Boo! Hah, got you! It's me again from away from my laptop, for the last time in a long time! I am back with another chapter for you. It won't be long now for me to get back home. *blissful sigh* I will be returning to writing at the end of the week, hopefully, but for the time being, please do enjoy this chapter, just as much as I enjoyed writing it! And please excuse the possible typos you might see! I hope you enjoy. I'll see you soon!

Two hours later (lunch time), Thursday 19th, London

The Carsons were sat in a quiet restaurant, just a couple of blocks away from the glorious Buckingham Palace. Charles was watching his dearest wife, now so quiet and distant, fidget with the food on her plate, she hadn't eaten almost anything while he had already finished his meal. He understood she wouldn't have much of an appetite, but they had to eat something, in a restaurant or at Grantham house. A restaurant seemed much more appealing to both of them, and they certainly deserved a treat.

And if Charles was honest with himself, he needed a moment away from all the hustle and bustle of work, and a quiet restaurant, a meal with his lovely wife seemed exactly right. He had been there for her when the king had spoken to them about the "great secret" of the lost Princess of Scotland and Elsie's real family history, but after they left the palace, things had starter to sink in. His wife, his perfect, lovely, amazing wife, had been forgotten, like she was nothing! That only managed to make his blood boil. Charles has always respected and honoured the royal family. Maybe more in other ways now that his wife was part of them, but not quite as much as he had before today, in other ways. He understood life didn't always go on as planned, not nearly as often as they needed it to go, but the plan had so many holes in it. And that was the cause that his wife was now so down in the mouth, as she often said. Her lips were not curled on a smile, like they usually were, her eyes were not kind, but melancholy, and her whole being reminded him of her at the time when Becky had passed away. She still talked a lot about her little sister, his sister-in-law. They had spent many evenings talking about her, Elsie telling him stories of her childhood. He had fallen more in love with her in those moments. And now he seemed to be falling for her even more…

Pushing his thoughts away, Charles spoke gently;

"Darling, won't you eat even a bit? You'll regret it if you don't."

"I'm not exactly hungry.", came her timid answer.

"Then we go back to Grantham house and when we get there, I will ask Mrs. Stinson (Lady Rosamund's cook) to borrow you a piece of pie. I know you want some, even if you won't admit it."

Her head shot up at his words and her eyebrows curled together in wonder.

"Borrow? Am I supposed to give it back?", she asked, her sad façade failing and a smile appearing at her lips.

"I knew I could make you smile.", admitted Charles proudly, as he rose from his seat, placing enough money to pay the bill on the table and pulled his wife with him as they left the restaurant.

They were back at Grantham house in exactly eight minutes. She was holding his hand the whole time it took them to get there. When they came through the courtyard, they saw Lord and Lady Grantham coming out from the front doors of the Grantham house. The car had been brought around and they must have been heading to see a friend of Lady Grantham's, as she had mentioned earlier.

"Ah, you're back.", sighed Lord Grantham when he saw the couple approaching.

"Milord.", the retired butler replied, bowing his head.

The Crawleys stepped aside from the car to speak to them more privately.

"Did everything go well?"

"Cora has been worrying you might have been murdered by some outlaws."

"Robert! I never did!", Cora swatter her husband's arm lightly.

"Well, milady, I can assure you, there were no outlaws at the palace. And I believe the visit went as well as one could expect.", Charles explained with a forced smile.

"Well, that's good to hear. Did you talk of any future arrangements yet?"

"No, milady. They said we would be welcome to visit any time soon, but otherwise we are to send letters for now. To keep things secret before further announcements will be made."

"That's understandable.", Robert nodded his head at the other man's words.

"We can talk more when we return from our visit. Will you be able to come to me before dinner, Mrs. Hughes?", Cora asked kindly. She could see the housekeeper was clearly in a state.

"Of course, milady."

"Alright then. I'll see you before dinner."

Cora and Robert headed to the car and drove off into the busy London streets. Charles watched his wife observe the car a while, before it disappeared behind a corner of a nearby building.

"Let's go inside. It's rather windy out here.", he whispered, ushering her inside the servant's quarters.

He helped her out of her coat and hat before saying he'd be right back with a piece of Mrs. Stinson's pie. Elsie remained in the hallway after he left. He was fidgeting with her purse she was holding. The sounds of spoons hitting against teacups that could be heard from the servants' hall, where the staff must be having their tea, and the familiar chatter of the hall boys and maids, didn't seem too appealing to her at the moment. She turned to, gently, push the backdoor open and stepped outside. The London wind washed through the buildings, right at the place she was standing. Leaving the door open by a small gap, she walked a few steps and found an old crate on the kitchen courtyard and sat down. The crate let out a small crackling sound, and Elsie feared for a moment it might give up at her weight, but it didn't. She sat there, in the quiet, looking around the courtyard. All the years she had spent as a servant, all the fond, and not so fond, memories of her maids giggling behind her back and the hall boys playing tricks on the poor butler. She would miss it.

"I wondered for a while you might have ran off.", came the blooming voice of the said, now retired, butler.

"Never.", Elsie said as he came closer."I didn't want to go sit in the servants hall, I might have scared the young staff with my presence."

"Fair enough."

Charles motioned for her to scoot over and make him some space on the crate too. Elsie moved over, amused smile playing about her lips.

"What if the crate breaks?"

"I'm not that heavy, woman. And I guess we shall see…"

The crate didn't break. But his wife did break into a playful smile.

"Here is the pie I promised.", he handed her a plate full of the said pie.

"And who has eaten it?"

There was a big piece missing and crumbs all over the plate. Charles hesitated for a moment. He then shrugged his shoulders like an innocent young boy.

"It must have been Mrs. Stinson."

"I see.", Elsie nodded at his cheek, but took a forkful of the pie anyways."You should have brought a fork for yourself too. I can hardly eat such a large piece by myself."

"It wouldn't be the first time we would share a fork, Mrs. Carson."

"Oh, if that's what you intended."

"Mhm.", Charles smiled.

He was so glad to make her smile and possibly forget the things that were going on for a moment.

"I hardly could have asked Mrs. Stinson for two forks. She would have thought the great Mr. Carson has gone soft, sharing his pie."

"As it happens, I do not seem to care what Mrs. Stinson thinks, nor do I mind if Mr. Carson has indeed, gone soft.", she told him before feeding him some of the delicious pie.

She enjoyed this exchange between them. The formality of the day, all the worries and royals and fine ladies had worn her down…Now it was just the two of them. Charles and Elsie.

"What are you thinking about?", asked Elsie from her husband, upon seeing his thoughtful expression.

"Nothing much. I was only wondering just how fine princess you will make. And how proud I am to have married you, for what you are."

"I'm glad at least one of us can see the bright side in this.", Elsie stated with a weak smile.

"Today might have been…Hard…To say the least, but I do believe we will be fine, love. We have the most royal people on earth to guide us.", Charles said."And I don't think they will rush, you. Us. And when the new princess will be announced to the whole world, she will shine as bright as the sun, wearing that brilliant smile of hers on her face."

She brought her hand to his cheek. Her eyes were misty from tears, but none ever fell.

"Oh, I never thought I could love someone as much as I love you in this moment.", she whispered, sobbing.

"I hope you will love me for long to come."

"How could I ever not?", Elsie leaned to place her lips on his.

The kiss was nothing more than a promise that they wouldn't be alone. They would be together through it all. His hand found its perfect place at her lower back, pulling her closer to him. She broke the kiss after a moment, inhaling deeply to collect herself again. He rested his forehead against hers…Her hands in his already ruffled hair, Elsie asked seductively;

"What would you say if we went to our bedroom for a…Nap?"

He knew well she didn't mean an actual nap. He knew exactly what she meant.

"But it's the middle of the day."

"You're a retired man, Mr. Carson. Or are you busy with something?", she teased, playing with his shirt collar.

"Certainly not. Bu-"

"My only responsibility is Lady Grantham, and she is not here right now. We can of course go into the servants' hall for a cup of tea, if you like?"

"God no! If we won't hurry, I'm afraid I am going to 'nap' you right here…", he murmured suggestively while wiggling his eyebrows, lifted her feet up the ground and kissed her lips, before they rushed upstairs to their grand bedroom.

The only sign of them was the pie on the plate, left on the courtyard of Grantham house. God mercy the person who is to find the said pie…