I really didn't think that I would come this far with this story. Initially I thought of covering around three chapters but now a point where I would end this story is absolutely out of sight. I might even go on for about three more chapters, or even more. And thank you so much for your kind reviews! They keep me going.

Chapter 7

Mr Carson knocked on Mrs Hughes' sitting room with a tea tray in his hand and entered without waiting for her response. They were very close colleagues and it was several years before that they had forgone the habit of waiting for a response to enter each other's working spaces, his pantry and her sitting room. Mrs Hughes was arranging her desk with a bright smile on her face and humming a tune very softly. Mr Carson had rarely seen her in such a good mood, a mood that was sufficient enough to make her hum. Humming was his habit, one that never faded since his days in the music halls. He placed the tea tray on the nearby table and pulled out a chair. She gave a pile of papers one last shuffle and placed it in a corner of her very messy desk. To Mr Carson, this was a very strange setting. He has never seen the Housekeeper like this before, humming a tune, a messy desk. He knew her to be someone who despised untidiness with her life. She couldn't bear to see a picture on the walls crooked, a flower sticking out of an arrangement or even her own two pens not parallel on the desk. Mr Carson wondered about it as he waited for her to join her.

She walked to the table and sat down. He followed, ever the gentleman. Without a word she started pouring the tea on to the two cups and then added a lump of sugar to hers and three to his (he had a very sweet tooth and she knew it well). Mr Carson studied her expression slowly return to normal, to the usual one.

"You are bright as a summer day today Mrs Hughes," Mr Carson commented with a chuckle and Mrs Hughes let out a small laugh.

"Well what do you I look like on other days Mr Carson? Like a rainy day in March?" Mrs Hughes countered and Mr Carson let out a defeated sigh.

"It's not fair that you are always able to get away. Why can't I overturn your victory anytime?" he let out defeated sigh again.

"Then you should try harder Mr Carson. You know me Mr Carson. Scottish women are known to put up a fight," Mrs Hughes replied with chuckling victoriously.

"Well, even though you being the only specimen of that species I've known well, I have no option than to agree," Mr Carson laughed and a wide victorious smile lit up Mrs Hughes' face.

"But Mrs Hughes you are not getting away! What is the secret behind this very amiable mood of yours? A highly unlikely one for you at this time of the day," Mr Carson resisted Mrs Hughes' teasing.

"You'll think I'm going soft with old age," she replied while laughing.

"Elsie Hughes going soft! I doubt the sun would begin to rise in the west from tomorrow morning!" he commented at which Mrs Hughes shot him a sharp look.

"Alright! Alright! You were saying?" he asked innocently and Mrs Hughes' couldn't help but smile inside to herself as to how adorably he accepted his defeat.

"I employed a new housemaid today," Mrs Hughes replied calmly trying to tease Mr Carson a bit. For Elsie Hughes, the day did not feel complete if she hadn't teased the Butler to her heart's content.

"A new housemaid? I haven't seen anyone new around. Besides I've never seen employing a new housemaid to have this effect on you. Who is it?" he said, utterly surprised. If Elsie Hughes would be this happy for employing a new housemaid he'd have a queue of them outside each day.

"Lady Sybil," Mrs Hughes replied in a very ordinary tone and bit her lower lip to prevent herself from laughing. The surprised Butler choked on his tea and coughed several times to retain his composure yet ended up with a bewildered look painted across his face.

"What do you mean Lady Sybil?" he asked in utter amazement.

"She wanted to run away and came to me asking for work. Poor little lass. She was so sad and the only thing she could think was to run away," Mrs Hughes replied with a smile.

"But why would she run away?"

Mrs Hughes knew she had to take the opportunity. For the reason behind the little girl's sorrow was the Butler's favourite for whom he did anything except worship.

"Because your precious Lady Mary was hurting her," Mrs Hughes replied with a very stern face.

"What do you mean hurting her? Lady Mary would do no such thing!" he countered with full confidence.

"Well to begin with she had had Lady told Lady Sybil that she was not their sister and that she was brought over from the village, not their mother's daughter. And kept on saying that Lady Sybil does not belong with them and ought to leave the nursery," she finished leaving a suitable stunned and thoroughly defeated Butler.

"That is… well… that is… not exactly…" he stuttered trying to find a suitable adjective without harming the image of his favourite young Lady.

"Mean, wicked, unfeeling, insensitive... You want more or are they enough?" Mrs Hughes asked with a very stern look. She never understood why Lady Mary could do no wrong in the Butler's eyes. She personally thought that it was not good for a child's upbringing if their faults were not pointed out and advised as to how to correct them. She suppressed a scowl that she felt emerging on her face.

"I believe I would have to agree with the sentiment of your conclusion but not in the exact sense inferred by those words Mrs Hughes," Mr Carson agreed meekly. He would defend Lady Mary with all his might but given the accusation placed in front of her, it seemed that this time he couldn't wash her clean. Mr Carson noted how Mrs Hughes' face relaxed as he accepted the guilt of Lady Mary. He watched her look return to be the tender and happy one he noticed earlier when he entered her sitting room.

"I assume you had a nice time with Lady Sybil?" he asked gently. He couldn't guess what she did with the child but he knew she would not send the child away with an explanation. Mrs Hughes, though how well she tried to hide it, had an extremely caring side and he knew it very well, having been on the receiving end of her kindness and consideration many times than he could count.

"It was a lovely time Mr Carson. I didn't want to disappoint her so I let her do some sums with me as I filled out the ledger, let her feel as if she's working," her reply ended with a short laugh. Mr Carson waited for her to resume her sentence, he felt how she was finding ways to bring her thoughts to words.

"I told her some stories and… you know what you tell little girls. It's that I felt… I felt… I mean…" she stuttered and Mr Carson watched helplessly as tears formed in her eyes and her lips trembled softly. His heart leaped out at the sight of her. He wanted to comfort her, to reach out. While his thoughts were battling between love and propriety he watched as the woman who walked the halls like an unfeeling ray of sunshine break down and his heart shattered to a million pieces.

To be continued…

I promise to update as soon as possible but something always stands in my way. I have doubts about this chapter, I'll promise make the coming ones better.