A/N I had hoped to have this done and posted yesterday, but alas, the best-laid plans often go astray. Good intentions don't always lead to successful execution. But here it is.
I think a few of you might have missed my last chapter (posted Thursday) about Peter's graduation. If you haven't read that, you might want to go back and do that.
Thank you all so much for continuing to stick with me.
Friday, June 10, 2016
Charles and Peter (who was temporarily staying at Charles's place to make room for Margaret and Becky at Elsie's flat) presented themselves at Elsie's front door in the morning.
"Good morning!" greeted Charles cheerily, kissing Elsie's cheek when she answered. "I've come to take my beloved out to breakfast."
"And I've brought cinnamon rolls for the other two lovely ladies currently in residence," announced Peter as he held out a bakery box. "Gran and Auntie Becky and I are staying here to accomplish a top-secret mission."
"So I've been told. It seems I've been banished from my own home!" Elsie complained in jest.
Charles pretended to be offended. "Is having breakfast with your intended really so dreadful?"
"Not at all!" she said, placating him with a kiss. "It's the only reason I've agreed to leave." Then she turned to Peter, "Go on, then, lad. Your gran and auntie are expecting you. They're in the kitchen, making tea and coffee."
"Right, Mum." And Peter kissed Elsie's cheek as he went inside and she came out. "See you later."
oOoOoOoOoOoOoOo
Charles and Elsie sat at Toast*, enjoying their breakfast. After swallowing a bite of his pesto-and-prosciutto scramble, Charles asked, "So is everything in order for tomorrow?"
"I think so," Elsie replied, trying to speak around a cheekful of her smoked salmon omelette. "Beryl's at school right now meeting with Jos Tufton, the catering manager. I have a bad feeling about that man. I don't completely trust him, but I'm not too worried. Beryl can take care of herself, and Bill's gone along with her, too, to set some things up." She continued to run down the list. "Jimmy and his boys will set up their equipment this afternoon, and William will direct the other musicians tomorrow. Cora and Isobel and the girls are meeting at school later today to oversee the decorating. Mr. Molesley will do as much as he can today and the rest tomorrow so that all of the flowers will be fresh. And I called the photographer to confirm."
Charles reviewed his own tasks and schedule. "And I have the rings. Peter and I will pick up our suits later this afternoon. We have appointments at the barbershop tomorrow morning. And I'm all packed for the trip."
"Me, too," said Elsie. "Beryl and I are going to the house this afternoon, just to make sure everything's in order. I know we'll be there for only one night, but Beryl wants to be sure we'll have enough food – at least something to drink and something for breakfast. And I want to leave my suitcase there. My dress is ready to go, and Mum, Becky, Beryl, and I have reservations at the salon first thing tomorrow."
"I think that's everything, then. It sounds like things are under control."
"Are you looking forward to your stag do tonight?" she asked him.
"Not at all," he told her. "Those things are for men who want to enjoy their 'last night of freedom' … men who are less than enthusiastic about getting married. But I don't particularly like being 'free.' I want to be bound to you forever."
"That's sweet of you to say, darling. So then just think of it as a get-together with friends."
"Hmph!" he grumbled.
"Remember: Peter's in charge. He'll be sure you have a nice time."
"That's the only reason I agreed to it. Are you looking forward to your hen night?"
She smiled at the thought. "I am, actually. I think it will be a lot of fun."
"Well, then. We'd better get on with it and finish our breakfast. We've got a busy day ahead."
After they finished up, Charles walked Elsie back home. They stood at her door for a moment before she went in.
As they embraced, Elsie had a request. "Will you come by later – after the parties – just to kiss me good night?"
"Certainly not! We mustn't see each other tonight," he insisted.
"Why not? I've never known you to be superstitious!"
"It's not superstition. It's tradition," he corrected. "There's a difference. I don't believe for a second that bad luck would result if we were to see one another. I just think it's a nice custom, and as you know, I'm not one to flout convention."
"Our whole romance has been far from traditional."
"Be that as it may, this is one tradition we can observe, and so we should."
She half-sighed, half-huffed. "Very well. But if I'm not to see you again until tomorrow afternoon, then you'd better give me a kiss that will sustain me until then."
And he did – right there, out in the open, in the middle of campus, in broad daylight, caring not a whit whether someone saw him kissing his bride-to-be on the day before their wedding.
"I'll call you tonight," he promised before he made his way back to his own flat.
oOoOoOoOoOoOoOo
The rest of the morning and afternoon were busy and passed quickly, but evening found Elsie at Beryl's flat, surrounded by her mother, her sister, and her friends, all of whom were gathered in anticipation of her upcoming nuptials. The women had enjoyed several bottles of champagne and what must have been many hundreds of sweets that Beryl had baked. They'd engaged in giddy girl talk and played silly party games. Towards the end of the night, the ladies presented Elsie with some gifts. She hadn't had a bridal shower, since such things were more suited for a young bride setting up house for the first time. But still, her friends saw fit to mark the occasion with a few well-chosen tokens. Beryl gave her a cookbook and demanded to be invited over to Elsie's new house so that they could try out the recipes together in Elsie's gorgeous new kitchen. Cora and the girls had decided on spa gift cards and suggested to Elsie that she use them sometime after the honeymoon and before the new school year, in order to help her relax and rejuvenate. Anna, Phyllis, Sarah, Daisy, Gwen, and Ivy gave Elsie some accessories for her honeymoon trip: a hat, a scarf, sunglasses, and a large, versatile travel bag. Edna, Ethel and Jane had chosen a set of travel books. And Isobel, Rosamund, Violet, and Martha Levinson presented to Elsie a luxurious monogrammed bathrobe, insisting that she needed something with her new set of initials. Claire gave her two books to read in the airport and on the plane. Becky and Margaret had bought Elsie a beautiful nightgown, one that was attractive and feminine without being decadent. And Gladys also gave her some nightwear; this particular item was attractive and feminine, certainly, but it was definitely decadent, too: it happened to be the very piece Elsie and Beryl had seen Gladys inspecting that day in "promiscuous young things" section of the lingerie shop! All the other ladies smiled, laughed, and joked; and Beryl and Elsie shared a knowing smirk. Gladys shared her thoughts on the subject: "I say, 'If you've got it, flaunt it!'"
oOoOoOoOoOoOoOo
Meanwhile, the men were assembled at Bill and William Mason's flat. Peter and Bill had conspired to plan a very enjoyable evening. There was a poker table set up and a game in progess, just for fun, during which players came and went. Peter had organized a tremendous pizza buffet. Some of the younger men had brought six-packs of their favorite beers. The older men had brought bottles of whisky, gin, rum, brandy, and vodka. And Robert had brought a box of Cuban cigars** that he'd wangled through one of his more influential connections.
The men sat around conversing, drinking, playing poker, and devouring pizza at an alarming rate. Thomas and Jimmy tried to get a game of forfeits going, but that idea was quickly quashed by the more sensible members of the group. At a certain point, Robert, John, Matthew, Bertie, Richard, Tim, Joseph, and Charlie Grigg went out onto Bill's patio to smoke cigars. Joseph came back inside less than two minutes later, looking positively green, but the others stayed outside, puffing away contentedly despite the evening's warm temperature.
When the party was beginning to wind down, Peter offered Charles a flat, rectangular package. "Something to give you pleasant dreams tonight," Peter explained.
"Aha! I wondered when we'd get to that! You can't have a do like this without the girly magazines!" piped up Charlie Grigg.
"Sorry to disappoint you, Mr. Grigg, but it's nothing like that," Peter clarified.
"Oh. Right. Of course. I was just joshing," Charlie said when Charles glared at him.
While the others looked on, Charles opened the package to reveal a custom-made booklet filled with pictures of Elsie. As he leafed through the pages, he came across baby pictures and school pictures of Elsie, some shots of her from family vacations with her parents and Becky, a photo of her with Alice at their graduation from Roedean, a picture of Elsie holding baby Peter, various snapshots from holidays and birthdays, a formal portrait of Elsie from Downton's most recent yearbook, and finally, two photos of her and Charles: one taken on Christmas and the other taken at their New Year's Eve engagement party. Each photo was labeled and dated.
Charles was visibly touched by the thoughtful gift, and Peter explained, "Gran and Auntie Becky helped; this is what we were working on earlier."
"Thank you, lad. This certainly will give me pleasant dreams." He shook Peter's hand. Then he turned to Charlie Grigg and said confidently, "You were right! There's something to be said for girly magazines. And isn't this the most beautiful girl you've ever seen?"
"Right you are, mate. That she is!" Charlie concurred with a wide smile.
"And aren't you jealous?!" Charles couldn't help adding. "Because as of tomorrow, I'm going to have not just some pictures – but the real thing!"
oOoOoOoOoOoOoOo
Later, after the parties had ended and everyone had gone home exhausted, Elsie was tucking herself into bed; her phone chimed, alerting her that someone was requesting a video call. She was surprised to see the identity of the caller but accepted the call immediately.
"Charles!" she cried happily, looking at the screen on her phone. "I didn't expect this!"
"Why not? I couldn't let you go to sleep without wishing you a good night," he said as if it were the most natural thing in the world.
"Well, you said you'd call, but we're not supposed to see each other tonight!" she reminded him.
"We're not 'seeing' each other," he pointed out. "I'm looking at a digital image – a stunning image, I might add – relayed through the air and displayed, through a trick of light, on the screen of a mobile telecommunications device. And I'm listening to an electronic approximation of a beguiling Scottish voice, transmitted by waves of energy and re-created by moving electrons and a vibrating speaker. You see, we can't 'see each other' if you and I are not even in the same building."
"That is a very fine distinction, my dear, and rather dubious reasoning, as well."
"It's convincing enough to satisfy me that tradition is being upheld."
"As you say, love," she allowed. She didn't quite follow his logic, but she wasn't about to argue. "How was the shindig?"
"Oh, very nice. Peter and Bill made sure a good time was had by all. And how about your hen party? Did you enjoy yourself?"
"Yes, of course. You know Beryl's a fabulous hostess … though I'm a little concerned that with all the sweets I ate, I might not fit into my dress tomorrow!"
"I'm sure you will – and you'll look wonderful," he assured her.
"Well, I do hope so."
"I won't keep you. You must be as tired as I am, and we have a big day tomorrow."
"Yes, we do. Just think: in less than twenty-four hours, I'll be Mrs. Carson," she remarked happily.
"I wish you were Mrs. Carson right now."
"One more day, Charles."
"That is one day too many!" he complained sincerely but comically.
"Good night, my love. I love you more than I can say. I'll see you in church tomorrow."
"I'll be there waiting. And I love you, too – madly. Sweet dreams."
After Charles hung up and placed his phone back on his bedside table, he picked up his gift from Peter, spent a few minutes paging through the pictures of his lovely Elsie, and drifted off into a peaceful slumber.
A/N *Toast restaurant: real place. See tumblr for picture.
**For anyone who is not aware, Cuban cigars have been illegal in the US for a long time; due to strained relations between the two countries, there's been a trade embargo on all goods from Cuba. However, restrictions have been loosened recently, and now people traveling to Cuba with proper authorization are permitted to bring back with them a small amount of alcohol and tobacco for their own personal consumption (not for resale). Cuban cigars are still not sold by retailers in America, but they are considered some of the best in the world. (So they say. Though I wouldn't know, would I?)
The wedding chapter will follow (along with a special bonus chapter about a side event) just as soon as I can get it written. In the meantime, please leave a review if you're able and willing. It really would mean a lot to me.
Also: I haven't proofread this very carefully, but I want to get it posted. I'll go back and check again and fix any mistakes that I find; but in the meantime, if you spot any errors before I get to checking, please do let me know. Thanks!