Chapter 35

"Elsie … I wondered if I would see you here …" Joe smiled. He could not take his eyes from his former love.

"It is lovely to see you Joe … it really is …" Elsie replied genuinely.

"You look wonderful ..." Joe flattered.

Elsie really did not know what to do. She was totally shocked to see Joe. They had not kept in touch since his last visit to Downton; Elsie had understood why he would not want to continue to correspond with her, she had turned down his proposal of marriage twice after all. She knew that she needed to tell Joe that she was married now; however she could not think of a way of doing that without hurting him. Elsie Carson, do not be so big-headed, she chided herself; Joe has probably long since forgotten about you and will not mind one bit that you are married to another man. However, even as she told herself this, she knew it not to be true; she could see by the way he looked at her that he still had at least some feelings for her. Only two men in her life had ever looked at her in that way: Joe and Charles. Charles! Elsie thought with a panic, what must he think?

Charles watched his wife as she stared at Joe Burns. Joe Burns! Two words that were sure to make his heart ache. He remembered all those years ago when Elsie had confided to him in her sitting room, describing her former suitor coming back to Downton to propose again. He had never felt more anxious as he sat, waiting to find out if she had accepted his marriage proposal. He remembered making some pitiful joke about Elsie wondering what she had ever seen in the man, however Elsie, kind as always, had told Charles that Joe was still a nice man. When she told him that she had turned Joe down; Charles had never felt such relief. He had thought he might lose her; lose her before he had told her how much he loved her. Thankfully this had not happened, and now he was blessed to be married to Elsie, but he still had a sinking feeling in the pit of his stomach now that this man had reappeared.

Anna and Mr Bates, had taken a step backwards, they felt they were intruding; although at this point they were not quite sure exactly what was happening. Finally, Elsie realised that she needed to say something,

"There is someone I would like to introduce you to Joe … this is Charles Carson … my husband …" she said, as softly as possible. She would never want to hurt this man; he had only ever shown her kindness.

Joe stumbled for a second. He looked to Charles and then back to Elsie. He then forced a smile.

"Mr Carson ... it is very good to meet you ..." he said.

"Mr Burns … it is good to meet you too ..." Charles replied politely, stepping forward to shake his hand.

There was an awkward silence but then a very loud cough broke the tension.

"Oh I am sorry … where are my manners … Mr and Mrs Carson … this is Jennifer Brown … my fiancée …" he stuttered.

An attractive woman with grey hair stepped forward. Elsie was shocked by this new development. She attempted to hide her surprise but Charles had already noticed the change in her demeanour. It made him feel nervous; why on earth would Elsie be bothered that Joe had a fiancée?

"Mrs Brown … it is lovely to meet you …" Charles said.

"Yes … Mrs Brown … I am delighted to meet you …" Elsie added.

"Oh the pleasure is all mine … and how, may I ask, do you know Mr Burns?" she asked. There was an edge to her voice, almost a sarcastic tone. She had said it was a pleasure to meet them whilst making it sound like the least pleasurable thing imaginable. Her eyes locked with Elsie's.

"Umm … well Joe … apologies … Mr Burns … and I are old friends … we knew each other when we were young …" Elsie answered, trying to smooth things over.

She could not believe that Joe had never mentioned her to this woman; although she realised that he probably wanted to forget her after the hurt she had caused him. Elsie hoped that Jennifer Brown would believe her; although the others all knew that Elsie and Joe had been more than friends. Anna and Mr Bates had now left the foursome alone; this situation was tense enough without more prying eyes.

"Old friends?" Jennifer asked, suspiciously.

"Yes … old friends … so … Mr and Mrs Carson … are you enjoying the fair?" Joe asked, trying to change the subject.

"Yes … yes … very much so …" Elsie answered, happy to divert the conversation also.

"It is frightfully dull if you ask me ..." Jennifer added. There was a sharpness to the woman that seemed to be particularly directed towards Elsie.

Elsie thought it best to ignore this harshness and focus on Charles. She reached out to take his hand in hers and squeezed it reassuringly. He looked down at her and she gave him the most loving smile. She did not want to hurt Joe, he was a good man, but she also did not want to hurt Charles, whom she loved with all of her heart. Charles smiled at his wife although he still felt uneasy.

"Please forgive Jennifer ... a village fair is not really her thing ... I am glad you are having a lovely evening …" Joe added. Jennifer grumbled.

"Yes … although we haven't had as much success as you …" Charles said, as he pointed to the box of chocolates.

"Oh yes … I was always quite lucky on the hoopla …" Joe replied, glancing meaningfully at Elsie.

Elsie remembered fondly the little straw doll he had won for her on his last visit. She smiled at Joe and he returned her smile.

Charles also recalled the little doll Joe had won for Elsie. He had despised that doll. Every time he had seen it in Elsie's sitting room, it had brought back terrible memories of the time he had almost lost her. As Charles watched Elsie and Joe smile at each other, the jealousy that he had been attempting to keep hidden, rose to the surface.

"Yes … well I think I should have another go ... I am sure if Mr Burns can win something ... I certainly can too …" Charles said confidently, wanting to erase Elsie's memories of that blasted doll.

"Charles don't be silly … there is no need …" Elsie replied. The last thing she wanted was for Charles to try and prove something to Joe. That kind of macho game could only ever end in disaster.

"Yes I think I might have another go as well …" Joe added. He could see that Elsie's husband wanted to prove something, and he was not going to simply roll over and let him. He had been trying to be civil to the man, despite his dislike of any man who had won Elsie's heart, however if he wanted a fight, he was happy to oblige. Oh dear god, Elsie thought, how can two lovely men lose all sense of reason when it comes to a game of hoopla?

"Why on earth would you want to have another go Joe … you have already won the chocolates … I am tired of this little small-town fair anyway … let's just go ..." Jennifer said firmly. She was furious that her fiancée seemed determined to show-off in front of this other woman.

"Not just yet Jennifer … let me try and win something else for you first …" Joe added, never taking his eyes from Charles.

"I don't want you to win anything for me! I am bored of this twee fair … I want to go now …" Jennifer demanded. She could see that Joe and Elsie had been more than friends; and she did not like the way her fiancée looked at this woman at all.

"Well if you don't want the prize Jennifer … I can always give it to Elsie …" he said, directing this challenge at Charles.

"There will be no need for you to win anything for my wife Mr Burns … I am quite capable of winning her something myself ..." Charles said sternly.

"Charles please … why don't we go and have another cider … I really don't need you to win anything for me …" Elsie said, still tightly holding his hand. She was gazing at him, pleading with her eyes for him to let this go. However, the green-eyed monster had well and truly taken hold of her husband and there was no way he would let this lie. She felt her husband let go of her hand.

"Would you like to go first Mr Burns?" Charles asked, handing the money to the stall owner.

"Oh no Mr Carson … I insist you go first …" Joe chirped. The game was on.

Elsie sighed. She had an ominous feeling about this. She stepped back to allow the two men some space, shaking her head. How had this lovely evening gone so very wrong?

Charles threw the first hoop. No luck. Joe followed and only just missed another prize. They both took their second turns without any success. Charles threw his third hoop and almost won a small prize but the hoop fell just short. Joe picked up his third and final hoop. Elsie prayed that he would miss, she did not know what Charles would do if Joe won another prize. As ridiculous as it was, she knew that it would hurt Charles if he lost out to Joe. Joe threw the hoop in the air and sure enough, it fell cleanly over a bottle of wine. Elsie closed her eyes and sighed.

As she opened her eyes she saw Charles's shoulders stiffen. He looked dejected and angry. She reached out to hold his hand once again, smiling up at him.

"The best man won it seems Mr Carson?" Joe joked.

Charles glared at his rival, realising he could quite happily punch him.

"Congratulations Mr Burns …" Charles said flatly, trying to contain his growing anger.

"Thank you Mr Carson … Elsie ... this is for you ..." he said, offering her the bottle of wine.

She could feel Charles tense beside her. She gripped his hand even more tightly.

"No thank you Joe … I do not want the wine … give it to Mrs Brown …" Elsie replied.

"Are you sure Elsie? You used to enjoy a glass of red. In fact, I remember enjoying many happy evenings with you over a bottle of red?" Joe flirted.

Charles was trying desperately to contain his fury as he clenched Elsie's hand even more tightly.

"Please stop this Joe ... " Elsie said firmly.

Elsie was disappointed that Joe seemed to have taken pleasure in defeating her husband and that he was now attempting to wind Charles up about their past. Joe immediately felt terrible; he was jealous and he had wanted to outdo Charles at something, but this behaviour was not like him at all. He had let their little competition get the better of him and he had certainly never meant to upset Elsie.

"I do apologise Elsie ... and to you also Mr Carson ... I got carried away ... please forgive me ..." Joe said sincerely.

"No need to apologise Mr Burns ... I hope you enjoy your wine and your chocolates ... after all ... I think we both know that I won the prize you really wanted ..." Charles said smugly.

"Charles!" Elsie shouted. She could not believe what he had just said, particularly after Joe had apologised.

"He is deliberately trying to rile me Elsie ... and he is flirting with you right in front of me ... not to mention in front of his own fiancée!" Charles cried.

"Charles for goodness sake ... we are in public ... do you want the entire village to hear you?" Elsie whispered, stunned that her husband was reacting in this way.

"I don't much care who hears me Elsie ... but I am certainly not standing here listening to this man talking of your happy evenings together and him telling you how wonderful you look ... you are married to me not him!" Charles said, he knew he was digging a deeper hole for himself but he was so jealous he really could not seem to stop.

"Charles Carson ... will you control yourself ... for heaven's sake ... " Elsie replied. She was furious with her husband.

"Control myself! I am stood in front of the man who proposed to you twice and you expect me to listen to him flirting with you!" Charles said exasperated. Jennifer gasped.

"Well I am sure your wife is now wondering whether she chose the right man, given your behaviour this evening ..." Joe said, no longer holding back.

"How dare you!" Charles said, as he lunged forward grabbing hold of Joe. Joe was only too happy to respond as he tussled with Charles and both fell to the floor. As they both attempted to throw hapless punches at each other, neither being used to fighting, Elsie stood with her mouth wide-open as she watched her mild-mannered and gentile husband tumble over and over on the ground with her former suitor.

"Charles Carson stop this right now ... and you too Joe!" she eventually shouted, as she regained her senses.

Almost immediately the men stopped their scrap, both glad to stop really, as they both clambered off the ground, breathing heavily. Both were covered in dirt, with clothes all askew and their hair a mess. They both had some small grazes and cuts to their hands and face but other than that there was little sign of injury. As they both stood, trying to regulate their breathing, they both looked to Elsie who neither had ever seen look more furious.

Charles looked to his wife apologetically, rubbing the back of his neck as his breathing evened. He was trying not to imagine how upset she was with him.

"I am sorry Elsie ... I know you will be angry ..." Charles began but was interrupted by his enraged wife.

"Angry? Angry? That does not even begin to cover how I feel Charles Carson!"

A/N: Thank you for your continued support. Please do keep reviewing xxx