A/N: Dearest readers... If you are still with me, I thank you from the bottom of my heart. I know it has been eons since I've updated this story, and for that I am very sorry! At first, I wrote it off to making certain acquaintances. (It is much harder to write about characters you love so deeply after having spent some time with the wonderful people who play them. I won't even go into the feels...) A larger truth is that I have been struggling with confidence in my writing. I decided that this story, along with most of my writing was just not up to snuff, so to speak. I became deeply discouraged and though it killed me, could not bring myself to continue. Just when I was about to throw in the towel completely, I received some amazing Private Messages that urged me to continue. I guess this story does have an audience! I cannot thank you enough for giving me the courage to revisit my beloved downstairs family. Now, without further ado...

Chapter 36

Elsie closed the door, taking care to muffle the click as best she could. Charles was just as she had left him, eyes closed, breathing deeply. Elsie removed her dressing gown, hanging it on the hook on the back of the door and silently crossed the room. Lifting the quilt, she gingerly slid under the covers, ever so carefully maneuvering herself back until she could just barely feel the warmth radiating from Charles's chest but not as far as to jar him out of sleep.

"How's our girl?"

Elsie's head snapped back in surprise, striking the bridge of Charles's nose with blunt force. "Ow," Charles barked out reflexively, bringing his hand up to rub the spot. "Shhh," Elsie hissed spinning around and clasping a hand over his mouth. "Every female on this hall was just outside this door not moments ago! We'd need all the luck of ladybirds to see them sleeping just yet."

Elsie observed the tears welling in his eyes, undoubtedly due to the positioning of the blow, and couldn't keep a quiet laugh from bubbling out. "I'm sorry my dear," she said as she kissed his cheeks, "but you scared the living daylights out of me!" She landed a light smack on his shoulder. "Let's assess the damage," she whispered as she ran her fingertips gently across the bridge of his nose and along his cheekbones. "I know I can be a bit hard-headed at times, but thankfully I have not appeared to do much lasting damage this time," she laughed as she took his face in her hands and let her lips brush over the tip of his nose.

"It's a blessed thing that I'm mad for you, lass," he answered, giving her hip a teasing smack. "We're both going to be a bit mad come morning if we don't get to sleep," she replied, turning back over to settle her back against his chest but reaching back for his hand. He threaded his arm under hers, tucking his hand around her waist. "I quite agree, but you failed to answer my question," he whispered against her ear.

"And what question was that?"

"Anna. Is she quite alright?"

Elsie felt herself starting to slip away into sleep. "Not Anna," she mumbled.

Charles propped himself up on one elbow, pressing on Elsie's shoulder to guide her onto her back. "What do you mean, 'not Anna'?"

Elsie rolled back onto her side, intent on getting what little sleep she could. "Daisy."

Charles shook his head and rolled his eyes. "That girl will be the death of us, Elsie. Mark my words."

"Right now, lack of sleep will be the death of us Charles," she said running her hand over his. "Lie back down, close your eyes," she ordered drowsily.

"But what could have had her so worked up," he wondered out loud.

Elsie let out a heavy sigh. Obviously sleep was far off from Charles's current web of musings. She turned over towards him, pressing him down onto his back and bringing an arm to rest across his chest. "What do you think, Charles," she said with an incredulous stare.

"Hell if I know," he grumbled. "Burnt a tart? Put more soap in the stew? Spilled the beans?"

"Funny you should mention…" Elsie stopped the thought before it started him off on another tangent.

"What do you mean by that," he asked.

"Never you mind," she backtracked. "You cannot think of one thing that might be haunting that poor girl?"

"Other than some excerpt from a penny dreadful? No, I cannot."

"Oh honestly Charles," she said as she propped herself up onto his chest so that she could look him in the eye. "William?"

"What," he asked, confounded. "Why would that be?"

"The boy died Charles. You of all people should understand that," she said, becoming angered at the thought of him forgetting the pain they saw each other through after the lad had passed.

"I understand that Elsie, but why would that be troubling her now? It's been months. Besides, it is not as if she loved the boy."

Elsie shook her head and pursed her lips. "William was the closest thing that girl had to a friend in this house," she explained. "Of course she loved him. Maybe not in the ways of the heart, but it was love all the same, even if she doesn't realise it to be such." Elsie brought her head back down to rest on Charles's chest. "Besides, it is not an easy thing to be the object of someone's affections who you simply do not feel the same for."

Charles's bleary eyes shot open. "What are you trying to say Elsie?" He was becoming a bit too loud for anyone's good.

"Calm down," she laughed as she brought her hand up to his cheek, brushing a thumb across his lips. "I was speaking of Joe."

"Oh. Him," Charles huffed.

"Yes. HIM," Elsie said patting his cheek. "That man proposed marriage to me on not one, but two separate occasions, and I found myself having to turn him down on both. Breaking a heart is not something to take lightly, Mr. Carson."

"No. I don't suppose it is," he replied. "Not that I would know."

"You should," she said. "You've broken mine several times now," she went on. Noticing the pained look upon his face, she continued. "As I have yours, I am sure." She tucked her head into the crook of his neck but not before dropping a kiss onto the pulse. "You cannot have love without experiencing a bit of heartbreak. What counts is how you come out the other side." She moved against him in an effort to get impossibly closer. "As long as we always emerge here, I will be content to the end of my days."

Charles gently kissed the top of her head. "As will I." He brought his cheek to rest upon her hair. "I do love you Elsie Carson."

"And I love you… though you won't be able to tell as much come morning if you won't allow me to nod off and soon," she said pressing her hands to his cheeks with threatening eyes but a bright smile. She brought her lips down upon his, bidding him a proper goodnight before settling back into his embrace. As her breathing began to even out, she heard faintly in the muddled distance:

"But what was that about Daisy spilling the beans?"