You guys are so lucky this got completed. I've been reading Game of Thrones. Damn you G.R.R.M damn you! My ships are in pieces.

"Are you following me home or going back to your place first?" Elsie asked Charles as he helped her with her coat

"My place first I think, I need to drop some things off. Plus I wouldn't mind changing into something a lot more comfortable, if that's ok?"

"No problem. This gives me time to threaten Isobel into submission" Elsie winked as she turned to face him. Charles raised one eyebrow

"Isobel? Submission?" He asked

"Good point." Elsie laughed "I'll see you later then" she said, glancing round before briefly kissing him on the cheek

"Everyone knows we're together love." Charles teased, pulling her backwards and kissing her properly

"Robert Crawley doesn't." She argued, slightly breathless "nor does Ms O Brien"

"But neither of them are here." He reasoned

"True I suppose." She relented, causing him to smirk.

"Will one of you please leave? Its bad enough I've got Anna mooning around but the you two as well its becoming sickening to work here. I'll leave if this doesn't stop" Thomas interrupted them

"Ah Thomas are we making you feel lonely?" Asked Elsie as she distangled herself from Charles and wrapped the younger man in a hug making him mildly uncomfortable

"Not at all Mrs Hughes, I'd just rather not work in a place where people is fornicating all over the place" Thomas said, squirming

"Who's Anna fornicating with?" Elsie asked

"We were not fornicating!" Charles said at the same time. Thomas looked mildly amused

"What ever you say Mr Carson." He smirked "to answer your question Mrs Hughes our Anna has been out to dinner with Mr Bates."

"She's what?" Blurted Charles

"Calm down!" Elsie told him, rolling her eyes "Anna can date who ever she chooses. Now Thomas is right, Isobel will be wondering where I am."

"See you later" he called after her while Thomas waved

EHCC

"Izzy?" Elsie called as she walked into her home and was greeted with silence

"Isobel?" She called again, cocking her head to listen. There was a thump upstairs followed by a few scuffles and a few minutes later Isobel appeared on top of the stairs

"Elsie! I didn't hear you arrive." She said as she came down the stairs

"Yes because I make a habit of sneaking into my own house." Elsie muttered sarcastically

"Where's Richard?"

"Upstairs. He's taking a nap" Isobel said

'I bet he is' thought Elsie as she turned to hide her smirk

"I see. Well Charles is coming for dinner so I best get started. Want to help?"

"Please." Chirped Isobel in an unusually bright tone. Elsie glanced up and down Isobel and smirked

"Good. By the way, your buttons are squiffy" she said and turned to go into the kitchen, leaving Isobel frantically doing up her blouse and hurrying after her

"So why is Charles coming?" Isobel asked as she and Elsie began chopping things

"To celebrate." Elsie replied absentmindedly. Isobel slammed her knife down onto the table making Elsie jump and slice her finger

"Ow! Isobel!" She scowled as she got up to run her finger under the tap.

"Elizabeth Hughes is there something you're not telling me?" Demanded Isobel grabbing Elsie's hand and peering at her fingers

"Huh?" Said Elsie looking at her friend in question "Oh! God no!" She exclaimed snatching her hand back. Isobel arched an eyebrow in response

"Izzy we've been dating for just shy off two weeks. There's no way we're engaged! Even for you that's moving a little too fast."

Isobel sighed and picked up her knife again

"I suppose so. Although you have been in love for donkeys years so it wouldn't be too surprising."

"Even so. Much too fast. Now, pass us another apple." Said Elsie in her no nonsense tone "and do not throw it!" She added after catching Isobel's eye

EHCC

A vision of beauty opened the door for him. She was wearing a long black skirt and a silky shirt that draped around her neckline, dipping to show just enough cleavage. She had silver hoop earrings on as well as a touch of makeup and to top it all off she had a black sandal pair of heels on.

"You look amazing." He said softly as he drank her in

"Thanks" she blushed "Izzy decided to dress me up when she heard you were coming...poor Richard didn't know what hit him when she slammed my bedroom door in his face"

Charles laughed and handed her a bunch of flowers

"For you milady" he bowed

"Thank you sir" she curtsied before he drew her into his arms and kissed her, making her forget everything except the feel of his arms around her.

"Mmmmm would Isobel notice if you never returned to the sitting room?" He murmured as he rested his forehead against hers

"Elsie?" Isobel called "do stop monopolizing Charles by the door and let him come out of the cold!"

"I guess there's your answer" Elsie sighed, not moving an inch away from him

"Did I ever tell you your friends have rotten timing?" He asked

"Do they?" She replied coyly

"Admit it. You were thinking about not returning to the sitting room" he teased

"Elsie!" Isobel called again

"See?"

"I'm afraid she's getting back at me for earlier this afternoon" Elsie explained stepping away from him and taking his hand

"Oh?"

"I'll explain later, come on we best go in before she comes looking for us" Elsie said walking away and tugging him behind her.

"Charles how wonderful to see you again!" Isobel exclaimed when he followed Elsie into the room

"...and you Isobel" he replied and bent to kiss her on the cheek, earning him a raised eyebrow from Elsie

"Richard" he greeted shaking hands with the man

"Charles. Thank god you've arrived! I was afraid my wife was going to do something drastic to poor Els" he teased his wife who rolled her eyes

"Nothing drastic was needed Isobel, Elsie always looks perfect" Charles said never taking his eyes off her. Elsie smiled and blushed prettily

'I'm going to have to work on this going red thing' she thought 'especially with Izzy around'

"Richard, do you get the impression that we're intruding on something here?" Isobel asked with a grin. Elsie glared at her and said in an icy tone

"I'm going to put these in a vase and check on dinner. Isobel are you coming?" Before turning and marching out with a highly amused Isobel in tow. He could hear them grumbling back and forth at one another in the kitchen

"Anyone would think that they're worst enemies rather than best friends the way those two go on at one another." Commented Richard with a smile

"How long have you known Elsie?" Asked Charles

"All through her adult life, though not very well for most of it. We'd see each other at Izzy and Reggie's place every now and then. They used to put us next to one another at dinner seeing as we're both Scottish and were both single. I only really got to know her after Reggie died and Izzy and I started dating. She warned me what she would do to me if I ever broke Izzy's heart...that was the first time I ever feared for my life."

"I can imagine" chuckled Charles

"Can I get you a drink?" Asked Richard, noticing that Charles didn't have one

"Please, nothing too strong though" Charles said as Richard nodded and left the room

Just then her phone began to ring. Charles cocked his head to hear whether she would answer it from the kitchen but the grumbling continued. He shrugged and went to answer it

"Hello?...no I'm afraid she's busy, can I take a message? What! Are you sure? Yes, yes I'll tell her. Thank you."

Charles sighed and rubbed a hand over his face.

How the hell was he going to tell Elsie about this?

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