Good evening my amazing readers! After a small break from writing, due to…well, life…I am back with the 7th chapter to this story! It is a tad bit longer than normally, but whenever my inspiration blooms, I will take everything out of it. I warn you that in this chapter there will be just a bit of violence at the end…Nothing too bad thankfully! I hope you'll enjoy this. Please don't mind about the possible typos! I'll see you soon! Stay safe. ;-)

Sunday 15th, Downton Abbey, the Carsons' cottage

The morning dawned way too soon, the sun shining through the beige curtains, lighting up the room. Elsie covered her face with her hand, stirring awake form her restless sleep. She pulled the covers up against her chin and let out a yawn.

The couple had made their way back to their cottage just before midnight, both feeling weary and tense from everything that had happened earlier that day. Elsie had been in a daze since the telegram had reached her hands. The said telegram was now secured in her purse, which rested on her small, old dressing table in the corner of their bedroom. As the news really sunk into their heads, it all became more real and somehow substantial. It would change their lives completely.

Elsie rolled over to glance at the clock on her bedside table. It was half past six. She didn't feel like waking up and getting dressed in time to head to church, like they did every Sunday morning. Would everyone realize that the couple wouldn't be there? Probably yes. Elsie was just about to turn to face her husband, when she felt his hand wander its way around her hip and secure her in a tight hug. He felt her jump slightly at his touch.

"Sorry…I didn't mean to scare you."

His wife just rolled around, planting a loving kiss on his lips. Just like she did every morning…

"Good morning, my dear.", Elsie whispered quietly, caressing his cheek with her hand."I hope I didn't wake you?"

"No, I was already awake when you woke."

He smiled brightly, his eyes still a bit clouded from sleep.

"And good morning to you too, Mrs. Carson.", Charles replied."How are you feeling now, after some time to rest and think?"

"I suppose the same. It's quite surprising, isn't it? I feel like I'm living someone else's life."

"But I am ever so glad we're living this exact life. Together."

"Me too…I feel like it can't be real. Me, a princess. Hardly.", Elsie snorted.

"To me you are a queen, my darling."

She just smiled at him. Charles tried to keep her calm, she would have enough on her plate in the weeks, well, months to come. But he had to admit that he was just as worried over the future as his wife. He knew she would have a position, a fortune and a family to call her own…Would she feel forced to stay with him? After all, he was just a retired old man, who could hardly carry a tray without dropping it.

"Do you think they are nice, the royals?", he asked, trying to put away his dark thoughts.

"I wouldn't know. I guess so. I know well enough to believe they won't throw either of us out the back door. I mean, they want us there obviously.", Elsie replied, now more awake.

"They want you. And god forbid they are lucky to have you."

"Who says they will have me?"

"What do you mean?", he couldn't understand her. What on earth did she mean?

"Nothing. I'm just a bit…Confused…I meant nothing.", Elsie shook it off, pushed the covers back and sat up on the edge of the bed."We ought to get ready. The villagers will wonder what we are up to if we don't show up at the church on time. And I will have to deliver the letter to the Royal Court before the service…"

"Quite right."

Four hours later, Sunday 15th, Downton Abbey

The service done long ago, and breakfast finished upstairs and downstairs; Elsie walked through the main hall, holding a ledger of duties in her hand. She looked around the big room, making sure nothing was out of place. In the corner of her eye, she could see Albert (the hall boy) carrying the tea into the library, where the lords and ladies would be having it. Elsie reminded herself to ask the young boy how he had managed after Mr. Barrow had given him more responsibility. The butler was still new and needed some steering into the right direction from time to time…She brushed her finger along the fine marble on the side table, happy to see no dust on her fingertip.

Today she had just a little work to do, and that gave her time to think. There was just so much going on these days…It was all quite overwhelming. The telegram that she received yesterday was certainly the last thing she had ever expected to receive. And the lack of sleep she got last night didn't help her cause at all. She had tossed and turned all night long and only got about three hours of sleep. Her husband even tried to make her stay at home to get some rest, but she declined and told him she would have a lot of work to do, which was a lie. But at the abbey she would have at least something to do with her hands unlike when she was at their cottage. These days knitting or rearranging some shelves in their sitting room didn't appear too interesting, and she would most likely only be on Charles' way.

Her mind kept circling around the great news…It wasn't just any day one receives information as grand as she had. Elsie Hughes-Carson, the princess of Scotland? She still couldn't believe it! How was such thing even possible? World was a funny place for sure, Elsie thought. As if walking in a daze, she didn't realize someone was calling her name…

"Mrs. Hughes!"

The person calling her was Mr. Barrow. He was looking at her with raised eyebrows. Elsie quickly composed herself and turned to face the man, trying to push her thoughts to the back of her mind.

"Yes?"

"There is a man who would like to see you.", he told her.

"Who is it?"

"I don't know, but he asked to for you."

Elsie looked at the butler in wonder. Who on earth would like to see her, she thought with a chuckle to herself.

"Very well. Where is he?", the housekeeper nodded her head.

"At the front door."

"Alright then. Thank you, Mr. Barrow."

The butler soon disappeared into the staircase, once he realized he was not wanted anymore. Elsie let out a sigh and walked towards the front door. She tugged the ledger in her hand closer to her chest as she walked on, her heels hitting the hard floor, the sound echoing in the whole hall and her chatelaine brushing against her dress. When the door came to her sight, she saw a man in a black suit standing before her. He was holding his hat in his right hand and with his other he was carrying a briefcase. That certainly looked suspicious.

"Good day ma'am. I presume you must be Mrs. Elsie Carson?"

His voice was quite deep, although it was nothing compared to her husbands'.

"You presume right sir. How may I help? I was told you've been asking for me.", Elsie said in her best housekeeper voice.

"That is correct.", he answered, nodding his head."It is a pleasure to meet you."

And wasn't he going to introduce himself? The housekeeper didn't have the slightest clue who he might be…

"You too Mr.-…"

"It's Mr. Jack Brown, ma'am.", he told her.

"Jack Brown? I don't think I have ever come across you anywhere?"

"Yes, well, I doubt that very much."

That put a perplexed look on her face and Mr. Brown quickly made it to explain;

"I gather you have received some interesting news from the Royal Court of England, am I right?"

The words hit her hard. How did he know anything about it?

"I-I'm not sure I know what you mean sir…", Elsie lied.

"A little bird told me you would be joining the royal family.", Mr. Brown said with a smirk.

"That certainly is not true."

"You don't have to lie to me Mrs. Carson. I know more than you think.", the man winked.

Oh, he was so disgusting! If she wasn't taught how to be a well-mannered woman, she would have slapped him in the face.

"And I want a payment to make me keep my mouth shut. I think the papers would love to hear that the future princess is a lowly servant.", at this he grabbed her wrist, which she didn't manage to pull away from his grip.

He raised his hand in the air, readying it to swing it to her cheek.

"What is going on here?", came Lord Grantham's voice from the doorway where he was standing.

The disgusting man before her quickly let go of her wrist, which was now full of bruises from his strong grip and lowered his hand. God bless the good ol' Lord Grantham, Elsie sighed in relief.

"Lord Grantham! What an honour to meet you.", Mr. Brown beamed in panic.

Elsie was structed into silence. She stared at her feet in agony, glad of the lord's interruption. She lowered herself to lift her ledger from the floor, which she must have dropped when he grabbed her hand. What would Lord Grantham think of her now?

"I will need to ask you to leave sir. I don't know why you came here, but in my household no one will…Harass…A member of my staff, or my family. So please get out!", shouted Lord Grantham, pointing towards the front door."And shall you come back, I will have the police after you."

"Milord, there must be a mis-"

"I don't think my eyes have yet failed me. Mrs. Hughes is a beloved member of the staff, and you, or anyone else for the matter, have no right to act like you just did! I will make sure you will get behind the bars if you are not out of the door in one minute…"

And he rushed out of the front door with hesitation, casting a disappointed and angry look in her direction. His lordship stepped to pull the door closed after him once he was out of sight. They both sighed, ever so glad that the situation was over.

"Good heavens, what a horrid man…", mumbled Lord Grantham, and brushed his hand over his face.

Elsie winced in pain when she tried to move her bruised wrist. It must be broken, she thought, damn it! Upon seeing her wincing, he stepped closer;

"I will call for Clarkson to come and see you. You are not hurt anywhere else are you, Mrs. Hughes?", he asked kindly, clearly worried over his housekeeper.

"No, I don't think so, milord. I mu-…I must thank you for stepping in, your lordship, it was truly kind of you.", she managed to blurt out.

"Not at all. I don't tolerate such behaviour, was it set upon my own family or my staff. And I don't think Carson would ever forgive me if I didn't."

And they both smiled at that.

"You should take the rest of the day off, I'm sure they will manage downstairs just fine."

"I don-"

"That was an order, Mrs. Hughes."

"Yes, milord.", Elsie nodded her head, in fact, gratefully.

They parted ways, the housekeeper making her way downstairs and the lord to telephone the doctor. While walking down the stairs, Elsie could only pray that being royal wasn't in the end this dangerous and hard…