A/N: This chapter is a combination of two shorter scenes as they would be 200 word chapters on their own. Enjoy
Season 2, Episode 3
The family swept through the door to welcome the convalescents to their home. Mr Carson and Mrs Hughes were already outside, supervising the men as they spilled from the cars they had been brought in. The two of them stood proudly, observing the chaos entering their realm.
She glanced at his steady profile, noting the small frown in the lines of his brow, and desperately wanted to step closer to him, wind her arm around his waist and offer him comfort for the approaching storm of work. He had barely looked at her, as was usual with his butler façade, but she wished he would so she could offer a small smile, some reassurance that all would be well.
As they stood, he wished he could pull her close to him for strength, knowing, sensing as a butler could that something was coming. The war had reached them, the wounded men coming from the trucks showing just that. He wanted to reach for her hand and tell her that all would be well. They would work together as they always did to keep things ship shape for the family.
Carson stood to attention in the servant's hall, listening to Mrs Crawley's orders. His brow was knit with suppressed fury at being ordered by a low member of the family. He took orders from the Granthams' and Mrs Crawley expected the same subservience, which he was struggling to give.
Mrs Hughes entered the room swiftly behind Lady Grantham. He glanced up and first saw the anger in her Ladyship's eyes, before looking past her to the housekeeper. They shared a small look that showed their worry before turning back to the Crawley women
"What's going on?" Cora asked tightly
"I was arranging the household duties," Mrs Crawley began, "where they overlap with the duties of the nursing staff-"
"Shall we continue this upstairs?" Cora interrupted
"Well I've made some charts and-" Mrs Crawley looked up to see Cora staring her down
"Of course," she amended, following Lady Grantham out of the room.
Mrs Hughes stepped out of the way of the door, allowing the women to pass her, before following them. She wanted to look back at him, knowing she'd see his suppressed anger at one of 'his family' being challenged. In all truth she'd found the exchange between Mrs Crawley and Lady Grantham to be a bit comical, and drew her lips to a thin line to hold her smile. She knew if she turned to see the stormy clouds of anger forming in Mr Carson's eyes, she would have burst out laughing.
