Good afternoon, darlings! Here we are for the 30th chapter! YAY! It took me long enough to write it but I'll try not to feel too guilty…I promise to write more as soon as I can!
And little sidenote before I let you get to reading: Everything is not accurate. I've tried to do a bit of googling, but I won't promise everything is right in this chapter. I hope you bear with me even so!
But now, enjoy the chapter! And don't forget to leave me a review if you got a moment to spare…I'll see you with the next chapter later :-)
And happy Midsummer to all celebrating!
Wednesday 25th of August 1929
Charles watched as Mabel carefully combed through his wife's hair, untangling the auburn curls that were still slightly damp from her bath earlier.
"Shall I braid your hair for you, your highness?"
"That would be lov-"
"Would you mind her leaving it down tonight, love?", he asked from under the covers.
His wife found his gaze on the mirror, raising her eyebrow in question. He simply shrugged. Elsie nodded at the young woman behind her with a smile on her face, letting her know the hair could stay down tonight.
"Very good, your highness.", Mabel smiled, turning to grab the princess' towel and her clothes for the day from the chair they had been draped on earlier."What time will you wake up tomorrow, your highness?"
Elsie glanced at the clock on the mantle in the middle of her task of applying hand lotion and after a moment of consideration answered with a;
"I'll have breakfast in bed and then I have a meeting with the queen at eleven- come wake me at eight if I'm not yet up."
"Of course."
"And- I trust you can choose me something to wear for the trial tomorrow afternoon.", Elsie stated simply, standing up from the dressing table."I trust your judgement."
"Of course, your highness, that will not be a problem.", she smiled."Will that be all?"
"Yes, thank you, Mabel.", the princess nodded, sparing the younger woman a genuine smile.
"Very good, your highness. I'll say good night."
"Good night, Mabel. I'll see you at eight."
Mabel walked to the door, bowing her head at the prince on her way;
"Your highness."
"Good night.", Charles replied politely as the maid exited the room and shut the door after her.
He then turned his attention to his wife; now making her way towards their bed while, still, spreading the lotion on her hands.
"You are being very transparent, my darling man.", she let out a little giggle as she stumbled down onto the bed.
"Whatever do you mean?"
"Asking Mabel to leave my hair down, I ask you."
"I like your hair when it's down, what's wrong with that?", he asked, not getting her point.
"Nothing is wrong with it, Charlie, only that now Mabel must think we're getting up to something."
He looked shocked, whether it was pretended she wasn't sure.
"Well, never mind that now.", she laughed."Though, I'm afraid it'll be terribly tangled in the morning."
"Wake me up before Mabel comes and I'll brush it out for you.", Charles offered as he watched her remove her dressing gown and slippers."Come to bed, love."
She caught his eye and instead of getting up and draping her dressing gown over the back of her dressing table chair, she tossed it to the end of their bed.
"Very unorganized of you, Mrs. Carson.", he teased.
"I take your orders very seriously, Mr. Carson.", his wife replied and climbed into bed next to him as pulled the covers over them properly.
His arm stretched around her middle and pulled her closer to his chest. She hummed her approval.
"Mmm- much better.", Charles sighed contently, relaxing completely now that his wife was next to him, finally.
"You truly are a silly old booby, darling.", she laughed as she planted a kiss to his bare neck before drawing away once again.
"I am just very much in love, Mrs. Carson."
"Well, as long as you are.", they both leaned in, and their lips met in a long and loving kiss.
She kept her head against his forehead long after they had broken the kiss to catch breath.
"It's been nice to have a bit our old life back, even for a little while, hasn't it?", she whispered, brushing a loose hair from his forehead.
He knew what she meant; their helping around the palace.
"It has rather. I didn't think I'd miss it so much."
"Being busy from sunrise until well past sunset? Never mind getting our hands dirty."
"That too.", he laughed, his deep baritone filling the room."Although we haven't had to get used to any of that again."
"A part of me even wished we would have."
"How so?", he asked her, his hand caressing her upper arm.
"I'm not entirely sure. Maybe I'd feel like I've done something with my time. It's just that these days I don't have much to do.", his wife explained, curling up beside him to hide a yawn.
"But you do have your hands busy, even if you are a royal now."
"I don't think writing letters and attending dinners and balls is much of a work, Charlie."
"Maybe not.", he agreed.
It was true, compared to their life even a month ago, this was very slow paced.
"I'm sure you could figure something out."
"What do you mean?"
He thought for a second and then replied;
"Well, maybe you could try charity. I feel like that would be your cup of tea."
"You do know how I like my tea.", she teased.
"Indeed, I do."
"But what would the king and queen think?"
Charles let out an amused huff;
"Since when have you cared about what other people think, my darling?"
"But that was before all this. I suppose I have the whole country to think about now. I am their princess, am I not?", Elsie said, her voice slightly defeated.
"Yes, but wouldn't charity be what this country needs? And there is no other person who would be better at it than you, Mrs. Carson."
"I could name one woman."
They both had to smile at that; their minds going back to a certain Crawley who had played an important role in helping Mr. Grigg and young Ethel once upon a time.
"Fair enough.", he smirked."There's not much I can say to that."
"Have you I made you speechless, Mr. Carson?", she raised her eyebrow in question but wasn't exactly waiting for an answer."Speaking of the Crawleys, are you still on board with my plan?"
"Our little getaway to Downton, yes, I am."
"I'm glad. I'll talk to the king and queen tomorrow, let them know of our plan."
"That sounds wonderful, my darling."
"They'll probably be reluctant to let us go at first, but I'm sure once I've managed to convince the queen that it'd be good for us, she'll change her husband's mind."
"Ever the plotter, aren't you?", Charles replied happily.
"As I've said before, it's a skill every woman must learn.", she told him as she leaned to turn off the bedside lamp on the table on her side of the bed."We should already be asleep by now. It'll be a long day tomorrow."
"You're right."
Charles followed her example; leaning to his right to turn off his bedside lamp.
"It wouldn't do for us to look weary at the court."
He watched as she laid down again and adjusted her pillow so she could get more comfortable.
"Do you really want to go to the trial? You don't have to, you know.", Charles asked suddenly.
He didn't want her to have to see those two monsters ever again.
Elsie propped herself on her elbows when she heard his question, the blanket slowly falling from her chest down to her lap. The question seemed silly to her, of course she would want to go. But she knew he would try to talk her out of it, nonetheless.
"I feel as if I need something…concrete…to help me forget all about it. Seeing them get the consequences they deserve will be just what I need."
He nodded absentmindedly;
"Very well, if you're sure. I'll come with you-"
"You don't have to do that.", she rushed to tell him, shaking her head slightly.
"Yes, I do. I won't let you go alone.", he insisted firmly, but he wasn't unkind.
"But I won't be alone, Charlie, the king will be there too."
Yes, they had talked about it at dinner a few hours earlier.
"I just- I don't want you to feel bad about what transpired downstairs the night they were taken away again. I know seeing them would do that to you.", she whispered the last part as if it was something you weren't supposed to say aloud at all.
He just stared at her for a while, unable to catch the meaning behind her words. It was true, he had been rather rueful the past days because of that incident, and she knew that as well as he did. It was only then that he realized the hidden truth behind her words, and it pained him like a sword to his chest.
His shoulders slumped;
"Oh Elsie."
"Charlie, don't-"
"You can't always try to protect me, my darling. It's not fair. You can't always be the one who keeps me steady when I need it. You must let me be the steadying hand for you this time. You've been to hell and back because of that woman.", he brought his hand to her cheek to caress it with his fingers."I couldn't protect you from Mrs. Webb at the time and it breaks my heart into little pieces every time I think about it- but now I can. So let me do that for you, my dearest darling."
He heard her let out a shaking breath. And was that a tear in the corner of her eye? He couldn't be entirely sure, not when the room had gone dark, and his eyes were not yet entirely gotten used to the shift in lighting.
A long silence followed. He kept his eyes fixated on hers, his finger drawing soothing circles on her cheek.
"You've managed to persuade me.", she whispered after a while; finally finding her voice again- while bringing her hand to brush away the tears before they would fall.
"And I will keep doing it as long as I need to. But I'm not letting you face this alone."
She smiled.
"Thank you for that."
Thursday 26th of August 1929, before the trial
Elsie skipped down the main staircase of the palace, adjusting her hat over her carefully pinned hair. The clock at the end of the stairs chimed three in the afternoon.
"I hope I've not kept you waiting too long?", she apologized as she stepped down from the last step.
Queen Mary greeted her with a charming smile.
"Not at all. The gentlemen have yet to show up."
"And that's on me thinking we ladies took our time getting ready to go out.", Elsie shook her head."I thought you were not coming to the trial?"
She had noted the queens outing attire as she had climbed down the staircase.
"I'm having tea with Princess Mary, she wanted to discuss something with me when I had a free moment.", Mary explained politely."I'm simply sparing the drivers from having to take the cars out twice."
"Of course.", the princess nodded.
Elsie turned her gaze slightly away at the sound of footsteps at the end of the hall; one of the many maids she'd gotten to know in the past day or so, probably on her way back downstairs.
"I hope you don't feel obliged to go. Everyone would understand if you'd prefer to stay away."
She turned her attention back to the queen. The change in subject wasn't exactly favoured by Elsie but she had suspected the conversation would take such a turn.
"I don't think obligation is the right word for it, your majesty. I feel I need to do this to put an end to these past days. I couldn't possibly stay away."
She received an absentminded nod from her sister-in-law.
"That reminded me- We've received a few applications for both, the post of butler and the housekeeper. Perhaps you would like me to go them over and present the best candidates to you and his majesty later tonight."
"What- already?", the queen looked at her in surprise.
"Well, my husband has not cut all his links from our time at Downton Abbey. He wrote to a few of his old colleagues and friends; soon enough there were plenty to choose from. There are not a great many people who wouldn't want to work for your family, ma'am, so the answers to the letters came quickly."
"I don't know how to thank you. If it wasn't for you, we'd be completely lost and finding a new housekeeper and butler usually takes ages."
"We were both glad to be of help.", Elsie smiled; she truly was happy to have been of help."I'll ask Mabel to bring the applications to you when we get back."
"That would be wonderful, thank you. And if there is anything, anything at all, we could do for you, you only just need to ask. It's the least we can do after all your help."
Before either of them could say anything else, they heard two familiar voices from the top of the staircase. Their respected husbands slowly descended the staircase.
Elsie met Charles' gaze and his face immediately bloomed into a loving smile.
"You look wonderful, my darling.", he said while leaning to plant a kiss to her cheek, not quite daring to reach for her lips even if the temptation was there.
"Thank you.", she smiled, her hand finding his as he looked her up and down with a proud smile.
"Shall we? We don't want to be late.", they heard the king say while he himself pulled on his gloves.
She took a deep breath…It was time.
Their drive to the courthouse didn't take too long and they arrived almost fifteen minutes early. When they got out of the cars, there were photographers and reporters all around in a way you could hardly see where you were going. Anywhere you'd cast a look, a camera would flash as a photo was taken. Luckily the guards cleared the way soon enough and the royals got inside safe and sound.
"What a commotion over a single trial.", the king had mumbled at the time.
Of course. people were interested to see the princess after they've all heard she'd been poisoned; stories travelled fast in a city, they all knew that.
And now anxiously waiting for the court session to start, Elsie fidgeted with her wedding ring on her finger. She felt almost nauseous.
"Are you alright, Els?", her husband whispered, his voice sounding worried.
She hadn't thought facing the people who had almost killed her could make her feel like this.
"I'm fine. At least…I will be...", she smiled at him."I'm only nervous."
He nodded, not wanting to push her too far if she didn't want to talk about it.
"Your majesty, the trial is about to start."
Elsie lifted her gaze to look at the doorway. A young man, someone Elsie had never met before, stood there to let them know it was time. It was time to bring an end to this shadow hovering over their heads for good.
…
"We have gathered here for the trial of Mrs. Dorothy Webb and Mr. Peter Wilson, for their attempted murder of the Princess of Scotland on the 20th of August 1929 at Buckingham Palace. Let us get started."
First, they heard Mr. Wilson.
He was quiet, much more restrained than she had ever seen. Elsie wasn't sure, but she could almost swear he looked mortified. Why, she could only imagine...
"Mr. Wilson, what happened on that night; the August 20th?", one of the juries asked from his place on the side of the room.
The former butler however remained quiet, staring at the wooden floor before him.
The judge looked at his back, his eyebrows raised as he waited for him to speak.
"Mr. Wilson? You must answer the question asked."
"I, uhm-"
He cleared his throat.
"It was some time into the dancing. The prince and princess had just opened the ball-", Wilson spoke, licking his lips."-and…they came to ask me to bring them glasses of champagne."
"Just for the two of them?"
"No. For them and the Crawley party."
"Very good, continue", the jury wrote something on his notebook.
"So, I went to fetch those glasses from a table nearby the grand entrance into the ballroom. I was just grabbing them onto a tray when Mrs. Webb appeared. She remained in the shadow of the wall, but she spoke to me."
"And what did she say, Mr. Wilson?"
Wilson looked at the jury who asked this question before speaking;
"She took a little bottle from her pocket and- and she…She said 'Now is our chance, Mr. Wilson.'. I didn't quite catch her meaning at first but-"
The man fell into a silence.
"Yes?"
" 'That glass is for that bitch, am I right?' ", Wilson continued then, taking a deep breath."And I knew what she had meant. She wanted me to put that drug into her majesty's glass."
The room fell into muffled conversations at his statement.
"And did you, Mr. Wilson?", the judge asked, silencing the room.
He straightened his back slightly and gulped…
"I handed the glass towards Mrs. Webb so that she could pour the drug in the champagne.", the man stated."And I gave that glass to the princess."
…
"Mrs. Webb, you are charged for the poisoning and the attempted murder of the Princess of Scotland on the 20th of August.", spoke the judge."Tell us why you felt inclined to try to poison the Princess of Scotland."
Elsie stared at the woman with pure hatred in her, slightly red from her earlier crying, eyes. She felt disgusted by the way that monster was stood there, looking so pleased with herself.
After Mr. Wilson had been taken away from the room, they had a break. One which Elsie had spent in the arms of her husband. What she had heard had made her shake, twisted her world upside down and the dam that held back the tears was broken. They were shown to a safe, private room where the reporters couldn't reach them, nor the public see them. His hand had made soothing circles against her back, all the while trying to hold back his own tears, and as she had held onto him like he was her lifeline…But in a way he was.
And his heart broke for her. He hadn't wanted her to have to hear all that. And he doubted seeing and hearing what Mrs. Webb had to say for herself would be any easier.
"That would be because that woman is not the princess everyone thinks her to be. She is a scheming traitor who doesn't deserve to be part of the royal family!"
"Remember your place, Mrs. Webb.", the judge warned.
"I have nothing to fear or be sorry for, because I've done nothing wrong!"
"Well, that will be for the jury to decide."
The judge motioned for the jury to get on with their questions.
"Mrs. Webb, tell us; when you learned you were unsuccessful in murdering the princess, what did you do?"
Charles felt his wife hold her breath beside him and he instinctively took her hand in his.
"What kind of a question is that?", laughed Mrs. Webb.
"Answer the question.", bellowed the judge firmly.
"I did nothing. Because I'm innocent. And how could I, when the old whore was guarded like the lunatic that she is? Everyone, including that husband of hers were surrounding her every minute of the day-"
"But were you resentful that your attempt had not been a success? Yes?", the jury continued, interrupting the woman in her tirade.
Mrs. Webb blinked before she spoke again.
"That might be. And that's all I'm going to say."
Elsie let out the shuddering breath she'd been holding as she lowered her face to hide the disappointment she knew was written all over it.
…
They watched Mrs. Webb get taken away after she had refused to answer any more of the jury's questions concerning that fateful night. It was clear to all that the woman would get a sentence that would not be favourable if the act they'd seen today was anything to go by.
"We have now heard both Mr. Wilson and Mrs. Webb. Has the jury made their decision?", the judge spoke, looking down at the person his question was aimed at.
"We have."
After the trial
"Did you get on well today, your highness?", Mabel asked her as she removed the pins that held the princess' hat in place.
"We did, rather. We can finally leave this behind us."
"That's nice to hear.", Mabel smiled, putting away the hat."What was the sentences for both of them, if you don't me asking, your highness?"
She was full of questions today, Elsie smiled. But as she made it to answer the question asked, she let her smile fade;
"Thirty years. For both of them."
Mabel simply nodded absentmindedly.
"And we've you to thank for it. Partly, at least.", Elsie said while looking at the younger woman through the mirror.
"Well, I wouldn't quite say that, your highness. But I was glad to be of help."
"Without you we'd still be looking for the culprit, I presume."
"Be that as it may, your highness, I'm happy that it's now sorted out."
"I am too. I hadn't thought I'd feel this reassured.", Elsie sighed, standing up to let Mabel take off her coat and dress."Is everything going well downstairs?"
"Alright, your highness. You've been great help; everyone appreciates what you've done."
"I'm glad. We've gotten quite a few applications for the posts so I was wondering if you could bring them to the queen. I'll go them over first, but after I've done that.", the princess asked kindly.
"Of course. I hope the next housekeeper and butler are more favourable than the last ones."
"Let's hope so.", Elsie laughed."And maybe they'll even be slightly more polite towards me."
"That would be a nice bonus, your highness.", Mabel agreed happily, the joke making her lady laugh out loud.
The maid turned away to fetch the princess a day dress from the closet that she would be wearing for the rest of the day. She was glad that the princess was back to what Mabel presumed was her usual state. And it made her happy that the princess felt free enough to joke in her company. They had become quite familiar, if not yet good friends, in the past weeks. It was nothing she had ever expected before and she enjoyed it.
She turned back to face the older woman, now holding a beautiful light blue day dress in hand. However, the smile on her face faded when she heard a quiet sob.
"Your highness? Whatever is the matter?", Mabel worried, stepping closer to look at her face properly."Let's get you seated, your highness-"
The maid carefully guided her lady to the bed where Elsie sat down rather unceremoniously.
"Oh- I'm just being silly, Mabel. Don't worry about me.", Elsie sobbed, dapping at her eyes with a handkerchief Mabel handed her from her pocket."One minute I laugh and the next I burst into tears."
"Can I do anything?"
A smile forced its way to the princess' face. This young woman before her reminded her so much of Anna with her caring.
"No, I'll be fine. It's just been an emotional day.", Elsie said quietly, handing the handkerchief back to its rightful owner."Thank you. I never seem to have one with me when I need it."
"Not at all, your highness."
"You must think me very silly. I feel as if all I've done these past days is cry."
"Never that, your highness. You've every right to.", Mabel told her, folding the small cloth back in her pocket.
"Maybe, but I didn't even think one could shed so many a tear.", the princess sighed and rose from the bed."Well- let's get on. No need to dwell on that or I'll miss tea."
"And we can't have that, your highness.", Mabel smiled.
Elsie returned Mabel's smile over her shoulder with one of her own. No, they could not have that.
Later that evening
"You are thinking of letting them go, aren't you?", asked George from his wife who was clearly pretending to read her book.
She lifted her gaze to meet his.
"Well, we can hardly not let them go.", she said.
At dinner that night, the princess had raised the subject of a little stay at their old cottage at Downton. It had been met with two surprised and apprehensive faces at both the king and queen's end. However, George wasn't sure how, his wife had been convinced that the visit, even if slightly dangerous, would be for the prince and princess' good. He wasn't so convinced himself.
"But it's terribly dangerous! After all that's been going on we should know that and be more careful."
"They'd not be completely on their own, of course not, dear. We'd send guards with them to keep them safe. But undoubtedly, they'll want to be alone."
"They can't just leave for a vacation whenever they want to…Suppose someone finds out they're there?", George reasoned.
"But no one will find out, will they? The prince and princess know that they're not supposed to be seen and I'm sure they respect our wishes should we wish to keep them both safe."
"I don't like it. The princess is barely out and walking and there they go, ready to risk everything again."
"Oh, don't be daft!"
"I'm not-", he argued.
"It's only for a few days. And if you wish, we'll send a maid or Woodley with them, although she's got her own family to consider. Your sister made it very clear that this is what they both want and need. They've had a hard time lately."
"I know they have but-"
"Won't you just say yes and let them go.", Mary sighed.
The king turned away from her for a moment.
"Very well, but I blame you if this goes wrong.", he faced her again and said firmly.
The queen smiled. She still got it in her if she tried hard enough. And the prince and princess had certainly earned a little holiday for everything they've done for her family. She was truly grateful and this was the least she and her husband could do to repay them their kindness.