CHELSIE'S OLD AND NEW ERA-3

Hello everyone. Nice to be with you again. I'm continuing the extended version of New Era. Thank you for all your support and reviews. I'm valuing each of your opinions. This story is a little different from other stories that I've written and some of you may have a problem with that, but bear with me. Sometimes it's worth to wait for the really good things...So, we are moving on.. In this chapter Charlie goes to France...Hope you will like it ;-)

Chapter 3- Charlie goes to France

" My Lady, you wish my husband to go to France with the family?"-Elsie asked Lady Mary, being amazed, with the idea that she just heard...She asked Lady Mary for a conversation, hoping, that they can both find a way to prevent Charlie's meddling in the movie being made at Downton, but she did not expect that things will go this way...

"Mrs Hughes, I think that it's the best idea. What else can we do? If he will stay, he will want to be here and watch the movie people and I can't stop him. If I will tell him not to come to the Abbey, he will feel left out, rejected and he will not forgive me.."

"My Lady, I think we both know, that Mr Carson would forgive you much, much more..."-Elsie smiled faintly and Lady Mary replied with the same smile...

"Possibly, but just think-we have a strong argument here..We will tell him, that his presence is needed, to guard all the trip and make sure, that everything is done with the highest standards...You will have enough to do here, without his presence and meddling into the movie making..."

"I guess you are right My Lady...This is the best solution. However I'm not sure how to break this news to him...That will be a hard task to do..."

"I'm sure you will manage. In the end, we will all benefit from this. Carson will feel needed and we can go through this whole nightmare, without worrying about his interference..."

"All right My Lady, I will give him the message then...Thank you for coming up with the idea..."

"You are welcome Mrs Hughes and good luck.."

Later, in Elsie's sitting room...

"He is to go to France with them? And you are suppose to tell him that? Oh, I certainly do not envy you of this job...I can't really see Mr Carson going to France.."-Mrs Patmore seemed to be amused with the whole situation...

"Please don't make fun of me...It was Lady Mary's idea and what was I suppose to do? Say that it's stupid? I had to agree...God knows, that we will have enough of commotion in here. I will be exhausted in the evening and I'm not sure, that I would handle Mr Carson's nagging..."

"I thought that you hated that idea, because you will have to be alone for a while, without him..And you don't want that..."

"Oh please Mrs Patmore, I ask you...I'm not a young wife, who just finished her honeymoon...I'm a middle age, married lady and I can certainly cope without Mr Carson for a while..."

"If that's what you are saying, then I guess I have to believe you...Oops, need to run back to the kitchen, the dinner will not prepare itself...Thank you for the tea.."-Mrs Patmore left, taking her cup with her, as they just finished drinking their afternoon tea together, leaving Elsie by her desk...

When she left, Elsie's mind has driffted off for a moment, as she just realized, that she didn't tell the whole truth to her friend. She didn't want to ruin her image-an image which she was building for years. An image of the strict housekeeper, who never cares about some silly, romantic nonsense..

But the truth was, that when Lady Mary gave her the idea, it was the first thought that came into her mind...How will she manage without Charlie?

Ever since their wedding day, they have not been separated for even a day and it was a very harsh perspective for Elsie to suddenly stay all alone. Especially considering the fact, that they didn't even know how long they are going to be there...There was some mystery to explain, connected with the Dowager's past and nobody was able to predict, when they will go back.

Elsie understood, that the prospect of nagging Charlie, which terrified her, as she thought about movie making in Downton, was as harsh as the prospect of being alone, without him and not being able to share everything with him...

She sighed heavily, as not very happy memories came back to her...Memories from past years, when they were not yet married, but she loved him as much as she did now.. Every year, at the same time, when he was going away with the family for the London season, her heart was breaking..Many years have passed, but she still remembered those lonely, long months, when they were seprarated and she missed him with each fiber of her body, every day and every night...

What was even worse, was the feeling, that she couldn't share it with anyone at that time...Her secret love for Charles Carson remained a secret, until the day that he finally confessed his feelings to her and proposed.

Earlier on, nobody could suspect, what was going on in her heart and she kept it well hidden. But she still remembered those awful, boring days, which she spend on cleaning the house, without the perspective of an evening Sherry with him. She remembered long and lonely nights, when she was crying in her pillow and she felt, like her heart was cut in half, when she was wondering, if he was thinking about her, or was he spending his time with some of the eager women, which were certainly not lacking in London...

Elsie wasn't aware of his feelings back then, if he had any, but she knew, that once the moment of his departure was getting close every year, she was craving his presence and prolonging their evening Sherry, wanting to enjoy his company, for as long as she could, praying, that he wouldn't notice her odd behavior...

Charles also didn't know, that everytime she received a letter from him and they were corresponding regularly, when he was away, she was taking that letter to her sitting room, kissing it as the most precious treasure, when nobody was watching and she made a special ritual of reading it, at night, sitting alone in her sitting room, with a glass of Sherry, imagining, that he was there with her..

He also couldn't know, that when he announced the date of his return, she was walking around the house, with sparkling eyes, three days before his arrival, singing old, Scottish songs, which she remembered from her childhood.

Those were all distant memories, but Elsie treasured them in her heart, especially now, when she was suppose to experience the same thing again...

Evening, at Carson's cottage...

"I am to go to France? With the family? Are you sure Elsie?"

"Of course I'm sure..."

"But, but...I was suppose to stay here, to help you and Lady Mary, to watch the house and..."

Charles seemed totally confused and Elsie bit her lip, trying to keep her patience...

"Charlie, you are needed there...His Lordship needs you, he can't make it on his own in France...He needs someone to watch the staff, to make sure that everything is done properly...Mr Barrow has to stay here, from obvious reasons, but you are needed in France.."

"But Elsie, it's such a long trip and French people, the food, the hot weather...I'm not sure that I will manage...In my age and with my health..."

"Charlie...You've managed much worse things, when you were a butler...Besides, it was Lady Mary's decision...She acknowledged, that you are essential during this trip..."

"Well, if it was Lady Mary's decision, then I guess I will have to do it..It's not going to be easy, but you are right Elsie...We have survived worse things and we can survive through this...But what about you? Will you be able to take care of everything here?"

"I will do my best Charlie, I promise...You just concentrate on helping His Lordship and we will manage here..."

Elsie smiled to herself, thinking, that if there was ever an argument which could convience her husband immediately, it was telling him, that Lady Marsy decided about something...Enough to make him obedient and willing to cooperate...

Few days later, the eve before the trip to France...

Elsie was circling, in the restless way around the room. It was an evening before their deprature to France and she was checking the content of Charlie's suitcase one more time, just to make sure, that he has everything...She realized, that most of his attires were not suitable for the hot, French riviera summer, she offered him to buy some lighter clothes, but Charles didn't want to hear about it...

He was lying in their bed, reading the guide book and trying to get some knowledge about France..

"I can't believe what these people eat...I will be lucky, if I won't have a permanent upset stomach, with all this heat and that food..."

"You will be fine Charlie...Relax...You know, that there are few other people coming with you and I don't see anyone complaining..."

"That's true Elsie...We've become quite a large group...I'm not even sure, why there are so many of us going..."

"I understand that Tom Branson with his wife are coming, after all the villa will be inherited by miss Sybbie in the future, but to tell you the truth, I do not understand the purpose of Lady Bagshaw taking this trip with you..I know that Her Ladyship is not pleased about that..."

"I was sure, that they will take Lady Rosamund...I'm guessing that she was eager to come with them, especially that it is about the Dowager's past..."

"She wanted to come, but apparently nobody invited her...She must have been extremely disappointed...Her presence there would have make more sense than Lady Bagshaw, but that's not for me to decide...Put that guide book down Charlie...It's getting late and you need to have a good night sleep..."

Elsie climbed to bed and she turned off the lamp on her side...Charles put the guide book on the night stand, he yawned and turned towards Elsie...He looked at the beautiful sight of his wife, with her eyes closed...His heart clenched, when he realized, how much he will miss her...They were inseparable since the day of their wedding...He moved closer to her and kissed her forehead gently...

Elsie opened her eyes, amazed with his gesture...They were far from romance and tender moments recently, but she understood, that Charles was eager to have one of these now, before his departure...

She smiled warmly to him and caressed his cheek...

His face brightened, when he saw that tender gesture and he opened his arms widely, inviting her to get closer..She understood this invitation and she nestled into him...

Awkward silence fell between them...They were married, they were in love, but somehow, recently, they couldn't find a proper way of expressing their love...It wasn't different tonight...Charles held her in his arms for a longer while, planting gentle kisses into her hair and suddenly he said:

"I will miss you very much Elsie...You have no idea how much...We have not been separated since our wedding...I can't imagine that..."

"Me too Charlie...Now you will know, how I felt all those years, when you were going away for the season, with the family...I was missing you terribly then..."

"You have? Oh Elsie...I never realized that..."

"I have...I even cried when you were gone...A lot..."

"Why did you never tell me that before?"

"I guess I didn't want you to think that I'm sentimental...As you've once scolded me for that... Remember?"

"I remember...I was an old, lonely, sad fool then...You can be as sentimental as you wish Elsie...I have nothing against that..."

"Well, I guess I prefer to be the Scottish dragon, rather than the senitmental, old married woman..."

"Far from old my love...Very far...Oh Elsie...I hope, that I will be back as soon as possible"

"I hope so too Charlie..."

Charles was squeezing Elsie tightly in his arms...After a while, Elsie wanted to move away, to give him some space, but he protested...

"Why are you moving away from me Elsie? Anything wrong?"

"No Charlie...I just wanted to give you some space, so you can have good night sleep, you will need that...Big journey ahead of you..."

"I will have a good night sleep on one condition...That I can sleep having you in my arms, because that is something that I will certainly miss a lot, being in France...Do you mind that Elsie?"

"Not at all Charlie...Goodnight..."

Elsie gave Charles a sweet, prolonged kiss and her head returned to his chest one more time...They fell asleep cuddling and ostensibly calm, although each of them thought that there was something missing here, during this goodbye...

Oh boy...The ending somehow seemed sad and I don't really know why...It wasn't planned that way, but sometimes even I don't have control over my own writing ;-) Sorry if that was pesimistic, because that's certainly not the purpose of this story-the purpose is to show how the Carsons are doing in their marriage now...It will get better, I promise ;-) If you didn't totally hate it, please let me know what you think..Have a wonderful weekend!