A/N: Oh my! Girl has won - so sit back and allow me to coo over cutesy clothes. Or maybe not…
Results: boy: 13 votes ; girl: 18 votes ; one of each: one vote ; undecided: 1 vote (33 one votes in all)
Naming the baby: I have compiled a list of all the name suggestions and simply picked out two that appealed to me most: a first and a middle name. If I've not chosen the name you suggested, that does not mean I don't love you anymore!
shortlist for girls' names: Poppy, Bonnie, Grace, Mairead and Elizabeth
shortlist for boys' names: Jonathan, Elliot, Darach, David and Leonard
There are only two choices today. I hope that makes voting easier for you. Please don't hesitate to let me know what you think!
previously on One Year:
It's Beryl, her cheeks flushed, her eyes sparkling. "Well, Mr Carson. I think your presence is very much wanted upstairs."
He gets up so fast, he knocks over his chair and he passes Beryl, hardly stopping to quickly squeeze her upper arm. He strides down the Servants' Hall, takes the stairs two steps at the time and runs down the hall to reach their new rooms where he knows Elsie will be.
He opens the door slowly, tentatively, peering into the softly lit. He sees the doctor tidying away his instruments, but he only pays attention to his wife, sitting up against the headboard of their new bed, a small bundle in her arms.
"Won't you come in?" she asks, looking both tired and elated. "And meet your daughter?"
Please suggest a name for baby girl Carson!
He leans against the doorframe and watches her, a cup of tea in hand. It's for her: Beryl tells him Elsie needs to drink a lot, that it's important especially now her milk's come in. He hadn't really given any of that any thought. He had simply enjoyed the fullness of her breasts, the heaviness as he touched them when they made love.
But he watches her now, their little girl latched on to her breast and Elsie looking at her baby tenderly, not knowing he is there. They are both tired - Bonnie wakes three times a night at least, but it's only been four days. They had seen in the new year with Beryl by their side, fussing over Elsie and Bonnie, handing them lovely little treats (all leftover or held back from the upstairs party) and offering them a drink (she had given Elsie a glass of deep dark stout and Elsie had laughed through her tiredness, had drunk it dutifully).
"How are my girls?" He asks then, softly, not wanting to startle them.
"We're fine." Elsie looks up and smiles at him. "She's just having her lunch and I'm enjoying the peace and quiet."
He puts the teacup on the night stand.
"You look beautiful." He says and kisses the top of her head. He tenderly runs the back of his fingers over her cheek. He knows it doesn't sound right, but he means it. There's a sparkle in Elsie's eyes and a warmth about her that wasn't as apparent before.
His life will now forever be split into three parts: his life before Elsie, his life before Bonnie and now his life with both his wife and newborn daughter.
She doesn't answer him, she is so focused on the baby and he sits down on the edge of the bed, close to them, as close as he dares. He doesn't want to hurt Elsie (she is in considerable pain, even if she doesn't admit it and he doesn't want to know the details - he is thankful Beryl comes up to help a few times a day) and he doesn't want to disturb Bonnie. Feeding isn't as easy as they (though he doesn't know who 'they' are) make it out to be.
1. There's a knock on the door and when he goes to open it, he finds Lady Grantham and the Dowager Countess. He is shocked to see them here, in this corridor that is the domain of the servants. He doesn't think either of the ladies has ever been up here.
"Is Mrs Carson up for a visit?" Lady Grantham asks, a pretty smile adorning her face.
He falters a bit. "I'll… I'll ask, Milady…" He doesn't like keeping them standing there on the threshold, but he has no choice. It's one thing for him to see his wife uncovered, but he doubts she'd like her employers to see her like this. He doesn't much like them to see his wife exposed either, feels the need to protect her, to let their rooms be a sanctuary where she can feed their baby in quiet comfort.
"Elsie?" He asks. "The ladies are here to see you, if you feel up to it." He announces and watches her as she frowns first and then lets her hand fly to her hair, checking it (it's been in its customary braid for the past few days and she is looking young and pretty, like a lass really, not a Housekeeper).
"She has fallen asleep… " Elsie indicates the baby. "Just… give me a moment to cover myself up."
He nods and returns to the ladies in the corridor.
"She'll be ready shortly." He says and is a bit startled with how easily he slips into his Butler persona. How it's like a coat he can slip on whenever needed.
And if he can slip it on, he obviously can slip it off. It is suddenly quite clear to him that being Butler is not longer his main priority.
Being a good father and husband is.
"Well, she won't need very long, will she? I cannot imagine what she can be doing in there." The Dowager says, her voice laced with impatience.
"Mama!" Lady Grantham gasps.
Charles can feel a blush creep up on his cheeks and is thankful when Elsie calls out to him and he shows the ladies into the bedroom.
Elsie is sitting up, the baby in her arms, but looking as dauntless as ever. Regal almost. As if she were granting an audience.
Lady Grantham is by Elsie's side in a flash, putting her hand on Elsie's shoulder for a moment.
"Congratulations, Mrs Carson."
"Thank you, Milady." Elsie smiles and pulls the blanket back a bit to reveal the baby's face.
Every time he sees Bonnie's face, Charles' heart stops a bit. She is so perfect - her pale rosy complexion, the long lashes that flutter against her cheek, the tiny little nose, the plump lips.
The Dowager Countess remains by the foot of the bed, hardly giving the baby a glance.
"What have you named her, Carson?" She asks imperiously.
"Bonnie Mairead, Milady." Charles says
"She's pretty as a picture, Carson." Lady Grantham says and Charles' heart swells with pride.
"And how are you doing, Mrs Carson?" The Dowager asks and it's rather unexpected.
"I'm well, Milady."
"Good. I'm glad." Lady Grantham says before the Dowager gets a chance to react. She fidgets a bit. "Has the doctor said anything about when you'd be able to return to your duties?"
Charles' jaw clenches and he balls his hands into fists to keep from speaking.
"Not yet, Milady. I don't think it would be too long." He wonders how it's possible his wife remains so calm.
But when he catches her eye, he sees how hurt she is.
And that is when he makes up his mind.
2. "When you're ready, do you think I could take Bonnie to meet the other children?" He asks, his voice gentle, unassuming - or so he hopes.
"They are not our children, Charles." Elsie corrects him, though he never said such a thing.
"I know. But I think they are curious. They may not understand why you've not been around the past few days."
"They must have realised what was going on." Elsie touches Bonnie's downy hair and taps her cheek. "Don't fall asleep on me, little one…" she says in a sing-song voice, trying to prevent Bonnie from nodding off at her breast.
"I don't think they do. If you recall neither Lady Edith nor Lady Mary were aware of Lady Sybil's coming."
"Lady Edith is five, Charles, I doubt she understands most of what is going on in a house this big; she lives by routine."
"As do we."
"I think our routine has been thrown off by this little one." Her focus goes to the baby again; she watches her guzzle her milk and he watches them again. He is happy to have his routine thrown off, doesn't mind it in the slightest, not today. The change is too fresh for him to be upset; the feeling of elation is still present.
"And you want to show off your daughter to Lady Mary." she suddenly says and it's true. He wants Lady Mary to understand he has more responsibilities now. That the coming of Bonnie means Mary has to share him, that she is no longer the most important little girl in the house. And he is well aware it won't be easy for her. But he thinks it's best to be honest about such things and at six years old, Lady Mary is clever and more understanding than Elsie gives her credit for.
Not does she give their employers much credit. Lord Grantham had sat with him until Beryl came to call him and he's been offered a celebratory cigar from the Earl's private collection and Lady Grantham has been asking about Elsie's health every day since Bonnie's been born. They have been very friendly in their dealings with him.
"Bonnie is certainly beautiful enough to be shown off, don't you agree?" he deflects.
"She is…" Elsie kisses Bonnie again. "Well… my little one… time to go with your dad…" She gently lifts Bonnie up into Charles' waiting arms. He is still a bit insecure about holding her, but he is getting better.
"You'll be careful, won't you?" Elsie's voice wavers slightly.
"I will." He assures her. "I'll never let anything happen to her."
He thinks that Bonnie is the first to make him look critically at his life, the first to let him think there is life outside the walls of Downton and she is the first to have leaped into his heart the way she has. He turns and sees Elsie lying back in the pillows, her eyes closed, her nightgown not yet buttoned up.
He pulls up the blankets to cover her and leans over to kiss her cheek. She doesn't react.
Fallen asleep, he thinks and gets up from the bed. Neither Bonnie nor Elsie wakes when he opens and closes the bedroom door. He holds Bonnie close to him, her tiny body a warm, welcome weight (so different from the tea trays and wine crates he usually carries) and makes his way to the nursery.
He knocks and the door is opened by Lady Edith.
"Oh hello." She says, her head cocked to the side. "Have you finally brought a present for me?"