"Oh, that was so sweet! Mr Carson is so sweet to you, Mrs Hughes!" Anna says sweetly. "It will be so nice to have another couple around the house. We can talk when we need to. We can help each other."
"It will be nice to have someone to talk to. Thank you for your support everyone." Elsie says sipping her tea. Anna and Miss O'Brien head off to dress their charges.
Mrs Pattmore and Daisy come in to have breakfast knowing that the family's breakfast is on its way upstairs. "We heard your news, Mrs Hughes, congratulations." Mrs Pattmore says as she sits down.
"Thank you, Mrs Pattmore. I appreciate your support very much. I think most people on staff were aware of the connection Mr Carson and I have, but we managed to keep our relationship a secret for longer than I thought we could." Elsie says with a genuine smile.
Daisy quickly escapes back to the kitchen. Mrs Pattmore and Mrs Hughes are similar in age and Daisy knows Mrs Hughes will be more open if she's not around.
"So," Mrs Pattmore whispers, "tell me everything about Mr Carson. Is he a good kisser?"
Mrs Hughes blushes under Mrs Pattmore's scrutiny. "I don't know if I should tell you. Charles might be upset with me if I tell you our secrets, but I have to tell someone and you're the closer one to my age. He's a wonderful kisser and he's so sweet."
"How did you ever have time to cultivate a serious relationship?" Mrs Pattmore asks as she sips her tea.
"Well, every night after Charles had finished serving dinner, once I became housekeeper, he'd come and visit me and being the leftover wine and we'd sit and talk and have a glass of wine. We talked about everything. I know more about Charles than I ever thought possible. He makes me feel like a woman and that is so rare. We don't have to spend lots of time together to be happy and fall in love. He's made me a better person. I've never felt this deeply for another person in my entire life. I've been proposed to before and not been as in love as I am with Charles. I looked at Anna and Mr Bates as they fell in love and I wished that I'd been able to be with him when we were younger. He tells me every chance that he gets that he adores me." Elsie tells Mrs Pattmore.
"You are so lucky, Mrs Hughes. We could all see how much Mr Carson cares about you. You are the only one Mr Carson has to dance with at the servant's ball every Christmas. You're very special to him and I think it's wonderful. I hope that you're very happy with him. There are many women in Downton that will be very jealous of you. You are with the most perfect man for many women around here." Mrs Pattmore says. She actually enjoys chatting with Mrs Hughes.
Mrs Hughes smiles deviously. She knows how lucky she is to have Charles in her life this way. "You're right Mrs Pattmore. I know that I'm lucky. I have to remember to tell Charles I love him and that I'm very lucky to have him in my life. I never thought that I would get a chance to fall in love this late in my life. To fall in love for the first time in my life now when I know I can't have my own family is a little bittersweet. It doesn't upset Charles, but I wish we'd had a chance to have a family. I think he would have been a wonderful father, a little strict perhaps, but a very loving father. I just hope that we get a chance to have a life together. This is certainly a start for us."
"Have you consummated the relationship yet or are you waiting for the day you get married?" Mrs Pattmore asks. She wants to know all the details of Mrs Hughes' relationship, but she knows she probably overstepped her boundaries with this question.
"Mrs Pattmore that is a very inappropriate question and I am absolutely not answering it ever! That is between Charles and myself. He is a gentleman and that is all I am saying on that subject." Elsie says firmly.
"You're a spoilsport. You're a passionate woman and I bet beneath that stern exterior of Mr Carson's he's a passionate man. If I were to guess I would say that you've come close to consummating the relationship on some of those long, cold, dark nights in your sitting room." Mrs Pattmore smiles cheekily at Mrs Hughes.
"You will never know because I certainly won't tell you personal details like that. At least Charles and I won't have to sleep on the sofa in my sitting room because we're afraid of being caught coming out of one of our rooms. His arms make me feel so safe and there are nights when we're sitting together and we simply don't want to leave. He keeps me warm all night. I should go get some work done. Thank you for talking with me, Mrs Pattmore, it is nice to have someone to talk to." Elsie says seriously.
"You can talk to me any time, Mrs Hughes. It's nice to have a friend around here. I want to know more about you. I used to know you better, but we grew apart when we got promoted in our respective careers. I want us to be close again." Mrs Pattmore pats Mrs Hughes' hand. Before they were at the top of their respective fields they were best friends.