A/N: Here is Elsie's POV. I am so excited by these pictures. How am I going to be able to wait until Christmas?! Oh, yes. All the wonderful, wonderful Chelsie fics out there will help me get by. This is a GREAT time to be a CarsonxHughes shipper. Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays to all!

Chapter 25

She paced around her flat, nervously awaiting Beryl. Why had she done it? She drew her arms up around her shoulders, hugged herself for warmth. She'd asked herself that a hundred times in the weeks since her breakup with Charles. Why? Why had she risked what was most dear to her? Because you didn't know what was most dear to you, she thought acidly, until it was gone. It was cliché, beyond cliché, but that didn't make it any less true. She hadn't truly appreciated Charles. She thought she knew his worth, but she hadn't. What you really thought, Elsie, my girl, is that he was so besotted by you that he would just roll over and let you do whatever you wanted and damn the consequences. You hadn't expected to hear no. No, that wasn't quite true. She hadn't expected him to mean it.

She kept thinking back to that night, working and re-working her conversation with Charles relentlessly, as if that could turn back the hands of the clock, prevent her from making the most foolish mistake she'd ever made. And all for what?

She entered the huge ballroom, anxiously turning her head this way and that, scanning the room for any sign of him. She spotted him near the bar, chatting up a very lovely, very young woman; he turned, sure in the knowledge that he was being watched, and his eyes flickered in recognition when they met Elsie's. He seamlessly, graciously, made his excuses to the young woman, and made his way through the crowd to Elsie's side. Flatterer.

"I'm surprised to see you here," he began smoothly.

Elsie brushed imaginary lint from her pantsuit. "Yes, I expect you would be."

"And what brings you to this particular conference? I assume your friend is accompanying you?"

"No, he isn't," she said shortly.

"Well, well," replied Richard silkily. "That is news."

"It's no concern of yours."

"Isn't it? That is why you're here, isn't it?"

Elsie snorted derisively. "I'm here to work, Richard. Not everything is about you." Not exactly everything, she thought ruefully. He was too damned smug by far. She took a deep, shuddering breath.

"How about a drink, eh?"

Elsie smiled, in spite of herself. "I could do with a drink."

He smiled and offered his arm. "Shall we?"

And that's how it started. They'd shared a few drinks, reminisced, and then, predictably (to all but her, stupid cow), he made a pass at her. She was stunned at first, too stunned for words, but when he leaned in to kiss her, she instinctively slapped his face. "That isn't what I came here for!" Her voice carried louder than she expected, and several patrons of the hotel bar looked around at them.

"Whyever did you do that, lass?"

"I'm not here for any funny business."

"Funny business?" Richard scoffed, then leaned in conspiratorially. "That's not what we used to call it, lass."

Elsie drew herself up tall. "Richard, I'm here because…because," and she faltered. She couldn't say anymore why she was here. "I've made a mistake. I've got to go." She got to her feet and turned to go, but he grabbed her arm before she could walk away.

"Now wait just a minute, lass."

Elsie jerked her hand free. "No, you wait. This was a mistake. I was wrong to come here. Wrong to talk to you. I've ruined everything."

"What are you talking about?"

"I'm talking about…oh, never mind."

"You're talking about your friend. What was his name? Helen couldn't remember."

"You disgust me."

She'd turned and left then, barely making it to her room before she broke down in tears. She tried to reach Charles, but he never picked up.

Oh gods, she thought again, how could I have been so stupid! It would be hours, maybe, before Beryl came by. She could only hope it would be with good news.

*CE*

"Did he say he'd come, B?" Elsie looked up at her, fear and hope playing across her lovely, tear-stained face. Between that and the plaintive, wistful tone of her voice, Beryl could hardly bear to break her heart again, but she had nothing to offer but the truth.

"No."

"I see."

"Now then, lass," and Beryl began to bustle about in forced cheeriness. "You'll never guess what I've brought you."

"Oh?" She looked up at Beryl and attempted a smile, though it didn't reach her eyes.

"A treat." She unveiled a flawless Victoria Sponge. "Whaddya think of that?"

"It looks wonderful, B. A real treat." And then she burst into tears.

"Oh, love," said Beryl sadly, set the cake down in the first convenient spot and grabbed Elsie up in a bear hug. "There, there, my love," she soothed, rocking Elsie as she had William when he was very small. "There, there, my dear. You just have a good cry. Let it all out."

"But I've been crying, B. I've done nothing but cry these past few weeks."

"Aye, and there'll be more tears to shed, I'll wager," Beryl said briskly. "But for now, just cry these tears out." She rubbed Elsie's back in silence for a few moments. "Didja really think he'd come, love?"

Elsie nodded against Beryl's shoulder. "I did," she hiccupped. "I really did, B. I thought if anyone could persuade him, Bill could."

"I think, my dear, he's waiting for you to persuade him."

Elsie rared back. "But I 've tried, B! You know I've tried! I've left dozens of messages for him, sent loads of texts. He hasn't returned any of them. He won't come to the café anymore."

"Why don't you go to see him?"

"Oh, no." She shook her head. "Oh, no, I couldn't. Not until I knew whether he'd even talk to me."

"But if you go to see him, he'll have to talk to you."

"No, he wouldn't. I couldn't bear to have him reject me in public like that."

"What's public about his flat?"

"What if he didn't let me in? Then I'd be standing on the doorstep for the world to see."

"I think that's a small price to pay."

"Beryl!"
"Well, it is!" replied Beryl hotly. "The man loves you, and you go and re-hash all that mess with Richard right in his face!" Elsie let out a little sob. Gods damnit, Beryl! You weren't going to go and say that. You weren't going to say any of that! "I'm sorry, love. I truly am."

"But you know why I did it, B, don't you? I tried to explain it to Charles, but he wouldn't listen. He just forbade me to go. You can see why I had to go, can't you?"

Beryl sighed. "Honestly, Els, I can't. I can't see why you had to go and ruin such a lovely thing for yourself and for Charles! I just don't understand it and I never will. So you went to see Richard. So you never intended to hurt anyone, least of all Charles. But can't you see? Can't you see why he's so badly hurt? Can't you see why wants nowt to do with you now?"

"But I've got to make him see," said Elsie wildly.

"Well texting and answering messages won't do it, lass. It'll need to be something big. You'll have to go hat in hand, my girl. Something you've never enjoyed doing under the best of circumstances."

Elsie was silent and Beryl forced herself to give Elsie time to think.

"Beryl," she said after several long moments, "will you fix me up an apple tart? I can pick it up tomorrow

Beryl was well and truly shocked. It wasn't like Elsie to be thinking of treats, especially at a time like this, and especially not an apple tart, not when she had a delectable Victoria Sponge, her favorite, right under her nose. "An apple tart? Why on earth would you need an apple tart?"

"That's for me to know. Will you do it for me?"

"You know I will," she said, exasperated. "And what time does my lady wish to pick it up."

"Around 8 if you can manage it."

If you can manage it. The cheek. "Aye, I can. Will you not tell me what this is about?"

Elsie smiled, a real one this time, and shook her head. "You'll find out soon enough, B."