A Charlie That Came To Dinner

"She's not in any danger, then?" he asked her while they waited at the station. Their train was late and their bags were heavy. Between the two of them, they had six bags to carry. They had to clean out their rooms downstairs as well, and Carson was sure he left some things behind. But nothing too valuable: some old papers and that picture of Alice maybe—if he still had it. What was she doing these days? Living happily somewhere with Grigg, no doubt.

He shook any unwanted feelings away. He was a married man now, after all. And a father too... What would Charlie call him, he wondered. He called his own father dad. Papa seemed far too upper-class for Carson's taste. Da might be better suited for him... What if she didn't want to call him anything? What if she wanted only to call him Charles or Charlie? Well, as long as she called him something, it would be fine.

He had no warm place to take her—or Elsie, for that matter—but he could certainly afford to buy a home for them, perhaps a small cottage. He no longer had an income, but he had enough saved up where they could still live comfortably for a few months. He would have to find work somewhere—what sort of work a disgraced former butler could obtain, Carson had no idea but he would certainly find out. And then, of course, there was Becky to worry about. Did Elsie want to care for her sister herself or keep her in a facility? It might help if Elsie found work too, but he would never force that on her...

"No, I don't think," said Elsie, shaking her head. "Joe would make sure she's being cared for, I'm sure of it."

"And how do you know the farm is where she went?"

She huffed in frustration just as he spotted their train in the distance. "To be perfectly honest, Mr. Carson, I don't! But I haven't got the slightest idea as to where else she might be."

When the train pulled up and the passenger's all exited, they made their way towards it. Carson placed their bags in the cart first and then helped Elsie enter. They sat across from each other in silence with their bags between them. The day was still dreary, but at least the rain had stopped. And they arrived late in the afternoon.

Their baggages made it impossible to walk to the farm, so Carson found a taxi to take them. He was a bit weary entering such a machine—he was made to open its doors and guide people in and out of them, not ride inside. Elsie must have sensed his discomfort, but instead of giving him any sort of comfort she covered her mouth with her hands to hide her amusement. To his surprise, the journey to the farm was quick—far quicker than any horse, he noted. He paid the driver, and together they began removing their baggage from the car. As the last bag hit the ground, he spotted a young farm lad walking in the distance. Not wanting to make multiple trips up to the small house in the distance, he called him over: "You there, boy," he said, "I'll pay you two pence for each bag you can carry."

"Really?"

Carson's heart sank as Charlie rushed over to grab the bags. She stopped suddenly when she realized it was him—he was still Mr. Carson in her eyes. She liked dressing in boy's clothing at the farm, Elsie had told him last night.

"You've come to take me back," Charlie said softly. "You have! I just know it."

"No, not exactly," said Elsie softly. She hesitated, and then cleared her throat. "Charlie..." She stopped quickly, glancing at Carson. "Is Joe here?"

She shook her head. "He went into the village to post a letter—a letter to you, actually. He won't be back for another hour or so..."

"Well, it's probably for the best," she said. After a long pause, she sighed. "Why don't we go inside. There's something we need to discuss with you..."

Charlie did not move. "It's about Downton, isn't it?"

Again, Carson and Elsie glanced at each other. "Yes," said Carson quickly. Seeing Elsie's face of disapproval, he added, "Er, I mean, no..." Again, Elsie looked displeased, so he simply sighed. "It's, er, a bit complicated."

"All right," said Charlie, but she looked rather suspicious of him. She lifted two bags from the ground. "Do I still get paid two pence a bag?"

She was reaching for a third bag just as Carson took the two bags away from her. "Er, you two go ahead inside. I can carry these in," said Carson gently. Charlie looked disappointed she no longer had any bags to carry. He would still pay her two pence, if that was what she truly wanted.

Elsie removed the two bags from Carson's hands and handed them back to Charlie. She then picked up two bags for herself. "We'll carry them in together."