Guess what gyes? Ha, I am back with the 18th chapter of 'Not Every Royal Wears A Crown' for you! After +two weeks of delays and busy life, I have finally written and written and now able to present you some more of this story. I hope you still enjoy reading this, let me know with a little review! ;) I shall be here waiting…Don't mind the possible typos, those happen. Enjoy and stay safe darlings!
' The Royal Court of England has just claimed that the princess of Scotland has been, indeed, identified, is alive and living in the land of England. No further information has been received, other than the princess will be joining the Royal family in Buckingham Palace on the 6th of August. ', was written on the front pages of every magazine, newspaper and column all over the world.
Monday 6th of August, early morning, the Downton train station
"So…This is goodbye then."
"I'd hate to think of it as that.", Elsie smiled sadly, looking up from the small purse in her hands to see her friend's down casted face."We'll stay in touch."
"Of course. You did promise me that.", Mrs. Patmore forced a smile, nodding her head.
Elsie casted a look on her right where Charles was shaking his hand with Mr. Bates and chatting with a very wistful Anna. It pained her heart to leave these people, who she had so long called her family.
"I shall hold you onto that."
"I know. And I will keep that promise.", Elsie stretched out her left hand and squeezed the cook's arm gently."And I hope you'll watch over everyone. I trust Ms. Baxter, that is Mrs. Baxter, but I feel like it should be you... And besides, you're the last man standing…"
Of course, they both knew what she had meant by that.
It hadn't been Charles idea to retire so early, but his health came in the way when his body let him down. Nor was Elsie supposed to leave service now, but life took a turn. Mrs. Patmore was indeed the last man -woman- standing.
"The last man standing, I feel like I have quite the responsibility."
And they both laughed out loud, despite the sad occasion.
"Take care of him.", Beryl gestured towards Charles with her head before continuing."And don't let them make you one of those posh royals."
"I won't."
Beryl opened her arms, asking for permission, to hug her friend, which Elsie granted without a second thought. The hug was by no means long, but it radiated all the challenges and celebrations they'd faced through the years. When pulling apart, Elsie smiled warmly at Beryl, reassuring her.
"Take care."
Nodding her answer, as she was so emotional and was afraid she'd crumble into tears if she were to speak, Beryl turned to give space for Mr. Barrow.
"Mr. Barrow. I'm glad you came down to bid us goodbye.", Elsie replied after recovering from all the emotions swirling inside of her.
"Of course I came. It's not every day one gets to send off a royal."
She let out a quiet laugh, more like a giggle, at his words.
"Well, I hope you're not too happy to see us go."
"I don't know about Mr. Carson, but I shall miss having you around Mrs. Hughes. If I may say so, you've been very good to me during my time at Downton…", Mr. barrow, Thomas, spoke with a faint smile playing at his lips."I don't think I'd be here without your help."
Elsie couldn't really form any sensible sentence, so she just nodded her head appreciatively. Thomas then continued;
"You've seen me at my lowest and you helped me during that hard time. I really am grateful, Mrs. Hughes…You've been like a surrogate mother to me, well, to all of us really. We owe you a lot."
She felt a lonely tear roll down her cheek and she quickly brushed it away. That darling boy had made her weep, and she was by no means usually drawn to crying…Until recently, apparently.
"Your words mean more to me than you'll ever know, Mr. Barrow.", she patted him on his shoulder before continuing."I'm proud of you, despite all of your ups and lows, Thomas, I won't deny that. You've been the son to me I'll never have."
And they stood there in the silence for a while, both at a loss of words. It wasn't until Mr. Barrow heard someone approach them that he lifted his gaze to meet Mrs. Baxter and Mr. Molesley who were walking towards them on the platform.
"Mrs. Baxter, Mr. Molesley.", he greeted them with a kind smile.
"We just thought we'd stop by and say our goodbyes.", Mrs. Baxter's quiet voice rang through the platform.
"That is very kind.", Elsie regained her voice.
She had never really known the young woman, now standing next to her, but she had learned she held a kind heart behind her heavy shell. And Mr. Molesley had gotten the better of her kindness once or twice during his time at Downton, she gladly thought.
"The chatelaine fits you perfectly, Ms- Mrs. Baxter. You'll do well, I'm sure of that.", the older woman noted with a sad smile.
"Thank you, Mrs. Hughes. That is a high praise, coming from you.", Mrs. Baxter smiled brightly in return."I wish you'll write to us and let us know how you've settle at the palace."
"I will, I already promised Mrs. Patmore so much."
"I hope you'll allow us to wish you good luck, I don't know if you need it, but I do wish for things to go well for you.", Baxter said.
"I appreciate the sentiment. Every luck in this world will be needed.", Elsie shook her head, turning to address the teacher to her right."And you Mr. Molesley, I hope you will keep teaching those children."
A bit startled at her words, Mr. Molesley answered after a while;
"Uhm-. Well yes, I will do that.", he said and a moment later lend his hand to shake the ex-housekeeper's gloved one."Good luck. You will be greatly missed."
Both Elsie and Phyllis had to fight back a laugh at the man's formal words.
"Thank you, Mr. Molesley."
Slowly the teacher and the new housekeeper started to walk off, back to their duties, leaving Elsie stand alone on the platform. She let out a heavy sigh. She was feeling down, of course, she knew she would, but she hadn't guessed just how sad the goodbye would be. Without another moment to herself, she saw Andy and Daisy approach her to say their goodbyes. She gave them a smile and let them be on their way. She was also very proud of the young woman Daisy had become. Daisy had been a young widow, much on her and Mrs. Patmore's account, but she had overcome it and was now happily married again, with a bairn on the way.
Not long later, her thoughts were interrupted by the babbling of little Johny Bates, who she turned to greet with a charming smile.
"I'm afraid I haven't had the time to come talk to you in the past days.", Elsie sadly said to the young mother.
"Oh no, don't worry. I know you've been very busy.", Anna shook her head, but Elsie couldn't quite hear the sincerity behind her words."I'm just sad you'll leave."
"Me too, dearest, but as I promised to Mrs. Patmore, I will write and come to visit you eventually.", drawn back to the boy in Anna's arms."Even if just to see this little lad."
Elsie leaned to give the lad's cheek a gently squeeze with her fingers, making him let out happy laugh.
"He'll miss you, maybe even more than I will.", Anna told her with a smile.
"And I will miss him, just like I will miss his mother."
"I hope you know this already, but you've been like a mother to me…A better mother than my real mother ever was. And now, I just can't believe you'll leave us.", Anna said, her voice and words sincere. She meant every word."It won't be the same without you."
"Oh, but of course it will! I'm no one special. You'll learn to adapt, it might be a bit hard, at least I know it will be hard on me, but everything will settle back to normal before you even have time to miss me."
With a glance to Mr. Bates, who was standing and holding Johny, Elsie leaned to take both Anna's free hands in hers.
"I've loved you like a mother loves her daughter, and that will never change, my dear. I will always be there for you, whatever you shall need. You, Mr. Bates and little Johny, will always have my back."
"I suppose we will be well looked after, now better than ever before.", John chimed in."Your majesty."
Elsie turned her head to give the man a mocking look before John dared to continue;
"I don't think I've ever thanked you for everything you did for Anna, Mrs. Hughes. I will be forever grateful."
"Nonsense. It was my pleasure, and I wouldn't take back anything I said nor did back then.", the woman in question replied with a shake of her head.
"Despite that, I am grateful."
"Do you really have to go?", Anna blurted out again.
"I'm afraid so. A new life awaits Mr. Carson and me, that's how it is.", Elsie stated, looking adoringly at Mrs. Bates before her."But it warms my heart to know you would want me to stay."
Anna's teary nod made her gently pull her in for a tight hug. The lady's maid clung to her, letting a few stray tears escape from the corners of her eyes. Elsie planted a kiss in the girl's hair and when she pulled away, dried her tears with a handkerchief she'd gotten from Charles a few years back in time. The older woman didn't bother with the tears on her own cheeks and let them fall free. It pained her heart to see the girl, who she'd considered her own daughter for so long, so very broken. And in the end, it was she who had caused her that pain.
"Don't cry, dearest. You'll be alright."
And with a supportive squeeze to Mr. Bates' arm, a smile at little Johny and a kiss to Anna's cheek, Elsie reluctantly left them standing alone. She could already hear the train approaching them in a distance. Her eyes scanned the platform for Charles and she slowly realized how many people it held at the moment. It wouldn't do to let them know the truth…Not quite yet. She found her husband chatting with Mr. Barrow, and was lucky enough to catch a glimpse of the two men shaking hands. And she appeared to me smiling brightly at the sight when she reached them.
"Ah- Mrs. Hughes.", Mr. Barrow smiled at her.
"There you are.", Charles greeted.
"I was just saying my goodbyes to the Bateses."
"Quite right, I'm sure they'll be missing you."
"So they said. At least I'll be missing them.", Elsie replied."Shouldn't you be back at the house already, Mr. Barrow? The family will be starting their day any moment now."
"Oh no, Andrew will be back by then. He promised to look after the house for a while.", Barrow explained."And besides, I doubt I'll be needed at the moment anyway."
"Very well then. It's good of you to stay."
The loud sound of the train's whistle rang through the air as it came to a stop at the station. Soon, a thick steam was covering the whole platform. People started drifting towards the train, others making their way out of the train with family and friends greeting them.
"Goodbye then.", Thomas said finally.
"Goodbye, Mr. Barrow. Take care.", Elsie smiled pensively.
"Shall we go?", Charles asked his wife, lending his arm towards her.
"Yes, let's."
Charles lifted their suitcases from the platform, and they started making their way towards the train, to their private first class compartment; A courtesy from the Dowager, who had come to say her goodbyes last night. To quote her, "No royal should travel within people who could be her servants", Elsie remembered as she watched her husband open the door for her. She cast a look around; to the Bateses who still stood nearby, Mr. Barrow…And apparently lady Mary.
"Carson!"
He quickly let go of the door and turned to face his favourite Crawley with a slightly panicked look;
"Lady Mary? Is everything quite alright?"
"Oh yes, nothing's wrong. I just wanted to come say my goodbyes.", she explained.
"I don't think that was necessary, mila-", and at the look she gave him, left him silent.
"Of course it is necessary. The servants were a bit surprised to see me up and about so early, no doubt, but I felt like I needed to come nevertheless.", Lady Mary said with a smile."You have both been a big part of Downton and I suppose the place will never be the same without you at the helm. I can see that now. If I didn't quite see it at the start anyhow."
"Well, we were glad to be, milady.", Charles nodded his head, clearly touched at her words.
"That is all very grand and all, but I must say that's not why I came really."
"No?", Elsie blurted out.
"No.", the Lady shook her head and took a deep breath before continuing."I came to wish you good luck. Knowing you, you won't be needing it, but I must feel like I've done some good."
"That is very kind of you, milady."
"Well…"
They stood in a silence for a short while, before Lady Mary spoke up again;
"You will be a wonderful princess, Mrs. Hughes. I doubt anyone could do it better than you. Anna always praises you, and now I know she has always told the truth. I have no doubts things will go well for you.", and she gave the couple a teary smile.
They were both left speechless. Maybe happily so, because there was no words to say at the moment.
"All aboard!", rand through the air.
"I hope you don't think that too untoward of me to say so."
"Not at all. I admit I have never had much credit for you, milady, but these past days have made me quite fond of you.", Elsie replied when she regained her voice."Your words mean a lot to me. Thank you."
Lady Mary nodded her head and smiled.
"Ma'am, sir. You must board now.", came the voice the train station worker.
"Of course."
"You musn't miss your train…Well, goodbye then.", the young woman said."And good luck."
With those words, the Carsons climbed into the train, closing the compartment door behind them.
"Until next time, Lady Mary.", Charles tipped his hat at her from their compartment, with a sad smile on his lips.
"Until next time.", she replied.
The train slowly started to move on its tracks and soon another blast of steam filled the platform. Charles sat down next to his wife, his left hand in search of hers.
"I hate goodbyes.", she whispered as she took his hand.
"Me too, love…Me too.", Charles pulled her closer to his side, holding on to her in need of reassurance that everything would be fine in the end.
"Do you still believe I'll make a victory out of this, Charles?", her voice full of emotion, tears in her eyes.
"I always do, Mrs. Carson."