Chapter 15

Holding the decanter half filled with wine with one hand and two glasses in the other, Mr Carson knocked on the door of Mrs Hughes' sitting room which was half open and entered, pushing the door fully open with his shoulder. She was seated in her chair mending one of her dresses and on seeing him a glorious smile that entered right into his heart appeared on her face. How he could get lost in that smile? In those eyes? He placed the decanter carefully on the table at the side and then glasses followed. She laid her dress carefully on her desk and walk toward him with her hands crossed in front of her, her chatelaine jingling slowly. He smiled at her, when he saw her watching him intently as he carefully poured the wine into the glasses. Having finished, he looked up at her, as she nodded and took a seat. And he followed at the opposite end of the table.

"You are in a very thoughtful mood today Mr Carson," Mrs Hughes said as she observed the butler.

"Me?" Charles asked flustered, trying to gain time for an answer that would seem appropriate. He didn't think he had the confidence to voice out the thoughts that bothered him earlier. Elsie raised an eyebrow in wonder. She knew that something was going on inside Mr Carson but even to her sharp mind, it was difficult to deduce.

"Well, nothing out of the ordinary," he replied trying to look ordinary but failing to a significant extent in the eyes of the Housekeeper.

"Hmm," Mrs Hughes let the question for now, hoping to catch the butler later on.

"And you seem to be in a very good mood Mrs Hughes," Mr Carson said as he tried to throw Mrs Hughes' line of questioning back at her.

"Nothing out of the ordinary Mr Carson," she replied biting back a giggle by drawing her bottom lip between her teeth.

"That is not a very clever trick Mrs Hughes," Mr Carson countered faking a mock serious tone.

"Oh it is when you are concerned Mr Carson," she retaliated and drew her bottom lip back to its cossetted position between her teeth. The evidence that she trying to stop a giggle, plainly visible.

"I didn't know that your job description mentioned that you could tease the butler to your heart's content," he said continuing his serious tone. But in a fraction of a second he realised that his earlier sentence might not sound very appropriate. Highly improper, in his standards.

"I'm sorry Mrs Hughes. I didn't intend for the words to come out that way. I'm sorry if you were offended," he said as she looked sheepishly at his hands on his lap. A gentle smile crossed Mrs Hughes' face. The adorable man!

"I can assure you Mr Carson that the very last thing I am at this moment is offended," she replied in a much softer voice and Mr Carson looked up to meet her tender gaze. She watched the wounded expression on his face slowly turn into a shy smile.

Mr Carson couldn't help but think how wonderful she was during these tender moments but knowing how such thoughts might disturb their equilibrium, he reluctantly switched the subject.

Clearing his throat he said, "Today it's some very fine Merlot, Mrs Hughes. I do believe you will like this very much." And he handed her a glass.

"Thank you Mr Carson," she replied and took the glass from his hand careful not to let their fingers brush. It was one of the things that unsettled her immensely, yet in a completely pleasant way.

"I assume Lady Sybil came to see you again," he mentioned. So tempted to bring up the memories that enchanted him.

"Aye she did," Mrs Hughes replied softly and again that divine smile of hers, reserved such moments lit up on her face.

"She must have enjoyed herself."

"Oh we both did. But I think when you saw us most of the fun was over," Mrs Hughes replied rather cheekily. She knew that it would mortify the butler to know that his eavesdropping was noticed.

"I… uhm… I didn't mean to pry or intrude… I just happened to be passing…" Mr Crason struggled to explain, very flustered.

"Oh I don't mind Mr Carson. Though I doubt others would. You'd have been the starting point to a long chain of rumours," Mrs Hughes tried to relieve the very uncomfortable Butler, by laughing lightly.

"Nevertheless Mrs Hughes I certainly see no right for me to intrude upon your privacy in that manner."

"How many times should I say that it is alright Mr Carson?" Mrs Hughes countered, now pulling on a very stern voice in full Housekeeper mood.

"Very well," Mr Carson gave in in a soft voice.

"But I've never really heard you speak Gaelic before," he began again, helplessly drawn to the enchanting scene from earlier in the day.

"I do know the language Mr Carson, obviously. But yes, now I don't speak it anymore," Mrs Hughes replied with a hint of nostalgia, a cloudy expression in her eyes. But it was only for a moment for again she became her usual self, but this time with some difficulty. "But I doubt that a very proper and respectable Englishman such as yourself would care for a language of the barbarians, instead finding it appalling. Given the Act and all," Mrs Hughes replied again, adding a note of sarcasm to her voice.

"Don't say that Mrs Hughes. It's only a general attitude," Mr Carson replied cautiously realising that he might be heading on a dangerous road. He knew that the Scottish temper and their patriotism can be a deadly combination.

"General attitude? Would you say the same if you were beaten at school for speaking English, your mother tongue?" Mrs Hughes asked, the fire now clearly glowing in her eyes.

"Mrs Hughes it might be a general attitude. But I do not endorse it," Mr Carson replied realising that the fire in her earlier question might be partly his fault for he completely forgot to mention his standing in the matter.

"I know that it is for my sake Mr Carson," she replied now softly, "I doubt you'd hold the same ground if for instance Miss O'Brien was concerned." At her words Mr Carson cast his eyes downwards realising that there might be some truth in her words.

He was a very patriotic Englishman, quite set in his ways and he guessed that his adoration for the language was mostly because of her than its cultural or historical value. He realised that what he loved was not exactly the language but the way she spoke it. The way her voice glided across the sounds of a language that sounded so distant to him. A language that sounded magical to him, not because of its roots in the Highlands of Scotland engulfed in magic and mystery, but because of her, only her. As she cleverly pointed out, if it had been for Miss O'Brien he might have been mortified. He might have feared what His Lordship or Her Ladyship and even the Dowager would think lest they heard it spoken in their presence. He could imagine what cutting remarks he would have made about it.

She watched his eyes drawn downwards. His blind adoration for a language he did not care for, only for her sake was not lost on her. She did feel a bit offended at times regarding his very English ways and lack of concern for her position. But she couldn't blame him. She was the foreigner. The black sheep. The minority. But now, she was slightly surprised at his standing. Instead of feeling offended, she fell even more in love with him. At that moment she didn't care if he reciprocated her feelings, all what mattered is that she loved him. But she took the liberty of wondering, whether he did feel the same. And she drowned in an ocean of love, one from which she knew that she could never recover.

To be continued…

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Notes: With the passing of the Education (Scotland Act) 1872 priority was given for English education in Scotland and the teaching of Gaelic was excluded. This resulted in children at school being severely punished if they spoke Scottish Gaelic. This implied ban was lifted in 1918 but its effects last to this day, being one of the main reasons for the rapid decline in the use and number of speakers of the Scots Gaelic language.

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A slightly long chapter to compensate for my long absence : ) Thank you so much for all your reviews. You are all so lovely! I'm so sorry that time doesn't permit me to thank you all personally. Hope you are enjoying the story so far. See you soon with a new chapter.

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