When he returned from the village the sun was already faded in the horizon, coloring the sky with all red and orange nuances that made that hour so warm and calm.
With the spring season coming, the days would be longer, the afternoon warmer and the air filled from the flowers blooming in the majestic gardens of the Abbey and the ones in their smaller but not less beautiful little piece of paradise.
Because seeing that place coming to life with all his attention and care, making his wife smile with joy and pride, was worth every sweat drop of his skin, every stretched muscle and every inch of his hands covered in mud.
The former butler of Downton Abbey opened the door of his house, a basket filled with the products from village groceries, just as she asked, to supply their food storage in the best way possible.
While he was organizing the supplies on the kitchen table, Charles wondered where she would be.
After 30 years of work, Elsie stayed at home that day. Only after all the innumerable recommendations for Anna and Baxter (Mrs Mosley for some months by then) that things in the house would go just smoothly, with the promise, not really required, that they would let her know if they needed anything. But it really was not necessary, how he himself had found out that afternoon.
He remembered with a smirk how Mrs Patmore teased her dear friend about that and how the expression in her fierce face was enough to make them stuffle giggles and chuckles before everyone left to continue their work.
Charles noticed the tea pot near the sink with two cups and he smiled tenderly.
That extraordinary woman.
When he finished to fill the shelves, he wandered his gaze on the room, from the sofa to the fireplace, to his armchair, on which he found a colorful book with the image of a butterfly on the cover.
He sighed smiling at the image, before recollecting the book and heading to the stairs.
Charles passed the corridor of the first floor, before he stopped in front of a half closed door, hearing her soft voice from the other side of the room filling his ears.
His chest was filled with the sound of her Scottish accent to his beating heart and his gaze was blessed with the most tender and touching scene he had ever seen, making him admiring the sight before him with moistening eyes: Elsie was sitting on the sit they were delivered just a week before, rocking in her arms a small bundle covered with a white blanket, from which only one chubby hand was coming out, laying the little fingers on her chest, near her heart. The room was lighted by the orange rays, warming the clear walls of the room itself, conferring to both such a perfect aura from which he couldn't dare to tear his eyes apart. An overwhelming sensation flowed over from his chest, invading his entire body and soul,
Elsie's attention was focused on the blue orbs observing her identical ones with some sort of curious glance, while she felt that little hand near her heart and she was sure she would end up crying herself all over.
— Oh my… Elsie… — Charles could feel the tears running freely from his eyes down to his face. Elsie was just crying and smiling at the same time, she brought both hands on her chest, her breath became heavier, her heart almost pounding so hard it could rip her body.
She bit her lower lip, her blue pools moisted with new tears flowing down her cheeks before the sweetest scene she had ever seen.
The little baby calmed down in Charles' embrace and now she was looking at him with eyes opened, bright and almost curious.
— She has your eyes, my love… — he whispered, touched. He could feel his heart totally bursting with love for his Elsie, for their little one.
Because he just knew, from the moment that little white bundle was in his arms, that she would be theirs.
Elsie finally let a sob escape from her throat, choking out between happy tears and soft laughs, just admiring how the baby fitted in his arms.
He came closer to her, kissing her softly, their own tears mixing together, before she snuggled into his side, her head resting on his upper arm while one of her hands caressed the round cheek of the new little addition in their family.
The little baby snuggled in their embrace, making a soft yawn and closing her eyes while he rocked her gently in his arms.
Elsie kissed the little pink nose, his husband kissing her hair gently.
It was perfect.
The breath of the little one in her arms was like a balm to her, especially after the difficult morning they had faced and she was determined to make sure she would have a proper rest, at least until the next feed.
Elsie caressed the tiny head, summoned by very few strands of hazelnut hair, almost invisible, while rocking in her spot and humming a low melody she used to sing when her sister Becky was a little lass just as the baby one in her lap.
The thought made her heart filled with that warm sensation again, so she sighed quietly and with the same loving sensation pouring from her chest she started to sing in a low voice.
Take it in your mind
The simple melody I made
for you, oh beloved
princess, water eyes
moon girl
I want to see you clear
Brightening the intense night of this love
the sky is your smile
in the white of your face
radiating tenderness
I want you to detach
of any fear you feel
you have your shield
your loom
have in hand, dear
The seed
From a flower that inspires a burning kiss
an invitation to love
Take it in your mind
The simple melody I made
for you, oh beloved
princess, water eyes
Beautiful girl
If she stopped to think about all the changes they had had in those last months, she could hardly believe it was all real.
When she opened the backdoor that morning, how could she ever imagine that their lives would turn out so incredibly different?
Different, but still so incredibly well.
She was concerned, as she knew she would be, about the baby, about herself, about him, about them. This was certainly the biggest change she had faced in her life, and the sensations, all that she felt when she left the farm for the first time to find a better life, crushed on her, like the waves of the stormy sea on the sand.
Day by day, she just settled her mind to her new life, leaving out some of the dreams her younger self had been drawing in her heart and soul, but looking at what she had
Yes, they had been there even when he proposed to her but, if she was totally honest with herself, weren't they just so well accustomed with each other's presence in their life since they remembered it?
She didn't know someday she would become someone's wife, but being Charles Carson's wife was just so good, so incredibly good.
They settled well in their new life as husband and wife, so happy he made her everyday, just as she made him.
And what about all the young women and men that crossed the servant's room and lived, even for the briefest time, under their same roof? All of them with their expectations, dreams, flaws and restlessness… The big family she dreamed about one day, and the one God made for her, as she always liked to say.
Life is unpredictable, and only to prove it, the little baby in her arms came in.
It took a while for some things about her desires to come back into their place. And for how much she would grow fond of the younger members of their team, she knew very well they had their own family.
Right there, everything was in his place, and all her dreams had come true.
Charlotte had brought to the surface something that had been dormant inside her for so long. The desire to fulfill the only dream that had not been fulfilled.
The desire to have a chance to be the mother of a child.
A child with Charles. Only theirs.
And to rediscover herself as it.
— I've been thinking and… — she sighed, pulling away from his caresses. He distracted her, and she needed to get her mind in place to talk about what she wanted so badly. — You don't have to do this if you don't want to, I'll respect your decision and forget about it all, but…
— Elsie, please, calm down, my love — he realized she was about to have a heart attack and hugged her again. She rested her head on his chest, listening to his heartbeat to calm herself. It was a habit she had developed some time ago and he loved when she did it.
It was hard to have that conversation that affected her so much, but it also affected him. She wasn't just her now, it was her and Charles. They were married and shared a life together, she couldn't make decisions alone. Decisions that would affect both their lives. He needed to want this as much as she did.
Elsie composed herself, straightened her dress and her hair. She looked up to Charles, deep in the eyes, and expressed her desire.
— I believe we should adopt little Charlotte. — she said in one breath, but firmly. She had decided on what she wanted, he just had to say that she wanted that too and she would go out the door to find a lawyer to fix everything and they could finally adopt that girl and make her happy the way she deserved. No refunds this time, no fears and cries. Just the three of them, living happily ever after like in the fairy tale children read. It wouldn't be easy, they both knew. But they wanted that more than they ever wanted anything in life and they were willing to do anything to make that child happy with them. For nothing would explain the connection they felt with that child, nothing would explain the way they and Charlotte had bonded, nothing would explain their desire to make the girl a Carson and make her happy. Nothing would explain, only the Fate, or God, that had brought them together in such a way as if they were destined to meet. As if they were destined to be that child's parents.
— It's all I want the most, my love. — Charles replied, smiling so wide that Elsie could see every last of her husband's white teeth. She put her hands on her chest and put all the air she was holding out. Some tears fell from both their eyes.
And finally they could have Charlotte back in the house, to love and care for and heal whatever wounds might be in the girl's heart.
— So there's where my girls were hiding today… — he said in a soft voice to not startle the two of them. Elsie raised his gaze from the little girl to look at Charles, standing at the door frame with his eyes sparkling. She smiled when she met his warm gaze on them, making her heart burst with love and joy just with that loving expression on his face.
That sweet, sweet man…
— Look, my dear moon girl, Da's here! — she said in a sweet a tone, making his heart stop every time she referred to him as "Da" when she was talking to their little baby.
— And how's our little lass doing today? — he asked, nearing close to the rocking chair while Elsie continued to hold Charlotte who was just observing her with her big blue eyes open.
He kissed his wife's cheek longly and sweetly, before kissing Charlotte's forehead, the little girl closed her eyes at the contact, just to open them once more and moving her gaze from her to the new presence in the room, shifting slightly in her mummy's arms, content in nestling to the warmth she could feel in them.
He kneeled before them and touched one of Elsie's hands which was holding Charlotte's head, sighing when the baby set her piercing eyes to his face, making him smile even more openly.
Elsie observed the scene in front of her with big teary eyes, even after so many times, the sight of Charles interacting with their baby was the most heartwarming she could ever witness.
She would always remember with a smile that time when she found him in the library of the Abbey, little Sybbie Brason in his arms, taking comfort from his big hands and gentle touch.
She knew he had a certain magical power with enfants (and she wanted to roll her eyes everytime she thought about his relationship with the blessed Lady Mary), but to live it with their own daughter was just the proof of what she already knew about him and his kind heart.
Charles looked at Elsie with adoring eyes, the sparkle they held made her heart skip a beat, so she just mirrored his smile with a sweet one of her own. She observed little Charlotte taking one of Charles' fingers and wrapped it around her tiny hand.
— She's just fine — she said finally, still looking at them — we're fine.