Thank you for all the reviews and feedback. I love hearing from you guys. The writings you see in italics are their thoughts so when you read along that's what I have intended. To all the guest reviewers I thank you for your comments and I wish I could reply to you all individually but since I can't this is the best I can do. Enjoy.
Mr. Carson checked his pocket watch for what must have been the hundredth time. A few more minutes and he would have Mrs. Hughes all to himself. His heart was pounding out of his chest with joy and excitement. Checking his appearance several times he scolded himself "Charles you don't look any different than you did when you checked five minutes ago." He stood in front of his mirror smoothing his hands over his jacket. Standing sideways, he examined his physique in the mirror, sucking his belly in and out; watching his posture change with every breath he held in and exhaled. He gave up and let his gut out, sighing in frustration. He patted his belly as if it were an old war chum he was greeting. "I could use to lose a stone or two...Beryl is right." Mrs. Hughes had agreed to meet Mr. Carson at the back door.
Elsie nervously pinned her hat on her head and took one last glance at herself in her mirror. She bit her bottom lip as Beryl's words rang in her ears...'push the boundaries a little.' Mrs. Hughes had pushed the boundaries so much so far.
Nudging Mr. Carson to see Griggs again had led Mr. Carson to open up about Alice. She saw a softer side to him and that he was capable of love. He had said he wanted to marry Alice so much he could taste it. Mrs. Hughes saw a side of Charles that gave her hope that maybe just maybe there was room for her in his life. There was more to Charles than just the stoic butler facade he displayed everyday of his life.
She pushed again at the beach and she felt hopeful that things were going to change. She saw this metamorphous in him after the season and when they all returned to Downton. He smiled more often, their conversations, were lighter and they found themselves laughing more often. Mrs. Hughes often found herself deflecting Mr. Carson's annoyance at some hall boy or footman with humor. In the past he would have scolded her or scoffed at her, even having the audacity to call her unprofessional or telling her he thought she was a person of higher standards. He was changing, the world around them was changing and they had to find their place in this new world. They had both secretly hoped they would find their paths leading the same way and together.
They met at the back door and Charles ever the gentleman held the door open for her. She looked beautiful. It was a very warm day and she wore the same outfit she had worn the day at the beach. She wore her brown skirt and her light Blue top which complimented her eyes. 'Could her eyes be any bluer?' He thought to himself as she walked out the door and he drank in her appearance. He had worn his leisurely day suit. The cologne he wore did not go unnoticed by Mrs. Hughes. The moment she caught the scent she felt a tightening in her abdomen, a warm sensation over coming her body. It only served to make her feel restless; she found it difficult to maintain self control. She wanted nothing more than to be able to nuzzle his neck, embrace him, touch him...kiss him. She stared at the path in front of her, trying to contain her composure, avoiding eye contact until she thought it would be safe to sneak a glance.
Once they were away from the house Mr. Carson had offered her his arm and she happily took it, enjoying the closeness and the feel of his warmth. They walked silently for a bit enjoying the sun and both tried to settle their nerves a bit by silently reciting their mantras to themselves. "Its just tea, don't make this harder than it needs to be, it's not different than taking tea in our pantries." If they were only able to read each others thoughts at that moment they would most likely have laughed at each other for being so nervous.
"What did you need to do in the village today Mr. Carson?" Mrs. Hughes broke their silence as she continued to stare out at the path in front of her.
He stole a glance and smiled at how she kept herself focused on the tasks of the day ahead. He couldn't do anything but think of how fortunate he was to just be alone with her. She did look beautiful today. " she is wearing the same outfit she had worn that day on the beach, I could never forget it" He cleared his throat and began to tell her that he needed to order more stationary for place cards and menus, and that he needed a few personal items.
"What is it that you need to do before we go for tea Mrs. Hughes?"
"I have to stop by the building just outside of the village that the Refugees have been working on. Mr. Demyanov and his wife Katya are the couple I have been tutoring; I promised I would help them with a few signs for the stand they will be running at the fair. You've met Mr. Demyanov, Ivan. Do you remember?"
"Oh yes, the young boisterous Russian… How could I forget?" He exclaimed sarcastically.
Mrs. Hughes rolled her eyes at him and tapped his arm that was holding hers, playfully scolding him for being cynical. "He is a jolly young man Mr. Carson, I don't know how he manages to always be smiling and laughing when it is obvious how much he has to endure to be here away from the only home he has ever known. They all endure so much prejudice. They manage so well even with the lack of language. I see them working so hard and being paid very little. These immigrants are showing great strength and courage." She was hoping she was getting her point across to Mr. Carson. He was a judgmental man and even though he tried not to show his prejudices or fears sometimes he failed as he did when the jazz musician visited Downton. She hoped that with the changing times she could help Mr. Carson become a bit more accepting.
"I suppose you are right Mrs. Hughes, I do not walk in their shoes, therefore I can not possibly understand what they have to endure. I have been fortunate to live and work in a great House such as Downton. Everything I value is in that home." The person I love most is in that home…. Some day when the time was right he hoped to be able to tell her this himself.
They were now approaching the building that the refugees were fixing.
"Im still puzzled as to how they were able to acquire this land and these buildings, there is quite a bit of chatter in town. " It was no secret that Mr. Carson was not as trusting of these strangers as Mrs. Hughes; if she were completely honest she was curious as well about how this land just suddenly dropped into their hands.
Mr. Kurigan had confessed to Mrs. Hughes on the night of the rain storm as he drove her home how all of this had come to be. He thought it would be best to leak some of the truth to someone trust worthy, someone like Mrs. Hughes. He trusted her, and Ivan was right about keeping this big of a secret. He was afraid his secrets would catch up with him. If he could leak things out slowly he had hoped it would be enough to satisfy the local's curiosity and put to rest the more scandalous rumors. The only thing he didn't tell Mrs. Hughes is that he is this man of great wealth and of land gentry.
"It does all seem a bit suspicious, but the proof is in the paper work. The land belonged to a man in Russia who has since passed away or disappeared, no one knows what happened to him. His employee in charge of over seas business affairs here happens to be Mr. Kurigan and he has the deeds to this property and it appears that the land was signed into the care of Mr. Kurigan with the understanding that he would provide for the servants that worked for this man and had to flee. This nobleman was apparently a selfless and generous person. From what Mr. Kurigan has shared with me, his employer felt like it was his fault that his people have suffered so terribly. He wasn't able to find refuge for all of his employees fast enough and some of these people have no family left. Ivan and Katya lost every one near and dear to them. They only have each other." She sighed as she spoke sadly about their hardships.
She looked up at Mr. Carson and he was staring at the unkempt building in front of them. There were men on the roof fixing it. Children were playing in the tall grass around the building. You could hear them laughing and speaking Russian to each other. He could see women inside with handkerchiefs wrapped around their heads cleaning and painting walls. They were all working so hard but every one of them had a happy expression on their face. Katya was carrying a pitcher of water to the ladder that Ivan was descending from. Mrs. Hughes watched as Ivan took the pitcher from his wife and drank from it. He wiped his mouth with the sleeve of his shirt and gave his wife a quick peck on the cheek. As she turned around to continue passing the pitcher around to the other men working Ivan tapped her bum with his hand and she turned around playfully swatting her husband's hand. Mrs. Hughes let out a little giggle as she watched the exchange. Mr. Carson found himself blushing and turned his gaze elsewhere.
"I shouldn't be too long Mr. Carson... you don't have to wait for me. I can meet you at the tea shop. What time would you like for me to meet you there?" She didn't look at him she was scanning the area to see if she could find Mr. Kurigan.
It was apparent that Mrs. Hughes was distracted and she was looking for someone. Mr. Carson quickly came to the assumption that she was looking for Mr. Kurigan. His jealously was coming to the surface again. He tried to fight it but he couldn't.
"Oh there he is…" Mrs. Hughes whispered to herself. Charles had heard and turned his gaze in the direction of Mrs. Hughes' gaze.
"Mr. Kurigan!" She called out his name to get his attention. She was too far away. Mr. Carson hadn't given her an answer yet as to what time he wanted to meet her. She looked over at Mr. Carson, who was gazing out into the distance, just for a second wishing he would give her an answer before she lost sight of Mr. Kurigan. Turning her head again she shouted once more "Mr. Kurigan!" It looked as if he was walking towards his truck and she wanted to speak with him before he left. Charles was still in his trance lost in his thoughts and had not answered her yet.
"Mr. Carson, I must speak with Mr. Kurigan before he leaves. When would you like to meet?" She stated with urgency to her voice, he was not listening to her and focused on something out in the distance still.
Mrs. Hughes brought her fingers to her lips and let out one of her ear drum shattering whistles that stopped everyone in their tracks. The men on the roof looked over in her direction, the women in the building glimpsed out the windows. Mr. Kurigan brought his hand to his forehead to shade his eyes from the suns glare; he recognized the whistle and Mrs. Hughes silhouette from the distance. He waved his arm dramatically showing her he saw her. She smiled widely and waved back at him. Mr. Kurigan started walking in her direction.
Mr. Carson snapped out of his trance and instinctively put his hand on the ear that was closest to Mrs. Hughes. He furrowed his eyebrows and looked at her a bit bewildered. She looked up at him and then she slightly bent over when she was overcome with a fit of giggles at his expression. He couldn't help but smile back…" OH MY WORD, what on earth was that!" Mr. Carson belted out through a chuckle.
"That Mr. Carson was the whistle I promised you that I'd let you hear one day, now tell me, when you would like to meet for tea!" She was desperately trying to contain her laughter.
"My errands won't take long at all, I'm sure I will be done before you finish your signs. I can meet you back here in a little bit."
"Are you sure? I'd hate to keep you waiting if I am not finished ."
"If you are not finished then maybe I can help when I get back! I'll see you soon." Mr. Kurigan had now reached Mr. Carson and Mrs. Hughes. He took his hat off and greeted them both warmly.
"Mr. Carson, good to see you again…" Mr. Kurigan extended his hand to Mr. Carson. He flashed back to the last time they saw each other and the nasty look the butler had given him.
Mr. Carson accepted his hand shake "Good day Mr. Kurigan." He stated flatly. He turned his gaze to Mrs. Hughes, "Ill be back shortly Mrs. Hughes." He walked briskly towards the village.
"Id recognize that whistle anywhere now." Mr Kurigan chuckled and thoughtfully extended his arm for Mrs. Hughes to take as he escorted her through the make shift path from the main road to the property.
The renovations were coming along nicely. Ivan was determined to get this done before the arrival of the baby. He wanted to have a place to celebrate its arrival with his people.
Katya was sitting in a chair watching the little ones play. She wasn't able to do much work; the baby was due anytime now. Ivan was fearful to leave her home alone, she often accompanied him to the construction site and just sat and watched the youngsters while the others worked. He was so protective of her. He knew he wouldn't be able to bear it if something were to happen to her or their child.
"Ah- low, Mrs. Hughes!" Katya waved from her chair. Her accent was thick but her English was coming along well. She slowly got up from her chair bracing her back with one hand. The size of her belly was growing by the day. She smiled sweetly at Mrs. Hughes. Katya liked Mrs. Hughes and thought of her as her first English friend in this new place she was now calling home.
Katya, Mrs. Hughes and Kurigan began making the signs together. Mrs. Hughes wrote with pencil on the wood boards and Katya traced them with paint and a paint brush. Mr. Kurigan lifted the pieces of wood when the ladies needed assistance. When they didn't, he was carrying planks of wood up to the roof on his shoulder up to Ivan and the younger men. He may have been older in age but he was strong and still able to move effortlessly on the ladders. He was in great physical shape. Mrs. Hughes did notice that about the handsome Russian. She found herself being distracted by his physique as he worked around them.
Mr. Carson had finished his errands quickly as promised and was making his way back to where he had left Mrs. Hughes. He had hoped she was finished with the signs for the fair and that they could be on their way to tea. He was thinking back to hearing her whistle, as he walked he brought his fingers to his mouth and attempted to imitate her whistle but he found he couldn't do it. He could only whistle a tune through his teeth with his tongue. He didn't share the same talent Mrs. Hughes did. He quit trying as he saw the building come into view. He was only a few feet away when he saw Mrs. Hughes was standing out in the sun. She had removed her hat and her light blue cardigan. She had an apron on that he recognized from the house, it was wrapped around her snuggly accentuating her tiny waist and the curves of her bossom and hips. He could see Katya moving the paintbrush on the boards and he watched Mrs. Hughes as she watched Mr. Kurigan climb the ladder a few feet away from her. Mr. Carson noticed the pretty flush in her cheeks and was hoping it was from the heat of the sun and not from the affects of Mr. Kurigan's presence. She appeared to be lost in her thoughts daydreaming.
Mr. Kurigan stepped off of the ladder and made his way to the pretty Housekeeper who was staring at him. She bit her lower lip and peeled her gaze away from him as she saw him approaching. "We are all finished Mr. Kurigan. These shouldn't take long at all to dry." She kept her gaze down busying herself with putting the lid back on the paint can.
He took the paint can from her. Their hands had touched and Kurigan let his fingers linger a moment before he pulled the can away from her. "What do you have planned for the rest of your day Mrs. Hughes?" She was surprised by his lingering touch and then pushed the can away from her gently.
She grasped her apron pretending to be wiping something off of them. Busying herself and hoping he hadn't noticed the flush on her face. She felt herself becoming warmer.
"Oh, nothing important." She said soflty, she was a private woman and just didn't feel a need to tell him her exact plans for the day. There were things that she valued and her privacy was one of them…. She turned to walk away and she smacked right into Mr. Carson's hard body. He didn't move. Mr. Carson had heard the words and they stung. He stood stone cold in his spot as her words rang over and over in his ears. "Nothing important….Nothing important…how could I be so foolish.." he wondered to himself.
Mrs. Hughes was surprised by the impact of the collision and she grasped Mr. Carson's lapels to hold herself steady. He instinctively steadied her by her elbows saving her from falling backwards. She looked up at Mr. Carson and could see the worry in his eyes…'what's wrong, what has happened. why… does he look so sad.' She was registering his reaction and she ould feel his heart pounding under her palm which was resting on his chest. He seemed agitated and even angry. He gently moved away from her touch and pulled her hands off of his lapels; leaving her feeling cold and unselttled. He brushed his hands down the front of his coat, perturbed that his jacket maybe wrinkled by her grasping at it. She slowly moved to where her sweater was laying on the chair. Thinking to herself "What on earth has just happened?"
She removed her apron and pulled her sweater back on buttoning it up quickly. Her breathing was beginning to steady itself again and she grabbed her purse and placed it on her forearm. "She looked up and nervously smiled at Mr. Kurigan "I must be going Mr. Kurigan, I have a few errands to run. I suppose Ill see you at the fair"
"Yes, Ill see you there. Of course." He picked up the sign with the wet paint on it and put it against the wall of the building to dry.
Katya, watched the threesome and their exchange. She didn't understand the language fully but she knew from their expressions and body language that there was tension in the air. She had observed Mrs. Hughes watching Kurigan and assumed that she thought he was an attractive man. There was no doubt in Katyas mind that Mr. Carson was upset and maybe even jealous of Mr. Kurigan. Sergei's attraction to Mrs. Hughes was palpable. She sensed it all and worried that Kurigan may get hurt in the end. She loved Sergei too, he is the only familyshe has left besides Ivan and their baby.
"Goodbye Katya, stay well. I will see you at the fair as well." Mrs. Hughes proceeded to walk down the make shift path back to the main road. Mr. Carson walked slowly behind her. She had reached the road before he did and she waited there for him to join her. When he got to the end of the path he stood in front of her with a look she recognized all to well. He was angry. "What's wrong Mr. Carson….did something happen while you were in the village?"
He wanted to turn back and go to Downtown. He didn't want to have tea with her anymore. He felt foolish to think she felt something more than just friendship towards him.
"I'm fine Mrs. Hughes… I'm just thinking maybe we should forego having tea together today. I think you may have more important things to tend to today…." Sounding like the stern butler he was known to be. He straightened his jacket and turned to walk towards the house leaving Mrs. Hughes perplexed by his statement and sudden change in demeanor.
TBC…..
I'd like to Thank Geordielass and MonaLove for their help and support with writing this chapter. They are the best buddies anyone could ask for.
So if you can Please leave a review let me know what you've liked what you don't like. I always love hearing your thoughts :-)… I pull my ideas from your reviews :-).