Have you read the last chapter? It will only make sense if you do!

They were both relaxing in their sitting room, Elsie had propped a book on a cushion which was sitting in her lap and she was using her left good hand to turn the pages. Charles was trying to read his newspaper but still felt very uncomfortable and clearly terrible from the mornings events. Elsie kept looking up as she turned over to a new page to see her husband suffering silently.

"Charles…honestly…it wasn't your fault, it just sort of happened. Please don't be upset." She said softly to him.

"Elsie, I can't help it…What if something terrible happened? I was fast asleep, I couldn't hear anything. You could have been unwell and unable to get my attention. I feel terrible. I can't even comprehend what would have happened if you were struggling further and…" He couldn't finish his sentence as he got so emotional.

"Oh Charles, I can't even come and cuddle you, please my darling there was no harm done. Any way it won't happen again now." She was concerned for him now and didn't want him to worry further.

"I know but…Im now questioning my ability to look after you, if i'd have been more attentive in the first place this might have not happened." He was so despondent with himself now.

"Charles for goodness sake you daft man. None of this was your fault in the slightest. I can't have my husband blaming himself for all thats happened to me. Heaven knows what I would be like if I didn't have you by my side and as for your efforts on looking after me, well, I couldn't even look after myself when I was well before this as good as you can now….Charles no more of this please I can't bear to be looked after by anyone else other than you….Now come over here next to me and act like the loveable husband to me you are."

Elsie let out a sob as all she felt responsible for his sadness, Charles crossed the room and moved her book out of the way and gathered her to his chest.

"I love you and i'm just afraid of breaking you, you're fragile to me even though you're the strongest woman I know….I won't let this happen again I promise you and I will be better." He kissed the top of her head.

"You don't need to be better Charles you need to be you. Please just…Don't send me away anywhere I just want to stay at home." Elsie pleaded into his chest.

He moved her back gently to look at her face in horror "Elsie…Please don't ever think I would move you out of your home…Never would it cross my mind that I would do that to you. I might be a fool in talking like this but I could never be split from you and have my wife be looked after by a stranger." He moved his face to her lips and kissed her soundly.

"Well thank goodness I was worrying you were thinking otherwise." She closed her eyes in relief but she had a niggling thought in the back of her mind still.

"Although….Kiss me like that again just to reassure me?" She said teasingly.

"What like this?" Charles kissed her lips and then peppered her face in kisses.

"So, we ended up scooping up raspberry fruit sauce off the floor!" Beryl had gone over to visit Elsie and was currently making her giggle upon telling her of Lord Grantham's escaped puppy. She had found her way down the servants stairs and proceeded to cause havoc by stealing an uncooked chicken off the kitchen work table and running amok around it aiding in spilling that evenings dessert." She said plainly.

"Oh my goodness Beryl!….I can't believe that! What did you do!" Elsie couldn't help but giggle louder at Beryl's story.

"Oh believe me, His Lordship came running after her! No one could catch the little blighter! Needless to say that evenings dinner would not be served unless they fancied a plate full of roast potatoes and boiled vegetables!" Beryl laughed.

"So what did he do? I can't imagine the family stayed at home then for dinner if it was ruined? More importantly what happened to the dog?" Elsie questioned trying to control her breathing.

"His Lordship caught her, she only trusts him at the moment...So she promptly dropped the chicken and went running to him and looking at him with these soft puppy dog eyes like butter wouldn't melt!….No...They decided to go out for their dinner as it was only Her Ladyship and Lady Mary, The Dowager decided to stay home…As for the puppy well Mr Molesley bless him has got the task of keeping her out of trouble and not chew the furniture!" Beryl put down her tea cup "So enough of that how are you? You look much better Elsie I will say"

"I am better Beryl, I'll tell you I feel better and its no thanks to my husband that I am feeling the way I am. He's been looking after me like fine china! Oh here's a story that will make you laugh" Elsie said shifting and smiling.

"Oh go on then." Beryl sat up eyes full of mirth.

"I fell out of bed." Elsie said plainly and then burst into laughter.

"Elsie how on earth is that funny?! You daft apeth how in heavens name did you just fall out?!" Beryl couldn't contain her laughter but looked serious with it.

"Oh come on it was funny, although it did frighten him when he woke up to find me not there. But anyone would have gone mad at the strange voice coming from the floor and not being able to see where it was coming from!" Elsie laughed louder.

"You mad woman, you didn't hurt yourself though?" Beryl wiped her eyes with her laughter at her friend but was serious.

"No plenty of padding i'll assure you and there was a soft rug on the floor. No injuries sustained just a bruised ego but I found it funny" Elsie smiled.

Just then the telephone could be heard ringing, Charles stepped out of the room while he let the ladies catch up. He decided to stay out of the way of gossiping hens and catch up with some correspondence he had and to finish his newspaper.

"Is it safe to come in? There is nothing that will hurt or haunt my poor ears and mind right now?" Charles peeked his head around the door.

"Its safe in fact its that safe that we have nothing left to talk about!" Elsie waved him in "Come in and have one of Beryl's biscuits." She pointed over to the plate. Charles eyes lit up he went straight to the plate.

"My favourite!" He was like an excitable child.

"Never let it be said that they key to this mans heart is through my biscuits…I could get him to do anything!" Beryl and Elsie laughed.

"Almost anything Beryl..Almost!" Charles chuckled.

"Oh, I heard the telephone ringing…Anything important?" Elsie remembered.

"Yes, it was Lady Mary…" Charles said cautiously "She wants to see me up at the Abbey tomorrow, I don't know what about but I said I would speak you first." He looked at Elsie worriedly.

"Do you think she'll want to apologise?" Beryl cut in.

"Yes perhaps she does Charles, you should go, she'll want to make peace I'm sure." Elsie agreed.

"Hmm..Well I'll go if I know that someone will be here with you while I'm there." He looked at Beryl expectedly.

"Ah, no can do I'm afraid Charles, they've got some estate meeting tomorrow and they'll have guests all day long. It's all hands to the pump i'm afraid" Beryl said reluctantly.

"Well then I'll get a message sent up to her in the morning telling her I can't go, I'll not leave you Elsie." Charles said pointedly biting into another biscuit.

"Oh Charles, I'll be alright why don't you go after breakfast, I'll be fed and I won't move from this spot, no doubt I'll be asleep within five minutes…Honestly you'll be back before you know it and I'll still be asleep" Elsie said with confidence.

"Elsie I don't think thats a good Id…" Charles was about to say while Elsie cut in.

"Honestly sweetheart I think it would do you good and her as well…I'll be fine I promise" She soothed.

"She's right Charles you need the fresh air and to stretch your legs, you can come and pick up a pie while your there" Beryl said agreeing further.

"See there you go dinner sorted with thanks to Beryl"

"I'll think about it, but I do need to post a letter so it makes sense…Alright, alright I'll go but it will not be for long." Charles said looking at both women losing the battle in earnest.

"Well in that case…I'll see you tomorrow, I best be off" Beryl got up and slipped her coat on, she kissed Elsie goodbye and Charles saw her out the door.

"She will be alright you know Charles….You've got to try and start to getting back to some normality…you'll see it right I know you will" Beryl patted Charles on the arm as she stood at the door.

"You're right, just after certain events I'm apprehensive but...It will be fine I'm sure. I'll see you tomorrow Beryl." He waved to a retreating Beryl.

"It better be alright…" He said to himself closing the door.

I'll post up the next chapter following this...It gets a little more heated these are like filler chapters...Leave me a review and if you haven't read the last chapter then back up, back up! Love you guys x