with a wide smile.

At that moment they both started laughing heartily. He leaned forward, still holding her hand and kissed her passionately. They broke apart when they needed to breathe. He placed another soft kiss on her lips and they started walking towards the sea. At some point he just turned her a little as he was holding her hand, picked her up in his arms and after a few moments he dropped her in the water. He started laughing heartily at this, he was glad that this time they had both dry clothes in the basket to change later. She came out of the water with a grin and determined. She started throwing water all over him. They continued to play in the water for the next hour and laughing heartily.

The staff had smiles on their faces when the butler and his wife arrived at the house just when it started getting dark outside with different clothes, wet hair and wide smiles on their faces. Only the ones that had gone last year to the beach with them understood where the butler had taken his wife for the day. That night Charles and Elsie slept together in each other's arms in the wee hours of the morning, after making love and laughing with the memories of the day they had. They were finally happy with the past all forgotten.

THE END

Please review! I would like to know what you think of this last chapter! Did I make justice to them? Waiting your opinions! Thank you very much for your support through this story! A small surprise is coming in the evening!