A./N.: A shorter chapter this time, but we are definitely moving forward. They just begged me to stop with the angst and write some fluff ... so what can I say, I gave in. Enjoy and please, pretty please review.
CHAPTER 12
In all their years of acquaintance, Charles had never seen Elsie this small and vulnerable. She was buried under at least three blankets, but she was still shivering. Her forehead was creased into a deep frown while her chapped lips moved wordlessly as if she was trying to say something or dreaming. Tenderly Charles stroked across her forehead, smoothing out the frown there, and leaned over her, pressing a gentle kiss to her temple. She relaxed under his touch, but Charles could still feel the high temperature of her skin. Next to her bed was a basin with cool water and a cloth hung over the rim of it. Without a moment's hesitation, Charles reached over and dipped the cloth into the cool water, soaking it. Carefully wringing it out again and folding it into a neat square, he placed it onto her feverish forehead, stroking through her hair with his other hand. He could feel the fever burning through the cool cloth and realised that she must be burning up under all those blankets. He removed the two extra blankets and could now see the beads of perspiration on her throat and chest. Again he dipped the cloth in water and wiped down her forehead, hoping to so bring down her fever.
A nurse came bustling by and checked Elsie's temperature. The quicksilver rose and rose inside the thermometer and with it Charles' concern for his friend. He gently stroked her hand with his index finger, trying to let her know he was near her and wouldn't go anywhere. Finally the quicksilver stopped rising, stopping at 41° Celsius.
"I will go inform Dr Clarkson, but we need to cool her down."
A few short moments later she returned with the doctor in tow. Dr Clarkson carefully put his hand on Mrs Hughes' cheek and felt her temperature. He turned to his nurse and instructed her, "We will have to cool her down more, but I don't want to risk the drastic method yet. We will need to sponge her down to cool her temperature."
The young nurse nodded and was about to shoo Mr Carson away, but he remained firmly in his place. "I will do it. I have already begun to wipe down her forehead," he told the doctor and turned back to the basin without another word.
Dr Clarkson motioned for the nurse to leave them for the moment, before he addressed the butler. "I wasn't just talking about her forehead, Mr Carson," he explained himself. He looked down onto the sick woman's troubled features and sighed. "You will need to wipe down her neck and chest and arms to cool her body, not just her head."
Charles stared at the other man, his mouth hanging unbecomingly open. "You don't mean …?" His voice died away. His gaze wandered off to Elsie and then was drawn to her figure hidden beneath the blanket. Charles blushed furiously, but then remembered his vow to take care of her and Lord Grantham's words about regret. He turned back to Dr Clarkson with determination and simply said, "Of course. I will need another basin of cold water and maybe more cloths."
Charles bent over Elsie, forgetting about the other man most likely still standing behind him. The wet cloth in his hand, he carefully began to lower the blanket a little. Tenderly he caressed the cloth down the long column of her throat, watching as Elsie swallowed and then turned her head so that the wet cloth ran over the throbbing pulse at the side of her neck.
Dr Clarkson suddenly felt us if he was intruding on a very private moment and he turned away with a lump forming in his throat. He only hoped that his treatment would show fruits. Slowly he walked away and instructed his nurses to put up the curtains around Mrs Hughes' bed and bring another bowl of water, but then leave the couple alone. His head-nurse stared at him and was starting to say something about propriety, but Richard held up his hand, silencing her. "They are friends and Mr Carson wants to repay her for all the times she nursed him." And that was that.
Charles was only dimly aware that curtain walls were drawn around them and a silent nurse brought him a fresh water basin and more cloths. He was focussed solely on his task of bringing Elsie relief. He wiped her throat and neck and arms repeatedly. Only after he was reassured that there was no one else around and the walls were drawn shut, did he carefully lower the blanket some more, revealing the creamy skin of her collarbones and at the top of her chest. Slightly lower he could see the area of her chest, which was neatly bandaged after the operation. He swallowed thickly and scolded himself for letting his thoughts drift to inappropriate things for a few seconds. His mind back under control he dipped the cloth in water and wiped it across her collarbones and the tops of her breasts.
He leaned down so his forehead rested on hers. He could feel that she was cooler to the touch and her breathing was easier. He breathed a sigh of relief and sat back. The worst was over for the moment. Exhausted himself after the long night, Charles leaned forward and rested his head next to hers on the pillow, watching her even breathing. Elsie turned over and for the first time Charles noticed that her eyes were open.
"Thank you," she murmured.
Instinctively Charles raised his head a few millimetres to look her in the eyes and his lips accidently met hers for a moment. She sighed and closed her eyes again, a smile curling her lips.
