"Our wedding day? Today? Here in London? Is that even possible?" Charles asked incredulously.
She nodded excitedly as her fingers felt the thin cotton shirt that stretched across his broad chest. She tilted her head downward to observe the rest of his ensemble. "And I'll marry you in those adorable shorts if you like, but if you like, I'll give you five minutes to put on your suit and meet me out front."
Blushing furiously, but still holding her, Charles nodded seriously. "I'll be there, though I may have to sneak out. They are very strict here." Charles was already thinking of the best way to get out. There was a low spot in the hedge around the pool area. He'd already thought of jumping it several times. With the promise of Elsie on the other side, he knew he could clear it.
"Don't worry about that. Lady Mary is springing you, as we speak. The doctors admitted to her yesterday that you are perfectly fit and there is no reason that they have to keep you here."
"That will be easier than my other options." Charles conceded with visible relief. "I want you to meet Brooke and Josh! They've been my surrogate Scots this week. Without their kindness, I should definitely have gone mad in here."
"I would love to meet them, Charles, but we must be quick. Our appointment is at noon."
She pulled away from his embrace and began to head towards the door, but he pulled her back, still relishing the feeling of having her back in his arms. These past few days away from her had turned him into a sentimental mess. He kissed her neck as he asked, "How have you brought all of this about, my love? You are a marvel."
"I wish I could claim the credit, but it was all Lady Mary's doing." She caressed the back of his neck and ran her fingers up into his hair, still slightly damp with sweat. God, he smells so good. "And the Dowager's."
Elsie almost fell as Charles released his grip on her in shock. "The Dowager knows about us? And she approves?"
Elsie smiled at his wonder. She, too, had been skeptical when Mary suggested confiding in the Dowager Countess, but, in the end, it had been the right decision. "She's securing our license right now from someone she called 'Rand'."
Though Elsie had not thought it possible, Charles looked even more astounded, "We would need a special license to marry so quickly. She can't mean Randall Davidson!"
"I don't know who that is." Elsie admitted, taking his hands.
"Only the Archbishop of Canterbury." Charles shook his head in disbelief.
"That does sound like the Dowager," Elsie could not help laughing. "Trust her to go to the head of The Church. She wouldn't want to deal with any low level clergy. Come to think of it, she did say something about Lambeth. "
Charles found himself mesmerized by her laugh. "No one but the head of The Church can grant a special license, my love. I am grateful to them, I don't know if I could have waited even one more day to marry you. You are so beautiful, Elsie." He gushed, but then he looked worried. "Isn't it bad luck for the groom to see the bride before the wedding?"
"Do you feel unlucky?" Elsie teased, running her hands up his large, bare arms.
"I feel like the luckiest man in the world." Charles admitted as goose flesh sprung up on his arms in the wake of her touch. He wrapped his arms around her as her hands reached his shoulders.
"Then it's just an old superstition and we needn't bother about it." On tip toe, she gave him a slow, sensuous kiss. "Now let's meet your friends, get your things and go get married. What do you say to that?"
"I say, 'Follow me.'" He pulled her by the hand towards the door and out into the clinic. Charles knew that Brooke would be on her break right now and hoped Josh would be with her.
He found them both already waiting for him by the clinics front offices, speaking to Lady Mary. They had heard of his visitor and neither had wanted to miss the opportunity to meet either the vaunted Lady Mary or the acclaimed Elsie Hughes. They were surprised and gratified to meet both.
"You said they would come to your rescue." Josh congratulated him heartily after formal introductions had been made. Charles excused himself to change and retrieve his things. He was back in less than five minutes, dressed in his Sunday best and carrying his small bag.
They had engaged in some small talk, mostly about Charles or Scotland, in Carson's absence. Mary was looking at Brooke with some wonder. She had never seen a woman so tall before. As Carson approached, Mary was still trying to ascertain exactly what Brooke's job entailed. "And what exactly is colonic irrigation?" she asked, with a look of reluctant curiosity.
Charles was a little concerned that Josh or Brooke would start to talk about shit in front of Lady Mary, but they both knew better than to humiliate their friend.
"I use water and soap to facilitate efficient evacuation of the bowels." Mary and Elsie gave Charles looks of near horror as he rejoined them. "But Mr. Carson escaped the procedure. Instead, we just ate yogurt and chatted."
"We haven't saved you from anything, have we?" Mary relaxed and chastised Carson as he took his place beside Elsie. "You've been on a regular vacation; laying by the pool, getting massages and eating yogurt with your new friends."
"You most certainly have saved me. Mr. and Mrs. Macduff saved me from dwelling on how much I missed Mrs. Hughes, but there are few things that terrify me more than the idea of a vacation." Charles shook hands with Josh and allowed the air to be crushed out of him by Brooke. "You have my address. Please do write. I might be able to offer your nephew a job if you think getting out of the city would be best for him."
"We'll be in touch, Charles, until then, take care and congratulations." Brooke bid him goodbye as he and Elsie followed Lady Mary out of the clinic.
-00-
"Was that woman a Viking?" Mary could not help but ask as they climbed into a cab. There was not room for both Mrs. Hughes and Mr. Carson in the front of the cab, so Mary had insisted that they both ride in back with her. Normally, Charles would have protested, but he was resigned to doing whatever he was told today, so long as it included marrying Elsie. Charles and Elsie sat in the jump seats with their backs to the driver's compartment, leaving Lady Mary the large, forward facing seat to herself. They all saw how ridiculous this was, but did not alter their arrangements.
Elsie laughed at Mary's question. "There is a good deal of Viking blood in the Orkney's. I imagine Mrs. Macduff is from the far north."
During the short cab ride to St. Columba's Elsie recounted the Norse history of the Orkney's. She found it odd to be talking about such trivial things on the way to her wedding. Every now and then, she would catch Charles' eye and blush at the undisguised adoration she saw there.
When they arrived at the church, Mary took charge. "Carson, you go on into the church. Mrs. Hughes and I will be in shortly."
Unable to deny her, but unsure of where to go, Charles entered the church. Walking in, he found the church very different from the last time he had been here. Before the concert, the church had been noisy and crowded; a scene of communion and mirth not unlike a town commons during a fair. Now, the foyer was empty, giving it a solemn dignity.
Removing his hat, Charles walked reverently into the church proper. With the pews empty, the room felt larger. Charles spotted a minister near the pulpit and walked down the aisle to speak to him. His nerves grew with every step towards the altar. He could not have been more excited if every seat in the church were filled with friends and well-wishers, but he did have some doubts.
Charles could not help but wonder if this would be a disappointment to Elsie. She deserved to have all of her friends here and her sister. She deserved bouquets of flowers and an entourage of flower girls and attendants. Didn't every girl dream of her wedding day? Hadn't Carson sat through endless hours of Ladies Mary, Edith and Sybil arguing over their own wedding plans since they were young?
He almost turned around; almost told her that they should wait until they could be married publicly and properly, but then a figure rose from the pew at the front of the church. It was the Dowager Countess.
"My Lady." Carson bowed to her as he finally reached the altar.
"Carson, you look like a man about to be sentenced, not a man about to be married." Lady Violet quipped. "Not that there is much distinction between the two."
"Thank you for being here, Countess. I am honored by your support, My Lady."
"Oh, tosh, how often do I get the opportunity to do something for you, Carson? The honor is mine." Lady Violet twitched a little, uncomfortable showing her emotions for this dear man. She did care deeply for Carson, though it would be unacceptable to admit as such. Carson had been a constant in her family since before her husband had died. "I am sorry you cannot have a best man, but I shall have to do."
"I can think of no one I would rather have stand with me, My Lady. You are certainly as good as any man."
"I am a good deal better than most men I've met." She could not resist adding as she pinned a boutonniere to his lapel. It was a simple white rose with a sprig of baby's breath tied with a tartan ribbon.
Carson could not help but smile at this. She was certainly stronger than most men he had met. As she fussed over his boutonniere, Carson felt his emotions begin to overwhelm him. This is real. This is happening! The Dowager Countess was pinning a flower to his coat. At any moment, Elsie was going to walk into this church in order to wed her soul to his.
The minister took his hand and introduced himself. Charles did not catch his name. He was too busy staring at the church door, which had been closed behind him. The Dowager patted her hand comfortingly on his arm as Carson's mouth went dry. He was convinced the sound of his labored swallowing could be heard in every corner of the church.
Finally, the handle of the door clicked loudly and the door swung open excruciatingly slowly. Anna beamed at him as she began to walk down the aisle arm in arm with Lady Mary. Mary smiled smugly at her friend's side. She had been no more than eight years old when she claimed the right from her sisters to be flower girl at Mr. Carson's wedding. Both young ladies gave each other a sideways glance and stifled their laughter when they saw Mr. Carson looking at them. He was smiling, but he wore the expression of a man who had to endure a very nice dinner in order to get to his favorite dessert.
When Anna and Mary were halfway down the aisle, the door opened again. This time, Charles face almost cracked in half from his smile.
In the brief moments outside the church, Anna had added small sprigs of flowers to Elsie's hair. Elsie was carrying a bouquet of white roses and lavender and she had donned a tartan sash over her best suit. Light filtered into the church from the stained-glass windows, casting a soft, warm light over them all. Mrs. Hughes, looking every inch a radiant woman of considerably fewer years than she truly was, grinned coyly at him as she walked down the aisle on Mr. Branson's arm. Elsie had confided her plans in Tom this morning before leaving, knowing that he already knew their big secret. Tom had insisted on coming up to London for the ceremony. When she saw his determination, Elsie had asked him to walk her down the aisle.
The tiny procession finally reached Charles, the Dowager Countess and the minister. Tom handed Mrs. Hughes over to Carson with a look of, 'you'll answer to me if you don't do right by this woman' and a wink. Charles faced Elsie whose countenance did not betray one iota of the nerves she felt.
"Are you certain this is what you want, love?" Charles asked lowly.
"What do you mean?" His question did not alarm her. She had expected it.
"To do this without all of our friends and your family? I've joked that I cannot wait, but if you asked me to, I would."
"Do you want to wait?" She asked gently.
"No." Charles answered emphatically.
"Then our friends and family will share our joy whenever we tell them. The only people we need today are you and I."
The Dowager coughed not too subtly at this point. "And the Dowager Countess with our special license." Elsie allowed.
"Very good." The minister interrupted, "Let us begin."
Ever after, it was a point of contention between Mary and Anna who had cried the most during the ceremony, Tom or the Dowager. Mary claimed that though Lady Violet hid it better, she had started first and therefore had cried more. Anna insisted that the Dowager had not let a single tear fall, catching them all with her handkerchief before they could escape her eyes, while Tom had wept openly until the front of his jacket had two large spots of tears on it.
Neither Anna nor Mary would ever accuse each other of crying over much, though they had clung tightly to each other all through the ceremony. It was hard not to weep while witnessing the joining of two souls so obviously meant for each other; two souls that had been denied this rite for so many years because of silly social conventions. Mixed with Mary's tears of joy were tears of her own guilt, knowing that she had played a hand in keeping these two apart. She hoped her role in bringing them together would mitigate her guilt.
Finally, the rings that Elsie had purchased that morning were exchanged. She looked up into her Charles' shining eyes. Having already received his oath, Elsie declared, "I call upon these persons here present to witness that I, Elsie Margaret Hughes, do take thee, Charles Edward Carson, to be my lawful wedded husband. To have and to hold, from this day forward, in sickness and in health, for richer or for poorer, to love and to cherish, till death us do part, according to God's holy ordinance; and thereto I plight thee my troth."
There was no grand music playing as the minister declared them man and wife, only the cheers from their three witnesses. No rice showered them as they left the church, but they were covered with embraces and kisses as they exited the building and headed for their waiting cab.
"Aren't we all having lunch?" The Dowager wondered loudly as it became clear that the couple was leaving them.
"We can have lunch wherever you like, Grandmama." Mary assured her. "But Mr. and Mrs. Carson will not be joining us."
"Do they have a train to catch?" Lady Violet asked, honestly perplexed. Why would two people of such advanced age be so eager to start their honeymoon? This was London, after all. There was always another train.
"Something like that." Mary rolled her eyes. "And we don't want to see you until Wednesday," Mary reminded Mrs. Carson. She had already made arrangements with the bride for the honeymoon. The staff at Downton thought Mrs. Hughes was visiting her sister. The staff at Grantham House thought Mr. Carson was in the clinic.
"If you try to come back early, we shall lock you out." Anna added.
"I don't think there is any fear of that." Carson beamed, following Elsie into the cab. "Thank you. Thank you, all, for everything."
"Yes, thank you!" Elsie called as her one hand reached for the door as she pulled her husband into the cab with the other without sparing another glance for any of them.
Their cab pulled away, leaving the rest of the wedding party waving on the pavement. "I don't see why they couldn't take a later train." Lady Violet commented, still perplexed at having the guests of honor abandon their celebration. Her three companions burst out laughing. The truth finally dawned on the Dowager Countess. "Oh. Yes, I see. Then I suggest we head to the Criterion for lunch. Anna, I hope you will be joining us."
"That is a lovely suggestion." Mary said, taking her grandmother's arm in a rare display of public affection as Tom hailed them a cab. "Thank you, again, for securing the license."
"I am happy to do anything for Carson. Though it was not easy. Rand was not keen to hear that they would be wed in the Church of Scotland, but I reminded him of the time he was less than a gentleman to me before he married his Edith." Violet said roguishly before patting Mary's arm lovingly. "Did you know that our Edith is named for his wife? She was Edith Tait before she was Edith Davidson."
"I think you shall have to tell us all the story over lunch." Mary said brightly, offering her free arm to Anna.
TBC…
AN/ Presenting Mr. and Mrs. Carson! I shall take a day or two to write the next chapter. I need to get it just right. Please do review if you have a moment.
