Chapter 25
"Won't you even give me a hint?" Mr Carson asked cheekily, as they walked arm in arm to the Village.
"No I will not … and don't be trying to wheedle it out of Mrs Patmore or Anna either. A bride's outfit must remain secret until her wedding day," she replied happily.
He pretended to look annoyed but the warm smile on his lips betrayed him. He was thrilled that Mrs Hughes was taking such enjoyment from her wedding outfit; he was so glad he had persuaded her to allow him to buy this small gift.
"I cannot wait to see you on our wedding day … you will look beautiful Elsie," he said sincerely.
Mrs Hughes shook her head and blushed as she walked beside him.
"I am too old to look beautiful Charles …" she said truthfully, feeling embarrassed to be described in such a way. He had said previously that she would look lovely whatever she wore for their wedding but to be described as beautiful was altogether too much.
He stopped walking and gazed at his fiancée with a look of disbelief; surely she does not believe that? He knew he was not very good with compliments, over the years he had focused on flattering her work rather than personal praise. However, he was in no doubt at all about how pretty his wife-to-be was. He watched as she looked down at her toes.
"Elsie … you will look beautiful … you are beautiful," he said meaningfully.
She shook her head again, still not daring to look him in the eyes.
"Elsie …" he added softly, moving his fingers to gently touch her chin and then raising her face to look at him.
The doubt was clear in her eyes as she smiled gently at him. He caressed the side of her face reverently with his thumb.
"Beautiful," he smiled with certainty, giving her a tender wink.
She could not help but laugh lightly at that.
"Thank you … my handsome Butler," she returned, as he chuckled too.
They both linked arms again and continued their walk to the Village.
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"Good afternoon Mrs Hughes, Mr Carson … it is not often we see you in the Village together," Mr Gerald smiled, as they entered the Post Office.
"The Family are in York today and so we thought we would take advantage," Mrs Hughes replied merrily.
Mr Carson stood mutely; Mr Gerald had never been his favourite person and he felt it was none of his business whether they were together in the Village or not. The Butler often found Mr Gerald too familiar. Mrs Hughes could sense her fiancé's unease and so she continued her friendly chatter to smooth things over.
"Yes, it is not often that Mr Carson and I get to enjoy afternoon tea together," she said, smiling up at the Butler, hoping to soften his edges a little.
He could not help but return her smile.
"Mr Carson is a very lucky man Mrs Hughes … even luckier to be gaining such a special lady as his wife," the Post Office Manager flattered, never taking his eyes from the Housekeeper.
Mr Carson looked back towards the man behind the counter and glared at him; he fleetingly wondered if a punch to the nose might shut him up.
"Uh-hum thank you … well then … may I have a book of stamps Mr Gerald?" she asked, hoping to ease the dark clouds that were gathering in the small establishment.
"A lovely lady like you may have anything she pleases Mrs Hughes …" he grinned flirtatiously, licking his lips.
"Excuse me! I will not have …" Mr Carson shouted but was stopped when Mrs Hughes grasped his arm.
She looked at him with a warning gaze. Please do not cause a scene Charles, he is not worth it. Besides, he is full of bluster but he is harmless really. She watched as the Butler bristled; he was not happy at being stopped midway through giving this man a piece of his mind.
"The stamps please Mr Gerald," she added, still holding Mr Carson's arm and her voice a little higher than usual.
Mrs Hughes could see that her Butler was about to explode. The Post Office Manager handed her the stamps and took her money. She thanked him.
"My pleasure Mrs Hughes," he swarmed, directing a smug smile at Mr Carson.
"Good day Mr Gerald," she added politely.
"Good day Mrs Hughes. It was delightful to see you as always," he chirped.
She inhaled sharply and had to virtually drag Mr Carson out of the Post Office.
######
"Does he always flirt with you like that?" Mr Carson gasped, as she pushed him out of the door of the Post Office.
He realised he had never visited the Post Office with Mrs Hughes before.
"Charles, calm down for heaven's sake … he wasn't flirting. He is simply a little fawning at times," she said, standing closely to the Butler and whispering to him, so as not to draw any more attention to them.
A Butler hopping up and down in the middle of the road is quite enough to draw the curiosity of most Villagers, she thought wryly.
"A little fawning … the man was downright improper! How long has this been going on?" he bellowed.
"Charles! Going on? There is, and never has been, anything going on!" she returned, her own fury starting to build.
"Well for some reason he thinks it is acceptable to say such things to you. I am sure he doesn't talk to Mrs Patmore like that!" he triumphed.
He knew he was reacting badly, he even knew that he was making things worse. However, he could not seem to stop himself; the man had incensed him.
"Right, that is it! You need to stop talking and not say another word … not another word Charles Carson," she seethed.
If he did not know it already, the use of his full name told him that Mrs Hughes was annoyed. In fact, she was livid with him. He gulped, knowing he had spoken unacceptably. His lovely fiancée had done nothing wrong, she had done nothing wrong at all, and yet he had accused her of encouraging Mr Gerald in his flirtations.
"I am going to return to the House now and don't you even think about following me!" she fumed, her voice all the more menacing as she spoke in a controlled whisper.
Before he could utter another word, she stormed off towards the path to Downton.
"Els … Mrs Hughes!" he shouted, panic sweeping through his body as he gave chase.
He had not reckoned on her speed as he tried and failed to catch up with her before she left the Village Green. She turned the corner out of the Village as he continued in pursuit.
"Is everything alright Carson?" a haughty voice resonated from behind him.
He turned swiftly to see the Dowager stepping out of her car to visit Mrs Crawley.
"Yes … yes … everything is fine Milady … absolutely fine," he said, as calmly as possible.
He did not want the Dowager to know that he and Mrs Hughes had fallen out. He tried to remain composed, despite his thoughts drifting to how far away the Housekeeper would now be from the Village, not to mention how angry she would be with him.
"I am glad. My eyes must be deceiving me. I was sure I just saw Mrs Hughes hurtling away from the Village and you running after her," she said, only the hint of a smirk on her face.
Mr Carson gulped and gazed at the Dowager in defeat.
"In the doghouse are we Carson?" she chuckled.
A/N: Thank you so much for all of your support- a review would be lovely to let me know what you think x