LIFE IS THE ART OF CHOICE-15
Hello dear people. Thank you very much for all yesterday's reviews and most of all, for your answers to my question. I had to tell you, that I was struggling with the question, whether I should bring Chelsie back to Downton or to leave them where they are..That's why I asked for your help and most of you voted for the other solution. Because I believe in democracy, I acknowledged the results of the democratic elections ;-), I will end the story with the solution that most of you voted for. This is the final chapter of the story. Hope you will like it.
On the morning of the day before their wedding, Charles woke up first...He looked through the window and he liked what he saw. The weather seemed to be pretty nice. The sun was shining brightly and although the air was chilly, as it would be expected in the beginning of October, it seemed that their wedding day tomorrow should be marked with fine weather.
He and Elsie were both quite exhausted, as the preparations to the wedding were rather tiring. Now, everything seemed to be settled. The wedding ceremony was to take place in the local church, of course Rev Travis would lead it. The small party with a group of their closest friends from the Abbey and the village, was to take place at the school. They only invited few people from the Abbey and few locals from the village. Charles was wondering, if he should invite the family, but Elsie advised him against it. After how they were treated, she figured, that it would not be reasonable, if they invite the family members. Isobel was the only one who was invited, the only member of the upstairs family.
They decided that they should postpone their honeymoon till the spring, when the weather will be warmer and they could go to the seaside, to enjoy it to the fullest.
Charles glanced at the wardrobe, where his elegant suit was hanging, already prepared to be taken off with him. According to the tradition, saying that the groom cannot see the bride before the wedding, Charles decided to spent their pre wedding night at Mrs Sanders, while Elsie was to stay in the cottage and be prepared by Beryl and Daisy, who managed to get their half day off together, so they could attend the Carsons wedding. Beryl was a great help for Elsie. She went with her to York, to find a wedding dress, that Elsie was always dreaming about. Elsie was pretty uncertain about her choice. She wanted a traditional white dress, but because of her age and the fact that she and Charles were already living like a married couple for quite a while, she decided that it would not be suitable for her. However, Beryl persuaded her, that she shouldn't totally gave up on her dreams and as a compromise, Elsie decided to buy a beautiful creamy dress. Simple and elegant, embellished with lace at the top. She selected a matching hat, almost the same color, with three pale blue roses on top. When she tried on the dress in the shop, Beryl almost cried and Elsie was tremendously touched.
The dress was now fitted by the local dress maker, safely hidden from Charles, who was told not to look into the wardrobe of the guest bedroom. Beryl and Daisy promised Elsie, that they will come in the morning of the wedding day, to help her get dress and Mrs Sanders, their good friend, offered Elsie her own present-she ordered a qualified hair dresser, who was to help her get her hair done.
Between all those wedding preparations, their jobs and everyday life, Charles and Elsie felt really tired, but so happy at the same time. They both waited impatiently for the wedding ceremony, sensing that it was the last stop of the long journey, that they twent through, ever since they understood, that they wanted to be together for the rest of their lives...
Charles's eyes now went to Elsie and warm smiled appeared on his face, when he was watching his sleeping beauty..To him, Elsie was the most beautiful woman on earth...He was actually worried, that they will have to be separated for one night...He didn't want to be far away from her even for a moment...But tradition was tradition..They already broke so many rules along the way, that now, for a change, it was good to follow the tradition.
Charles ran his fingers through Elsie's hair gently and he kissed her forehead few times...She stirred in her sleep and clung to him...She sighed deeply and put her head right under his chin...She felt heat radiating from his body and his unique scent, that had calming effect on her...
His hands made their journey through her enticing curves and when she felt it, she was almost fully awake...
"Mmmmm...Charlie...How wonderful it is to be woken up like that..."-She touched his chest, purring like a cat..."My wonderful, gorgeous man..."
"Good morning my sleeping beauty...It's so nice to wake up having you in my arms...Now, I am finally where I belong..."
"And where is that my love?"
"Right here, with you beside me...I have found a meaning of life..."
"And what is the meaning of it?"
"Staying in bed and making love to my wife, over and over again..."
"Charles Carson...My wanton husband...I love you so much...I don't even want to part with you for the night..."
"I don't want it etiher, but we should keep the tradition...We already broke so many rules..."
"We didn't Charlie...We just fell in love..That's not a crime, regardless of what Lord Grantham thinks about that..."
"You think he knows about our wedding?"
"Well...I didn't want to tell you that before, but..."
"What is it Elsie? Please tell me..."
"Beryl told me that the family is planning to attend our wedding, even though we didn't invite them.."
"But why? I hope that they are not doing some nasty trick.."
"No Charles. It's not that at all...Beryl does not know the details, but apparently His Lordship has some offer for you...Or for us...I'm afraid that he will want us back...He sacked his current butler and housekeeper few days ago.."
"He did? Why didn't you tell me before?"
"Charlie...With all this confusion that we are living now...We have so much going on...Does it make any difference for you? Would you except his proposition to go back?"
"I would have to think about it...It's a big decision...We have already twisted our life upside down recently..Would you accept his offer Elsie?"
"No Charlie...I wouldn't. Whatever he has to offer to me, I'm not interested in it..I love my new job..It's so much better. I feel that my work is much more valuable, than it was at Downton. I help people Charlie. It's more important than planning a big house parties...I will not go back to Downton...I can't decide for you, but I will definitely not go back..."
Charles looked at Elsie and he made sure that her decision was final...She was a stubborn Scottish woman and he knew, that she will not change her mind, once she decided something... His own emotions were much more complicated, but...He put away the thought...Thinking that he doesn't have to decide this right now...
He embraced Elsie and kissed her hair...She was the dearest person in the world for him and her happiness was most important...When he saw how she nestles into him, how she is longing for his closeness, for a declaration from him, that she is number one in his life, he already knew..That no amount of privilleges connected with his former job, will ever outshine his enormous love for Elsie and their new, wonderful life that they created with such effort...
Wedding day
The wedding day of Charles and Elsie was like a dream come true..The weather was splendid, the church ceremony went without any disruptions. There were more people than they expected to, as most of the locals knew and respected them tremendously. While walking to the aisle, they both saw the family too, but they were too focused on the ceremony to give it more attention.
When they made their vows, they were both so touched...Elsie had tears in her eyes, tears of happiness..The moment that she was dreaming about for so long, has finally became reality.
Charles was teary-eyed too...He didn't see anything or anyone else besides Elsie. He was focused only on her...When Rev Travis announced that they are husband and wife, Charles thought that his heart will burst from happiness. They shared a chaste kiss, as a sign of their marriage being finally sealed...
After the ceremony, they walked to the school, along with their guests..Their was a long queue to them..Everyone wanted to celebrate with them and gave them their good wishes...
Lord Grantham and his family were standing on the side, like they were waiting for a right moment to approach them...
But before they had a chance for that, Charles asked everyone for the moment of their attention, as he was going to make a toast and he wanted to say a few words:
"My dear friends, Elsie and I want to thank you very much for being here with us today, to celebrate the happiest day of our life. We have come a long and painful way to get to where we are now, but it was worth it. I won't bore you with long speeches, so I'm just going to say, that I'm the luckiest man on earth, because this amazing woman-my wife- Elsie Carson, has decided to spent her life with me. She is like the most precious treasure and I wouldn't trade my life with her for anything else. No honours, no position or anything else, has ever gave me such joy and utter happiness as being her husband. Let's toast to my wonderful wife."
Charles's words were received with an enormous applause. Their friends were clapping hands, circling around them and Elsie and Charles shared a brief, spontaneuos kiss, which met with even more applause from the guests..
After a while, Lord Grantham and the family finally neared the happy couple...
"Carson and Mrs Carson. Let me congratulate to both of you...I hope that you don't mind, that we crashed in here uninvaited..."-Robert felt a little embarrassed with the situation...
"Not at all My Lord. On the contrary, we both see it as a great honor, that the family wanted to celebrate with us."
"Carson, can I ask you for a moment of the private conversation?"-Robert asked Charles shyly.
"Of course My Lord."
They went away and sat on the bench, situated near the wall.
"Carson, I want beat around the bush...I behaved badly towards you and Mrs Hughes and I'm really sorry about that...I shouldn't react that way, especially considering how devoted you and Mrs Hughes were to us all those years. Will you forgive the old, hot-tempered fool that I am?"
"Of course My Lord...You had a right to react that way...We broke the rules, which you consider important. I, myself considered those rules equally important all those years, but my love to my wife has won with the rules...You understand, that I couldn't do any other thing...I wanted to be fair to my wife and to the family.."
"Of course. Let's forget it, shall we?"
"I think that would be the best solution..."
"But that's not all I wanted to ask you...You might have heard, that I sacked my butler and the housekeeper. Bloody business. They almost lead our house to ruin and they were stealing from me..."
"Yes, indeed, I heard about that My Lord.."
"Would you...? Would you consider going back to your old job, you and Mrs Hugh..Mrs Carson of course...I will increase your salary, to make up all the mistakes that I've made.."
Charles felt hot flushes on his body..He looked at Lord's face full of hope, he glanced to the direction of family and saw hope on Lady Mary's face too...They knew what His Lordship was going to ask him about and they were hoping that he would say yes...Then his eyes went to Elsie and when he saw her beautiful face, which was so dear to him..Anxiety in her shining with love eyes...He knew...She didn't want him to go back..She didn't want him to change into a stuffy butler of the great house, whose main occupation was to take care of the Crawleys...She wanted him as her husband..Devoted to her..Not to the upstairs family...He read all those feelings from her face...
"My Lord...Your proposal is very attractive and if I had received it few weeks ago, I would have probably accepted it, however now, the situation has changed...I'm no longer a lonely island, there is another person in my life, whose opinion I cherish and value-my wife and she told me, that she doesn't want to go back to her old life, to our old life...So I'm afraid, I have to refuse your proposal...I'm sorry.."
"I understand. Carson, my old chap...I'm responsible for all this mess, so now I have take it as a man..Just promise me one thing...If you will ever change your mind, my house and my proposition will always be waiting fo you and Mrs Carson.."
"Thank you My Lord. We will remember that.."
"One more last thing and I will let you go back to your lovely wife...I know you bought a cottage from Mr and Mrs Hamilton."
"Yes we have. We just moved a while ago."
"I heard about it and I contacted Mr and Mrs Hamilton regarding this matter."
"Oh? Why is that My Lord?"
"I wanted to find out what price you paid for the cottage, not because I'm curious, but because I decided to give you a wedding gift. So, the sum that you spent to buy the cottage, is now reimbursed on your bank account."
"My Lord! I can't accept that kind of gift, it's too much...Besides, when you made that decision you assumed, that I will move back to Downton and hence I didn't.."
"It doesn't matter Carson...Please, let me give you this gift. I'm the reason you had to made this purchase. If it wasn't for my silly stubborness, you would both be still living in Downton.."
"But my Lord, are you sure about that...?"
"Yes. May that be a beginning of the new, great chapter of your life, just remember Carson, that marriage is not a picnic."
"I believe you are right My Lord, but with a woman like my Elsie, I feel that every day will be a new, wonderful adventure..."
"I hope so. Wish you the best of luck in your new life..."
"Thank you very much My Lord. For everything..."
"No. Thank you...And remember...Whenever you are ready to go back, we will be waiting..."
After the party, Charles and Elsie slowly went back to their coattage. Happiness were radiating from both of them. Charles told Elsie about the proosal and the gift and she was astouned, double astound-by Charles's decision and by His Lordship gesture.
When they arrived back to the cottage, lit a fire in the fireplace and sat on the window sill, looking at the lovely dusk landscapes outside the window, they still couldn't get out of an awe, how one decision lead to to the place in which they were now. Like a domino effect...
"Just think Charlie...If it wasn't for my famous, Scottish stubborness, we would be still living in Downton, doing exactly what we were doing for the last twenty years and nothing would have change..."
"That's why I thank God for your stubborness. It lead us to this happy place...Oh Elsie...I wouldn't change it for a million years in Downton...I much rather be here with you...I'm so glad we made that choice...I love you.."
"I love you too Charlie...So very much...You see, life is the art of choice and we made that choice and it's the best solution of all.."
They looked each other in the eyes, kissed delicately and they stay embraced, thinking about their life choices and the wonderful things that were ahead of them...
That's all for this story...I was initially leaning towards them coming back to Downton, but now I see that the other solution was better...There is life outside Downton after all ;-) The gate is still open, if they ever wanted to go back.
I want to thank you for being with me and the story, I was planning it as a short story, but...As usual...The result was different...Sorry for any mistakes. If you liked the ending, please let me know. Stay safe and see you soon!