It was almost end of day, Elsie's favorite time of day. Since moving back to Ipswich she had taken a job as the counter girl at the local butchers shop. The butcher was a nice enough man but after his wife had died six months before Elsie moved back the man hadn't done a single bit of paperwork. He would joke with her that he was handy with a pork chop not account book. She would rise early every morning and get to the shop just slightly before it opened, she'd give it a quick clean over then set about helping customers throughout the day. When the end of the day arrived she would take whatever account book, or invoices needed attention home with her and continue working until late at night. Her hours were still the same as she'd spent at Downton however they were much more lonely. Yes patrons would come and go but she never really found anyone she particularly cared for. All the local women seemed more interested in learning whatever secrets Elsie had in her closet instead of the current price of beef. The men were decidedly more friendly when they found out she was single, however it was attention she most certainly didn't want. Fool me once, she thought to herself every day after whatever aged man who fancied her had left. She hoped against hope that she would never care for another human being again. The pain, she had discovered, wasn't worth it in the end.
"We're just about to close…"Elsie said, turning around to see whoever it was that was coming in five minutes before closing.
"Hello Elsie." Charles Carson said softly, taken aback slightly at how thin she looked. Surely the woman who worked at the butchers shop ought to be a plump figure? Elsie looked nearly skin and bones.
"Hello Mr. Carson, what are you…I mean…what's going on?" She said, taken completely by surprise at his presence. She had always assumed that they would never meet again.
"I…um…its funny I traveled all this way and somehow I never thought about what I would say once I got here." He said, losing his confidence quickly. The realization of what was suddenly on the line was striking to him.
"I don't really know how much there is to say Mr. Carson, I rather think we both said more then enough." She said turning away and wiping her hands on her apron, wringing it out with her hands anxciously.
"Please call me Charles." He said taking a step closer to her, the counter still a solid barrier between them.
"I can't." She said looking down at the ground beneath her feet, refusing to look at him.
"Then call me nothing. Mr. Carson feels so painfully formal. After all we've been thro-"
"What do you want?!" She said turning suddenly, he could see the tears pooling in her eyes, her face red and upset. "You told me you never wanted to see me again, yet here you are. Asking me to call you by your Christian name? I'd just reconciled myself to the thought of never even seeing you again."
"I was upset when I said those things Elsie. We need to talk, but this isn't the place. Is there somewhere more private we can go?" he asked imploringly.
"We have nothing more to say to each other Mr. Carson." She said.
"Damnit woman! You are the most stubborn, difficult, hard-"
"Charles that is enough! If you came all this way to yell at me. To tell me you hate me or to make sure I am living a miserable existence then just go."
"Elsie-" He began.
"And if it makes you feel better I am miserable, I pray to God every night that I wont wake up the next morning but like the cruelest farce I always do. So just go Charles. Just go."
"I remember this moment Elsie, the moment where you tell me to go. It's a trap, before I failed, I went when I knew I should have stayed, but the mistake made by the boy will not be repeated by the man. I am not going anywhere, at least not until I've said my peace. Now where is your home. Its far past closing and we've a long talk before us."