IF YOU WANT ME YOU CAN HAVE ME-PART 25

Hello everyone. It's Sunday afternoon, so it's time to have some fun with Chelsie. Thanks for all your reviews after last chapter. If you are happy, then I'm happy too ;-) I really adore writing this story and still got couple ideas, so probably it won't end soon.

In this chapter Charles and Elsie are mentally preparing for their trip to Scarborough, but there is one person in the house who would do anything to stop that. Once again, Charles will have to choose between Elsie and Mary. I'm not sure what Charles from the series would do, having to deal with that kind of situation, but my Charles can only do one thing..Hope that you will enjoy this one.

The next morning, soon after breakfast, Elsie was heading towards Charles's pantry with a large cup of coffee in her hand. She guessed that he may need it to go through the day. She noticed how absent minded he was during breakfast and she knew the cause of his behavior exactly. She quietly inserted herself into his pantry, to find him sitting by his desk with a dreamy smile on his face.

"What do we have here? Our dear, respected butler is daydreaming? I wonder if I should report His Lordship about such a negligence of duties"-Elsie never wasted an opportunity to tease Charles.

"Elsie..I wasn't expecting you here, I thought that you already went upstairs with the maids."

"I am in a minute, but first I wanted to check on my husband and make sure that he can make it through the day, especially considering how tiring his last night was. I brought you a large coffee honey, to wake you from this daydreaming."

"Oh my sweetheart, you are my real angel..You always know what I need. Now I feel guilty, because it is me who should be talking care of you, not the other way round". He rose from his chair, took the coffee from her and placed it on his desk.

"It is only fair since you took care of me so well last night. Giving me such sweet love over and over again." Lovely smile appeared on Elsie's lips.

"Elsie..last night was amazing. You really worn me out my little Scottish witch.."

He embraced her tightly and placed few, soft kisses in her hair.

"You ain't seen nothing yet my beloved husband. Just wait till we get to Scarborough...When our honeymoon will end, you will be exhausted."

"I'm sure I will be. I already know something about my wife's wild temper."

They've kissed lovingly, not being able to pull apart.

"I love you Charles... Thank you for last night... I really needed you very much."

"I love you too Els... Sorry for being oblivious to your needs, I promise that won't happen again."

"I sure hope not! Now give your swiftly expanding wife one more kiss, before my pregnant belly will unable us to get any kind of closeness. I swear that this baby is really going to be rather big."

"Of course it will, after all I'm it's father. Don't worry about our closeness. We will find a way to figure it out somehow."

One more tender kiss and Elsie put her head on his chest, inhaling his scent, which always seemed to have calming effect on her. She relaxed into his arms completely, forgetting for a minute about the duties that were waiting for her, outside this pantry.

"In two days Charles we will be able to enjoy ourselves again, without anyone around. You have no idea how happy this thought makes me. I would have not resigned from this trip, even if the whole Abbey broke apart because of our departure. I need some rest and quiet. It will be so good for me and the baby."

"I wouldn't resign either love. No way! I'm ever so happy that you and the baby will finally have some rest. That is exactly what you both need right now."

They stood together, hugging closely, still reluctant to finish this lovely moment, when suddenly they heard a well known voice outside:

"Carson, are you in there, can I come in?"

Lady Mary's arrival has finally broke the magic moment between them. Elsie sighed deeply, muttering quietly:

"She always knows how to ruin everything"

Charles barely stopped from laughter and they swiftly pull apart.

"I' am here My Lady, please do come in."

Mary entered the room, expecting to find her favorite butler alone, with a wide smile on her face, but soon that smile was vanished, when she unexpectedly found a housekeeper in there too.

"Oh Mrs Hughes, you are there too. Sorry, I meant Mrs Carson. This little thing somehow always falls out of my head." She looked at the housekeeper with a clear feeling of superiority.

"That's all right My Lady. We all tend to forget stuff sometimes. Even the most important ones." Elsie said it with sweet voice, but the angry feeling started to dance inside her already.

"Carson, there is something really important that I need to speak with you about."

"Shall I leave you now?" Elsie asked, although she was very eager to stay, to find out what the uppity minx was planning this time.

"You may stay Mrs Carson. What I have to say involves you too. I learnt today that my father has offered you a wonderful thing and that you are leaving to Scarborough in two days, which took me completely by surprise. Is that true?"

"Indeed it is My Lady. His Lordship was very kind and he gave us late wedding gift. A two week stay in Scarborough. We are leaving in two days."

"That is exactly what I wanted to talk to you about. I was horrified when I heard the news. I planned a conference of landlords, here in Downton. I've invited few people to stay-we are to exchange our ideas for maintaining households like the Abbey. It is a very important event, which should bring more advantages and they will be here in four days. I can't imagine having this event without you being present Carson, hence my request-can you postpone your journey and stay here to keep your eye on everything?"

Elsie froze hearing those words, her head went down, her heart started to beat very fast and she felt cold shivers running down her body and tears forming in her eyes. There was no way that Charles would ever refuse the request of this uppity minx. He will forget everything they were talking about few minutes ago and he will postpone the trip. She was sure of that. Denying Lady Mary's request had never happened to Charles before. So she stood there, with her head down, fearing what she will hear in a moment.

"My Lady..That is rather unexpected. I wasn't aware that you are planning any event in the house and I'm sure His Lordship didn't know that either?"

"He didn't know, I just told him today, when he informed me about your trip. I told him that I can't imagine you not being present. Of course he forbid me to ask you to postpone your trip, but you know me Carson, I always do everything my way." Mary send Carson her sweetest, but insincere smile, being absolutely sure that he will not deny her request.

Charles felt like he was trapped in the middle of the worst nightmare. Literally. Trapped between two women, who were the most important ones in his life, each in her own way. He sensed that in one point of life something like that will happen, that there will come a day, when he will have to choose. Between his beloved Elsie and Lady Mary, who was like a daughter to him. He looked on both women, standing in front of him. Lady Mary was full of herself, as always and even though he hardly noticed that in the past, as he was always eager to assigned her only the good attributes, now her attitude struck him, especially her cheeky smile, she was clearly convinced that there was no way that the butler will refuse her anything. She was used to be the most important person in his life. However now things changed. Charles looked at Elsie, who was standing shyly, with her head down, all her attitude was shouting and begging him not to agree to that. She raised her head and the expression of her eyes convinced him at once, that there was only one decision that he could make right now.

"I'm really sorry My Lady, but I have to refuse you this time. Of course I realize how important this is to you, but the situation have changed now. I'm not only responsible for myself and my duties here, but I also have to think about what's best for my family."

"Golly! Carson, aren't we your family? I always thought that we were, that I'm like the daughter you never had."

"Of course you are My Lady and that will never change, but right now I'm married and there is a baby on the way. My real daughter perhaps, or my son. My wife was not feeling well recently and I must take care of her and our baby. That's why I have to refuse now. Of course I will leave proper indications to Mr Barrow and I'm sure that he will be able to manage this event."

Elsie's heart filled with joy when she heard those words. She barely stopped herself from hugging Charles and thanking him for what he did to her. Lady Mary on the other side, was not even trying to conceal her anger.

"Well, that is incredible! I would have never expected that you will leave me in such important moment Carson. I'm truly disappointed with you, not the first time. You've once abandoned me, when I was to leave for Haxby and now you are doing it again and I expect that from the same reason."

"I'm terribly sorry My Lady, I hope that you will forgive me for that. I don't mean to sound rude, but as you may or may not remember, Mrs Carson and I have already postponed our honeymoon trip once, because you needed me in London. I would have been unfair to her, doing the same thing for the second time, don't you think?" Charles was fretting with the situation and he did his best to soothe it.

"What I think Carson, is that I will have to find another confidant in this house, because you are obviously not on my side anymore. I'm sure that Barrow will be happy about this turn of events. I will leave you now. No need of dragging this conversation further." Lady Mary's voice was cold as ice, she turned to Elsie's direction, with a vicious expression on her face.

"Congratulations Mrs Hughes, you won this time and now I have to consider you as an equal opponent. And all it took was one baby."

"Thank you My Lady. I'm really glad that you understand our situation and I'm sure that Mr Carson appreciates your attitude here. I hope your event will be successful. I bid you good day."

"Same here". Mary left, slamming the door loudly, leaving no doubts of her rage to anyone downstairs.

Charles was mortified, he grabbed his desk to regain his balance, after the conversation, but soon he found himself in his wife's embrace. She cling to him, placing sweet little kisses all over his face.

"My darling Charles..My sweet man...My sweet, adamant man..I have never loved you so much as I love you now. I've never been proud of you more. You finally know your priorities in life. It took you almost sixty years to figure that out, but you are finally there!"

"Oh Elsie..That was so awful..I have never refused anything to Lady Mary.."

"I know you haven't. It was about time for you to do that! That cruel, little minx, who does she think she is, a Queen of the county? You have your family now and you have right to stand by it."

"I know..But what if that will made His Lordship mad?"

"You heard her. He forbid her to talk with you about it and she did it anyway. You know that was a test? She doesn't need you at all on this meeting. She just wanted to check if you will agree. If she still has power over you. You passed that test with a highest note. It's going to be a while before she will dare to put you in that kind of situation again."

"I hope so, because I would never want to be in that situation again. But if she will, you can be sure of one thing Elsie. From now on, I will always put my family first-you and the baby. You are my whole world and thet will never change."

"Charles...My cutie pie...Thank you..You mean the world for us too." She kissed him and moved her mouth trough his cheek, and jawline, to his favorite spot behind his ear, caring it with special attendance. "Tonight, when we go back to the cottage, I will show you how grateful I am, in that very special way, the one you like so much.." She purred into his ear and he shivered.

"Elsie...When you say that, I feel that I would deny anyone's request right now...Even the King himself.."

"Oh, is that so? In that case I have fully succeeded..."

"You have..Consider yourself a master or a mistress of manipulation"...He closed his eyes, surrendering to his wife tender ministrations.

"Mmmm..That's it for now my cuddly teddy bear..I have to get back to work now..We will finish this in the evening."

"I'll take your word love.."

They've kissed once again and she left his pantry, with a feeling of victory. Finally, after all those years, she won a battle with the uppity minx. She smiled wickedly to herself, thinking that she has the weapon that Lady Mary will never be able to surpass.

That's all for today. Elsie has conquered the uppity minx and so it should be, always. She should forever be number one in Charles's life and that's final ;-) In the next chapter, I plan a happy dialogue between Mrs Patmore and Elsie. They have to celebrate Elsie's success, don't they? After that they will finally go to Scarborough, to enjoy their long postponed honeymoon trip.

As usual-sorry for mistakes of any kind. Please leave a review if you like it and I'm open to any suggestions, as always-maybe some of you would want to know how Elsie will thank Charles for choosing her over Lady Mary ;-) See you soon!