Chapter 25
Elsie continued to stare dumbfounded at Charles and Janet. Robert gently rested his hand on her back to give her some support. No one had yet spoken. After what felt like an eternity, Charles finally jumped out of bed, in just his vest and undershorts and started to speak,
"Elsie … please … please … you must believe me … I have not done anything at all … I know what it must look like … but I promise you …. I was lying here waiting for you … I got undressed and enjoyed the whisky as your note suggested … I was waiting for you …. I must have fell asleep … the next thing I knew … I mean …. I literally woke up 5 seconds before you came through the door … and Janet …. she was in bed with me … I jumped away from her in shock …. and then you came into the room … and well ... Elsie please … I would never be unfaithful to you … Elsie ... I love you too much …"
Charles had spoken at rapid speed, trying to get every bit of his explanation out in one go, totally panicked that Elsie may just turn around, walk out of the room, and never come back. He was dazed, shocked and terrified. The last thing he remembered was enjoying the whisky, then the next thing he knew he heard Janet's voice,
"What note Charles?" Elsie said.
Of all of the things he thought she might say, that was not it. However, he wasn't about to argue. He actually thought she might have clobbered him around the head by now; he would not have blamed her if she did.
"The note you left for me … explaining you were going to be late …" Charles said, as he scrambled to the reach the note. It was still resting on the bedside table and he gave it to Elsie.
She read it and shook her head, looking at Janet with a look of complete disgust.
"I didn't write this note Charles … but I think we know who did …" Elsie said, wondering if it would be acceptable to hit the evil minx in front of Charles and Robert.
"… the same person who locked me in the cellar …" Elsie continued.
"What?" Charles said, utter dismay and hurt in his voice.
"She tricked me into going down to the cellar … she said you had asked to meet me there … and I stupidly fell for it … it seems this little harlot has had a busy evening …" Elsie said, growing more and more enraged.
Charles could not take it all in but he had to convince Elsie that he loved her and that he would never, ever be disloyal or hurt her in any way … not intentionally at least. He felt so angry with himself for falling into Janet's trap.
"Elsie … please … forget about her … she means nothing … nothing … I just need you to know …. I need you to believe me … Elsie I love you with all of my heart … and tonight I was waiting in that bed for the most beautiful girl in the world … a girl who has made me happier than I knew possible by agreeing to be my wife … I fell asleep and … when I woke up … she was there … nothing happened … and nothing would have happened … even if you had not arrived … I love you Elsie … nothing happened … please believe me Elsie …" Charles pleaded.
He feared losing the most precious thing in his life. He did not care how much he had to plead, to beg. The thought of losing Elsie paralysed him. He was stood in front of Lord Grantham and he really did not care, and he certainly did not care about that harridan in the bed. The only woman in the world who mattered was standing in front of him.
"I do believe you Charles … of course I believe you …" Elsie said sincerely.
She had been in shock; finding her fiancé in bed with Janet had certainly knocked the wind out of her. She would rather not have found Charles undressed and in bed with Janet, in just her shift. However, she could see exactly what Janet was up to and she would be damned if she would let Janet ruin her happiness with Charles.
Sheer relief overtook Charles and tears ran down his cheeks as he hugged Elsie to him, kissing her hair over and over and enfolding her tightly in his arms.
"Thank you Elsie … thank you … I love you so much," Charles whimpered, as he moved one hand to her face and held it gently, caressing her cheek and bringing his lips to hers in the most dedicated kiss. She smiled warmly at him; what they had was unbreakable, she thought, this little minx was no match for their love. All the while, Janet sat sulkily in the bed. No shame at all but perturbed that her plan seemed to be unravelling. Robert stood politely at the side of the room.
"Oh god … she must have written the other note too …" Charles said. Of course she had written it, he thought, how had he not realised immediately, it seemed so obvious now. He stared at her, absolute disgust on his face.
"What other note?" Elsie asked. Charles remained holding Elsie around the waist, not wanting to let go. If either of them had stopped to think, they would have laughed at the sight they made; Charles standing in his underwear holding Elsie snugly in front of Lord Grantham!
"This morning … when you were out walking with Lord Grantham …" Charles began, giving a friendly smile to Robert.
"… I found a note …it said …" Charles suddenly stopped, realising he was very embarrassed to explain what the note said, particularly in the present company.
"What did it say?" Elsie asked, hysteria in her voice.
Charles reluctantly let go of Elsie and reached for his jacket, the only item of his clothes still resting on the chair. Janet must have flung the rest on the floor. He pulled the note from his pocket and handed it to Elsie. She read it, her mouth dropping open in horror.
"Charles … you didn't believe this … please tell me you didn't …" Elsie could not even finish the sentence, she was so shocked.
"Elsie … no I did not … I knew it was a lie … I knew Lord Grantham had not written the note … I just did not know who was behind such a cruel act … I wanted to find out without you ever knowing … I didn't want to upset you …" Charles explained.
Elsie smiled at him. She was astonished.
"Are you sure Charles? You know that I would never … Robert would never …" Elsie trailed off, lost for words.
"Elsie I know … I trust you … just as you trust me … " Charles said happily, not being able to help himself giving a little laugh. Elsie smiled too, this was all too much.
Robert was reluctant to interrupt but he had to know.
"Dare I ask what that note said?" Robert asked, as Elsie and Charles turned to face him.
"Lies … horrid lies Robert …" Elsie said, as she handed him the note.
Robert began to read it out loud, "Elsie, my dearest love, I cannot stop thinking about yesterday, I long to hold you in my arms again … oh my goodness … Mr Carson we would never … we are great friends … we would never …" Robert said flabbergasted, staring in repulsion at Janet.
Charles and Elsie turned to face Janet too. All three looked at her with loathing but it was Elsie, who spoke,
"You really are an evil, bitter little trollop!" Elsie said, total revulsion lacing her words.
Charles and Robert looked at each other, raising their eyebrows in understanding; they knew that Elsie's Scottish fire was about to be released. They both gulped but did not dare try to stop her; venting at Janet was the least she deserved after what she had had to endure this evening.
"You are a conniving, devious little madam Janet Milton… to plan such a deceitful scheme … to try to cause such turmoil… to attempt to ruin our happiness … all because you did not get your own way for once in your life … you don't care about Charles … you never did … but you could not bear to see Charles and I happy … how could you do that? How could anyone have such venom?" Elsie asked, barely able to contain her anger towards this woman.
Janet brazenly got out of the bed and walked across to Elsie. The two women stood only a few feet apart.
"Oh Mrs Hughes … calm down … anyone would think you were jealous … " Janet smirked, standing confidently in just her shift.
There was not a hint of shame from Janet; Elsie wanted to throttle her. Elsie lunged forward as Janet cowered, only to be grasped and held back by both men, one at each side. As Charles and Robert's breathing quickened, they held tight to the housekeeper, it was virtually taking both of their strength to hold her back!
"She's not worth it Elsie … she is absolutely not worth it," Charles gasped.
Elsie who had been so tense, allowed her body to relax. She smiled softly at Charles and then at Robert, with both men finally daring to let go of their grip on her arms. Charles was right. As good as it would feel to slap that woman across the face, such actions were beneath Elsie.
"Just get out of my sight!" Elsie shouted.
Janet, without a hint of remorse, twirled and headed for the door.
"Oh … Miss Milton … in case there is any doubt … you are dismissed with immediate effect … please pack your belongings at once … I'll have Barnes bring the car round … he can take you to the nearest hostel …" Robert said.
For the first time that evening, Janet looked distressed, as well as staggered.
"You are sacking me … and you want me to leave now?" she asked incredulously.
"And what on earth did you expect? You have caused two of the dearest people in the world to me to go to hell and back today … and for what… because you were jealous … and wanted to get your vengeance in some way … you are a despicable woman Miss Milton … please never darken the doors of Downton ever again ..." Robert finished.
Elsie and Charles stood speechless; so touched by Robert's loyalty to them both.
Janet burst into tears and ran out of the room.
The three stood in the Blue Room; quite gobsmacked by the events that had taken place.
"Well, it's been quite an evening …" Robert said smiling.
Charles and Elsie both laughed, at that most understated description of the events that had just unfolded.
"Indeed … and I certainly have a little fiery one right here!" Charles joked proudly, sliding his arm around Elsie's waist and pulling her warmly into his side. His kissed her temple and sighed happily.
Elsie looked up at Charles and with a cheeky smile said,
"Charles … do you think you should perhaps put some clothes on?"
Charles looked down at himself in alarm and then looked towards Lord Grantham; in all of the chaos he had never once thought how improperly he was dressed in front of His Lordship. As they looked at his flummoxed expression, Elsie and Robert burst out laughing. Charles, relief and joy flooding over him, began to laugh heartily too.